Gaelen Whittemore
Executive - Entertainment, Media, Lifestyle
Los Angeles,CA
Summary
Forward-thinking entertainment executive seeking to join Nike as Senior Director, Entertainment & Celebrity Partnerships—leveraging a world-class tastemaker network, deep cultural fluency, and a proven ability to secure elite celebrity partnerships, and architect iconic, influencer-driven moments that align with Nike’s mission to serve athletes, elevate culture, and inspire the world.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
Work History
Founder / CEO
The Tomorrow Company, Inc.
05.2024 - Current
- Architect and execute partnership engines connecting elite talent with global brands including Sony, ESPN, NBA, SiriusXM, EMPIRE, Live Nation, Waymo, Create Music Group, and others, resulting in over $5 million of deal flow in under 12 months.
- Co-produced Club 30, a multi-day cultural takeover during NBA All-Star Weekend 2025 which drove over 900 million media impressions, anchored by Stephen Curry and featuring partners such as Kevin Hart, Chase Bank, Waymo, Netflix, All The Smoke Podcast, Too Short, E-40, Saweetie, LaRussell, and more.
- Lead full-scale career strategy and collaborations for Too Short, spanning touring, recorded music, publishing, and TV—including partnerships with Lil Jon, MACRO, Snoop Dogg, NFL, CBS, The Recording Academy (Grammy's), and others.
Professor
Cal State University Northridge
10.2019 - Current
- Design and teach an 8-week graduate-level course covering the full spectrum of modern music distribution, marketing, and promotion.
- Instruct ~35 master’s students annually, integrating real-world case studies and experience, industry trends, and hands-on strategic frameworks.
- Many of our students have gone on to secure major label employment or use the information from our course to pursue entrepreneurial endeavors.
President
3T Entertainment LLC
04.2017 - 04.2024
- Led a cross-functional production ecosystem of up to 100 people, delivering high-impact music videos, branded content, and live experiences for Moncler, Coachella, Live Nation, Paramount Pictures, Platoon (Apple Music), Proximity (Ryan Coogler), and more on behalf of client Tobe Nwigwe, garnering co-signs and collaborations from Pharrell Williams, Steph Curry, and Nas.
- Negotiated multi-tiered endorsement, licensing, and brand partnerships for Too $hort, Tobe Nwigwe, iyla, Jonny West, and others across Reebok, Red Bull, Platoon (Apple Music), Mass Appeal, Forever 21, American Idol, YouTube, etc. that greatly impacted the bottom line and brand visibility for each client.
- Grew company revenue from $0 to $1M annually in 24 months, establishing 3T as an emerging leader in culturally relevant content and talent strategy.
- Co-Executive Produced Sprinter, an independent feature film in partnership with Will Smith’s Overbrook Entertainment.
GM West Coast Operations
Compound Entertainment
02.2013 - 10.2016
- Oversaw West Coast operations for the management home of Grammy Award Winner, NE-YO, Emmy Award winner Adrienne Bailon, and International Reggae Superstar, Shaggy.
- Provided day-to-day management for Adrienne Bailon during her tenure on the Emmy-winning daytime series, The Real.
- Directed digital strategy and release marketing for Compound’s full roster, collaborating directly with teams at Motown/Capitol Group and Columbia Records.
Manager Copyright Licensing
Universal Music Group
03.2004 - 12.2012
- Oversaw all mechanical, synch, and digital licensing for Island Def Jam and Republic Records, supporting A-list artists including Mariah Carey, The Killers, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Rihanna, Nelly, Justin Bieber, and more.
- Partnered daily with artist managers, publishers, and attorneys to ensure contractual alignment and budget adherence across major album cycles.
- Built and deployed the synch licensing model used across all UMG labels at the dawn of music-video downloads on Apple iTunes, later adopted as an industry standard.
Education
Certificate - Music Business
San Francisco School of Music
01.1999
High School Diploma - undefined
Healdsburg High School
01.1996
Skills
- Strategic Partnerships & Talent Relations
- High-Level Deal Negotiation
- Creative Development & Big-Idea Ideation
- Brand Storytelling & Cultural Marketing
- Executive Leadership & Team Development
- Cross-Functional Collaboration (Brand, Product, Marketing, Legal, Finance)
- Production Oversight (Live Events, Content, Digital)
- Public Speaking & High-Stakes Presentation
- Budgeting, Forecasting & Operational Management
- Microsoft Office, Google Suite, Asana
Leadership & Volunteer Experience
Leadership: I’ve always enjoyed being on teams and serving a greater good. From sports as a youth to leading cross-functional teams in business, education, and community as an adult, I’m proud to humbly identify as a leader and visionary. I find it imperative to lead by example, and stretch the confines of comfort zone daily.
Volunteer Service: As co-founder and board member of Affect The Youth, I was part of a 13 person group that set out to provide underserved youth with a bridge between current circumstance and future possibility via financial assistance, mentorship, and internships. Between 2021 and 2023, we donated just under $500,000 in scholarships to 242 students across the Bay Area and Baltimore.
Timeline
Founder / CEO
The Tomorrow Company, Inc.
05.2024 - Current
Professor
Cal State University Northridge
10.2019 - Current
President
3T Entertainment LLC
04.2017 - 04.2024
GM West Coast Operations
Compound Entertainment
02.2013 - 10.2016
Manager Copyright Licensing
Universal Music Group
03.2004 - 12.2012
High School Diploma - undefined
Healdsburg High School
Certificate - Music Business
San Francisco School of Music