Meet the VCC Leadership
VCC’s senior team is a powerful combination of innovative executives who understand the quality, reliability, and economic demands of modern media based on decades of direct experience in communications technology and production, corporate leadership, intellectual property development, and Wall Street analysis.
Tom Wolzien
Chairman, Founder
Tom is The Video Call Center’s founder, executive chairman and inventor of the VCC’s patented enabling technology. Tom is a five decade veteran of television news, broadcast and cable network management, and the media research sell-side on Wall Street. He holds multiple patents related to interactive media and communications including those of The VCC and “click for more info” buttons found on many TV remotes. More at Wolzien.com.
Larry Thaler
CEO
Larry joined the VCC team full-time in late 2015 after guiding business strategy and technical development as the company’s senior advisor for more than two years. He has more than 30 years’ experience in the media business and has earned four Emmy awards. Thaler was formerly an executive at NBC Universal and the Chairman of Positive Flux, a media consulting firm helping companies implement strategic technical changes.
John Rose
Vice Chairman
John is VCC’s Vice Chairman, bringing years of media leadership and C-Suite experience to the company. He is a Senior Partner and Managing Director of the Boston Consulting Group where he has led the global Media Practice, co-led the US Private Equity practice, and helps lead the Global TMT practice. John has followed VCC since its first workshop show in 2013, and became a member of the senior leadership team in 2019.
Meet the VCC Team
VCC’s team has been carefully curated and forged with important goals in mind. Everyone in our team comes from a variety of strengths and backgrounds and is able to give insight from a variety of perspectives and skill sets. This helps the VCC team to foster an environment of true reliability and be a tour de force of unique development and production skills, unlike anything else that exists in the industry today.
Isaiah Barnard
Associate Producer
One of our most recent additions to the VCC production team! Isaiah graduated from Oberlin in 2020 as a Philosophy major. Day to day, he optimizes guest shots, lighting, and audio for live & pre-recorded television. Isaiah helps the VCC produce quality remote broadcasts for premier television networks, sports organizations, and production companies.
Alicia Boudreau
Bookkeeper/Office Manager
Alicia joined VCC with years of experience behind the scenes in the construction business. She’s responsible for back-office operations including A/P, A/R, personnel, and contract management.
Tom Delehanty
Sales Manager
Tom joined the VCC Team in 2016 and has an extensive 30+ years of corporate and creative successes within traditional TV, OTT, radio, and film; including 22 yrs with HTN (Now The SWITCH). He also has a solid foundation to support what goes on in front of and behind both camera and microphone being a proud member of SAG-AFTRA since 1988 (credits on *LinkedIn*). TD has been recognized by the NY Sports Emmy’s, The Connecticut AP Broadcasters Assoc, and his alma mater, Western Connecticut St Univ. He holds a master’s degree from NY Tech and his unique experiences offer VCC a dynamic combo of corporate talent and artistry.
Jonni-lynn Galietti
Director of Customer Success
Jonni is VCC’s Director of Customer Success and Senior Producer. She has put more live smartphone remotes on air than anyone else on the planet and is VCC’s principle trainer for both clients and new employees. She literally “wrote the book” for the new job of Call Producing as author of VCC’s training handbook for call producers. Jonni’s background is in broadcast media and music.
Samantha Gross
Manager of Operations
Samantha is the Manager of Operations for VCC, pre-producing and producing smartphone-based remotes for air. She started at VCC as a college intern and returned full time after two years working for a local news broadcast operation where she was a videographer in the field and news editor and motion graphics producer.
Tyler Hernandez
Software Engineer
One of our most recent full-time additions to the VCC team! Tyler has helped to create and implement our newest creations like Crowdview!
Josh Koller
Producer & Training Manager
One of our most recent additions to the VCC team, Josh assists with all production and joined our team after working at Oberlin College in administration for 2.5 years. Josh studied Africana Studies and Politics at Oberlin, where he also is on the Alumni Committee for Obiewood, the Oberlin entertainment network.
