Chief Transformation Officer, AMC Networks

Jen Caserta

Recently named one of Fast Company’s “Most Creative People in Business” and to “The Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment Power 100” lists, IFC President Jennifer Caserta has proven that comedy is serious business.

Under Caserta’s leadership, IFC has attracted top-tier talent and cultivated the success of its original series including Portlandia, the Emmy, Peabody and WGA-winning sketch comedy series starring Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein; the critically acclaimed and Emmy-nominated docu-parody Documentary Now! starring Fred Armisen and Bill Hader, written by Seth Meyers, and hosted by Helen Mirren; fan favorite horror-comedy Stan Against Evil starring John C. McGinley, Janet Varney and created by Dana Gould; and critical darling Brockmire, starring Hank Azaria and Amanda Peet.  Currently on the air is The Baroness von Sketch Show, which Vogue recently called “the best thing to come out of Canada since Ryan Gosling.” 

Last year, Caserta was a key architect in AMC Networks taking on a minority ownership stake in leading comedy brand Funny or Die. In addition to sitting on its board, Caserta is responsible for the oversight of leveraging that investment.  The deal was realized after a series of successful collaborations, including Spoils of Babylon and Brockmire, which will return for its second season in Spring 2018.   This partnership ensures that two strong, leading comedy brands can expand and collaborate on smart, culturally relevant comedy across television, digital and social platforms. Funny or Die Television, a branded night of short form programming, launched on IFC this fall. 

Caserta spearheaded the evolution of IFC, and lead a successful rebrand effort in 2010 that transformed IFC from a niche indie film channel to a fully advertiser-supported destination for sharp, smart comedy, and exclusive broadcast home to the Film Independent Spirit Awards. Through her 13-year tenure with IFC, she has earned an industry-wide reputation for developing multi-platform marketing initiatives and innovative partnerships, and more recently as president, for being the dynamic force behind its programming and overall brand identity. Today, defined by its “Always On.  Slightly Off” sensibility and its growing slate of edgy, original programming, IFC continues to build audience share, critical acclaim and pop culture relevance.

Prior to becoming network president in May 2012, Caserta served as IFC’s Executive Vice President and General Manager. She segued into management at IFC after a progression of marketing roles, most recently Executive Vice President of Marketing, Communications, Scheduling and Alternative Programming. Caserta also served as Executive Producer on the 2009 docu-series Monty Python: Almost the Truth (The Lawyer’s Cut), which earned IFC and the legendary comedy troupe an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Nonfiction Series, a Python first. Before joining IFC, Caserta was Executive Vice President and General Manager of Fuse, helping to increase ratings and web traffic for the music network and launching the live studio series The Sauce.

 Earlier in her career, Caserta served as Vice President of Advertising Sales Marketing for Court TV, successfully redefining its trade brand. She has also held marketing positions at Oxygen Media, Food Network, Westwood One and the Radio Advertising Bureau.

 Among her many industry accolades, Variety has included Caserta in its “Power of Women: New York Impact” list, Adweek named her a “Person of the Moment,” Fast Company recognized her as a “Who’s Next” leader, and Multichannel News and WICT (Women in Cable Telecommunications) acknowledged her superpowers as a “Wonder Woman.” She is also a recipient of the NCTA Vanguard Award for Young Leadership and MOVES magazine named her a Power Woman in 2016.  Caserta sits on the Executive Board for the New York Television Festival and the CTAM Education Foundation at Harvard Business School while also serving on the CTAM Board of Directors and on the Investments and Benefits Committee for AMC Networks.  As an active supporter of Autism awareness, she is a member of the Event Committee for the annual Autism Speaks Celebrity Chef Gala.

 Jennifer Caserta earned her degree in media studies from Hunter College, which subsequently inducted her into its Hall of Fame.  She is an alumna of the CTAM executive management program at Harvard Business School, is an active participant in the Women in Cable Television’s Mentor Program, and has a long time association with the creative and design marketing organization PromaxBDA.