The Gathering’s Guiding Idea

At frank 2023, we invited you to take a deep breath and settle in for the long view. Whether we’re looking back over our shoulder or out over the horizon, taking a long view can offer us perspective, humility and hope. It can inspire us to do better work and work to be better versions of ourselves. Throughout history, successful change agents have taken the long view–making choices that lead to a better future, following all the steps, and working collectively toward what’s best for humanity rather than individual, short-term gain.

Taking the long view means that we don’t always see the result or experience the benefits of our work. It also means that others’ choices brought us to where we are.

Watch frank 2023
  • Chara Bohan is a strategic communications leader and growth catalyst with deep experience in media, marketing and storytelling. She drives culture-forward initiatives, translating mission into action across sectors. Her collaborative leadership and creative mindset empower teams to amplify purpose, elevate brand impact and make change real.
    Chara Bohan
    Professor at Georgia State University
  • Mkawasi Mcharo Hall is a researcher, analyst and performing artist with over 20 years in academia and diplomacy. Expert on African affairs, war and global strategy. Advises the U.S. State Department and USSOCOM while creating thought-provoking art and scholarship linking culture, power and peace.
    Mkawasi Mcharo Hall
    Language and Culture Consultant, U.S. Department of Defense
  • Jylana Sheats is a behavioral scientist and public health leader advancing solutions for wellbeing. As Tulane Associate Professor and Aspen Institute Associate Director, Dr. Sheats bridges research, innovation and policy to build trust, drive behavior change and strengthen communities.
    Jylana Sheats
    Clinical Associate Professor, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
  • The Reverend Dr. Liz Theoharis is Co-Chair of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival with the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II. She is the Director of the Kairos Center for Religions, Rights and Social Justice at Union Theological Seminary. She is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and teaches at Union Theological Seminary in New York City.
    Liz Theoharis
    Co-Chair, Poor People’s Campaign
  • Adrián Escárte is a driven and self-motivated professional with a strong work ethic and passion for growth. Known for persistence, teamwork and exceptional communication skills. Thrives on challenges, supports peers and approaches every task with diligence, curiosity and a commitment to excellence.
    Adrián Escárte
    Senior Strategist, Media & Messaging at Strategic Communications, National Immigration Law Center
  • Sarah E. Lowe (she/her) is the Director of Research + Impact at Define American and a Ph.D. candidate in Health Promotion and Policy at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
    Sarah Lowe
    Director of Research and Impact at Define American
  • Christian Donaldson is a seasoned communications strategist leading media and messaging for the National Immigration Law Center. With expertise in strategic media relations and storytelling, she drives impactful narratives that elevate voices, influence public discourse and advance organizational goals across platforms.
    Christian Donaldson
    Public Interest Communications Inter at National League of Cities
  • Julia Minson is a behavioral scientist and Harvard Kennedy School professor exploring the psychology of disagreement. Through research, teaching and global workshops, he studies how conflict shapes relationships and decision-making. Author of How to Disagree Better, uncovering the science of constructive debate.
    Julia Minson
    Professor of Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
  • Chandra Harris-McCray is an award-winning storyteller and communications leader with nearly 20 years of experience. Blends strategy, data and creativity to craft impactful multichannel campaigns. Known for building partnerships, driving engagement and leading fundraising initiatives that inspire action.s
    Chandra Harris-McCray
    Vice Chancellor for Strategic Marketing and Communications at University of Illinois Chicago
  • Hub Brown is a dedicated journalism and mass communications leader with over 30 years of academic experience, including a decade in leadership roles. Committed to advancing education, research and service while guiding institutions to meet modern challenges and provide meaningful, forward-thinking leadership.
    Hub Brown
    Dean and Professor at University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications
  • Dr. Aya M. Waller-Bey is a sociologist and research collaborator at Brown University’s Annenberg Institute. A nationally recognized scholar and storyteller, her work examines “performances,” trauma and equity in higher education. A Gates Cambridge Scholar and Ford Fellow, she advances inclusive, justice-centered academic spaces.
    Aya Waller-Bey
    Research Collaborator, Annenberg Institute at Brown University
  • Qing Yu Chen is a first-generation graduate of Columbia University and The Juilliard School through the Columbia-Juilliard Exchange. Now serving in antitrust, she brings discipline, curiosity and gratitude to her work. Outside of law, she enjoys experimenting with recipes and building mechanical keyboards.
    Qing Yu Chen
    Honors Paralegal Specialist, Federal Trade Commission
  • 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.
    Farrah Nazir
    Learning, Impact and Inclusive Practice Consultant (Freelance)
  • Daren Ginete is an equity-driven philanthropic advisor and microbiologist bridging science and philanthropy. At the Science Philanthropy Alliance, he guides funders on grantmaking and strategy while leading programs that connect science and society. He holds a Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
    Daren Ginete
    Associate Advisor, Science Philanthropy Alliance
  • Valerie Goode is the Chief Marketing Officer at the San Francisco Foundation, where she leads communications, community outreach and marketing strategies that advance accessibility and opportunity. With over five years on the executive team, she builds partnerships, drives engagement and fosters collaboration to create lasting social impact.
    Valerie Goode
    Chief Marketing Officer at the San Francisco Foundation
  • Jessica Clark is a trade marketing professional at Penguin Random House and a proud UCF alumna. Passionate about uplifting others, she promotes inclusivity and creativity in publishing. With experience in marketing and libraries, she brings curiosity, innovation and heart to every campaign.
