OUR TEAM

City Media is a full-service creative entertainment company delivering every aspect of a project from concept to completion. We specialize in creating award-winning, compelling content through their fresh approach and expertise in casting, development, and production.

We have also built a successful digital marketing department specializing in building brand partnerships that organically cultivate and grow targeted audiences for their respective clients.

Casting Manager & Head of Development
VICTORIA VANDERGRIFT

Brand Partnerships / Social Media
SARAH MICHELSON

Brand Coordinator / Marketing
BERNADETTE LEVI

Priciple

REBECCA RECZEK

As a proud Los Angeles native, Rebecca was born with an unwavering determination to accomplish whatever she set her sights on. Raised in a tight knit family who taught her the value of hard work, her father came to the U.S. to pursue the “American Dream.” From him, Rebecca learned the art of the hustle, acquiring a strong business sense and street smarts, while developing a spirited desire to one day become her own boss.

Living in the film and television mecca of the world, the entertainment industry has always been in her blood. After obtaining her degree in Management and Economics from the University of California, San Diego, Rebecca knew she was destined to start her own business and she made it her mission to do just that. She began working in the world of reality television casting and has never looked back. Her expertise in business management gives her the ability to craft a unique model for success in every project she undertakes.

Always hungry for the next big challenge, Rebecca’s resume spans shows for 14 different networks, including game shows such as Don’t Forget the Lyrics, and Duel; dating shows including Baggage and Must Love Kids; competition shows such as America’s Toughest Jobs and Bullrun; and social experiment shows including Trading Spouses.

After teaming with Jodi Thomas to form City Media Entertainment in 2011, Rebecca has taken her skills to the next level through casting such shows as FOX’s The Four: Battle for Stardom, NBC’s Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris and FOX’s Superhuman, just to name a few.

When she isn’t working on a show, you can find Rebecca socializing with friends in Hermosa Beach or strengthening her L.A. roots by connecting with family.

Priciple

JODI THOMAS

Jodi comes with a wealth of experience in pilot and series casting. Her diverse credits include game shows such as Deal or No Deal; competition shows like Beauty and the Geek; dating shows such as Tough Love and docu-series like Extreme Weight Loss.

Before discovering her love for reality television in 2004, Jodi came from a background in public relations and high-profile event production working in conjunction with the Emmys, People’s Choice Awards, ESPY’s and Golden Globe Awards. Her extensive experience with the public and media has given her a one-of-a-kind edge in developing creative strategies and targeting niche casting pools.

Jodi first discovered her talent for interviewing and finding captivating personalities while working as a news reporter for an NBC affiliate while attending college. She graduated from Texas Tech University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and continued her career at the local news station. She moved to Dallas and quickly began building experience in cable and network television, working on scripted shows such as Walker, Texas Ranger and PBS’s Wishbone series. To this day, she holds a sharp production sense and unwavering passion for entertainment, industry networking, project development and website design (her personal passion).

Since forming City Media Entertainment with Rebecca Reczek in 2011, Jodi has refined her skills through the casting of such shows as FOX’s The Four: Battle for Stardom, Peacocks’s Love Island USA and FOX’s Hell’s Kitchen, just to name a few.

When Jodi isn’t working in the office or in client meetings, you can find her at home in the South Bay spending time with her son, Bronson.

Priciple

DJ FELDMAN

With more than 20 years of entertainment industry experience, DJ has developed a diverse skillset, allowing him to constantly adapt to the ever-changing needs of the entertainment industry. After graduating from Ohio State University with a degree in broadcasting, DJ packed up his car and headed west to Los Angeles, where he began pursuing a career as a sports and entertainment reporter. After a few months in LA, he switched paths and began performing stand-up comedy at various local clubs and venues, opening up for some of his favorite comedians. One thing led to another, and DJ was hired to work for the legendary comic, Garry Shandling, as a production assistant on the hit HBO series, The Larry Sanders Show, at CBS- Radford. He also worked in television and feature development at Jason Alexander’s company, AngelArk.

After several years in scripted TV production, DJ entered the world of unscripted casting, where he worked on the hit game show The Weakest Link in 2001, as well as the CBS reboot of Star Search where he served as the Comedy Talent Producer. He joined the casting team of the NBC weight loss series The Biggest Loser, where he worked for 15 seasons. He has also helped cast other major reality franchises, including Beauty and The Geek, America’s Got Talent, American Ninja Warrior, Bar Rescue and Extreme Weight Loss.

