Alumni

In 2008, when Regina Sommese, GABELLI ’09, graduated from The College of New Jersey with a bachelor’s degree in industrial and organizational psychology, the country was in the midst of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.

“It was not a moment anyone was going to get a job in the financial services field,” said Sommese, who was interning at Merrill Lynch at the time. “It forced me to take a step back, research different career paths, and figure out what I wanted to do.” That was when she discovered the M.S. in Media Management program at the Gabelli School.

“Most schools at that time offered marketing programs, but very few focused on media, which is highly specialized,” she noted. In addition, Sommese was drawn to Fordham because of its “great reputation, location in the heart of the media industry, strong alumni network, and industry connections.”

The program offered a variety of specializations as well, including entertainment, the field in which she envisioned herself pursuing a career.

Not only did Sommese gain a sound knowledge base and skill set learning from professionals in the field, she also had opportunities to put what she learned into practice. She held internships in the consumer marketing department at Comedy Central and in product marketing at MLB Advanced Media. “Those experiences immersed me in the digital space,” she said. “They helped me get those credentials on my résumé while I was still in grad school.”

Now, as senior vice president of subscriber acquisition for Max at Warner Bros. Discovery, Sommese oversees a global team of 65 staff members that drives new subscribers to Max, the streaming service, which features popular shows such as House of the Dragon, The White Lotus, and The Last of Us. She explained, “in the simplest terms, my job within marketing is to reach the right consumer, at the right time, with the right message so they decide to subscribe to Max.”

Sommese was promoted in May after serving as group vice president of subscriber acquisition for nearly three years. Previously, she devoted nine years to Discovery, Inc. before the merger that created Warner Bros. Discovery, quickly moving up the ranks from media manager to group vice president of paid media. Earlier in her career, she worked on the agency side of the business at PHD, an Omnicom Media Group Agency, where she handled multi-platform media planning and buying for leading brands.

A self-described lifelong learner, Sommese continued expanding her intellectual portfolio after graduate school, earning an advanced diploma in data and analytics at New York University and a certificate in digital and graphic design at Parsons School of Design.

The New Jersey native enjoys museum-hopping in New York City, spending time with her nieces and nephews, and exploring the world. She recently visited her 50th country, South Korea, one of her favorite travel destinations. She also loves Japan, South Africa, and Italy. An avid hiker and marathon runner, Sommese has hiked Mt. Kilimanjaro and earlier this year, Malaysia’s Mt. Kinabalu.

Reflecting on her career, she said that pivoting to media management led to her “dream job,” and she looks forward to the future. “The world of entertainment media is changing so quickly as technology advances,” Sommese asserted. “There will always be new challenges and advancements. I find it really exciting that it’s an industry that’s going to continue to innovate and evolve.”