Join us for a fireside chat discussion with guest speaker Ambassador Charles H. Rivkin, Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association, and Ambassador Colleen Bell, Executive Director, California Film Commission, Former United States Ambassador to Hungary to gain insight into the important global work of the MPA and its impact on international relations, investment, economic development and more.

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Guest Speaker

Ambassador Charles H. Rivkin (ret.) is Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association (MPA), the leading advocate of the global film, television, and streaming industry. Current MPA members include Disney, Netflix, Paramount, Sony, Universal, and Warner Bros. Discovery.

Drawing on 30 years of experience as a media executive and a leading U.S. diplomat, Rivkin advocates for policies that drive investment in film and television production, protect creative content, and open markets worldwide. Rivkin is responsible for the MPA’s iconic movie ratings system and the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), the world’s largest content protection coalition dedicated to combatting digital piracy. 

Prior to joining the MPA, Rivkin served as U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs and was the United States Ambassador to France and Monaco.

Rivkin serves on the boards of the American Academy of Diplomacy, the American Film Institute, and Via Transportation Inc, and is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He received his bachelor’s degree from Yale University in political science and international relations and his M.B.A. from Harvard University.

Presider

Ambassador Colleen Bell (ret.) is a senior leader at the State of California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) serving as the Director of the California Film Commission.  

Prior to her State service, Bell served as U.S. Ambassador to Hungary from 2014 to 2017.  During her tenure, Bell led engagement on military cooperation, law enforcement, and economic development between the U.S. and Hungary.

Prior to her diplomatic service, she was a Producer at an award-winning production company responsible for some of the most watched television programming in the world.

She currently serves on the boards of LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art), Georgetown University Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Atlantic Council, Pacific Council on International Policy, and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. She also serves on the International Board of Advisors for CEPA, the Mayor’s International Advisory Council, and USC’s Center for Public Diplomacy.

Ms. Bell is a graduate of Sweet Briar College, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Political Economy. She also attended St. Andrews University in Scotland, where she studied International Relations.