Our team

Phil Gurin-President/CEO - Credits

Phil Gurin and The Gurin Company have been creating, acquiring, selling and making entertainment programs all over the world. In the past, Gurin has executive produced and written thousands of hours of television programs across all genres, most notably light entertainment, game, live event, music, hidden camera, comedy, stunt, clip shows, docu-soaps and formatted reality. His shows have aired on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, MTV, Nickelodeon, CMT, Discovery, GSN, Lifetime, USA, Bravo, HBO, VH1, A&E, E!, PBS, UPN and TV Guide, among others. He created programs that have aired in over 32 countries around the world and has worked with some of the biggest stars, hosts and musical performers of the past 20 years.

His career began as a writer on MTV’s REMOTE CONTROL and Nickelodeon’s DOUBLE DARE, MAKE THE GRADE and WILD AND CRAZY KIDS. He worked for more than 70 companies as a development executive and as a freelance writer/director/producer, before establishing his own company in 1997.

He went on to produce CBS’s CANDID CAMERA in prime time for four years, which was followed by an extensive run of shows on NBC, including TWENTY ONE, WEAKEST LINK, THE SINGING BEE, MISS USA, MISS TEEN USA and MISS UNIVERSE. He produced six season’s of GSN’s all-time #1 original program LINGO, and three current seasons of CMT’s all-time #1 original THE SINGING BEE (transferred from NBC). Other notable credits include NEW YEAR’S EVE LIVE, TEST THE NATION, ON THIN ICE:THE DARK SIDE OF SKATING, WORLD’S MOST INCREDIBLE ANIMAL RESCUES, WHEN CAMERAS CROSS THE LINE and GREATEST CHRISTMAS MOMENTS OF ALL TIME (all for FOX), WANNA BET? and SHARK TANK (ABC), YOUR CHANCE TO DANCE (CMT), US OLYMPIC HALL OF FAME (NBC, USA), WOMEN ROCK, QUEEN FOR A DAY (Lifetime), ALL-NEW 3′s A CROWD, NATURALLY STONED (GSN) and JOAN AND MELISSA: LIVE FROM THE RED CARPET (Oscars, Grammys, Emmys and SAG Awards) (all for TV GUIDE).

Gurin serves on the Board of Directors for NATPE (National Association of Television and Programming Executives), and on the international Board of Directors for FRAPA (Format Recognition and Protection Association). He developed and produces the prestigious TELEVISION ACADEMY HONORS for the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, and is a member of their “Television Cares” committee. Gurin has appeared on numerous industry panels and seminars in both the United States and in Europe.

The Gurin Company is currently in pre-production on six new shows in the United States, along with new co-production and co-development partnerships in the UK, France, Germany, Scandinavia, Spain, Italy, Greece, Israel and Japan.

Gurin received a Bachelor of Science degree in Telecommunications from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Dramatic Writing from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University.

Additionally, Gurin is a published author, having written a novel Adventures With Dangerous Women), a quiz book (The James Bond Trivia Quiz Book), and several articles for magazines and trade press.

Linda Gilbert-Vice President Business Affairs

Linda was born and raised in Los Angeles and began her career working for 20th Century Fox as Associate Director of Network Television Business Affairs.

After 11 very rewarding years at Fox, she transitioned to Disney where she worked for 7 years in various capacities including her final position of Senior Manager of Participation and Contract Administration. After working for many years in the studio system, Linda felt her experience and interest would best be served by working for a television production company.

In 1997, Linda was hired at Big Ticket Television as Director of Business Affairs, where she worked on court shows Judge Judy and Judge Joe. Two years after Linda started working for the company it was sold to Viacom. Linda then moved on to Dick Clark Productions where she served for 5 years as Vice President of Business Affairs and Contract Administration.

Her responsibilities included deal making for all of the Dick Clark produced specials and series which included New Years Rockin’ Eve, Academy of Country Music Awards, Golden Globe Awards, Daytime Emmy Awards and Greed. After working for studios and production companies her entire working career, Linda was hired by law firm, Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren and Richman, where she worked as production counsel with the firms non-scripted programming clients including Reveille, Endemol, Ben Silverman Productions and Allison Grodner.

