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    HPA promotes execs, adds to board, appoints new committee chairs

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments1431 Views
    Phil Kubel
    BURBANK, Calif. --

    Executives Phil Kubel and Alicia Rock have taken on expanded roles at the Hollywood Professional Association (HPA).  James Blevins has joined the HPA board of directors, and new chairs have been announced for HPA committees. 

    Kubel has been elevated to executive director of HPA from director, the post he assumed in 2019. Rock, formerly manager of events, has been named director, operations & events. Rock joined HPA in 2007.  Director of business development and corporate member relations Joyce Cataldo rounds out the executive team.

    HPA president Seth Hallen noted, “It is an incredibly exciting time at HPA, full of growth, challenge and opportunity. The vibrance we are seeing is a credit to the hard work and vision of the people who have contributed so much to the organization: our staff, our board, and our volunteers. During Phil’s tenure, which saw the pandemic and its impact, we’ve seen enormous growth while preserving the close sense of community that is so important to HPA’s members.  Through Joyce’s careful cultivation, as well as remarkable participation in our events we’ve seen our most significant increase in membership and event sponsorships. Phil is an indefatigable team leader for HPA.” 

    Of Rock, Hallen continued, “Alicia has long been HPA’s backbone, providing an informed, critical viewpoint and flawless execution that bring our big ideas into the world. Her work and talent are outstanding, and her new role well earned. I look forward to seeing what she has planned for HPA!”  

    Industry veteran James Blevins has been named to the HPA board of directors.  An active member of the HPA community, he serves as co-chair of the NET committee and was co-chair of this year’s Innovation Zone at the HPA Tech Retreat. Hallen said, “The HPA Board demands a level of commitment and care that is well beyond significant, and only the most intrepid and engaged are invited. James is so passionate about our industry and community and has surpassed that commitment again and again. He generously shares his time, knowledge and talents. We’re so fortunate that he has agreed to join the board, bringing his unique blend of enthusiasm and expertise to our endeavors.”

    Blevins (Valid Essence) joins current board members Hallen (LightIron), president; Chuck Parker (Sohonet), VP; Bill Roberts (Panavision), treasurer; Leon Silverman (Strategic Perspective Consulting), past president; Wendy Aylsworth (Walden Pond), secretary; Paul Chapman (Picture Shop); Mark Chiolis (Mobile TV Group); Craig German (Amazon Studios); senior industry executive Kari Grubin; Renard Jenkins (WarnerMedia); Loren Nielsen (Xperi); Phil Squyres (Sony Pictures Television); and Joachim Zell (Barco).

    New and returning HPA committee chairs for 2022 are as follows:

    • ALL: Kari Grubin, Renard Jenkins, and Loren Nielsen
    • NET (Networking Education Technology): James Blevins and Lina Sanchez
    • Women in Post: Payton List and Belinda Merritt
    • YEP (Young Entertainment Professionals): Nikki Jee, Tahirah Foy, and Lina Sanchez
    • HPA Awards: Christine Purse

    Hallen concluded, “In keeping with HPA’s focus on recognition, I’m thrilled to recognize the contributions Phil and Alicia have made to our success and honor the great work of our volunteers. These individuals guide our future and light our way.”

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    Tags:Alicia RockHollywood Professional AssociationHPAJames BlevinsPhil Kubel



    William Dafoe, Jonathan Bailey and Peter Dinklage join the voice cast for Starburn Industries’ “Lincoln in the Bardo”

    Friday, August 28, 2026
    Peter Dinklage (photo by Whitney Matewe)

    Actors Willem Dafoe, Jonathan Bailey and Peter Dinklage have joined the voice cast of Starburns Industries’ “Lincoln in the Bardo,” based on acclaimed author George Saunders’ New York Times bestseller and 2017 Booker Prize-winner.  Saunders adapted the screenplay, with Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Duke Johnson directing.  It was announced earlier that Tom Hanks stars as the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, in the live action portion of the film.  CAA Media Finance and WME Independent are handling sales at the upcoming TIFF: The Market.

    The film employs a unique blend of stop-motion animation and live action to explore one of the most intimate moments of Lincoln’s life, centering on his relationship with his recently deceased eleven-year-old son.  Blending history and imagination, the story unfolds through an unforgettable ensemble of characters – living and dead, historical and invented – to explore themes of love, empathy, and the human capacity for connection in the face of unimaginable grief.

    Reverend Everly Thomas – the ghost of a minister who died believing he would go to heaven, but, to his dismay, found out otherwise – is voiced by Dafoe.  Bailey is voicing Roger Bevins, the ghost of a young gay man who took his own life over a failed love affair and instantly regretted it.  Dinklage is voicing Hans Vollman, a ghost obsessed with his dream of being reunited with his much-younger wife.

    Four-time Academy Award nominee Dafoe’s credits include animated films “Finding Nemo,” “Fantastic Mr. Fox” and “The Boy and the Heron,” as well as “At Eternity’s Gate,” “The Florida Project,” “Shadow of the Vampire” and seminal Vietnam movie... Read More

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