Jared Ruga

Jared Ruga Email and Phone Number

Founder + CEO at Vavani Productions | Co-Founder + President at Impact Guild | Co-Founder at KaleidoCollective | Co-Founder + Trustee at Lightspark Foundation @ Vavani Productions
Jared Ruga's Location
Los Angeles, California, United States, United States
Jared Ruga's Contact Details
About Jared Ruga

Jared Ruga is an Emmy®-winning and GLAAD-nominated producer, writer, director, and creative executive charged with developing, financing, and producing meaningful content that engages audiences in conversation and action for a prosocial agenda. He performs most of these roles as CEO of Vavani Productions, an ethos-driven media production company he founded in 2017. Vavani’s first project, feature-length documentary QUIET HEROES, premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, was internationally distributed, and won a Daytime Emmy® Award. In the nonprofit sector, Jared has served in various board, committee, and advisory roles at Sundance Institute, Voterise, Equality Utah, Restore Our Humanity, and the University of San Diego, and is Co-Founder and Board Member of both the Impact Guild and the Lightspark Foundation. Jared earned JD, MBA, and MFA degrees from the University of Utah and BBA and dual-BA degrees from the University of San Diego, where he was inducted into multiple honors societies, including Phi Beta Kappa. He has also created and taught undergraduate classes at both of his alma maters. Jared lives in Hollywood, California.

Jared Ruga's Current Company Details
Vavani Productions

Vavani Productions

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Founder + CEO at Vavani Productions | Co-Founder + President at Impact Guild | Co-Founder at KaleidoCollective | Co-Founder + Trustee at Lightspark Foundation
Jared Ruga Work Experience Details
  • Vavani Productions
    Founder + Ceo
    Vavani Productions Jul 2017 - Present
    Salt Lake City, Ut, Us
    As Founder + CEO of Vavani Productions—a prosocial media production house—I lead all key strategic and operational initiatives at the corporate level, in addition to managing our entire project portfolio. The Vavani portfolio includes over 30 short and feature-length narratives, documentaries, and other media in various phases of development, production, and distribution. I also engage in key above-the-line roles across all of our projects as some combination of executive producer, director, producer, and writer.
  • Impact Guild
    Co-Founder
    Impact Guild Jun 2019 - Present
    I co-founded the Impact Guild back in 2019 to connect and support those who work in or with media, arts, and entertainment for social good and healthy democracies.
  • Impact Guild
    President
    Impact Guild Oct 2024 - Present
    As President, I lead all of our daily operations, from membership and programming, to financial and legal, as well as liaise with and report to the Board of Directors.
  • Impact Guild
    Co-Chair, Board Of Directors
    Impact Guild May 2021 - Sep 2024
    As Co-Chair with Sonya Lockett, I supervised oversight and supported daily operations.
  • University Of San Diego
    Lecturer
    University Of San Diego Jan 2020 - Present
    San Diego, Ca, Us
    Fall 2020: I taught COMM 434 - Documentary Film, an upper-division undergraduate Communication Studies course that examines the history of and critical theory underpinning documentary film.Intersession 2020: I taught a class I created (COMM 294 - Independent Film Producing). The course was a practical seminar illuminating the five stages of independent producing (development, preproduction, physical production, postproduction, and distribution), which helped students strategize their career trajectory to break into the film/TV industry.
  • Sentry Financial
    Chief Marketing Officer
    Sentry Financial Jul 2018 - Dec 2018
    Salt Lake City, Ut, Us
    I designed and executed the story Sentry told across its three operating divisions (Equipment Financing, Real Estate, and Private Equity) as founding head of Sentry’s Marketing Department. Guiding our talented marketing team, I directed market research projects, marketing campaigns, community outreach, public relations, and strategic partnerships in service of creating, revitalizing, propelling, and maintaining the brands and campaigns of Sentry Financial, our products, and those of many of our portfolio companies. A designer at heart, I was also involved in creating new models and innovative products and experiences.I left this role after establishing the department to pursue Vavani Production's goals on a full-time basis.
  • Sentry Financial
    President, Media & Entertainment
    Sentry Financial Jul 2017 - Jun 2018
    Salt Lake City, Ut, Us
    As Founder and President of Sentry's Media & Entertainment division, I managed our media-related wholly-owned subsidiaries and our relationships with Sentry's portfolio companies, directing our content development, production, and distribution processes across film, television, music, and large-scale live events. I was also responsible for crafting and executing our overarching competitive strategy in addition to special projects in analysis, marketing, and operations. Finally, I forged strategic partnerships and collaborations with other financial services firms and media production companies to cross-pollinate opportunities that included other divisions of Sentry.
  • Sentry Financial
    Vice President, Film & Television
    Sentry Financial May 2016 - Jun 2017
    Salt Lake City, Ut, Us
    I managed the Film & Television projects in the Media & Entertainment division at Sentry Financial. My responsibilities included developing proprietary intellectual property, producing feature-length documentaries and narratives, financing film projects, and consulting on both one-off projects and long-term strategic partnerships with other media companies.
  • Sentry Financial
    Media Consultant
    Sentry Financial Aug 2015 - May 2016
    Salt Lake City, Ut, Us
    Co-created Sentry's media investment strategy, vetting protocols, and partnerships in film, television, and (to a lesser extent) music, culminating in the founding of Sentry's Media & Entertainment division (f/k/a Sentry Media Ventures).
  • University Of Utah - Employment
    Instructor
    University Of Utah - Employment Jan 2016 - May 2016
    Salt Lake City, Utah, Us
    Designed and taught as instructor of record a new special topics undergraduate film course entitled "Entertainment Law & Business," which focused on three main areas of study: an overview of entertainment law (intellectual property, contract, employment, communications, negotiation, litigation, American jurisprudence), a survey of the business structure and current trends in both Hollywood and the independent ecosystem, and instruction on professional development (building a personal brand, networking and managing relationships, tracking career opportunities, etc.).
  • University Of Utah - Employment
    Instructor
    University Of Utah - Employment Aug 2013 - Dec 2013
    Salt Lake City, Utah, Us
    Taught FILM 3500 (Film Production I) to undergraduate students on behalf of the Film & Media Arts Department as the instructor of record, including drafting a syllabus, designing lectures, drafting testing materials, monitoring participation, and grading.
  • Sentry Financial
    Vice President, Media Communications
    Sentry Financial Jul 2011 - Aug 2012
    Salt Lake City, Ut, Us
    Designed and executed corporate digital presence strategy, from social media to the website and multimedia presentations.
  • Self-Employed
    Freelance Videographer
    Self-Employed Jun 2006 - Aug 2012
    Wrote, produced, directed, shot, and edited video content for clients in financial services, music, education, and advocacy.
  • University Of San Diego
    Special Projects Intern, Office Of Public Affairs
    University Of San Diego Jan 2011 - May 2011
    San Diego, Ca, Us
    Drafted press releases, media advisories, website articles; conducted video interviews with professors and special guests; edited promotional videos for online distribution.
  • University Of San Diego
    Director Of Strategic Information, Associated Students
    University Of San Diego Aug 2010 - May 2011
    San Diego, Ca, Us
    Managed student government’s public image, including recording/editing & posting online summary videos of AS Senate.
  • University Of San Diego
    Station Manager, Usdtv
    University Of San Diego Jan 2008 - May 2011
    San Diego, Ca, Us
    Managed all staff, organization and logistics for both creative production and administrative management:• Supervised seven-member executive board and directed strategic planning• Managed 10-20 students each semester who enrolled in course credit, including drafting final performance reviews• Ordered programming and oversaw production of all original shows• Liaised with other student organizations, Communication Studies Department, and University Administration
  • Aiesec
    San Diego Local Community Vice President
    Aiesec Aug 2007 - May 2008
    Montreal, Quebec, Ca
    Directed overarching rebranding effort, conceived and executed recruitment strategy for members, designed and hosted information sessions, and hosted international interns to assist with their transition to the US.

