Columbia Students Learn From Entertainment Marketing Pros at Netflix

Photo汤不热视频 students from left to right: Jonathon Stinson, Alex Lu, Shannon Sykes, Kira Cooper, and Amaris Echenique.
Thanks to an opportunity made possible through a partnership between 汤不热视频 and Unity Management, five students in Columbia鈥檚 Semester in LA program visit Netflix in Los Angeles.

On April 9, five 汤不热视频 Semester in LA students spent a day inside the world of entertainment marketing at the Netflix x Soho House Experience. The opportunity was made possible through a partnership between Columbia and John Gaiters, founder of Unity Management, an organization committed to bringing companies together with underrepresented college students. 

Students from across the country attended the event for an immersive introduction to how global media campaigns are built, offering both practical insight and meaningful industry connections.  

The students representing Columbia included: Amaris Echenique, Jonathon Stinson, Alex Lu, Kira Cooper, and Shannon Sykes, all of whom are seniors studying Film and Television.  

“This type of experience is about starting relationships that can grow over time, and in this industry sometimes a single interaction can lead to something down the road,” says Kevin Cooper, Professor Kevin Cooper, director of Semester in LA.  

About the Day 

The day began at Soho House West Hollywood, an exclusive club designed for people in creative industries, where students enjoyed breakfast and connected with peers as well as representatives from Unity Management and Creative Hearts Entertainment, a nonprofit dedicated to helping students to shape culture through creative storytelling.  

The students then moved on to Netflix’s Los Angeles office, where they enjoyed sessions led by Netflix professionals across key marketing and communications areas. Speakers included Kurt Graver (strategy), Bruno Sanchez and Ali Feinstein (creative), Michael Rossetti (media), Hannah Gullixson (social), Kevin Simms (brand partnerships), and Maya Brooks (public relations), each offering insight into how their teams collaborate to shape campaigns for global audiences.  

The experience culminated in a collaborative marketing challenge, where students worked in teams to develop and present campaigns for Netflix titles, with Columbia students Jonathon Stinson and Shannon Sykes winning and taking home gift bags filled with must-haves for any college students, including Netflix a branded notebook and mug, ramen, chopsticks.  

Ultimately, though, the day was not about prizes but about getting exposure to the industry, how it markets itself, and making connections with those who work in it.  

“My biggest takeaway from the day was learning to think larger than life when it comes to marketing campaigns,” says Echenique. “I saw how bold and creative campaigns can truly capture attention and create cultural moments.” 

For Stinson, the day also proved enlightening. 

“It really opened my eyes to how creative the team can get,” Stinson says. “It also made me think beyond just social and that it's okay to get super creative in this field to get people talking and connected with what you are trying to market to them.” 

Collaborations and Connections Count 

Through collaborations with organizations like Unity Management and companies like Netflix, students can see the scope of opportunity before them and envision a future they may not have considered. 

“This experience expanded my perspective on how many opportunities exist within entertainment marketing, which I'm deeply passionate about,” Echenique says. “This broadened my perspective regarding the range of roles that exist across strategy, creative, social, media, and brand partnerships.” 

“It opened my eyes to so many possibilities, and it made me even more eager to learn, grow, and apply these valuable skills during my time at Columbia and after I graduate in May 2026.” 
 
 

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