His personal passion for sports and wrestling have served DJ well during the casting of competition shows such as Pros vs. Joes, Shaq Vs., and 4th and Long with Michael Irvin. He has also served as a consultant for WWE, having “discovered” several current and former stars on WWE’s Tough Enough, RAW, and Smackdown.

DJ has truly come a long way since his days as an assistant on the CBS lot. He married the love of his life, Megan, in 2013, and four years later, they welcomed their son into the world. When he isn’t working on a show, DJ can be found spending time with his family, hiking, watching the WWE network and reliving his youth by going to 80’s hair metal band concerts.

Team Manager

JOSH THROWER

Originally from Colorado, Josh grew up in the Rocky Mountains playing basketball and football and spending time enjoying the great outdoors. He earned his degree in Film Studies at The University of Colorado at Boulder.

Josh has worked in the Los Angeles film & television industry for more than a decade, in casting, production, and performing. He’s a long-time member of SAG-AFTRA and has worked in front of the camera on shows such as The Young & The Restless and was a series regular on the Daytime Emmy-nominated digital drama series Winterthorne. Josh joined City Media Entertainment in 2015, but has worked with Rebecca Reczek since 2007. His skillset ranges from office coordinating and audio/visual expertise to digital marketing, copywriting, and project management.

Aside from his professional passions, Josh is a self-proclaimed aficionado of all things rap and hip-hop. He’s admittedly a huge Tupac fan as well and can recite the lyrics from nearly all his songs. When Josh isn’t working on a show, you can find him spending quality time with his wife, Crystal, out in nature hiking, camping, running marathons and exploring national parks.

Casting Manager & Head of Development

VICTORIA VANDERGRIFT

After earning a degree in Video/Television Production and Post Production from New York’s Hofstra University, Victoria moved to Los Angeles and jumped headfirst into her casting career. She has served on many independent casting teams for shows including Paramount’s “Bar Rescue”, Discovery’s “Naked and Afraid”, “Deadliest Job Interview” and “Homestead Rescue”, and MTV’s “Are You the One?” among many others, but ultimately turned her sights to talent-based development.

Prior to joining the City Media Entertainment team, Victoria has been a talent and casting development manager at various production companies (including Discovery Studios, Discovery Communications’ own in-house production company) where she oversaw the casting process of all projects and developed talent for potential new ones. Throughout her career, she served on development teams responsible for creating TLC’s “Mama Medium” and “Sweet Home Sextuplets”, CMT’s “Racing Wives”, VH1’s “Barely Famous” and various pilots for E!, Travel, Bravo, WeTV, Discovery, Amazon, TLC, and FOX.

She is always open to hearing about fresh new ideas that break the mold, or fantastic undiscovered talent.

When she’s not working, you’ll find Victoria watching embarrassing guilty-pleasure TV, drinking wine “to study” for her sommelier coursework, or trying to fill her passport with stamps.

Brand Partnerships / Social Media

SARAH MICHELSON

Growing up in Miami, Florida, Sarah was surrounded by a diverse melting pot of arts and culture from a young age. Singing was always her first love and she knew from the first time she sang for an audience that the entertainment industry would be in her future. She eventually received a music scholarship from American Heritage, a prestigious performing arts school, where she continued to cultivate her talent. This opportunity led her to win many vocal awards across the country, as well as on a global level, when she performed for more than 15,000 people in the Philippines. She was also featured as an Emerging Artist on MTV Asia.

Sarah went on to attend UCLA and Musicians Institute to further hone in on her craft. While working on degree in Ethnomusicology, she began posting videos on YouTube and quickly earned more than 200,000 views on her first video. She soon signed with a popular YouTube network and quickly fell in love with the business side of music. She loved working behind the scenes and saw where the future of entertainment was headed. She began developing creative concepts with talent and soon attracted brand partnerships with premium beauty, lifestyle, and fashion digital influencers (1 million to 10 million+ subscriber range).

Through her digital marketing management experience with several leading networks and studios, Sarah has accelerated her skillset in helping well-known influencers partner with brands such as L’Oreal, Sephora, and Uber, among others. She has overseen events, red carpets, and meet & greets at VidCon, BeautyCon, Playlist LIVE, Generation Beauty, Coachella, and much more.

