meet the Voices of frank
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Ellen SchneiderFounding Director, Active Voice LabDrawing on decades of hands-on experience, Ellen Schneider has pioneered strategies, frameworks and other resources that have helped shape the sphere of “social impact media.” Ellen is currently focused on improving creative partnerships among storytellers, funders, issue experts and others dedicated to justice; and has shared this expertise with media-savvy clients like Sundance Institute, the Skoll Foundation, Ford Foundation and Participant Media.
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Elsa WaitheComedian, Actor and Motivational SpeakerElsa Eli Waithe is a Brooklyn-based stand-up comedian and instructor known for sharp, lighthearted comedy addressing. Featured on MTV, BET, NPR and the New York Comedy Festival, Elsa uses humor to inspire and engage audiences. They also teach comedy to teen girls, empowering the next generation with laughter and life lessons.
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Enrique BalcazarCommunity LeaderEnrique “Kike” Balcazar is a seasoned community leader and human rights champion based in Vermont. A former dairy farmworker and migrant leader, he is a key figure in Migrant Justice, leading campaigns like Milk with Dignity that improve conditions for farmworkers. He has successfully campaigned for driver’s licenses for all Vermont residents and serves on the Vermont Attorney General’s task force. -
Eric AshePresident at Potential Energy CoalitionMore than 18 years of experience in the field of advertising / marketing, building and creating affinity for nationally recognized consumer brands. Highly effective at leading teams in the development of creative solutions to unique challenges. A successful track record of developing personnel to realize their full potential by employing a collaborative management style and intensive mentorship. Energized by an entrepreneurial environment with a commitment to quantifiable results.
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Eric DeggansKnight Professor of Journalism and Media Ethics at Washington and Lee University and NPR Critic-at-LargeEric Deggans is the Knight Professor of Journalism and Media Ethics at Washington and Lee University, where he teaches media and ethics and leads biannual Ethics Institutes. He is also NPR’s critic-at-large, appearing across shows and podcasts to analyze media and culture.
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Erica RosenthalScholarErica Rosenthal is the Director of Research at the Norman Lear Center, a research and policy center based at USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. Her passion is for using media narratives as a vehicle to challenge stereotypes, move people to action and generate lasting culture change. -
Erin HartFounder and President at Hart StrategiesErin Birx Hart is the founder and president of Hart Strategies, a San Francisco-based firm driving social change through strategic communications in health, environment, education and justice. Formerly of Spitfire Strategies and the Moore Foundation, she teaches at the University of Oregon and is a leader in public interest communications.
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Ezra MarkowitzScholarEzra Marowitz, Ph.D. is Associate Professor of Environmental Decision-Making in the Department of Environmental Conservation at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. His research and teaching focus on the intersection of decision-making, persuasive communication, public engagement with science and environmental sustainability. -
Farrah NazirLearning, Impact and Inclusive Practice Consultant (Freelance)Farrah Nazir is a social impact and learning strategist working at the intersection of accessibility, systems change and organizational effectiveness. With 17 years of experience spanning the Wellcome Trust and British Science Association, she helps funders and changemakers embed inclusion, reflection and learning to create lasting social impact.
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Fiona MorganIndependent Consultant, Branchhead ConsultingFiona Morgan is an independent consultant of Branchhead Consulting, specializing in building stronger local news and media ecosystems. She works with nonprofits, newsrooms, funders and community organizations on community listening, engagement and program design.
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Frank WaddellAssociate Professor, University of FloridaDr. T. Franklin Waddell is an associate professor in the Department of Journalism at the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications. His current research interests are at the intersection of new technology and online storytelling including work related to automated news, the psychology of online comments and the effects of social television.
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Fritz GrobeCo-Founder of EepyBird Studios and Viral Video SpecialistAs co-founder of EepyBird Studios, he is a viral video specialist behind the Coke and Mentos phenomenon, with campaigns seen over 150 million times. His work with top brands has earned Emmy nominations and Webby Awards and he is co-author of The Viral Video Manifesto and other DIY books.
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Gabriela GomezManaging Supervisor at GMMBGabriela Gomez is Managing Supervisor at GMMB in Fairfax, Virginia. Since joining in 2021, she’s advanced to lead nonprofit and global communications, with expertise in bilingual media, press relations and strategic campaigns. Previously, she managed media efforts at UnidosUS.
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Gabrielle HuriaChief Executive, Te Kura Taka Pini LtdGabrielle Huria MNZM comes from a Māori community in the South Island of New Zealand. The Ngāi Tahu story is one of extraordinary success. As an indigenous people whose lands and economy had been taken in the 19th and 20th century Ngāi Tahu has risen again on the South Island landscape.