About Discovery Studios

Established in 2007, Discovery Studios is a full-service production company owned by Discovery, Inc. that creates, develops, and produces high quality, innovative and inspiring content.  As one of the largest single producers of non-fiction programming for Discovery, Inc.’s Portfolio of Networks, Discovery Studios is poised to deliver more than 150 hours of captivating shows across multiple genres this year – from reality to lifestyle to adventure to automotive.

Discovery, Inc. is a global leader in real life entertainment, serving a passionate audience of superfans around the world with content that inspires, informs and entertains. Discovery delivers over 8,000 hours of original programming each year and has category leadership across deeply loved content genres around the world. Available in 220 countries and territories and 50 languages. Discovery’s portfolio of premium brands includes Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Travel Channel, Turbo/MOTORTREND, Animal Planet, and Science Channel, as well as OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network in the U.S., Discovery Kids in Latin America, and Eurosport, the leading provider of locally relevant, premium sports and Home of the Olympic Games across Europe.

The Executive Team

Marc Graboff
Marc Graboff
President, Global BLA, PMD & Studios

Marc Graboff, a 30-year media industry veteran, serves as President, Global Business & Legal Affairs, Production Management and Studios for Discovery Communications. Joining Discovery in March 2015, Graboff oversees the overall business affairs and production management strategies, with day-to-day oversight of matters relating to the acquisition, development and production of programming for all of Discovery’s networks and digital platforms globally. His responsibilities include management of the company’s global business & legal affairs and production management groups, the business and creative talent of Discovery Studios and oversight of the company’s production assets including being a board member of All3Media. Prior to joining Discovery, Graboff served as president of CORE Media Group, Inc. where he managed all strategic and day-to-day operations for the global music management and production company. Before his role at CORE Media Group, Graboff spent 15 years in leadership positions with NBC Universal. He also held executive positions at CBS, and the law firm of Troop, Meisinger, Steuber and Pasich, and was a founding partner of the firm of Silverberg, Katz, Thompson and Braun.

Marc Graboff
Sandy Varo Jarrell
Sandy Varo Jarrell
Head of Discovery Studios

Sandy Varo Jarrell serves as the Head of Discovery Studios overseeing all aspects of the production group including current production, business operations, and the development of new projects for Discovery’s portfolio of networks. Under Jarrell’s leadership, Discovery Studios has delivered a diverse slate of highly rated series, including Outdaughtered, Little People Big World, Alaska The Last Frontier, and Puppy Bowl. The group is currently producing 10 series and is slated to deliver over 175 hours of shows this year. Prior to Discovery Studios, Jarrell served as TLC’s Senior Vice President of West Coast Production and Development where she managed the strategic and creative direction of new and ongoing series such as Long Lost Family, My 600 lb. Life, Skin Tight, I Am Jazz, and Little People Big World. She’s also held executive positions at CBS and Lifetime, and had an extensive career as a freelance producer.

Sandy Varo Jarrell
Cathy Veisel
Cathy Veisel
VP, Development

Cathy Veisel serves as VP of Development for Discovery Studios. In this role, she is responsible for all development for the studio, including both original development and network originated projects. Across her almost 20-year development career, Cathy has worked across all genres of unscripted programming, and in every aspect of the business, from production, to production company development, to studio development, to network development. Prior to joining the Discovery family, Cathy’s corporate resume included companies such as Fox Television Studios, 3-Ball Entertainment, Style Network, and Universal Television.

 

Cathy Veisel
Cindy Kain
Cindy Kain
VP, Current Series

Cindy Kain serves as Vice President of Current Series for Discovery Studios, joining the division in June, 2015. Kain oversees day-to-day programing efforts for such series as Seeking Sister Wife (TLC), Puppy Bowl (Animal Planet), Outdaughtered (TLC), Wheeler Dealers (MotorTrend), Alien Sharks (Discovery Channel), Little People Big World (TLC) and The Little Couple (TLC). Prior to her role, Kain served as an Executive Producer and Director at TLC, producing hundreds of hours of content and helped launch Long Lost Family, My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding, Gypsy Sisters and the franchise series, Police Women.

