Team

Jen O'Connell

Co-Founder, Co-CEO

Jennifer O’Connell is an industry leader and tastemaker, having spent 28 years as a network executive, studio executive, and executive producer. Prior to co-founding Velvet Hammer Media, O'Connell was Executive Vice President, Non-Fiction & Live Action Family Originals for HBO Max, responsible for all of Max's unscripted and alternative programming. During her tenure, O’Connell developed a unique slate across a broad range of formats for an award-winning offering that was bold, inclusive, and unfiltered.

As head of feature documentaries and docuseries for Max, O'Connell launched some of the highest-performing content on the platform, including The Way Down, Class Action Park, Heaven’s Gate, LFG, What Happened Brittany Murphy?, Beanie Mania, Not So Pretty, Take Out with Lisa Ling, Generation Hustle, and the latest installment of Project Greenlight from Issa Rae. She also oversaw numerous event specials that became some of the platform’s biggest hits and acquisition drivers—the top-performing Friends Reunion, Harry Potter 20th Anniversary, and Fresh Prince Reunion, to name just a few.

On the reality side, O'Connell's slate included competition, dating, and lifestyle programming such as the award-winning Selena + Chef, The Hype, FBoy Island, Legendary, and Stephen & Ayesha Curry's About Last Night, The Big Brunch with Dan Levy, and the epic adventure competition The Climb with Jason Momoa.

Her many roles at Max also included development for a co-viewing audience, targeting older kids and adults, for which O’Connell oversaw live-action scripted content such as the Head of the Class reboot with Executive Producer Bill Lawrence and the critically acclaimed Gordita Chronicles from Zoe Saldana and Eva Longoria, who directed the pilot.

In 2021, just one year after HBO Max’s launch, her department was awarded Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Programming by a Network or Streaming Platform at the Critics Choice Real TV Awards, and they honored her with the same award again in 2022. Variety also recognized O'Connell as a “Titan” of Unscripted TV in its 2022 Reality Impact Report.

Before HBO Max, O'Connell was executive vice president and head of worldwide alternative programming at Lionsgate. She has held positions as a buyer at NBCUniversal, a producer at Core Media Group and Shed Media U.S., and as a scripted creative executive at Disney Channel and the Family Channel. Among the many projects she has developed and guided are Selling Sunset (Netflix), The Real Housewives of New York City (Bravo), The Biggest Loser (NBC), Who Do You Think You Are? (NBC) and Kevin Hart's What the Fit (YouTube).

Jennifer currently sits on the alumni board of Emerson College and serves on the Peer Group Executive Committee for the reality group within the Television Academy.

Rebecca Quinn

Co-Founder, Co-CEO

Rebecca Quinn is a seasoned professional in the non-fiction industry, having spent over 20 years as a highly regarded producer and most recently as Senior Vice President, Non-Fiction Original Programming for HBO Max. While at the platform, Quinn was responsible for a broad slate of reality programming across various topics and genres geared toward female- skewing, Gen Z, and millennial audiences. Among her many projects were the critically acclaimed underground ballroom dance series Legendary, Selena + Chef, holiday dating series 12 Dates of Christmas, streetwear design competition show The Hype, and the bold and buzzy dating series hit Fboy Island.

Quinn was instrumental in launching The Access Unscripted Program at HBOMax, offering underrepresented producers and directors both the access and opportunity to work at senior-level positions; within one year, nine unscripted series were taking part in the program.

Previously, Rebecca was president of Pulse Creative, under a deal at Lionsgate, where she created and executive produced several pilots and series, including Kicking and Screaming for FOX, Candy Crush for CBS, and Kevin Hart: What the Fit for YouTube. Before Lionsgate, Quinn served as supervising producer on broadcast mega-hits Wipeout, Deal or No Deal, Fear Factor, and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

Quinn started her career in non-fiction casting, becoming one of the most in-demand casting directors in the industry. She has overseen casting departments for tentpole series at every broadcast network.

Quinn attended Columbia University in New York City, where she was captain of the Division I women's volleyball team.

Rebecca currently sits on the advisory board of Realscreen’s 2024 conference.

Nick Alarcon

Senior Vice President

An experienced development executive and seasoned producer, Nick Alarcon serves as senior vice president for Velvet Hammer Media, overseeing its unscripted slate.

Prior to VHM, Alarcon oversaw unscripted development for Pulse Creative under the company’s overall deal with Lionsgate, where he was an integral part of the development and sale of such series as Kicking & Screaming for FOX, Candy Crush for CBS, and three seasons of Kevin Hart: What the Fit for YouTube. Over eight years, he rose at Pulse from development assistant to head of development, and also served as a hands-on producer on various projects in the field and in post-production, with credits ranging from associate producer to co-executive producer. He worked previously in post-production at Bunim/Murray.

Marilyn Minton

Manager, Development

Marilyn Minton joined VHM soon after its launch, after completing her Master’s in Global Media & Communications at the London School of Economics. Her dissertation, Decoding Bachelor Nation: A Qualitative Analysis of The Bachelor’s Progressive Fandom, studied the intersection of reality television and social justice, earning her an award of Distinction. In addition to unscripted formats, Minton manages VHM’s documentary slate.

Previously, Minton spent four years at ICM Partners in the Motion Picture Literary department, with a focus on independent filmmakers and festivals. She worked with clients such as Spike Lee, Sofia Coppola, Jim Jarmusch, Lisa Cholodenko, and Nisha Ganatra, among others. She has also worked in development at Scott Rudin Productions, Jake Gyllenhaal’s Nine Stories Productions, and FilmNation Entertainment. Minton holds a BA in Film Studies from Columbia University in New York City.