Keynote Speaker
David Beard, Digital Media Journalist and Research Fellow at Harvard University's Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy
David Beard is an award-winning writer, foreign correspondent, editor and digital media executive working on the frontiers of journalism. He started at The Plain Dealer in Cleveland and moved to the Associated Press, the Boston Globe and the Washington Post. For more than a decade, he has worked in digital media, as the editor of Boston.com, executive editor of Public Radio International's digital operations and The Post's director of digital content. Most recently, David has been a consultant and research fellow at Harvard's Shorenstein Center for Media, Politics and Public Policy, where he is studying the developing partnerships between journalism and libraries. He also is working with local publishers for the Knight Foundation on the Facebook Local Project.
Distinguished Speaker
Clif Stoltze, Stoltze Design
As founder and creative director of Stoltze Design, Clif has nurtured a highly collaborative environment that emphasizes a process based on research, sound strategy and thorough exploration. This inclusive approach yields compelling communications that effectively articulate and reinforce the message or product. Clif has taught at Rhode Island School of Design and Massachusetts College of Art and frequently lectures at schools and design organizations around the country. He has served as AIGA Boston vice president and was honored as the recipient of their 2005 Fellow Award. Reflecting his love of music and album art, Clif's book "1000 Music Graphics" was published by Rockport in May of 2008, and he is also curator of POSTGIG, a travelling exhibit of contemporary music posters.
Panelists
Sports Panel
Justine Pouravelis, Senior Producer, NESN
Justine Pouravelis is a four time Emmy-award winning producer with 10 years of production experience. She produced Emmy-award winning companion documentaries on David Ortiz. She also produced Red Sox pre and post game shows, and the reality film competition show NESN "Next Producer" featuring Tom Werner and co-creator of "Glee" Brad Falchuk. She also helped launch a live half-hour kids show, NESN "Clubhouse." Currently, she is a happy resident of Boston and always a Mainer at heart. She attended Catherine McAuley High School and Bowdoin College in the great state of Maine.
Don Banks, Senior NFL Writer
Don Banks has covered the NFL since 1990, working first for the St. Petersburg Times in Florida, and then for both major newspapers in the Twin Cities, the Minneapolis Star Tribune and the St. Paul Pioneer Press. He joined Sports Illustrated in early 2000 as an NFL Senior Reporter, and worked at SI until September 2016. A graduate of the University of South Florida in Tampa, Banks has worked as a sports writer since 1985, and currently is a contributor to Patriots.com, The Athletic, and Bleacher Report. His popular weekly Cover 2 podcast for Patriots.com is available wherever podcasts can be found. He lives in Newton, walking distance away from the Lasell College campus.
Zachary Gray, Social Community Manager, DraftKings, Inc.
Graduating with a Bachelor's Degree in Sports Communication in 2014, Zach has been with DraftKings in Boston for more than two years. Initially hired as a customer support agent, Zach joined the social media team last September. His responsibilities include managing the company's social media channels, creating informative and entertaining fantasy sports-based content, and covering live games and events. His contributions to The 1851 Chronicle, Lasell College Radio, and the athletic department all prepared Zach for his continuously growing career.
Non-Profit Panel
Kate-Lyn Eadie, Communications Associate, Alzheimer's Association MA/NH Chapter
Kate-Lyn Eadie graduated from Lasell in 2013 with a degree in Communications, Public Relations. She is the Communications Associate for the Alzheimer's Association of Massachusetts/ New Hampshire, a non-profit organization providing care, support, and research for those dealing with Alzheimer's disease. She first became involved with the Alzheimer's Association during her internship there in 2012, where she was a Special Events intern. Her current role involves managing the Association's social media platforms, working on media campaigns, and graphic design. Kate-Lyn has also worked closely on events such as the Walk to End Alzheimer's, which raised more than $3.9 million in 2016. She continues to build her skills in the professional world, and believes every day brings something new to be learned.