Linda couldn’t be happier working for The Gurin Company as Vice President of Business Affairs, which gives her the responsibility of ideal decision making for all of the company’s productions.

Linda is married and her husband, Paul, is also an executive in the television business. She is also a proud parent of her two children, a daughter Megan and a stepson DJ.

Ashleigh Di Tonto-Manager Of Development

Ashleigh is a proud Jersey Italian girl who got her start in the TV biz scheduling PPV (yes, that kind of PPV).  Since her father spent his hard earned money on a good education at Boston University, it wasn’t long before she outgrew this position and was offered a chance to move to Hollywood.  She took a job as the assistant to the EVP of Programming at E! and it was goodbye Girls Gone Wild and hello Girls Next Door. 

 After a short time of stalking Ryan Seacrest, she then took an offer to work at TLC in Development.  Over her four years there, Ashleigh learned the inner workings of a network.  She also learned there is no limit to the amount of families who think they are the next Jon & Kate. 

 Now at The Gurin Company, Ashleigh could not be more excited to be on the other side of things.  Being the buyer has been fun and all, but it’s time to get her hands dirty.

Fabian Cuevas- Production Manager

Southern California native, Fabian Cuevas has been in television for over 16 years. In that time, he has done quite a lot- everything from getting Starbucks runs to Production Managing multi-million dollar shows. He has worked on every size of project- from small, single camera crew, field shoots, to location house shoots with Ray J and gang, or hanging out with Tori and Dean in Palm Springs.

He has worked every type of show, as well: from cleaning up puppy poo in “America’s Cutest Puppies”, to keeping “Charmed School” and “G’s to Gents” running smoothly; from lighthearted shows like “The Littlest Groom”, to emotionally charged shows like “Amazing Medical”, “Special Delivery” or “Exalted”, to massive studio shows like “Your Chance to Dance” and CMT’s “The Singing Bee”.

When he isn’t madly multi-tasking on a show, he can be found riding a beehive on Winnie the Pooh at Disneyland, with his wife and daughter…and, occasionally, without them.

Working at TGC has allowed him to continue working on studio shows, which he loves.

Joelle Sinkavich-Executive Assistant

Born in The Netherlands, Joelle had a dream of making it big in the film and television industry from an early age. Initially as a dancer and performing in theater, she soon found out working on the production side of entertainment was her true passion.

Joelle moved to the United States shortly after graduating high school in The Netherlands leaving everything behind to follow her dreams. While attending college in Redondo Beach, Joelle landed a position as an Executive Assistant for Exodus Film Group where she worked in the world of animated film with great pleasure.

After having worked for several succesful film production and entertainment companies while assisting their offices in Los Angeles, she got her first taste of reality television with the Gurin Company. Joelle could not be happier to be a part of the team and is looking forward to growing with this already succesful company.

Marc Jansen-International Creative Consultant

Marc Jansen is an independent Executive Producer and Creative Consultant for Television and New Media. He specializes in creating and finding formats for the European and American markets.

Jansen was Senior Creative Director for Endemol Entertainment, (“Big Brother”, “Fear Factor”, “Performing as..” ) where he successfully launched the foray of Endemol Entertainment into the American market with “Your Big Break” produced in association with Dick Clark Productions and distributed by Buena Vista Television.

Jansen began his career as a musician and entered the television business as a producer for TROS, the largest and still dominant Dutch public broadcaster where he produced music, reality, game and variety shows and two movies with Dutch Director Paul Verhoeven.

Jansen also helped create John de Mol Productions where he created numerous long-running primetime variety and game show formats.

Joe Bagel-Research and Development

Joe Bagel has not given up his dream to be a starting pitcher for the Chicago White Sox, but he feels working in television production is still a pretty exciting day job.

Joe studied Communications at Northwestern University, majoring in Film and Video. After graduation, he drove out to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.

He worked in production and post production on the award winning Showtime series “Huff” and on numerous pilots for Warner Brothers, Sony, ABC, VH1, and Jerry Bruckheimer Films. After a short run as a literary agent’s assistant, he found a home at The Gurin Company, where he has been learning, working, and thriving for over two years.

As Phil’s assistant he gained valuable experience in television production and development, seeing shows like “Lingo”(GSN), “The Singing Bee” (NBC), “Wanna Bet?”(ABC), and numerous others flourish from the ground up.

