Aaron Kopp
Aaron Kopp is an award-winning director, producer, and Emmy-nominated cinematographer who grew up in the Kingdom of Eswatini. Aaron shot and co-produced the Oscar-winning film Saving Face about acid attacks in Pakistan. He was also cinematographer for the Sundance premiered and Oscar-nominated film, The Hunting Ground, about sexual assault on college campuses.
Aaron has worked on documentaries, television series, and commercials for HBO, Netflix Originals, National Geographic, Discovery, CCTV-China, UK Channel4, and many others.
His feature directorial debut, Liyana, is a documentary/animated fiction hybrid about orphaned children in Eswatini who transform past trauma into an original tale about a girl on a quest to save her young twin brothers. The film, executive produced by Emmy-winning actress Thandiwe Newton (HBO’s Westworld), received critical and audience acclaim. Liyana won more than 35 awards from film festival juries and audiences around the world. The film was acquired by Abramorama (Jane, Montage of Heck) and released theatrically in more than fifty markets across the United States. The film premiered on Sundance Now in 2021.
Aaron’s work has been awarded grants from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, National Geographic, and Bertha Doc Society. His work has screened at the MoMA in New York, the Palace of Culture and Science in Poland, the British Film Institute, the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, and the Museum of the Moving Image in New York.
Given his upbringing in Africa and his long track record of cross-cultural filmmaking collaboration, Aaron has a deep passion for championing diverse voices and working alongside underrepresented communities to tell nuanced and artful stories.
James Geary
James Geary is a lecturer in the Journalism department at Boston University. He has also taught at Bennington College, Brandeis University, the Harvard Kennedy School, Tufts University and the Harvard Extension School. From 2013 to 2023, he was the deputy curator of the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard and editor of Nieman Reports. He is the former editor of the European edition of Time magazine. He is the author of five nonfiction books: “Wit’s End: What Wit Is, How It Works, and Why We Need It”; “I Is an Other: The Secret Life of Metaphor and How It Shapes the Way We See the World”; “Geary’s Guide to the World’s Great Aphorists”; the New York Times bestseller “The World in a Phrase: A Brief History of the Aphorism”; and “The Body Electric: An Anatomy of The New Bionic Senses.”
Hong Ko
Hong Ko is Associate Professor of the Practice, Strategic Communication and Advertising in the Department of Mass Communication, Advertising and Public Relations at Boston University.
As a renowned Creative Director & Designer with hybrid expertises—Digital Advertising, User Experience Design, Product Design and Brand Innovation, on the basis of Visual Design background over 25+ years, Hong has worked for a number of global clients with talented professionals from the top notch firms and agencies across industries. His clients list expands to Nike, Samsung, Tiffany&Co., Verizon, Master Card, Fidelity, Barnes&Noble, Flextronics, ABI, Audible, Toyota, Aoki Group, and recently Uniqlo.
A strategic thinker and an experienced leader, yet a 100% designer, Hong has been awarded and recognized by many including the Mobile Lion Silver from Cannes International Festival of Creativity.
Hong has been actively involved in design/advertising education. Prior to joining Boston University College of Communication, he served a Visiting Assistant Professor position to Communication Design at Texas State University. He has taught at Miami Ad School, guest-crit’d at Yale University and LaSalle College of Arts in Singapore, and has spoken at numerous design and advertising lectures and seminar. The list of his involvement in design and advertising education expands globally. Hong has also been an active Adjunct Faculty member of BFA Design & Advertising program at the New York School of Visual Arts since 2014.
AnneMarie McClain
AnneMarie K. McClain is an assistant professor of media science in the Department of Mass Communication, Advertising, and Public Relations. Dr. McClain researches children’s media, representation, and identity socialization. She has a particular focus on understanding how media – and conversations around media – can be used to promote positive outcomes for children and families, especially marginalized children and families. Recent studies have examined how U.S. Black families use media to socialize their children around identity, including after racism experiences. Her work has been published in Research in Human Development, the Journal of Children and Media, and the International Journal of Communication.
Stephanie Schorow
Stephanie Schorow is an instructor in the Department of Mass Communications, Advertising and Public Relations, College of Communication, Boston University.
Stephanie is a veteran journalist and writing instructor, and the author of nine nonfiction books on topics such as fires, crime, drinking, and sexual politics. She has been an editor, reporter and/or freelance correspondent for the Boston Herald, the Associated Press, the Boston Globe, and newspapers in Missouri, Idaho, Utah, and Connecticut. She has worked as a Citizen Journalism Coordinator for Urban Media Arts of Malden, served as an editor for The Conversation.com/US, and taught workshops on nonfiction writing and promotion for the Cape Cod Writers Conference.
