Pop!Tech Dramatically Enhances Board, Management and Online Presence with a Dozen High-Level Appointments
2008-07-22 11:04:06 -
www.poptech.org - Pop!Tech Institute Jason Rzepka, 718-260-9758 jason@poptech.org Pop!Tech (www.poptech.org), the renowned annual ideas summit and social innovation network, today announced a dozen high-level appointments, as well as the launch of a new group blog (www.poptech.org/blog) that explores the ideas - and is fueled by the people - shaping our collective future.
The board and management additions represent a key milestone in Pop!Tech's strategic transformation, enabling the non-profit to ratchet up a series of year-round initiatives - all designed to accelerate the positive impact of world-changing people and ideas. New appointments include:
Pop!Tech Board of Directors Additions
-- John Legend: Five-time Grammy Award-winning R&B singer, songwriter and pianist; founder of "The Show Me Campaign" working to eradicate extreme poverty in Tanzania.
-- Steven Koltai: Served as Corporate SVP for Strategy at Warner Bros., founded Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Warner Bros. Online; 30-year career as an international investment banker, entertainment exec, entrepreneur and social action philanthropist.
-- Sarah Laskin: VP and COO of Mission Programs at the National Geographic Society; previously a member of the Clinton Administration as Associate Director for Fisheries and Coastal Issues at the White House Council on Environmental Quality.
-- Bill Gordon: President and CEO of Tetragenetics Inc., a biotech startup on the verge of several vaccine and biotherapeutics breakthroughs; serial entrepreneur with a long track record of success in asset management and telecommunications; cellular and molecular biologist with a Ph.D. from U.C. Berkeley.
Pop!Tech Advisory Board Addition
-- Chris Jordan: Internationally acclaimed photographic artist and social activist whose work explores the detritus of American mass culture.
Pop!Tech New Hires
-- Director of communications, Jason Rzepka: Most recently served as head of communications for mtvU, MTV's Peabody and Emmy Award-winning college network, as well as all of MTV's public affairs and research initiatives; previously held senior communications roles at IMAX, Ruder Finn and Atomic PR.
-- Senior conference producer, Elizabeth Levy: Writer, director and producer - most notably of Heather Woodbury's 2007 Obie Award-winning "Tale of 2Cities;" held significant arts and event management positions at Jazz at Lincoln Center, the New York Shakespeare Festival, New York Theatre Workshop, Tribeca Film Festival and Earth Day New York 2007.
-- Director of technology, Louis Juska: Comes to Pop!Tech from the Bay Area Video Coalition (BAVC) - the top non-commercial media access and training center in the U.S. - where he built and oversaw all information and communications technology.
The entire Pop!Tech Board of Directors and Advisory Board is detailed here: www.poptech.org/BoardAndAdvisors/
Further, today Pop!Tech announced the launch of a new group blog that will host a running conversation about the future of new technology, social innovation, global issues and human potential. The blog is updated daily by a core team of Pop!Tech contributors and will regularly feature visionary thought leaders as guest bloggers. The Pop!Tech blog team currently includes:
-- Blogger-in-Chief, Bobbie Johnson: Technology correspondent at the UK's Guardian covering cutting-edge research, new thinking and the high tech industry; has interviewed luminaries such as Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Sir Tim Berners-Lee.
-- Contributor, Ann Poochareon: A graduate of NYU's Tisch School, Ann's work focuses on social and artistic aspects of communication media and technology, and has been exhibited across the U.S., Europe and Asia; original member of Eyebeam's Contagious Media Research Group and co-founder of "Hello Kitty is Dead" Productions.
-- Contributor, Michelle Riggen Ransom: A freelance writer focused on social media, social innovation, technology, nature, parenting and the intersection of these topics; co-founder and communications director of BatchBlue Software, which makes online tools for small businesses; veteran of Web pioneer Amazon.com, as well as Washington Mutual and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.
-- Volunteer Contributor, Alexis Madrigal: Wired.com staff writer covering energy and science; key member of the Wired Science blog team.
"Pop!Tech has long been acclaimed as a mind-expanding, once-a-year event," said Andrew Zolli, Pop!Tech curator and executive director, "and we now have the wherewithal to serve up inspiration - and inspire action - on a daily basis. This unprecedented influx of talent gives Pop!Tech the human capital to take our thought leadership summits to new heights, foster an ongoing dialog that includes the brightest minds on our planet and help catalyze more world-changing social innovation."
Pop!Tech will be announcing a series of new year-round initiatives in the run up to, and at, Pop!Tech 2008: Scarcity and Abundance (October 23 - 25, Camden, ME). Also, Pop!Tech is now accepting submissions for guest slots on the Pop!Tech blog. Thought leaders, innovators and category experts interested in sparking a conversation with the Pop!Tech community are invited to e-mail guestblogger@poptech.org.
About Pop!Tech
Pop!Tech is a renowned social innovation network and thought leadership forum dedicated to accelerating the positive impact of world-changing people and ideas. The organization is known for its visionary Pop!Tech conferences, engaging media productions, and the innovative social change programs that it fosters worldwide. Please visit www.poptech.org for more.
Grammy-Winner John Legend, Warner Bros. Interactive Founder,
Senior National Geographic Exec, and Accomplished Entrepreneur Join
Pop!Tech Board
Peabody-Winning MTV Exec, Producer of Obie-Winning Show, Guardian
Tech Journalist, and Other Standout Talent Fortify Management Team
Pop!Tech Launches New Group Blog Driven by Ideas and People
Shaping the Future
