EXPERIENCE
Webby Media Group, Managing Director The Anthem Awards Jun 2021 - Mar 2023
“The internet’s highest honor” set out to join the burgeoning social impact industry and develop a new platform to recognize purpose & mission-driven work. I built and scaled the Anthem brand from launch to become the biggest award of its kind. In less than 2 years, we saw nearly 4,500 entries from 43 countries around the world, with 13 Special Achievement Honorees including Dr. Jane Goodall, Gloria Steinem, Billy Porter and Amanda Gorman. Additionally we saw notable winners such as His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Former First Lady Michelle Obama, Oprah, Jon Stewart and some of the biggest global brands, media companies and organizations from around the world. The platform builds community with partners like Ad Council, GLAAD, MTV, NAACP, NRDC and an Academy of nearly 600 judges like Tarana Burke, Wyatt Cenac, Daniel Dae Kim and more. The awards have garnered press from AP, Variety, THR, Billboard and more.
Founder & Principal, This is Laurels Jul 2018 - May 2021
Even the best companies in the world often lack the flexibility and dynamic to spark progress internally. I brought my expertise in impact marketing & strategic communications to partner with executives and develop & launch new marquee ventures. I worked with SoftBank Vision Fund on the Emerge Accelerator for underrepresented founders, WeWork Labs on social entrepreneurship programming for startups, The New York Times on original content series and Spotify for Artists on creator marketing content. I gave keynote addresses on the future of media and storytelling at the Fast Company Innovation Festival, Accenture and Hofstra University.
Global Head of RYOT Studio, Verizon Media Jun 2016 - Jul 2018
Verizon Media was lacking an end to end content marketing solution that could compete in the global advertising market. I successfully merged the legacy AOL Partner Studio, Yahoo Storytellers and HuffPost RYOT teams and businesses, to create one, best-in-class, global offering and brand. I built a multidisciplinary domestic team of 30 from the ground up, pulling in new creative talent from across the most premier advertising agencies and media outlets, as well as rebranded 14 global teams to offer our clients premium and innovative, data driven content solutions at scale. RYOT Studio was named the core differentiating factor for Verizon Media Group and I was named Verizon Media’s Top 50 Executives, representing Verizon both internally and externally around the world to audiences of thousands about the future of media and storytelling.
Director of Content, Purpose Apr 2013 - Apr 2016
Purpose was the world’s leading strategy firm specializing in social impact but lacked the creative and content capabilities to compete with the world’s biggest creative agencies. By working across the Strategy and Partnerships teams, I developed highly successful participatory and integrated campaign solutions, that solved for both real world societal problems as well as created a new revenue stream for the company. After some notable wins with lauded campaigns developed for ACLU and the launch of Mayor Bloomberg’s Everytown for Gun Safety, I built and scaled the content offering from the ground up, working on globally recognized campaigns for UNHCR, Intel, Obama’s OFA and The Gates, IKEA, Ford and Rockefeller Foundations. Additionally, I developed and launched original documentary films for the Purpose brand.
Sr. Story Producer, VICE Media, Inc. Nov 2010 - Apr 2013
VICE was a punk zine who had seen early success with branded collaborations in the art and tech space but was looking to grow into the music and culture category with their partners Dell/Intel. Working with the VICE leadership team and bringing my background in the Brooklyn Indie music scene, I developed new formats and story produced & edited hundreds of videos for a global launch. Noisey, became one of the most successful music brands on the planet and the #1 new music discovery site on Youtube with millions of subscribers around the world. I went on to work on other award winning verticals including Creators and VICE News, and expanded my scope to include writing blog posts, field producing, &development and on air hosting for new pilot series. During this era, VICE disrupted the digital media landscape, becoming the premier voice of the cultural zeitgeist as well as the defining global media brand of the decade.
EDUCATION
Harvard Business School Online, Certificate in Leadership Principles 2019
School of Visual Arts, BFA, Film and Video Production 1999 - 2003
CONSULTING
The New York Times • Google News Lab • Spotify • WeWork Labs • SoftBank Vision Fund • AREA 17 • The Front • Shake it Easy Media • Praxis Labs • Worth • The Wye • Ascent Leadership • GLG • Coalition for Inclusive Capitalism • Techstars • NYC Media Lab • NeighborShare • Venture Out • D&AD • Shorty Awards • New York Magazine • Tribeca Film Institute • Young Womens Leadership Academy • Nantucket Film Festival • City Parks Foundation • Museum of the Moving Image • CUNY
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
Fast Company • Accenture • SVA • SXSW • C2 Montreal • Female Quotient • Verizon • Yahoo • United Nations • USA Today • Google News Lab • Online News Association • WPP • NYU • NYC Media Lab • Newseum • iab • Nikon • European Journalism Centre • Copenhagen TV Festival • CNN • IFP • Groupm •American Academy of Advertising • Huge
SKILLS
Entrepreneurship • New Ventures • Strategic Partnerships • Business Development • Executive Leadership • Public Speaking • Digital Marketing • Social Impact • Digital Media • Digital Strategy • Corporate Communications • Content Development • Media Production • Documentaries • Editorial • Original Series • Branded Content • Creative Direction • Communications Strategy • Marketing Strategy • Management • Advocacy Campaigns • Global Teams • Startups • Venture Capital • XR/VR/AR • Business Strategy • Account Direction • Operations Management • Video Production