Cindy Kain
Janell Coles
Janell Coles
VP, Business & Legal Affairs

Janell Coles serves as Discovery Studios’ Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs, responsible for the day-to-day oversight of Discovery Studios’ business and legal operations and strategy. As a 20-year veteran of Discovery, Janell has extensive experience in matter relating to television and digital acquisition, development, production, talent and financing. She has held multiple leadership roles across Discovery’s global networks, including most recently as head of Animal Planet’s Business and Legal Affairs team. She concurrently oversees Business and Legal Affairs for Discovery’s global consumer products, program sales and rights management businesses and operations. Prior to joining Discovery, Janell worked for the law firm Mintz Levin, based in Washington, DC, handling regulatory and compliance matters for multiple media outlets, including TBS, Cartoon Network and AT&T.

Janell Coles
Katie Kennedy
Katie Kennedy
VP, Finance & Operations

Katie Kennedy is a six-year veteran of Discovery Studios, now serving as Vice President, Finance & Operations for Discovery Studios.  She partners with senior management on the strategy and vision of the business along with preparing annual budgets, long range plans and forecasts in accordance with said strategy.  She also manages the Production Accounting team. Kennedy is responsible for implementation and admin of operational controls, functional processes and procedures required to grow the organization while being cost efficient. Prior to joining Discovery, she was a Production Accountant at Nickelodeon.

Katie Kennedy
Ethan Dietrich
Ethan Dietrich
Sr Director, Business & Legal Affairs

Ethan Dietrich serves as Sr Director of Business & Legal Affairs for Discovery Studios.  In this role, he provides business and production legal support for a robust amount of programming, spanning from development to current on-air series. Prior to Discovery Studios, he worked with the Angel City Factory production company, The Steenveld Firm, a boutique entertainment law firm, and the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. Prior to his work in the entertainment industry, he was a biomedical researcher and pharmaceutical engineer.

Ethan Dietrich
Beth Linden
Beth Linden
Director, Production & Operations

Beth Linden serves as the Director of Production & Operations for Discovery Studios. In her role, she manages all studio policies, procedures, internal communications, and facilities management. She also oversees all event planning for both the east and west coast teams. Prior to joining Discovery Studios in 2008, she worked in production on feature films for DreamWorks Pictures, Paramount Pictures, and Warner Bros. Pictures. Linden is a graduate of Ithaca College and lives in Los Angeles.

Beth Linden
Aurelien Leturgie
Aurelien Leturgie
Director of Development

Aurelien Leturgie is Director of Development at Discovery Studios. In this role, he is responsible for identifying trends, fresh formats, emerging talent and unique ideas to translate into successful programming. Leturgie has spent more than 15 years developing shows and producing pilots for major networks and production companies in the U.S. and Europe. Originally from Paris, Leturgie started his career in Miami working for a film studio before moving to Los Angeles to become a field producer on various shows for the Travel Channel and TLC. In 2011, he joined ITV Studios’ creative team and began developing television formats and docu-series for cable networks in the U.S. Leturgie has sold various shows and presentation pilots to networks such as E! Entertainment and VH1 and has developed dozens of docu-series and formats for Discovery’s broad range of networks.

Aurelien Leturgie
Nichole Patterson
Nichole Patterson
Director, People & Culture

Nichole Patterson serves as the Director of People & Culture for Discovery Studios. She serves as a strategic partner to implement organizational and people-focused initiatives. She provides guidance on global recruitment efforts and serves as a consultant for the freelance production staff on HR related matters. Prior to her position at Discovery, Patterson had extensive entertainment experience managing HR functions and client groups for Saban Brands, DreamWorks Animation and ESPN.

Nichole Patterson

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Contact Us

West Coast Office

6060 Center Dr. 3rd Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90045
Press Inquiries?
Catherine Frymark

Group SVP – Corporate Communications
240-662-2934
[email protected]