Sarah continues to focus on building cross-promotional business relationships, as she joins the City Media Entertainment team. She brings several years of entertainment industry insight and digital branding experience to the table, already proving to be a valuable asset as City Media strengthens its’ efforts on all aspects of the industry.

When Sarah isn’t building digital relationships and coordinating large-scale events, she can be found singing for L.A. audiences, traveling the world and strengthening her yoga/meditation practice, as well as deepening her connections to her family, boyfriend and close friends.

Brand Coordinator / Marketing

BERNADETTE LEVI

Bernadette Levi has been with the City Media Team since 2018 working as their Brand Partnerships Coordinator.

As a former talent herself, Bernadette knows the ins and outs of the Entertainment Industry and how to navigate creative strategy and logistics between the brands and our esteemed clientle.

Coming from the production and marketing side, working with brands such as Jansport, Soho House, and more, Bernadette is passionate about the connection between audiences, talent, and brands – and how to affectively utilize all of their messages for a fun and cohesive campaign.

When she’s not working on projects, Bernie loves to cook new recipes, do yoga, and obsess over RuPaul

Executive Assistant

DANNY CUNEO

Danny is from West Harrison, NY, about an hour train ride from New York City.

His interest in media started in high school when he hosted a public access sports talk show in high school. He graduated Syracuse University in 2016 with a degree in television, radio and film and moved to Los Angeles shortly after graduation.

He has been with the City Media Team since February 2019 as an executive assistant. Danny freelanced as a day-hire PA and scooper at Salt and Straw ice cream prior to CME. Here he manages calendars, makes coffee runs and facilitates day to day operations at the Culver City office.

In his spare time, Danny bleeds blue for his beloved New York Giants and produces a weekly stand up comedy show in Los Angeles on Friday nights.

EXTENDED TEAM

Sr Casting Director

AMBER WINES

Amber is originally from Des Moines, IA, but has called LA home for the last 10 years. She received a BFA in Musical Theatre from Rockford University and traveled around the country for many years performing before settling down in Los Angeles.

In the last 10 years, Amber has worked her way up the ranks in the casting world. She has worked for networks such as NBC, ABC, FOX, MTV, VH1, Game Show Network and Spike to name a few. Some of her favorite shows to cast have been “The Four: Battle for Stardom”, “Bring The Funny”, “Hollywood Game Night”, “Extreme Chef”, “Divided”, “Hell’s Kitchen” and “Caraoke Showdown”. Amber has been working on and off with City Media Ent since the beginning, she was actually in the room when they decided to form the company.

When not casting, Amber can be found hanging out with her fiancé, Mike, cuddling her puppies, Jasper and Buttercup, or belting it out at local Karaoke bars.

Sr Casting Director

NATHAN BAKER

An Austin, TX native, Nathan has been living in Los Angeles for the last 12 years. After graduating from Pepperdine University in 2012, he quickly worked his way up in the casting world. Nathan has worked on a variety of unscripted shows, from competition and game shows to dating shows and beyond. Some of his most notable credits include American Ninja Warrior, Undercover Boss, and Dating #NoFilter, to name a few. When Nathan is not casting, he can be found with a camera in hand shooting weddings and family portraits.

Lead Casting Director

SAM WEINER

A Boston native, Sam received a degree in Psychology and Creative Writing from Emory University in Atlanta before moving to Los Angeles to pursue a career in entertainment. After interning in scripted feature and television development at Code Entertainment, Sam realized her passion for reality TV, and for the past 6 years has become an expert in targeting breakthrough talent for major TV networks, streaming platforms, and brands. In addition to casting, Sam has also worked in unscripted development, post production and as a field producer for a variety of projects across the unscripted space.

Sam has worked for networks such as ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, Netflix, Bravo, TLC, Lifetime, and Nickelodeon, with notable credits including Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, Gordon Ramsay’s 24 Hours to Hell & Back, Undercover Boss: Celebrity Edition, Project Runway Jr., and Love Island.

When not working, Sam loves to hang out with her moody little cutie, Hugo (a terrier mix), play tennis with her co-worker Dimitri Villanueva (he’s single, ladies!), drum, and spend too much money on sandwiches.

