NBCUniversal has completed its organizational structure under new television and streaming entertainment director Susan Rovner, a move that includes 50 layoffs, mostly in the content department.
Lisa Katz, the president of the written content, now also includes Cara Dellaverson and Alex Sepiol, who were appointed to co-lead drama development and current programming as executive VPs of drama series. Dellaverson, who joined NBCU in 2015, was recently CEO of drama programming. The longtime NBCU veterinarian Sepiol was recently executive director of text development for NBCU’s entertainment and lifestyle group and direct-to-consumer.
Meanwhile, Jeff Meyerson will head comedy development and current programming as executive director of comedy series, and Michael Sluchan will lead films, children’s programming and co-productions as executive director of current series and co-productions. Meyerson was previously senior VP of comedy development, while Sluchan recently CEO of current programming programs and limited series for the entertainment and lifestyle networks and direct-to-consumer.
On the unwritten side under talent competition and lead actress Jenny Groom, Sharon Vuong – who joined CBS in 2020 as senior VP of alternative programming and development at CBS – has been named senior VP of unwritten development, while Shelby Shaftel will oversee the current side as senior VP of unwritten current programming. Shaftel was recently senior VP of alternative programming and development.
In addition, in the Lifestyle and Doctoral Festival section, unwritten content, CEO Rod Aissa appointed Rachel Smith as executive director of unwritten development and Shari Levine as executive director of unwritten current production. Smith was previously executive director of development for Bravo and E !, while Levine was recently executive director of Bravo, which oversaw the original series.
Current NBCU executive director Bruce Evans and Peacock comedy development director Dan Shear are leaving, according to a source familiar with the matter. Of the 50 employees who are retiring, the majority are in the content team, with others in terms of scheduling, acquisitions and marketing, and according to a source close to the situation, they are part of the NBCU’s previously announced reorg plans. According to the source, the movement of Tuesday should be the end of the majority dismissal within the company after its restructuring.