The Tastemakers Family - Photographed by Mattie True

Tastemakers started in 2014 as an original content conception by Ian McDonell, Emil Garner, and the late Charlie Lytle.

TASTEMAKERS PLATFORMED on Dash Radio as a daily talk show and in its first 6 months, the show saw an abundance of success, attaining record numbers with their analytics in listenership and conducting interviews with the hottest names in the Entertainment Industry.

McDonell and Garner came to understand that while their initial intent was content for contents sake, they were now perfectly positioned to form a business/institution around the product, co-founding Tastemakers Media, LLC in 2015. The change was to officiate the reality of their brands capacity as a full-service broadcasting production house. With multiple properties in development, long time friend and industry associate Jeff Schwartz was brought on the team as President of Production. This addition was a key element and helped elevate the capabilities and facilitate the companies growing production needs. Over the next three years the company managed, through some unorthodox approaches and targeting, to cement their position as one of the most preeminent third party production services contractors in podcasting and talk radio.

In 2017 - The Laugh Out Loud Network, then a new digital streaming partner of Lionsgate, found themselves in need of a production company for a new channel they were creating powered by Sirius XM. In January 2018, in concert with Sirius XM and Laugh Out Loud Network, Tastemakers Media LLC was tapped to produce Kevin Hart’s new talk show “Straight From The Hart” on the Laugh Out Loud Radio, channel 96. McDonell and Garner have utilized the strategy and production capabilities of their company to bifurcate the show’s broadcasts between LA and remote locations across the country and currently are at the helm of the entirety of the LOL channel’s radio broadcast, more recent properties include Quake’s House (hosted by renowned comedian Earthquake).

Tastemakers Media is also launching their own channel on the Dash Radio platform in the upcoming months and currently presides over the production of 10 talk shows on the niche digital broadcast platform. With their eye on scaling their business to encompass a 360 hold on the entertainment landscape, McDonell and Garner continue to bring the weight of their respective media holdings/interests to bridge gaps, consolidate and acquire new properties with a high level of name ID and quality content to various distribution platforms.

In early 2019 Tastemakers Media executed on a partnership deal with 800 Pound Gorilla, aimed at further encouraging and exploiting comedy’s growing desire for record release and content streaming.

MEET THE TASTEMAKERS WHO MAKE IT HAPPEN!

EMIL GARNER

**CEO / Co-Founder / Executive Producer**

Emil Garner is co-founder of Tastemakers Media and hails from Westchester County, New York. Prior to his current role as a media entrepreneur and producer, Garner held positions at Paradigm and Lions Gate. Garner also launched IDES Entertainment, a film fund & production company with Lithium Werks co-owner and investor Petter Kleppan and feature film producer Scott Seegmiller. Currently, Garner is Tastemakers’ point rep, as it pertains to the production strategy and oversight for all of the original content on Kevin Hart’s Laugh Out Loud Radio Channel 96 on Sirius XM. Garner is responsible for the sales and outreach for Tastemakers Media, representing at the forefront of the company’s efforts as it pertains to the procurement of additional production contracts.

Ian McDONELL

**COO / Co-Founder / Executive Producer**
Ian McDonell, co-founder of Tastemakers Media, also serves as an investor and advisor for Club Monarch in his native home of San Francisco, where he held a 15 year career in Event Production and Venue Management. McDonell, transitioned into A&R, and Artist Management with Los Angeles based company Indie-Pop Music and played a intracel role in the success of 2010's #1 billboard charting record, Like A G6. In 2014, McDonell, was asked by associate Caroline D Amore to create and host a daily radio show, Tastemakers Radio, on the Dash platform which charted in the Top 10 shows in its first year and continues to hold its slot. McDonell is responsible for the Brand oversight of Tastemakers Media, keeping a close eye on all it’s properties to ensure both content, creative and institutional structures adhere to Bay Area “hipster” sensibilities.

Jeffrey Schwartz

**COO / President of Production**

Jeffrey Indiana Schwartz was raised in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. After receiving a degree in Audio Engineering and Music Production from The Conservatory Of Recording Arts and Sciences in Tempe Arizona, he quickly moved to Los Angeles in 2005 and immersed himself within the music industry, establishing residencies as a DJ and renowned audio engineer. In 2015 Schwartz joined McDonell, Garner and the late Charles Lytle (aka Chucky Fresh) on a digital radio platform, Tastemakers Radio on Dash Radio. Schwartz’s production skill-set and technical know how, enabled Garner and McDonnell to elevate and scale the profile of their company as a viable third party production entity. Jeff Schwartz currently serves as Tastemakers Media’s Chief Operating Officer and President of Production, specifically acting as point on the companies Dash Radio properties with physical production duties as it concerns the companies Sirius XM properties.

Nehemaih Matthews

**Production Assistant**

Nehemiah Matthews joined the tastemakers in 2015 after graduating from Los Angeles Film School with a degree in Audio Engineering. His early roles with the Tastemakers included editing of the radio shows, audio imaging curation and talent relations. and he quickly proved himself as a viable host himself, becoming the 4th official member of the Tastemaker’s signature show, Tastemakers Radio. Currently Matthews is an assistant producer and primary editor for tastemakers main property, Kevin Hart’s, Straight From The Hart and is an essential proponent of Tastemakers’ new comedy IP ownership and record release business where he is responsible for coordination, capture, edit, and delivery of said properties.

Vanessa Rubidoux

**Director of Social Media**

Vanessa Rubidoux aka “V”- The Plug joined the Tastemakers team as an intern in 2017 with her degree in Business Marketing from Cal State. She quickly became acclimated to the entertainment industry and excelled with the tastemakers hosting her own radio show called “Plug Talk” on the TasteMakers Media owned TasteMakers Radio platform. V has a way of connecting various artists and “movers” within the entertainment industry. She is driven by helping others create and execute their goals. Her role continues to grow within TM productions, heading up social strategy for the company’s Sirius XM/LOL Network radio and podcast contract.

**KATHERINE WENTWORTH**

**Digital Marketing and Creative Strategist Consultant**
Katherine founded Design2Manifest to guide people in entertainment, fashion, art, music, and business in perfecting their brand and grow their presence. From DJs to doctors, her mission is to translate talent into a cohesive brand that communicates a clear message.
She combines pragmatism with creativity to guide clients through a step-by-step approach to achieving their career and branding goals. Her mission is to organize your idea and connect it to your target audience while **bridging the gap between conscious and cool.**

Zach Wiles

**Director of Business Affairs**

Zach began his career in the entertainment industry as a DJ and promoter, but often noticed a penchant for dealing with the processes, organization and mechanics of working behind the scenes. Soon after, Zach began working in the legal department at Universal Music Group after earning a BA in Music Business. Currently, Zach produces and hosts The Rewind on Tastemakers Radio and manages the business needs of Tastemakers Media.

Mattie ture

**Graphic Designer**

Graphic artist and digital content creator with an eye for detail whose work emphasizes creativity and innovation. Highly skilled in photography and video editing with a mastery of Adobe Creative Suite, particularly Photoshop, InDesign, Premiere and After Effects. I am passionate about creating digital marketing content which includes multi-media videos, animation, photography, and website design. I work with my clients to generate new ideas and create content using my technical and creative expertise. Past projects range from fashion shoots, press photography and directing and editing music videos.