Lead Casting Director

WAYO BENAVIDES

Wayo Benavides is an award winning Director and Producer as well as an accomplished Writer, Editor and Videographer, keeping a hand in all levels of Production. His dedication for leadership and teamwork have always been truly evident in his work, but became obvious during his studies at The Art Institute of Dallas where he thrived and discovered his love of all things entertainment and has since developed into a remarkable filmmaker whose talents have earned him manifold awards, including a “Silver Telly” which was granted to him for his work with Camp Summit.

From Texas to Los Angeles his countless abilities were noted throughout his 10 years in the industry. Now working as a Casting Director, Wayo has worked with networks such as Netflix, NBC, ABC, Fox, Nickelodeon, Food Network and shows like Hell’s Kitchen, Bring The Funny, Teen Mom OG, Big Brother, and now Making the Band.

As Benavides walks onto a new project, it is instantaneously cloaked with his bright, infectious, and undeniable energy that lends his crew the determination and passion needed to complete the job at hand and accomplish a successful production. This energy is prominent in everything Wayo does, whether it be casting a film, editing a project, or simply having a conversation and creating new ties and connections with anyone he speaks with.

Wayo Benavides is a man of zealous character and displays fervent passion and the pure simplicity of just truly caring for everything he does and wishes only to create and share it with everyone he can.

Lead Casting Director

NASCHE KERKES

Nasche was born and raised in Manhattan Beach, California, always loved the beach and sunshine, and had big dreams of working in Hollywood. She attended Santa Monica College, where she received her Associate Degree in film studies and film production.

During her first year, she saw an ad online to audition for MTV’s Parental Controls, and she and her twin sister decided to audition for the hit show. After her audition with producers, her sister moved forward in the casting process, while Nasche was offered a job as a casting recruiter. Not sure what to expect, only being 18 years old with no experience in the industry, she was excited and eager to learn. She quickly realized that this industry was where she wanted to be and that transferring to a four-year college wasn’t for her anymore. So instead, she decided to continue her career in casting and never look back.

With an eye for talent and a love for reality television, Nasche is approaching her 15th year in casting. In addition to casting, she has also worked in post production as a field producer, as well as partnering with production companies in pitching her reality show ideas. She has worked for extensive networks such as NBC, CBS, BRAVO, VH1, Netflix, TLC, MTV; to name a few, and worked on hit shows like Basketball Wives, The Hills: New Beginnings, 12 Dates of Christmas, Let’s Make A Deal, Wheel of Fortune, Are You The One, Temptation Island, Big Brother, and many more. Nasche started as a Casting Producer on season one of Love Island USA, worked her way up to lead casting director, and even worked as a field producer on season three.

When she is not working, you can find her at the beach, trying new brunch spots, hiking with her dog Tatum, cooking (even though she is terrible at it), and thinking of new show ideas in hopes of creating a dating show one day.

Lead Casting Director

JOSH HERBST

An industry veteran with over 15 years of experience in unscripted casting, Josh has worked within numerous subgenres, ranging from game shows and dating shows to commercial and host casting, both as a casting and field producer. Highlights among his credits include shows like “Undercover Boss,” “Are You the One,” “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” “The Price is Right,” and MTV’s “The Real World.”

His natural curiosity and ability to connect with people from all walks of life has been finely honed over the years and he’s a skilled interviewer who knows how to bring out the best in anyone who he interviews.

When not working, Josh is passionate about music, and you may even find him playing drums in Los Angeles music venues. He also loves exercise and the outdoors, as well as spending time with his family in the greater Los Angeles area.

Casting Director

LINDSAY SPAULDING

Lindsay has been casting reality television for over 15 years and has experience working on all types of unscripted shows. After graduating from Boston University with an Advertising degree, she randomly took a Production Assistant job to help run an open call for Biggest Loser. It was at that very moment she realized her calling was to work in casting. Her three greatest skills include entertaining people, talking and using social media to find the most talented people around.

Some of Lindsay’s favorite shows she’s worked on include The Glee Project, America’s Got Talent, Real Housewives of Orange County (she found Heather Dubrow!), Summer House (she found Luke!), Next Level Chef, Shark Tank, Extreme Makeover Home Edition and King of the Nerds. Before Lindsay started working as a Casting Producer in Los Angeles, while still living in Boston, her friend from college made a reality show about her entering a Beauty Pageant. Little did she know that only a few years later she would be embarking on the wild journey and flourishing career of casting reality TV!