Before coming to Boston University, she taught at Lasell University, Regis College, Lesley University and Newbury College. Her most recent book is “A Boston Harbor Island Adventure: The Great Brewster Journal of 1891” (History Press). Her previous books include “The Cocoanut Grove Nightclub Fire: A Boston Tragedy” (2022, History Press); “The Great Boston Fire: The Inferno that Nearly Incinerated the City” (2022, Globe Pequot); “Inside the Combat Zone: The Stripped Down Story of Boston’s Most Notorious Neighborhood” (2017, Union Park Press); “Drinking Boston: A History of the City and its Spirits” (2012, Union Park Press); and “The Crime of the Century: How the Brink’s Robbers Stole Millions and the Hearts of Boston” (2007, Commonwealth Editions). With co-author Beverly Ford, she wrote “The Boston Mob Guide” (2011, History Press.)
Stephanie has won awards for her feature writing, frequently gives presentations on the topics and issues raised by her books, and has appeared in numerous documentaries and TV series. Her first novel, “Cat Dreaming,” will be published in November 2023 by Small Town Girl Publishing.
Foley Ellis Ibidapo
Foley Ibidapo, principal of Bear Fruit, a production agency, is a seasoned digital marketing leader with a passion for shaping the future of the industry. His expertise has made a significant impact on brands’ content strategies. As Head of Content Engagement and Production at TIAA, Foley introduced groundbreaking marketing programs like “Teacher Moments” and “Customer Stories,” highlighting their flair for innovation. During his stint at Digitas and Hill Holliday, he spearheaded global campaigns for brands like Lenovo, Puma, Bank of America, Liberty Mutual, Harley and Victoria’s Secret.
Laura Hannon
Laura Hannon is an Associate Professor of the Practice of Public Relations in the College of Communication at Boston University. She has more than 25 years of industry experience managing marketing & communications functions for multiple organizations and clients, primarily across the sports & entertainment industry.
Laura was previously the Senior Director of Marketing & Communications for the NBCUniversal Boston Stations where she oversaw all internal communications, external communications, brand marketing and promotions for NBC10 Boston, NBC Sports Boston, NECN and Telemundo. Prior to her 11 years at NBCUniversal, Laura spent 12 years at the National Basketball Association (NBA) League offices in New York City managing corporate communications, brand marketing and league-wide promotional campaigns. Laura was also on the PR agency side of the business, where she worked on a variety of publicity programs for multiple sports and entertainment clients including the NHL, NFL, The Olympics, PGA and more. She continues to collaborate with a variety of organizations as an independent consultant.
In addition to Laura’s professional experiences, she has a passion for mentoring and guiding young people. She was a key member of the NBC Sports Student-Athlete Mentorship program during her time at NBC, and is a dedicated coach to both youth and High School ice hockey players. Laura is a graduate of Boston College where she studied Communication. While at BC, she played D1 Women’s Ice Hockey and was inducted into both the BC Varsity Club Hall of Fame and the Beanpot Hall of Fame. Outside of work, Laura enjoys spending time with her family.
Lindsy Goldberg
Lindsy has over a decade of experience working on strategic innovation projects and initiatives at media organizations, primarily in the audio and radio space. She has contributed to and led collaborative projects at more than 15 organizations, including co-founding a radio station. She is interested in the streaming economy and associated effects on media labor and funding.
Meghan Irons
Meghan E. Irons is an award-winning Boston journalist and investigative reporter. She is an associate professor of the practice of impact journalism at Boston University, a position she took after more than 20 years at The Boston Globe, where she was a member of the elite Spotlight Team.
Brian Gallagher
Brian Gallagher is a business development executive and consultant situated at the crossroads of tech, entertainment, and digital marketing. He currently leads sales operations at Subtext, an award-winning text communication platform for newsrooms, sports, entertainment, and marketers. Prior to Subtext, Brian was VP of Growth at a leading influencer marketing agency where he oversaw strategic partnerships and business affairs. He got his start through a BULA internship at Studio71 before managing its global content distribution and licensing deals for digital-first creators. As an alumnus of Boston University, Brian is passionate about leveraging his experience to empower as they navigate the Media Ventures program and jumpstart their careers.