Jordan Levin

A proven creator, operator, and strategist in both traditional and new media, Jordan Levin has been instrumental in launching and managing numerous entertainment franchises that have left a lasting impact on popular culture for more than three decades as an enterprising network and studio executive, Emmy-award winning producer, director, and digital entrepreneur. Acknowledged for his insightful understanding of youthful audiences, Levin’s experience spans a broad range of content genres in both long and short-form series and film, including scripted comedy and drama, unscripted formats, reality, documentary, news, podcasting, animation, branded entertainment, and live events. Considered a thought leader, innovative builder, and collaborative partner, Levin has been recognized by many publications and organizations for his forward-thinking influence across the entertainment, sports, advertising, and technology communities.

With an academic background as an adjunct professor and guest lecturer at The University of Texas at Austin and the University of Southern California, Levin transitioned into a full-time role as a Professor of Practice in the Radio-Television-Film department at The University of Texas at Austin’s Moody College of Communication in 2024, teaching courses in production and media industry studies, while tasked with building a new minor in Sports Production and Broadcasting. Concurrently, Levin leverages his professional experience as a strategic advisor and business consultant for select entertainment and sports enterprises. 

Levin first rose to industry prominence as the youngest CEO in broadcast television history after playing a central role in launching and building The WB Television Network (now The CW) as a core member of the founding executive team. Over the course of a decade, he helped establish The WB as the most successful network targeting young-adult audiences, developing and programming an influential slate of hit series including Dawson’s Creek, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Gilmore Girls, Smallville, Felicity, Charmed, 7th Heaven, and One Tree Hill, among others. He also oversaw Kids’ WB, the top-rated Saturday-morning destination powered by the Pokémon phenomenon, and was instrumental in shaping the network’s distinctive brand identity that defined a generation of television storytelling.

After leading The WB, Levin expanded his portfolio across emerging media and technology platforms, founding and advising ventures that bridged traditional and digital content creation. In 2005, he launched Generate, a pioneering studio and talent management company that developed and produced cross-platform content and represented creative talent across television, film, and online entertainment. Following its sale to Zelnick Media Capital’s Alloy Digital in 2011, he served as President of the combined entity, overseeing studio, network, and management operations.

In 2014, Microsoft recruited Levin to join its nascent Xbox Entertainment Studios division as General Manager, coordinating the launch of an interactive, subscription-based video-on-demand programming service for the global Xbox platform that produced original premium content and advanced new models of interactive storytelling.

Levin later served as the National Football League’s first Chief Content Officer, overseeing the league’s expansive content portfolio across the NFL Network, NFL.com, NFL Mobile, its newsroom, social media channels, NFL Films, event programming such as NFL Honors and the Super Bowl Halftime Show, and a range of external partnerships. In this role, he unified the league’s media production operations and advanced new strategies for storytelling, fan engagement, and global brand expansion.

He subsequently served as CEO of Awesomeness, a multiplatform media company and leading entertainment brand for Gen Z audiences. Following Comcast NBCUniversal’s acquisition of DreamWorks Animation, the parent company of Awesomeness, which was co-owned with Verizon and the Hearst Corporation, NBCUniversal recruited Levin in 2017 to evaluate and lead the venture. He oversaw the growth of its global digital networks, film and television studio, and full-service creative agency, shepherding acclaimed projects such as Netflix’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and Hulu’s PEN15, and successfully initiated and guided the company’s sale to Viacom (now Paramount) in 2018.

Most recently, Levin was General Manager of Rooster Teeth, a Warner Bros. Discovery subsidiary based in Austin, Texas. The dynamic media and entertainment company built a passionate global fan community around its original content, supported by a diversified business model encompassing direct subscription membership, advertising sales and sponsorships, content production, licensing and distribution, live events, and e-commerce, all of which Levin oversaw. Recruited in 2019 by then WarnerMedia leadership and the company’s founders to stabilize and restructure the organization following a period of rapid expansion and speculative growth, Levin implemented operational discipline, introduced best practices around culture, and accelerated key growth areas, including podcasting and third-party studio production, to preserve and enhance the value of its core businesses. In 2024, he oversaw both the corporate integration and sale of key proprietary assets, including its top-ten podcast network, The Roost, and its global anime franchise, RWBY.

Levin began his career as part of the creative team that revitalized the Disney brand in network television, developing and managing series such as Home Improvement, Ellen, Boy Meets World, and The Golden Girls for the company’s television studio.

A frequent keynote speaker, moderator, panelist, and presenter, Levin is also a published author. A member of both the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and the Directors Guild of America, he made his directorial debut in 2004 with an episode of Everwood. He has lent his strategic acumen to a variety of boards over the years including non-profit organizations, academic institutions, early-stage media companies, and industry associations such as NATPE (past Chairman), HRTS (past President), the Los Angeles Board of Governors for the Paley Center for Media, Austin PBS, the ATX TV Festival, and the Austin Film Society. He served on The University of Texas at Austin’s Moody College of Communication Advisory Council (past Vice Chair) and chaired the Los Angeles Network for Moody College. Levin has been honored with multiple awards from his alma mater, including Moody College's 2002 Alumnus of the Year, the Texas Exes’ 2004 Outstanding Young Texas Ex Award, recognition as one of the University’s 125 Extraordinary Exes in 2010, and the Robert C. Jeffrey College Benefactor Award in 2018.