Dr. Allissa Richardson is the Founding Director of the Charlotta Bass Journalism & Justice Lab at the University of Southern California, where she researches the intersection of journalism, race, and social change. With over 17 years of experience, she is a leading expert on how African Americans use mobile and social media to produce innovative forms of journalism, particularly during times of crisis. She is the bestselling author of Bearing Witness While Black and a pioneer of mobile journalism, having launched the first smartphone-only college newsroom. Her work has been recognized with numerous honors, including a Nieman Fellowship at Harvard University.

Omar Wasow is an Assistant Professor of Politics at Princeton University whose research explores race, protest movements and political behavior. His work has been featured in The New Yorker, The Atlantic and The Washington Post. A co-founder of BlackPlanet.com, he holds a PhD in African American Studies and MAs in Government and Statistics from Harvard University.

Brooke Foucault Welles is an Associate Professor of Communication Studies and Network Science at Northeastern University. Her research examines how communities and allies use technology for social change. She leads interdisciplinary teams, teaches network analysis and communication and mentors students connecting with employers.

Angela Bradbery is a University of Florida professor specializing in public interest communications. Before joining UF in 2020, she served as Communications Director at Public Citizen in Washington, D.C. and previously worked as a newspaper reporter for a decade. Her career reflects a lifelong passion for meaningful, purpose-driven storytelling.

Lisa Fazio is an Associate Professor of Psychology and Human Development at Vanderbilt University, specializing in how people learn and remember true and false information and how to correct misinformation.