Greg Liakos, Communications Director, Mass Cultural Council
Gregory Liakos has served as Communications Director for the Mass Cultural Council since 2004. He manages long-term, broad-based advocacy campaigns resulting in a doubling of state investment in the nonprofit arts, humanities, and sciences. He steered public campaigns to establish and sustain the Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund, resulting in more than $100 million in new capital investment in non-profit cultural organizations, cities and towns. He has strengthened public advocacy through improved relationships with key stakeholders in state government and business, and expanded the range of public events to enhance the agency's stature and visibility. He served on the steering committee that established MASSCreative, the statewide arts advocacy organization. He has also developed Mass Cultural Council's long-term communications and positioning plan, and led overhauls of its website and digital communications that clarified its mission and work, becoming models for arts agencies nationwide. Prior to Mass Cultural Council, he was head of public relations for the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA, where he directed media, community, and government affairs as part of the museum's $125 million institutional transformation. He is a former reporter and editor with several Greater Boston publications, for which he received top awards in writing and investigative journalism. He holds a B.A. degree from Assumption College and a Master of Arts from Tufts University. He lives with his wife and two children in Wakefield where he serves as an elected member of the Wakefield School Committee.
Erin Shannon, Public Relations & Media Specialist, Museum of Science, Public Relation & Media Specialist, Museum of Science
Erin Shannon has been in the Media Relations department at the Museum of Science, Boston for four years. She is currently the Public Relations and Media Specialist serving as the institution's primary spokesperson and media contact. Before coming to the Museum, she worked as a reporter at the Brockton Enterprise covering town government, breaking news, and human interest stories. She grew up in Burlington, MA and holds a degree from Stonehill College.
Data Panel
Brian Dolan, CEO and Founder, Work Reduce
Brian Dolan is the CEO and founder of WorkReduce, which provides services to the advertising industry using a hybrid of people and automation. The WorkReduce platform supports digital media buyers working on campaigns for brands including Google, Unilever and Target. Prior to founding WorkReduce, Brian honed his online and mobile advertising expertise in product management and software engineering roles at local advertising technology startups including DataXu and Enpocket (acquired by Nokia).
Andrea List, Senior Supervisor, Cone Communications
Andrea has compiled an impressive track record of achievement in communication as a market researcher, measurement and analytics expert and consumer insights specialist. She joined Cone Communications in 2006 and founded Cone Research Services in 2011. She leverages her research expertise to help clients, including Time Warner Cable, HAI Group, AARP, Timberland and Bayer to build and sustain competitive advantages by uncovering comprehensive, audience specific insights that inform campaign and concept development, creation and program measurement. In 2007, Andrea created mGauge, the agency's proprietary measurement and reporting dashboard and followed that up in 2012 with the CSR Return Dashboard, designed to measure the quantifiable impacts of CSR campaigns. She also regularly implements measurement and reporting programs for clients. Andrea earned a B.A., cum laude from Boston College and a Master's Degree in PR from the Boston University College of Communication.
Alumni Panel
Zachary Gray '14, Social Community Manager - DraftKings, Inc.
Graduating with a Bachelor's Degree in Sports Communication in 2014, Zach has been with DraftKings in Boston for more than two years. Initially hired as a customer support agent, Zach joined the social media team last September. His responsibilities include managing the company's social media channels, creating informative and entertaining fantasy sports-based content, and covering live games and events. His contributions to The 1851 Chronicle, Lasell College Radio, and the athletic department all prepared Zach for his continuously growing career.
Ajea Stupart '17, MEFA (Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority); College Planning Representative/ Social Media Coordinator and Marketing Assistant
Ajea Stupart '17 began her career as an intern for the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEFA) where she interned in the college planning department while also assisting in social media and marketing efforts. Through her internship, she was offered a full-time job as a social media and marketing coordinator with the ability to continuously work and be a part of MEFA's different campaigns, initiatives, and mission. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family, blogging at ajeanicole.com, traveling, and cooking up tasty recipes.
