Neil Tanner saw speakers looking lost and losing their audience. He knew quality gear and focused training was the solution. Neil has degrees from the USA and Canada, and a Masters in Instructional Technology.

In his free time, he volunteers as a guide for kids with disabilities so they can have fun outdoors.

Neil is our President and Founder, so he’s responsible that you are extremely happy with your event. Let him know how it goes.

Albert Leung is our Technical Manager, in charge of maintaining the gear we use ourselves and rent to others. Talk to him about any gear questions, delivery, or prep days.

Albert comes to us from decades controlling the broadcast studio at Beyond Pix, aka San Francisco Media Group.

Charlie Kuttner left the high tech world to make movies. He’s worked every position in camera, lighting, and sound departments, as well as a rental house camera technician, production manager, studio manager, assistant director, editor, and post production supervisor. Someone on your crew has probably worked with him. Charlie’s attention to detail and quick edits on set have our teleprompting clients requesting his services again and again.

David Bradley joins us from years of doing camera and editing in Sacramento. He’s already representing us as a trusted operator for the White House and Apple. He’s so busy he hasn’t added a real bio yet. 🙂

Jason LaBatt has held a number of production positions over the years and cites teleprompter operator as one of his favorites. Whether working in a corporate, commercial, or live event environment— with anyone from a staffer to the Cookie Monster to the First Lady— he brings a positive attitude and a calm demeanor to productions.  Jason volunteers video services for several non-profits including Meals on Wheels, American Red Cross and the SF SPCA.

Jim Thylin has been married for almost 30 years and is a proud father to three entrepreneurial & musical kids. He was in High Tech Sales and Real Estate before joining us in 2008, citing teleprompting as his favorite job.

Jim belongs to Local 134 and Local 16 with satisfied clients like HP, Facebook, Genentech, and the PAC 12 Network. He’s also worked with celebrities like Dr. Oz, Hilary Clinton, Nicole Kidman, as well as live events like Metallica’s 30th Anniversary concert and NFL’s Super Bowl 50.

Kelly Lawrence, our amazing Operations Manager, aims to please – which is why you’ll find him full of questions! Originally from Cleveland, Kelly’s 40-year career as a line, field and executive video producer took him from New York to Seattle, and Los Angeles to San Francisco where he’s lived since 2003.  He loves a good bike ride and isn’t bad at hopscotch and shuffleboard. You may know him from years at Beyond Pix, aka San Francisco Media Group.

Lauren Mentzel brings her passion for blending creativity with technology to every job. She’s a highly experienced art director, prop master, and set decorator as well as graphics operator, and video switcher. Lauren has a BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute, worked at Pixar, and can work through IATSE Local 16. She thrives in collaborative environments. She has been teleprompting with us since 2006, for clients like Gavin Newsom, Sting, and leaders at Pixar, Cisco, Adobe, Salesforce, and Oracle.

Marcy Hignight is a veteran production professional with over 20 years of experience in television, live events, and video production. Since 2003, she has supported a wide range of domestic and international projects, demonstrating strong versatility and deep knowledge of production workflows. She brings reliability, efficiency, and a collaborative spirit to every project, making her a trusted partner in delivering high-quality productions.

Martin Hyland has extensive experience both in front of and behind the camera. He studied acting with Lee Strasberg at the New School in New York, the American Conservatory Theater’s Professional Actor’s Training Program and Graduated from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. As an experienced actor, Martin can coach your talent to appear more relaxed, present, and engaged. He volunteers as a Big Brother with SCAN, and volunteers massage services in local hospitals and hospices.

Pete Gowdy joined Tanner Teleprompting in 2023 and has worked as a stage manager and teleprompter op at KQED-TV since 2019. Since moving to San Francisco in 1991, Pete has enjoyed working in event, television and film production with focus, dedication and an eye for detail. He loves guiding clients who are new to prompting, helping them feel comfortable and achieve optimal results. In his spare time, he hosts a popular DJ night and is pursuing a master’s degree in library and information science at San Jose State University.

Ralph Kelliher is the nicest cat you could ever have working on your team. He’s dapper, calm, and brilliant on all things teleprompting. He graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design and created illustrations for numerous books and magazines including Harper’s, Newsweek, and the Wall Street Journal before turning to prompting in 2003. His clients range from multinational corporations to local celebrities who request him time after time.

Samuel Goldhaber brings years of on set experience plus professional attitude and technical know-how to ensure the best product for your team and for your clients. Whether it is a challenging live event or a dynamic multi camera video project, Sam has the solution to fit the needs of your shoot. You can rest assured that you’ll get the best possible presenter performance – through Teleprompting.

Thom Tanner lives in the mountains near Sacramento and works with clients like UC Davis and Warren Haynes. He’s been a mechanical engineer for 35 years, involved with DOD research and medical devices.  He enjoys rock climbing and mountain biking.  Thom volunteers with the Special Olympics as a licensed medic and has volunteered with Big Brothers, Big Sisters as well. Thom’s first major invention was the TeleStepper, used by Apple, NASA, the U.N., the White House, and others worldwide.

Zak Eby is the son of two local live-event legends. He’s put in a lot of hours with IATSE Local 16 and has a ton of experience in all areas of production. He’s awesome and will likely lend a skilled hand in other departments just because he sees the need.