Team

Our Mission: As a family owned business, it is our mission to provide our clients with a service based on integrity and experience while offering friendly and personal attention in our specialty field of family and children's entertainment.

jo kavanagh-payne

Jo Kavanagh-Payne President; Director

Jo Kavanagh-Payne, former Link Television Entertainment, Inc.'s Senior Vice President of U.S. operations, spent 16 years in the international distribution business based in London prior to forming Foothill. In 1995, Kavanagh-Payne moved to Los Angeles to establish and supervise the US office for London based Link Entertainment. Her experience extends from all facets of television distribution to strategic planning for children's and family television programming. Her mandate is to acquire family and children’s entertainment for international distribution, find co-production partners and co-develop new and existing properties for international and domestic syndication. jkpayne@foothillentertainment.com

gregory payne

Gregory Payne Chairman; Director

Gregory Payne, graduated from Dartmouth College and Stanford Law School. Payne spent 10 years in corporate law on Wall Street and for more than 20 years, he has specialized in Entertainment Law. His experience spans from negotiating production and talent agreements to labor relations, corporate and real estate matters. Prior to forming Foothill, he served as Executive Vice President of Legal and Business Affairs of DIC Entertainment. As Chairman, Payne spearheads the legal and corporate operations for the Company, as well as playing a major part in the programme development and business/financial structuring for Foothill projects. gbpayne@foothillentertainment.com

Aaron Dicioco; Sales Coordinator

Aaron Dicioco, is a recent graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara with a B.S. in Psychological & Brain Sciences with a minor in Applied Psychology and has a strong administrative background through his work in various campus organizations at UCSB. As a Sales Coordinator, his interpersonal skills and experience in customer service are utilized to help him be a point of contact for Foothill’s diverse portfolio of clients from around the world. Having a passion for people and understanding their behavior through his Psychology studies has benefitted his ability in liaising with clients and providing support to the sales team. csimpson@foothillentertainment.com
elizabeth stephens

Elizabeth Stephens; Project Manager

Elizabeth Stephens, is a graduate of University of California, Santa Barbara with a bachelor's degree in Women Studies and has had many creative opportunities working with children as well as living abroad in Brazil. Elizabeth, who joined Foothill in Fall 2008, has brought with her a distinctive insight into children's entertainment and the international market. Formerly as Vice President of Sales and Development, Elizabeth managed all linear and non-linear distribution efforts, and played an active role in the development properties and co-productions. Elizabeth continues to work with the Foothill team as a part-time Project Manager assisting in all facets of the TV distribution business. estephens@foothillentertainment.com

Jill Monthei; Manager Marketing & Legal Affairs

Jill Monthei, is a graduate of the University of Connecticut with a B.A. in Sociology and received her J.D. from the Santa Barbara College of Law. With over 13 years' experience in the entertainment field, Jill handles all marketing and publicity support for Foothill as well as assists on the legal and analytical research for the new media markets. jsmonthei@foothillentertainment.com