Not only does Lindsay love finding talent for any and all types of shows, she is also a reality tv junkie herself. Lindsay loves to laugh, meet interesting people anywhere she goes and tell her favorite jokes to strangers. What does a nosy pepper do?

Casting Director

MICHAEL CIMINO

With more than 10 years in the industry, Michael has worked in nearly every facet of production from development and casting to producing and post production on shows running the gamut from Undercover Boss (CBS) to The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (BRAVO).

His passion for people combined with his experience heavily rooted in casting, he has built a reputation for his strong interview skills, consistently aiming to pull out the best from the people he’s speaking with.

Michael’s strong sense of wanderlust and desire for experiencing other cultures has brought him to Southeast Asia over the past several months, where he is currently working remotely. He is grateful for the opportunity to explore the world while casting projects he is passionate about.

Casting Director

VALERIE PENSO-CUCULICH

Valerie Penso-Cuculich began her career in Reality Television in 2001 when she was cast on FOX’s hit show Temptation Island. Soon after, she transitioned into working behind the scenes casting hit shows in all genres. Valerie’s resume along with her eye for talent and her unique experience of being on both sides of the camera gives her the unmatched ability to recognize and relate to potential cast. Having lived and traveled the world Valerie’s network of resources is unparalleled giving her a sophisticated edge to the world of television production. She has cast many hit shows such as Too Hot To Handel, Below Deck, The Millionaire Matchmaker, I’m Having Their Baby, Below Deck, Supermarket Sweep & many more.

Casting Director

SUSAN SALGADO

Casting Producer

NICOLE MARIEN

Hailing from the East Coast, where her career began in New York City, Nicole has been in Los Angeles since 2015 putting incredible people on television and changing lives. She graduated from Hofstra University in 2011 with a Bachelors in Film Studies and Production.

Over the last ten years, Nicole has worked on every show across the spectrum of reality TV, including a daytime talk show with NBCUniversal, E’s House of DVF, and season 1&2 of Fox’s The Four: Battle for Stardom!

Nicole’s most notable accomplishments include working on the premiere season of Neil Patrick Harris’ Best Time Ever, as well as discovering the winner of The Four’s first season Evvie McKinney and The Four’s second season final four runner-ups, Jesse Kramer. She has worked on Emmy-nominated seasons of CBS’s Let’s Make a Deal and provided life-changing experiences for outstanding teenagers on critically acclaimed producer, Marsai Martin’s, Remix My Space.

However, some of her most rewarding castings have featured working with young people on both seasons of Kids Say the Darndest Things with Tiffany Haddish, the uber-fun Play-Doh Squished hosted by Sarah Hyland, and Disney’s spectacular family dance competition Fam Jam!

Whether it’s putting smiles on people’s faces and giving them a chance to win big on game shows like Fox’s BEAT SHAZAM, NBC’s Password, ABC’s Press Your Luck, ABC’s Card Sharks and ABC’s Match Game, to finding out-of-this-world contestants for Fox’s SUPERHUMAN, or making people’s dreams come true, there is never a dull moment for Nicole.

When not putting people on TV, Nicole is an avid film and television connoisseur, renowned costume party host, amateur mixologist, fried chicken enthusiast, and RuPaul Drag Race superfan!

Casting Producer

JOSHUA HEART

Joshua Heart is a Casting Producer, singer/songwriter from Atlanta, Georgia who has worked and performed with artist such as Ciara, Mariah Carey, A Tribe Called Quest, Beyonce and more.

After moving to Los Angeles, Joshua immersed himself in other areas of entertainment and began casting shows such as The Wall (NBC), The Bachelor (season 21 / ABC), The Hype (season 1 & 2/HBOmax), The Game of Dating (TV ONE), The Four (season 1 & 2 / FOX) and MTV’s Making The Band’ (reboot) with Sean “Diddy” Combs just to name a few.