Lindsay Jones '15, Assistant Direct of Enrollment Systems, Regis College
Lindsey Jones graduated from Lasell in 2015 with a BA in Communication and a concentration in Public Relations. After graduation, she began her career at Regis College as an Admission Counselor. She is now Assistant Director of Enrollment Systems. Along with being a system administrator for CRM, she monitors and controls data, assists in financial aid monitoring, monitors trends and predicts future data for departmental decisions. She is currently pursuing a Master's Degree in Organization and Professional Communication from Regis College.
Jilliana Sliby '16, Production Associate, Video Link
Jilliana graduated from Lasell in the spring of 2016 with a bachelor's in Communication, concentrating in Radio and TV Production with a minor in Graphic Design. She currently lives in Stoneham, MA and is a Production Associate at VideoLink in West Newton. In her free time, Jilliana is involved in community theatre and practices photography.
Ryan Fitzgerald '17, Reporter, The Cape Codder
Ryan was born and raised on Cape Cod and started working as a reporter for his local weekly newspaper The Cape Codder this past November. He graduated cum laude from Lasell in May 2017. Ryan served as Co-Editor of The 1851 Chronicle during his junior and senior year at Lasell. He also held internships with WBUR, Brookline Tab, Cape Cod Baseball League and a part-time job at the Boston Globe sports desk.
Ashley Jannino '11, Music Coordinator, Producer, iHeart Media
Ashley Jannino was born and raised in North Reading, Ma. After high school, she attended Lasell College where she earned her Bachelors degree in Communications in 2011. With a concentration in Radio, Ashley became an active member of the Lasell College Radio staff to gain experience she would need to realize her dream of a career in the radio industry. In Ashley's senior year of college, she landed an Internship with iHeart Media's Jam'n 94.5 where she worked on the Ramiro and Pebbles Morning Show. Shortly after graduation, Ashley was hired as a Board Operator which allowed her to continue her work with Jam'n but also get involved with iHeart's other radio stations, including Kiss 108. On a daily basis, Ashley currently works as Music Coordinator for Jam'n 94.5 as well as Producer for Jam'n's syndicated morning show, The Breakfast Club.
Briana Nestor Beckvold '12, Project Manager, Editor, Mass General Hospital for Children
Briana Beckvold is a 2012 graduate of Lasell College and 2014 Master's Degree graduate of Emerson College. At Lasell, she studied journalism and served in many positions for The 1851 Chronicle. She is a project manager for MassGeneral Hospital for Children (MGHfC), the pediatric branch of Massachusetts General Hospital. At MGHfC, Briana manages patient education for all pediatric specialties and primary care, taking medical language and making it understandable for patients and families. She is also a health coach for Beachbody, helping others learn the art of self-love through fitness and healthy living. Briana is a North Shore transplant living on the South Shore of Massachusetts with her husband, Chris, and their cat, Lila.
Patrick Leung '14; ESPN; Associate Designer of Motion Graphics at ESPN
Patrick was born and raised just outside of Boston. After graduating from Lasell, he worked in Boston's Seaport District at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. Looking to make a change, he accepted a role with ESPN this past summer and moved to Connecticut as he looks to write the next chapter in his life. In his spare time, Patrick enjoys baking and writing short stories.
Jenna Mucci '16; TJX Company, Graphic Designer for HomeGoods
A graphic designer who is originally from Griswold, CT, Jenna studied Graphic Design at Lasell for four years, where she was involved in Polished Magazine and became the Art Director senior year. She is now a graphic designer for TJX Companies, specifically HomeGoods, where she designs in-store signage, emails, and social media content. While not at work, she enjoys hiking, playing with her cat, and watching Friends.
Catrina Joki '14, Boston International Graphic/Production Designer
After graduating in 2014, Catrina obtained a full-time graphic design/ customer service job at a small, family owned embroidery shop. Her main job there was to create t-shirt designs and take customer artwork and prep it for print. In March 2017, she left that company to accept a Graphic/ Production Designer position at Boston International, which sells giftware to places like Wayfair and Homegoods. In her position as Graphic/ Production Designer, she lays out catalog pages, creates packaging and napkin designs, and more. Additionally she takes all product photography and lifestyle photography for the catalogs. In addition to her full-time job, she is blindly navigating through important adulthood milestones, like buying a house and planning a wedding.