Moorea Mongelli made Podcasting Head at Underscore Talent

Underscore Talent, a division of TheSoul Publishing, and the leading next-generation talent management firm, announces the addition of four dynamic leaders to its team: Moorea Mongelli becomes the Head of Podcasting, Melissa Wood named Senior Vice President of Brand Partnerships, Fadi Saleh to serve as Head of Paywall, and Amariah Balushi is the company’s new Affiliate Marketing Manager.

These key hires reflect Underscore Talent’s ongoing commitment to creators by scaling its innovative services, offering an enhanced suite of expertise across categories and expanding its reach within the evolving digital content landscape.

In regards to the announcement, Dan Weinstein, Co-Founder and CEO of Underscore Talent, shared: “We are thrilled to welcome Moorea, Melissa, Fadi and Amariah to the Underscore Talent team. Each of them brings a unique set of skills and experience that align perfectly with our mission to empower creators and maximize their potential in the rapidly evolving digital landscape. With their leadership, we’re confident that we’ll continue to break new ground and set new standards in the creator economy. These strategic hires are a testament to our commitment to innovation and our belief in the transformative power of digital content creation.”

Moorea Mongelli - Head of Podcasting

Underscore Talent welcomes Moorea Mongelli (pictured above) as the new Head of Podcasting. In this role, Mongelli will drive audience growth and revenue for the company’s podcast talent. She will lead the department’s expansion into new ventures, including merchandise, product development, live shows, and book deals, while optimizing network partnerships for Underscore-managed podcasts. Additionally, Mongelli will leverage YouTube and social media channels to increase visibility and revenue across platforms.

Mongelli brings a wealth of experience to her new role, having previously worked alongside Underscore Talent co-founders Reza Izad and Dan Weinstein at Studio71, where she eventually led the podcast department, managing partnerships with over 150 podcasts. Notably, she launched successful podcasts such as Bald and the Beautiful with Trixie & Katya, Wild ’Til 9 with LaurDIY and Jeremy Lewis, and Fool Coverage with Manny MUA and Laura Lee. Most recently, she served as President of Unwell Audio Network, where she launched industry-leading podcasts like Hot Mess with Alix Earle and Pretty Lonesome with Madeline Argy.

Melissa Wood - Senior Vice President, Brand Partnerships

Melissa Wood joins Underscore Talent as the Senior Vice President of Brand Partnerships. Melissa will lead the brand partnerships team at Underscore Talent where she will focus on helping brands effectively identify and engage audiences across the social landscape by utilizing Underscore’s ecosystem of resources, including Shorthand Studios and proprietary technology from TheSoul Publishing, resulting in powerful and results-driven branded content.

With over a decade of experience in influencer marketing strategy, Wood has been instrumental in building strategic branded content partnerships for notable brands and media platforms including DC Comics, Wattpad, and Twitch/Curse. In her most recent role as VP of Client Development at The BEN Group (BENlabs), she launched more than fifty campaigns, tapping into thousands of diverse creators and achieving milestones on behalf of brands such as earning the top CCVs on Twitch, securing the #1 trending video on YouTube, and launching brand accounts on TikTok beginning in 2020.

Fadi Saleh - Head of Paywall

Fadi Saleh joins Underscore Talent as Head of Paywall. In this new role, Fadi will spearhead the development and implementation of paywall solutions and build out the company’s paywall management operation, unlocking a new revenue stream for Underscore’s talent roster.

Saleh is a seasoned creator and strategist with over a decade of experience at the intersection of entertainment and technology. His career spans from developing content that deeply resonates with audiences to empowering creators to build successful online memberships.

Previously, Saleh helped scale Mighty Networks, the leading SaaS membership platform for creators and entrepreneurs, working with high-profile clients like Eventbrite to bring their communities to life. Prior, Saleh founded Baracksdubs, a pioneering social media brand known for remixing celebrity speeches into viral music videos. By making President Obama and others “sing” popular songs, the brand amassed 300 million views and created a new genre of political pop-culture content. During his time at Baracksdubs, Saleh also drove massive engagement for top brands like Funny or Die, Def Jam, and the NBA.

Amariah Balushi - Affiliate Marketing Manager

Underscore Talent also welcomes Amariah Balushi as the new Affiliate Marketing Manager. In her role, Balushi will focus on crafting and implementing tailored affiliate strategies for clients, aimed at expanding their reach and enhancing market presence. She will also cultivate and manage relationships with affiliate partners, ensuring optimal performance and driving growth through effective collaboration and communication. By leveraging advanced analytics, Balushi will assess affiliate campaign performance, refine strategies based on insights, and deliver measurable improvements in ROI for Underscore Talent’s clients. Previously, she served as Creator Growth and Agency Partnerships Manager at LTK in Dallas.

About Underscore Talent

Underscore Talent, a division of TheSoul Publishing, is the leading next-generation talent management firm known for its successful and diverse creative clients. Launched in 2021, the company represents an extensive list of the top global YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Twitch, Snapchat, gaming, and podcast content creators. Led by entertainment industry veterans Reza Izad and Dan Weinstein, Underscore’s team assists their roster of creators in leveraging today’s “attention economy” to build long-lasting and lucrative careers. Recently, Underscore Talent launched Shorthand Studios, a cutting-edge digital production and distribution company. For more information, visit underscoretalent.com.