Sr Casting Producer

MELISSA KELLNER

Casting Associate

DEBBIE PIERRE

Debbie is a Jersey girl through and through. She has always had a passion for television and production, but she got her start in the casting world when she cast for the 90 Day Fiance franchise right before the pandemic hit. She loved the experience and she continued to grow within casting, working on hit dating and food shows like Married At First Sight and Guy’s Grocery Games.

When she’s not working, she spends her free time listening to music, hanging out with friends and family, and making funny videos with her cat, Tokyo.

Casting Producer

DIMITRI VILLANUEVA

Dimitri was born and raised in the western suburbs of Chicago. Graduating from Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, he received his BA in TV Production/Media Studies, and a Minor in Music.

Dimitri’s life long dream was to move to Los Angeles and produce in the entertainment industry – and in the fall of 2019, he did just that. Dimitri jumped right into casting, and has worked for networks such as NBC, CBS, ABC, and Netflix.

In his spare time, Dimitri enjoys making videos, and staying active by hiking, snowboarding, skating, and playing sports. He also loves to sing and play his piano and guitar.

Casting Producer

JEREL WILHORT

Jerel got his start in the entertainment world by operating cameras and editing footage for TMZ. But, he got his start in reality TV casting shortly after an internship with MTV; helping the network cast one of its most popular dating shows – Parental Control.

Since then he has contributed to several major production companies, casting shows such as CBS’s Undercover Boss, Patti Stanger’s Millionaire Matchmaker, ABC’s To Tell the Truth, USA Network’s Temptation Island, and many more.

Jerel has been an integral part of the teams that have cast pilots that have gone onto series – such as TLC’s Married by Mom & Dad, MTV’s Epic Win, Lifetime’s We Do, to name a few.

He recently entered the world of commercial casting and was the Casting Director for three national Folgers Coffee commercials.

Jerel has worked on a variety of genres – from dating to game shows to docuseries to animals to national commercials.

He is a one-stop-shop in the casting world. He’s able to create professional flyers, setup & operate camera, conduct compelling interviews, and create/edit riveting casting reels.

He loves casting and that is reflected in his work.

Casting Producer

JOSH PARIS

Casting Assoc Producer

ANGELA AKINA

Angela Akina is a Casting Recruiter/ Casting Associate Producer from Long Island, NY and is currently studying at UCLA.

Over the course of living in Los Angeles for the first time, she was introduced to the casting world and is enjoying every second of it! She loves recruiting for dating shows, and has had the privilege of working on Love Island USA seasons 2 and 3. She has also worked on the popular kid’s show, “Kids Say The Darndest Things” on CBS, and many more, such as for Bravo, NBC, and TLC. As she approaches the end of her senior year, she is excited to be a part of the City Media Ent team for Love Island USA, and for what is to come on her casting journey!

Casting Assoc Producer

KENYAN PENCEAL

Kenyan “Ken Pen” Penceal is a native of Brooklyn,New York, raised in church where he discovered his passion for music. He’s a graduate of Baruch College where he majored in Entrepreneurship & Music Business. As a young man, he was heavily influenced by music impresarios Berry Gordy, LA Reid and Sean “Diddy” Combs. He is a professional songwriter and music executive who has worked as an A&R most recently for Sony music. In 2018, he completed a stint with Fox’s #1 rated music television show “The Four” where he assisted as a talent scout. Most recently, under the aegis of his entertainment company WilPen, he relaunched his musical showcase “NEXT”, a platform designed for emerging talent in various genres of music and geared towards artist development. He is currently gearing up for the release of his “Trap Soul” artist King Midas’ debut project “ADHP”.

Kenyan believes in being mentored by those more seasoned even as he is by industry veterans Mario Winans and Gordon Chambers. He’s an advocate for being a student of whatever industry you’re in or aspire to occupy. His philosophy is preparation precedes platform. If you work diligently, do your best behind closed doors, then those with the key will eventually find you, consequently granting you access to the rooms they are in.

Casting Associate

ASHLEY GOLDSON

Ashley Goldson is a former reality tv personality turned casting enthusiast. Born and raised in Boston, Ma she now calls Los Angeles, Ca home! Her casting experience comes from scouting talent for music videos. She mostly enjoys casting reality tv shows like; Too Hot To Handle, Ready For Love, and one she knows well Temptation Island! Excited to join the team, she is a big fan of Love Island. She’s looking forward to contributing outstanding talent for the new cast.