    Jessica Clark
    Senior Marketing Associate at Penguin Random House
  • Kamal Sinclair is the Senior Director of Digital Innovation at The Music Center in Los Angeles, where she supports artists and institutions at the crossroads of art, media and technology. Formerly at Sundance Institute, she champions accessibility, emerging media and creative innovation while advising leading arts, tech and social impact organizations.
    Kamal Sinclair
    Senior Director, Digital Innovation, The Music Center
  • Paul Redman is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and social impact communicator dedicated to environmental justice and indigenous storytelling. As Founder and Executive Director of If Not Us Then Who, he amplifies frontline voices through films, campaigns and global events that drive awareness and action for a sustainable planet.
    Paul Redman
    Founder & Executive Director at If Not Us Then Who? | Multi Award Winning Documentary Director | Social Impact Strategic Communicator
  • 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.
    Dr. Alissa Richardson
    Founding Director of USC Charlotta Bass Journalism & Justice Lab
  • 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.
    Dr. Omar Wasow
    Assistant Professor, Political Science, UC Berkeley
  • 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.
    Brooke Foucault-Welles
    Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, College of Arts, Media and Design, Northeastern University
  • 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.
    Angela Bradbery
    Frank Karel Endowed Chair in Public Interest Communications at University of Florida
  • 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.
    Lisa Fazio
    Researcher
  • Thomas Allen Harris is a filmmaker, scholar and artist exploring identity, family and spirituality through film, photography and performance. Founder of the Family Pictures Institute for Inclusive Storytelling, he uses personal archives to unite communities. A Harvard graduate and Yale professor, his acclaimed films have screened worldwide.
    Thomas Allen Harris
    Founder of Family Pictures Institute for Inclusive Storytelling
  • Maryam Iftikhar is a lifelong scholar and storyteller passionate about human rights and justice. A first-generation American, she focuses on peacebuilding, genocide prevention and accessibility. Dedicated to creating inclusive, intersectional communities, she connects awareness, research and compassion to make the world safer for all.
    Maryam Iftikhar
    Human rights scholar and storyteller
  • Laura Ligouri is the Executive Director and Founder of Mindbridge, a not-for-profit organization connecting psychological and neurobiological insight to non-profit and government sponsored humanitarian efforts.
    Laura Liguori
    Researcher
  • Katherine R. Dale (Ph.D., The Ohio State University) is an assistant professor at Florida State University. Her main research interests include positive media psychology and intergroup interaction. She is particularly interested in how media affect the way we see and experience the world.
    Katherine Dale
    Associate Professor at Florida State University
  • Gabrielle 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.
    Gabrielle Huria
    Chief Executive, Te Kura Taka Pini Ltd
  • Jennifer Hudson is Professor of Political Behaviour and Head of Department of Political Science and the School of Public Policy at University College London. Professor Hudson is Director of the Development Engagement Lab (DEL), a five-year study of public attitudes and engagement with global development in France, Germany, Great Britain and the U.S., funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
    Jennifer Hudson
    Researcher
  • Misty Jones Simpson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Recording Industry at Middle Tennessee State in Murfreesboro, TN and received her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Baylor University. Misty studied Music Technology Innovation at Berklee Valencia in Spain, where she received the Outstanding Scholar award and achieved a Master of Music degree.
    Misty Jones Simpson
    Scholar
  • Erica 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.
    Erica Rosenthal
    Scholar
  • Keith Bound started his narrative design and audience engagement research consultancy Receptive Cinema in 2016. His company specialises in the construction of suspense and science of storytelling to optimise cognition, emotion and engagement in movies and episodic television drama.
    Keith Bound
    Scholar
  • Grant previously served as an assistant professor in Xavier University of Louisiana’s Mass Communication Department teaching classes in strategic communication, social media management and media law.
    Rachel Grant
    Scholar
  • Pamela Mejia is Head of Research at Berkeley Media Studies Group. BMSG works to build the capacity of educators and community leaders to change narratives, communicate strategically and conduct media literacy to make their communities healthier, safer and more just.
    Pamela Mejia
    Researcher
  • Amanda is passionate about solid strategy, meaningful messages and the allure of alliteration. She takes pride in helping her clients reach new heights, whether it’s winning a national contest, nailing a one on one interview, or any other achievement in communication or justice.
    Amanda Cooper
    Strategist
  • Davin Phoenix is a teacher and scholar of race, emotion and political behavior. A first generation college graduate, Davin researches how humans interact with various spheres of U.S. politics to shape the attitudes, emotions and behavior of both everyday people and elites.
    Davin Phoenix
    Educator and Author
  • Ezra 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.
    Ezra Markowitz
    Scholar
  • Aundre is a Florida native, Brooklyn-based portrait photographer who has spent the last few years shooting editorial and lifestyle content for his clients. He most recently shot the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge with The North Face, NY Fashion week and a portrait project about Amendment 4 in Florida. Throughout the years, he has always pursued the truth that can be found in portraiture and his current work is the next chapter of that.
    Aundre Larrow
    Photographer and Educator

Name

Name

Name

To our frank 2023 sponsors

We appreciate the following foundations, organizations and individuals for their financial support of this year’s gathering to help lower the costs for you, the participants.

  • The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
  • Rita Allen Foundation
  • The Commonwealth Fund
  • Cause Communications
  • Visit Gainesville
  • Florida Climate Institute