Disney Branded TV Reorganizes Unscripted & Nonfiction Teams

Disney Branded Television has restructured its unscripted and nonfiction teams into three divisions: Disney Original Documentary, Disney Branded Television Unscripted and Disney Branded Television Partnerships and Kids.

To support these new divisions, Disney Branded TV has made five promotions: Marjon Javadi to VP of Disney documentary films and docuseries; Nicole Silveira to VP of unscripted; Claire McCabe, to VP of brand partnerships and kids; Meghan de Boer to executive director of brand partnerships and kids; and Jordan Gilbert to executive director of unscripted.

The restructured team will continue to report to Marc Buhaj, VP of unscripted and nonfiction, under the senior leadership of Charlie Andrews, executive VP of live-action and alternative series.

Javadi originally joined Disney in 2019 as director of documentaries. In her new role, she will continue to work with filmmakers on real-life stories with aspirational and optimistic themes for Disney+. Prior to joining the company, Javadi worked in funding at Doc Society and helped build the documentary unit at Netflix.

Silveira also joined Disney in 2019, as part of the launch team for Disney+. Her remit is to create original, globally appealing unscripted content for the streaming platform. Previously, she was head of unscripted development and VP of Pilgrim Media Group. She has also served as a development executive for ITV and spent nearly a decade at NBCUniversal.

Previously the VP of kids’ alternative programming, McCabe has worked on Bug Juice and The Radio Disney Music Awards. Earlier in her career, she spent 12 years at Viacom-owned channels, holding roles such as VP of original programming and series development at CMT. She also worked at VH1 and MTV.

Like Silveira, de Boer was part of the Disney+ launch team. She helped drive strategy for variety and specials. In her new role, de Boer will create storytelling that leverages Disney IP and supports young audiences. She has been with Disney since 2008, when she joined as a producer for the Disney/ABC Digital Studio and won two Emmy Awards for executive producing The Oscars: All Access.

Gilbert joined the company in 2019 as director of original programming and, with Silveira and de Boer, was part of the Disney+ launch team. In his new role, Gilbert will create original, globally appealing unscripted content for Disney+. Before joining Disney, he was VP of original programming at Lionsgate Television and, prior to that, wrote for two seasons of Billy on the Street.

Ayo Davis, president of Disney Branded Television, said, “Aligning our strengths into three areas of dedicated focus across unscripted and nonfiction content prepares us to maximize the biggest global opportunities in this unique space, one with unlimited possibilities of stories not yet told. Charlie, Marc, Marjon, Nicole, Claire, Meghan and Jordan are energized to make the best unscripted content with creative minds across Disney and throughout our industry and to continue delivering compelling and entertaining stories that reflect the Disney brand that families have loved for nearly 100 years.”