Casting Assoc Producer

JERIKA VINCENT

Jerika has lived in Los Angeles, CA for 7+ years but is currently living in her hometown Biloxi, MS. She received a Bachelor’s Degree at the University Of Southern Mississippi.

Jerika took an internship at Paramount Pictures, working for The Doctors TV show and fell in love with the film industry. She then later transitioned into the casting world and now has worked with numerous networks such as NBC, NETFLIX, CBS, HGTV, TBS, and more. She cast Twenty Something on Netflix and more upcoming shows that will be released soon.. Jerika has a passion for finding talent and helping others have an opportunity to be on TV.

When not casting, Jerika can be found hanging out with her husband and loving on her 2 fur babies Grande and Macchiato. She also loves to meet up with her sister and friends in different states to hang out and explore new places!

Casting Assoc Producer

ALEX WIEGAND

Having grown up watching reality television, Alex was always eager to be part of the casting magic. Soon after leaving his east coast roots for Southern California, Alex graduated from the University of Redlands with a BS in Business Administration. He then made his way to Los Angeles to live out his reality TV dreams.

Alex is excited to join the City Media team after having cast game shows for several networks, including FOX, Food Network, and GSN.

Outside of work, Alex enjoys taking exercise classes, relaxing at the beach, and exploring the city.

Casting Assoc Producer

SOMMER HUGHES

Sommer is from a small town in Mississippi now living in the big city of Los Angeles. She graduated from the University of Mississippi and got her degree in Marketing Communications.

Sommer started off acting when she first got to Los Angeles when she was 22 and soon realized she enjoyed making magic happen behind the scenes. She has casted for different series on channels such as HGTV, Lifetime, E! and NBC. She loves meeting new people and helping others fulfill their dream of getting on TV!
When not working, she spends her time travelling with friends and family! And if she could meet one celebrity, it would be Doug the Pug!

Casting Assoc Producer

TAYLYR GANS

Taylyr was born & raised in Upstate NY but now calls Los Angeles home. Taylyr was first exposed to the casting world when she spent summers in LA. Getting to shadow her aunt at work at MTV studios, she was captivated watching the excitement of in person castings for shows like MTV’s “NEXT” & “Parental Control”.

Of course thinking that was just about the coolest thing ever, she fell in love with the world of reality television. After growing up around it, she began working in casting and has never looked back. Working on a wide variety of projects from FOX game shows, to HGTV, to Bravo’s Below Deck, she loves the ever changing challenges of finding that perfect fit for a show!

When she’s not working, she spends her free time riding horses, going wine tasting and hanging out with her husband & rescue pit bull, Mowgli.

Talent Scout

JEREMIAH RICHEY

Jeremiah Richey – Nashville based singer/songwriter, recording artist, and band leader

Jeremiah is a performer with multiple major network singing show credits including CMT’s Can You Duet, ABC’s The One: Making a Music Star, and NBC’s The Voice. He brings a fresh perspective to the casting world that has been shaped by his experience as a music artist, performer, and reality show contestant. His focus as a casting scout is centered on helping uber-talented artists who have been overlooked realize their potential and get their message and talent out to the world.

Talent Scout

RYAN NEALON

Hailing from Los Angeles, CA, Ryan Nealon is an established singer/songwriter who isn’t afraid to be vulnerable. With his music being cited as “fragile, emotional, and beautiful” (Robert Dye, American Songwriter), Nealon strives to connect to his listeners through his own personal experience. After moving to Los Angeles in 2013, Nealon has performed across the United States, has been included in over 100 publications such as the EARMILK, Digital Tour Bus, and American Songwriter, has had his music placed on both Apple Music and Spotify editorial playlists, and has garnered over 3 Million Streams on his catalog. As a scout, Nealon’s mission is to help undiscovered talent get heard by helping them get life changing opportunities.

Casting Associate

AVERY LENDER

Avery was born and raised in New York City. She has a BS in Film and TV from Boston University where she studied creative producing, religion, writing, and puppetry.

She also has a background in stand-up comedy, performing for the first time at age 11 in NYC. Since then, she has performed in clubs all around New York and Boston and was interviewed about her comedy career on NPR’s All Things Considered. When not casting, she enjoys writing a bi-monthly newsletter, reading vintage magazines, and diving headfirst into weird internet subcultures.