Shelby Shaftel

SVP, Unscripted Series & Development

NBCUniversal Entertainment

Shelby Shaftel currently serves as Senior Vice President, Unscripted Series and Development, NBCUniversal Entertainment. In this capacity, Shaftel oversees a slate of tentpole series for NBC, Peacock, and the company’s cable portfolio. She is tasked with spearheading projects from concept through production and post, directing creative, staffing decisions, talent, marketing, and high-level brand partnerships. Recent hit series under her purview include the #1 Summer Series America’s Got Talent, USA Network’s Barmageddon, the Emmy nominated That’s My Jam, and Password.

In addition to overseeing current series, Shaftel manages a roster of projects in various stages of development and helps track the international television market for adaptation opportunities. Upcoming programming under her direction includes: The Americas, NBCUniversal’s first-ever blue-chip natural history series narrated by Tom Hanks, Destination X, a huge-scale travel adventure series in partnership with BBC, and AGT Fantasy League, the next spin-off of the AGT series universe.

As a member of NBCUniversal’s Unscripted Formats team, most recently as Senior Vice President and Head of Current Series, Alternative Programming and Development, Shaftel oversaw 14 seasons of the award-winning smash-hit The Voice, having been a part of the show since its premiere in 2011. Under Shaftel’s stewardship, the hit series won multiple Emmys and achieved its longstanding run as the #1 Alternative Series on television.

Shaftel has built a reputation as a versatile executive with experience in a wide range of programming subjects, from music to physical competition, game, documentary, dance, hidden camera, business, dating, travel, and comedy. In her career, she has pioneered several hybrid genre-bending unscripted and comedic series, including Off Their Rockers with Betty White, Making It, Baking It, True Story with Ed and Randall, and Better Late Than Never. In her role, she has collaborated with legendary talent including Simon Cowell, Dwayne Johnson, Amy Poehler, Blake Shelton, Henry Winkler, Lisa Kudrow and many more.

In addition, she is a leader in interactive television and her shows have been the first to achieve many digital breakthroughs, including the first to air live social media comments, the first to execute real time voting and instant contestant saves, the first 24-hour game show with a concurrent, nation-wide app, the first to use real-time shopping as a voting mechanism, and the first music show to offer music for purchase and streaming.

Shaftel graduated magna cum laude from the University of Florida and earned degrees in Political Science and Telecommunications, before joining the NBC family in 2006, participating in the company’s esteemed internship and Page programs. She resides in North Hollywood, with her husband and three young daughters. 

Speaking at: 30 Minutes With: Shelby Shaftel & Kristina Edwards, NBCUniversal: Competition & Formats