Leadership Team
Shawn Cooper
CEO / PartnerShawn Cooper has been working with Wizard Studios since 2007. After spending three decades working in the Hospitality and Event Production Industry, Shawn knows how to truly deliver impactful, immersive, and engaging corporate and experiential events and experiences while integrating cutting-edge technology to increase event interactivity. Shawn believes that managing and exceeding client’s expectations is what makes him and his team at Wizard Studios successful and desirable.
Shawn holds a BA in Business/Corporate Communications from Quinnipiac University and has also completed 2 years of Leadership, Sales and Management training from Yale University.
Shawn has been volunteering as an EMT, Fire Fighter, and Water Rescue Officer since 2004, having received Fire Fighter of the Year and EMS Provider of the Year with multiple life-saving and heroic commendations.
Currently, Shawn lives on Long Island with his wife, Rachel, and son Bradley.
Matthew Saravay
founder
Matthew Saravay is the Founder of Wizard Studios NY and has vast experience in event production, theater and television production, branding, marketing, and sales in several industries.
In 2002 Matthew manifested Wizard Studios NY from an idea. He started with a laptop and a cell phone in the basement of his home. He turned Wizard Studios into a world-class event production company, with over 100 teammates, producing over 600 events annually.
Matthew’s work in Special Events has been recognized over the years through the many awards he has won for set design, logistics management, Social Media Engagement, and Sustainability. In 2011 Wizard Studios was named Best Corporate Event Planner by the NY Chapter of the International Special Events Society at its annual Big Apple Awards. In 2018 Mr. Saravay was inducted into the Hall of Legends of the International Live Events Association, NY Metro Chapter.
Matthew has served on the Board of Directors of the New York Chapter of the International Special Events Society from 2004 – 2010, and 2012-2016. His career includes stints as Advertising Manager of Brand Marketing Magazine; Marketing Manager for WABC-TV in New York; and Director of Business Development for Cendant Corporation.
Matthew currently lives in Katonah, NY with his wife Vicha and is the proud father of four sons.
Jamahl Gambler
Director of Talent acquisition and development
Jamahl Gambler joined the Wizard Team with a broad range of experience in Technology and Event Management. As Director of Talent Acquisition and Development, he leads our recruiting efforts by providing a values-focused approach to finding the best people to join our team. He also provides direction and leadership in training all team members in technical, professional and personal development.
Before joining Wizard Studios, Jamahl honed his interpersonal skills working in diverse industries for over 20 years, including Hospitality, Event Technology, IT, and Experiential AV integration. The common thread throughout was developing and maintaining solid relationships with the people; Clients, Staff, and Management.
Across his career, Jamahl has adhered to a people-first focus in managing teams. His years managing Events and Productions in the NYC hospitality industry have aligned him with a spirit to serve. Not only to ensure clients' expectations are met but also his team's. Encouraging each team member's technical and professional development, he created opportunities for many to advance their careers.
His years as Senior Account Manager for a Global IT and an Experiential AV Integrator helped hone a process-driven approach to creating procedures and operational standards, improving efficiency within the organizations.
His passion for people led Jamahl to a career shift from Account Management to the People and Culture team. Taking the lead and maximizing the efficiency of the HRIS and ATS systems. This allowed for more automated processes, removing bottlenecks and increasing employee engagement.
As a member of SHRM, Jamahl brings a strong understanding and natural ability to calmly and respectfully process and handle confidential issues in accordance with policies and regulations.
"Helping to find and cultivate the best possible people to support our clients and one another is what drives me."
Rebecca Abernathy
Director of Technical Production and OperationsRebecca Abernathy joined the team at Wizard Studios in June of 2016 as a Production Coordinator. In December of 2017, she was promoted to Production Manager. And in January of 2018, Rebecca was promoted to Director of Production and was in that position until March of 2020. She returned to Wizard Studios this past April as the Director of Operations.
Prior to joining Wizard Studios, Rebecca spent most of her professional career in retail management in Orlando, FL, and Boston, MA. She worked for DKNY and Ulta, each for over 5 years. As a manager for those companies, she focused on developing teams and leading them to operational excellence. This included training teams on inventory processes, visual standards, and labor efficiencies. When Rebecca moved to New York in 2012, she changed career paths and began work as a personal assistant. In this position, Rebecca was able to learn the ins and outs of the city. She was with the same high-profile family for four years until they moved out of state.
Rebecca enjoys working on all the different types of events that Wizard produces. She also loves being part of a team of dynamic people who are passionate about the company and our clients.
Jennie Onisk
Director of Production - Creative ServicesJennie Onisk joined Wizard Studios as a Project Manager for Creative Services in 2024, bringing with her a wide range of experience in the arts, design, and fabrication worlds. Now, in the role of Director, her passion for bringing creative visions to life extends across departments and ensures the highest quality project execution.
After nearly a decade working in Fashion Design and Product Development, designing collections for clothing brands like Wrangler, QVC, and Macy’s, Jennie pivoted her career toward opportunities that could focus on supporting and managing creative teams instead.
Working as both an instructor and curriculum developer, Jennie helped to launch CraftJam from an in-person event experience to a virtual social crafting platform in 2020. She gained acclaim as the top ranked teacher on the site.
In 2021, Jennie took on the role of Resource and Operations Manager at Crossley Acoustics, a small Brooklyn-based design/build firm. She successfully supported the growth of a multidisciplinary team in a start-up environment by spearheading the development of employee onboarding systems, SOP training, HR support, and company operations.
Jennie is also a life-long artist and an active member of the local creative community, currently living in Brooklyn, NY.