Joe is now working as a Researcher, just wrapping up on the pilot “First and Last” for TNT. He is looking forward to the journey ahead and to being a part of the continued success of The Gurin Company.

Native to Southern California, two-time Cable Ace Nominee, Executive Producer/show runner, Brennan Huntington, has over twenty years of producing experience and has been running shows for over Seventeen years for production companies and cablers.

Huntington’s prolific body of work encompasses game, reality, clip, commercials and documentary projects, and has developed and produced thousands of hours of television including over 35 television series – producing such game show classics as SHOP ‘TIL YOU DROP and the children’s hit LEGENDS OF THE HIDDEN TEMPLE. He has recently completed several contemporary shows such as THE SINGING BEE hosted by Melissa Peterman, STARFACE hosted by Danny Bonaduce, and over 300 episodes of the nationally syndicated game show, MERV GRIFFIN’S CROSSWORDS.

Huntington currently has a new docu-soap series – SADDLE RANCH – that he co-created, airing on VH-1.

Alex Chauvin-Producer

Alex Chauvin is at least partially to blame for hundreds of hours of television, working as a writer, producer, and consultant on dozens of projects over the last decade.

After graduating from the University of Southern California, Alex worked primarily in unscripted and alternative programming, where he wrote, developed, and produced a wide variety of television with an emphasis in game and competition formats. In addition to working with some of the biggest producers in town, his development and consulting services have also been utilized internationally, from Asia to Europe to South America.

Like many Angelenos in the entertainment industry, Alex grew up in New York but traded humid summers and freezing winters for a convertible and the opportunity to prove all those hours he spent in front of the TV as a kid weren’t wasted.

Sarajane Smollin-Casting

Sarajane started her career as a contestant coordinator working on TV game shows for ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX. For the following five years she was a talent booker, casting for The Emmy Awards and other celebrity-driven shows, such as The American Music Awards Red Carpet and The Golden Globes. She then moved into Primetime Casting for scripted shows at Paramount Studios. Sara’s love for production brought her back to game- and reality-casting, becoming an Executive in Charge of Talent for: “Your Big Break” (Endemol/ Dick Clark Productions), “Star Search” with Arsenio Hall (CBS), “Your Chance of a Lifetime” (FOX), and “Twenty-One”, “Weakest Link”, and “The Singing Bee” (The Gurin Company). She segment produced for “Kids Say…” with Bill Cosby (LMNO Productions).

Some of Sara’s other major cable network castings include “America’s Cutest Puppies,” “Last One Standing,” “War Games,” Queen for a Day,” and “Never Trust a Puppet” from the Jim Henson CompanyWorking for The Gurin Company has been a wonderful blend of Casting and Production. The ease and simplicity of working with Phil Gurin has made this a rewarding experience. Sarajane has a BA degree in Speech Communications from Ohio State University. She also holds post-graduate degrees in both education and journalism. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband Richard, not far from her 3 sons and their families.

Angelou Deign-Casting

Angelou Deign began her career as the lead singer of a musical group signed to Columbia Records. During which time, she wrote commercial jingles, video treatments and appeared in several videos for the likes of P. Diddy and Boyz II Men.

After realizing she could not morph into Diana Ross or miraculously become a member of the Jackson family, Angelou left the music biz and the East Coast for LA. She wound up writing and producing shows for Dick Clark, Bill Cosby and Regis Philbin. Her musical ear and eye for talent made a perfect fit to cast shows like Your Big Break, Star Search and The Singing Bee.

In 1999, Phil Gurin was the 1st to trust the “20-something-year-old” to head a casting department for the number one show on GSN. She continued on with Gurin Co., casting The Weakest Link. In 2004, Angelou returned to NY as the Supervising Producer for Chinese, media-legend, Yue-Sai Kan’s docu-series, “Yue-Sai’s World”. After traveling the world, interviewing the likes of Itzhak Perlman, members of the Royal Family of Monaco to R& B singer, Usher; Angelou returned to LA to head the Casting Department of several shows for Fremantle Media North America, including Million Dollar Password. She is happily at home in LA, back with the Gurin Co and her 8-pound “alpha-dog,” Jaxx.