Scott Leibowitz
Marketing Team Lead
Scott Leibowitz leads VCC’s marketing efforts. He has diverse marketing, sales and journalism experience working for companies of all sizes– start-ups and Fortune 500, and non-profits, too.
David Levin
Business Development/Sales Consultant
David Levin has been with the VCC since 2017! He is an Emmy award-winning Executive Producer, writer, director, and the co-creator and showrunner of the hit series, MTV UNCENSORED. He is the Executive Director and President of Brainstorm INC, a company of his own creation. David gives insight and unique perspective to VCC endeavors.
Alex Maisey
Director of Software Engineering
Alex leads the software development team for the Video Call Center and creator of the proprietary Caller Acquisition Tool (CAT™) among dozens of other innovations. He has worked in the IT industry for 20 years as a consultant and programmer.
Matthew O'Brien
Head of Sales
Matthew O’Brien comes to The VCC with a diversified career spanning 25 years in Production, Sales and Marketing. Starting in music, Matt contributed to the gold and platinum careers of artists as diversified as Tracy Chapman, Staind and Phish. Most recently, Matt was a sales leader for an NYC MarCom firm specializing in Live Event Production, Marketing Strategy, Multi-Media design and data visualization. Matt heads the sales team at The VCC.
Bonnie Optekman
Business Development
Bonnie Optekman leads VCC’s development efforts with principle focus on news and entertainment. She has a deep background in national news and digital content. Prior to VCC she was NBC News vice president of connected TV focusing on streaming video, audience engagement, and content partnerships.
Bonnie is also a professional voice over artist in New York City
Kathryn Paletta
Producer & UX Design Manager
Kathryn is a Producer and manages all User Interface and Experience Design at the VCC. She is a designer who recently graduated Magna Cum Laude from Purchase College(SUNY) with a BS in Visual Arts and a minor in Arts History. Her background is in Fine Portrait Art, Communications, and New Media, and she helps the VCC in front-end web development and design.
Alex Palma
Technician
One of our most recent full-time additions to the VCC team! Palma serves as a systems support technician, helping with behind-the-scenes support and maintenance. Prior to joining VCC, Alex worked in theater included an extended run as an operator for Blue Man Group.
Jaclyn Porpiglia
Manager, Marketing & Sales
Jaclyn manages marketing, inside sales and internal operations for the VCC. From orchestrating the VCC’s presence at trade shows to exploring and monitoring current trends in the television and new media industries, Jaclyn oversees the VCC’s relationship to its marketplace and ensures that internal strategies complement each other and the company’s overall mission.
Tom Porpiglia
Director of Operations
Tom is the Director of Operations for the Video Call Center, responsible for the production workflow between clients and the VCC, and internal operations. With his own 7+ years of production experience as a foundation, Tom helps to on-board customer production teams to create shows utilizing the patented technology of the VCC. Before becoming Director of Operations, Tom served as the Production Manager for VCC and was the Executive Producer for VCC’s OTT network, Talk Center America.
Angel Rodriguez
Technician
VCC happily welcomes Angel to our team- a 2019 full sail graduate who has been in the engineering field for more than 10 years. He is certified in audio productions, media communications, and protools. Angel has a lifelong passion for creating music, producing and managing projects. When he is not producing, or in the studio, you can find him spending time with his daughter, Sophia.
Hania Sarsar
Associate Producer
One of our most recent additions to the VCC production team! Hania received both her BA, Summa Cum Laude, and MA in Communication from Monmouth University at the top of her class. She is a Mass Communication and Media Production professional and has been a tremendous asset to the VCC team this year in a number of major productions. She is highly committed to excellence and quality service.
Dave Silverstein
Systems Engineering Manager
Dave joined VCC initially as a Call Producer and has grown and expanded his role to include technical support and eventually to VCC’s systems engineering manager. David lead the support for the International Emmy awards, including remotes from 19 countries.
Evan Sirof
Marcomm-On-Call
Evan is a content marketing and public relations specialist who supports small- and mid-sized technology vendors with effective publicity, compelling writing, and insightful communications strategies. Emphasis on building global brand awareness, establishing credibility in new markets, and transitioning companies from “talking tech” to speaking clearly to potential customers.