Five Chapman alumni are

5 CHAPMAN ALUMNI HONORED ON FORBES 30 UNDER 30 LIST

BY STACE DUMOSKI

What does it mean to get national recognition for your work when you’re not even 30 years old? “More than words can describe, truly,” says Alexa Dectis (JD ’19), one of five Chapman University alumni who have been honored in the Forbes 30 Under 30 spotlight for 2022. The annual listing, which in years past has featured notables such as Lena Dunham, Daniel Ek and Miley Cyrus, shines a spotlight on “the young innovators, trailblazers and disruptors remaking our world.” We spoke to each of them about their careers, their time at Chapman and what they hope to accomplish next.

KARAM GILL ’16

Co-founder & Creative Director, MGX Creative

Karam Gill ’16 majored in business administration at Chapman, but now he’s a groundbreaking documentary filmmaker who has also been named one of Variety magazine’s Top 10 Documentary Filmmakers to Watch. He was just 22 when his film “G Funk” premiered at the South By Southwest festival, and his docuseries “Supervillain” about notorious rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine and the toxicity of digital culture is streaming now on Showtime. Along with documentaries, MGX Creative, the production company and creative agency Gill founded with fellow Chapman alumnus Daniel Malikyar ’17, creates stylized, next-generation content for companies such as Apple, Fujifilm, Adidas, YouTube Originals, Amazon and Mercedes Benz. It’s not Gill and Malikyar’s first venture together — they founded 23FIFTN while still undergraduates at Chapman. “At Chapman, you meet so many talented individuals in different fields,” says Gill. “It allows you to build across different mediums. That’s what Chapman is really great for, especially as a small school. You cross paths with so many people and that can be something that really propels your life going forward.” The creative team at MGX is filled with Chapman alumni, including Andrew Primavera ’17, Josh Whitaker ’19, Beatrice Ho ’18 and Zach Gelman ’18.

ALEXA DECTIS (JD ’19)

Associate Counsel, Skydance Media As associate counsel for Skydance Media, Dectis oversees child labor law and compliance across the company’s live action and animated productions. She credits her professors at Chapman’s Fowler School of Law, particularly Judd Funk and Kathy Heller, for cultivating her interest.

“Professor Heller’s entertainment industry contracts course gave me knowledge that I will use for the rest of my career,” she says. “It taught me skills that a textbook can’t teach you, like redlining.” Recent projects for Dectis include overseeing international child labor law compliance for Skydance Media’s upcoming feature “The Greatest Beer Run Ever” and providing guidance for working with child voice actors for the Apple TV+ animated film “Luck.”

She hopes to continue making a difference in child labor law compliance. “It’s so important to protect kids in the entertainment industry,” she says. “And I feel so fortunate that I get to do it.”

ANA SENA (MBA ’15)

Strategic Partner Manager, Twitch “I think I’m the most passionate about my job when I get to help creators build up their businesses from scratch and make a living off their art,” says Ana Sena (MBA ’15), who manages content creators on the streaming service Twitch. “I get really excited working with creators from diverse backgrounds, helping them become successful entrepreneurs and artists. I’m so happy that I get a chance to contribute to their success.”

While earning her MBA at Chapman, Sena was fortunate to be able to work as an assistant to Dodge College of Film and Media Arts Professor Harry Ufland. “He helped me understand where entertainment executives traditionally start in their careers. I learned that I had to start at a talent agency in order to understand the business from all angles. If I hadn’t met Harry while I was at Chapman and gotten involved, I wouldn’t have learned the information that I needed to make the most out of my degree and education.”

As for what comes next, Sena says, “I would love to grow within the company and become a really valuable executive in the industry.”

BRYAN SMALLER ’14

Senior Colorist, Company 3 Bryan Smaller ’14 has won two Emmy awards for behind-the-scenes work most viewers don’t even notice. With a film and video career that started when he was just 14, Smaller has colored 35 feature films, numerous TV shows and commercials. He has collaborated with pop stars like Kanye West, The Weeknd and Ariana Grande. Along with his Emmys, he’s been nominated for multiple Video Music Awards and Hollywood Professional Association awards.

JACOB BRAUNSTEIN ’16

Cofounder, LiveControl

Jacob Braunstein ’16 was studying Creative Producing at Dodge College when his side hustle of venue production took off. During his time at Chapman, his company produced more than 500 live events across the Los Angeles area. Fast forward to 2022: Braunstein’s company, LiveControl, has earned nods on both the Consumer Technology and Big Money lists from Forbes. The company, which sells robotic cameras with remote camera operators and cloud-based production software, has raised more than $30 million in venture funds, employs 75 in their Santa Monica office, and produces hundreds of live events each week.

“Chapman gave me exposure to the film world with a specific business lens,” says Braunstein. “This gave me the context and knowledge to reinvent how live video is produced today. Many Chapman alumni have helped along this journey, and we employ five of them today.”

KARAM GILL ’16

JACOB BRAUNSTEIN ’16

ANA SENA (MBA ’15)