Jared Ruga Skills

Editing Public Speaking Social Media Video Production Social Networking Event Planning Social Media Marketing Graphic Design Final Cut Pro Facebook Microsoft Office Copy Editing Video Editing Spanish Research Leadership Management Screenwriting Photoshop Blogging Writing Powerpoint Microsoft Excel Imovie Wordpress Email Marketing Youtube

Jared Ruga Education Details

  • University Of Utah S.J. Quinney College Of Law
    University Of Utah S.J. Quinney College Of Law
    Entertainment & Intellectual Property
  • University Of Utah - David Eccles School Of Business
    University Of Utah - David Eccles School Of Business
    Management & Entrepreneurship
  • University Of Utah
    University Of Utah
    Film & Media Arts
  • University Of San Diego
    University Of San Diego
    Philosophy / Communication Studies
  • University Of San Diego
    University Of San Diego
    International Business

Frequently Asked Questions about Jared Ruga

What company does Jared Ruga work for?

Jared Ruga works for Vavani Productions

What is Jared Ruga's role at the current company?

Jared Ruga's current role is Founder + CEO at Vavani Productions | Co-Founder + President at Impact Guild | Co-Founder at KaleidoCollective | Co-Founder + Trustee at Lightspark Foundation.

What is Jared Ruga's email address?

Jared Ruga's email address is ja****@****tah.edu

What is Jared Ruga's direct phone number?

Jared Ruga's direct phone number is +180191*****

What schools did Jared Ruga attend?

Jared Ruga attended University Of Utah S.j. Quinney College Of Law, University Of Utah - David Eccles School Of Business, University Of Utah, University Of San Diego, University Of San Diego.

What are some of Jared Ruga's interests?

Jared Ruga has interest in Economic Empowerment, Civil Rights And Social Action, Politics, Environment, Science And Technology, Human Rights, Arts And Culture.

What skills is Jared Ruga known for?

Jared Ruga has skills like Editing, Public Speaking, Social Media, Video Production, Social Networking, Event Planning, Social Media Marketing, Graphic Design, Final Cut Pro, Facebook, Microsoft Office, Copy Editing.

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