NAKETHA MATTOCKS NAMED VICE PRESIDENT, ORIGINAL MOVIES, DISNEY CHANNELS

Naketha Mattocks has been named Vice President, Original Movies, Disney Channels, it was announced today by Adam Bonnett, Executive Vice President, Original Programming, Disney Channels Worldwide.

Mattocks, whose breadth of experience extends from feature films to television series development, will be responsible for supervising creative development for the hugely successful Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM) franchise which has produced TV's #1 movie in Tweens 9-14 for the past 11 years (2002-12).

Bonnett said: "Disney Channel Original Movies are unmatched in delivering fresh and relevant storytelling that deeply connects with our audience of kids, tweens and families. With Naketha's experience, passion, sharp instincts and strong relationships, we're well positioned to build on our successful track record as a creative magnet and TV movie powerhouse."

In her new role Mattocks will develop movie scripts, generate new projects, collaborate with writers and directors and oversee the creative storytelling throughout production.

This summer, Disney Channel will unveil its newest original movie, "Teen Beach Movie," an exuberant song, sand and surf fest, premiering July 19 on Disney Channel.

Prior to joining Disney Channel, Mattocks was an independent film and television producer who sold projects to an array of broadcast and cable television networks, including ABC Family, CBS Films, Hallmark Hall of Fame/ABC, Lifetime Television and VH1. In 2012 she was a consultant for Lifetime Television, where she served as an executive on projects that included "Betty and Coretta," "A Killer Among Us," "Twist of Faith" and "House of Versace."

From 2006-11 Mattocks was Head of Development for Writer/Director Gary Ross's Larger Than Life. There she oversaw directing vehicles for Ross and projects with creative talent including "Boardwalk Empire" creator Terence Winter, "How to Train Your Dragon" writer/director Dean DeBlois and actor/playwright Ruben Santiago-Hudson, among others.

Previously Mattocks was an executive for more than three years at Paramount Pictures, supervising development and production for "Alfie," "Charlotte's Web," "Coach Carter," "Get Rich or Die Tryin'" and "Elizabethtown." She was also Vice President of Development for Barry Levinson and Paula Weinstein's Baltimore / Spring Creek Pictures.

Mattocks began her career as a reader for the Sundance Writer's Lab and development associate for Patchett Kaufman Entertainment. She is a graduate of Emerson College and serves on the Foundation Board of Women in Film.

Disney Channel is a 24-hour kid-driven, family inclusive television network that taps into the world of kids and families through original series and movies. Currently available on basic cable in over 99 million U.S. homes and to millions of other viewers on Disney Channels around the world, Disney Channel is part of the Disney/ABC Television Group.