SCI FI CHANNEL DEVELOPMENT EXECS ERIK STOREY AND TONY OPTICAN PROMOTED TO SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT CHRISTINA SANAGUSTIN JOINS AS VICE PRESIDENT
New York City � December 21, 2008 � The SCI FI Channel has promoted two of its original programming executives � Erik Storey and Tony Optican � to Senior Vice President, it was announced by Mark Stern, Executive Vice President of Original Programming. Also announced is the addition of Chris Sanagustin to the team as the Channel's new Vice President of Development. All three are based in Los Angeles and will continue to nurture and expand the Channel's substantive award-winning slate of original series and long-form projects.
"Tony and Erik have been incredibly valuable contributors to SCI FI's success story over the past few years," said Mark Stern. "Their intelligence, insight, and taste have been instrumental in creating shows that garner both critical acclaim and record-breaking ratings. I am equally delighted to have Chris join the team. Her experience and expertise in developing quality programming will be a perfect addition to the team."
Erik Storey joined the SCI FI Channel in 2001 as Vice President of Programming. He oversees the Channel's most critically praised and multi-award-winning original series Battlestar Galactica, and has shepherded several of the channel's mini-series, including Bryan Singer and Dean Devlin's The Triangle, Legend of Earthsea, and Children of Dune. He is currently working on the pilot Warehouse 13, now in pre-production. Prior to SCI FI, Erik served as Vice President, Movies and Miniseries at NBC Studios, overseeing the in-house development and production of all long-form programming, as well as the Saturday morning TNBC series All About Us and Just Deal, among others.
Since joining SCI FI in 2003, Tony Optican has overseen development and production of some of the Channel's most-watched shows including Eureka, Stargate Atlantis and this month's record-shattering mini-series Tin Man. His newest project is the pilot Revolution, currently in pre-production. Prior to SCI FI, Tony served as Vice President of Current Programming for Fox Broadcasting Company, where he oversaw in-house development and production of drama and comedy series, including 24, Fastlane, The X-Files, Titus, MADtv and Dark Angel, among others. Prior to Fox, Mr. Optican was Executive Director, Creative Affairs for MGM Worldwide Television Group.
Chris Sanagustin recently served as Senior Vice President, Current Programming at The WB Television Network, overseeing drama and comedy series including Smallville, Charmed, Reba, Grounded for Life, and Pepper Dennis among others. Prior to The WB, Ms. Sanagustin was Vice President, Creative Affairs for Viacom Productions, where she shepherded such scripted and alternative series as Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, The Chris Isaak Show, Beyond Chance and Baby Bob through development and current. Just Prior to joining SCI FI, she co-wrote and directed her first short film, Fleece, through AFI's Directing Workshop for Women.
SCI FI Channel is a television network where "what if" is what's on. SCI FI fuels the imagination of viewers with original series and events, blockbuster movies and classic science fiction and fantasy programming, as well as a dynamic Web site (www.scifi.com ) and magazine. Launched in 1992, and currently in 93 million homes, SCI FI Channel is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies.
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