Bill Healy (MSJ ’09), Dana Brozost-Kelleher (MSJ ’19) and Alison Flowers (MSJ ’09) were all part of a team Pulitzer Prize for Audio Reporting and a Peabody Award win last week for the podcast “You Didn’t See Nothin” by the Invisible Institute and USG Audio. The podcast also won the International Documentary Award for Best Audio Documentary, an Ellie Award, Lisagor Awards, among other honors.
Kari Neumeyer (MSJ ’01) produced FISH WAR, a documentary film that premiered at the 2024 Seattle International Film Festival. The film highlights the violent struggle faced by Indigenous nations to exercise their treaty-protected rights to harvest salmon in the Pacific Northwest. The battle led to a Supreme Court decision that continues to protect treaty rights and the environment. For more: fishwarmovie.com
The comedy film, “Queenpins,” co-written and co-directed by Gita Pullapilly will stream on NETFLIX globally starting January 18. The film stars Kristen Bell, Vince Vaughn, Paul Walter Hauser, and Kirby Howell-Baptiste. It’s inspired by the true story of two women who counterfeited coupons and made $40 million off the scam.
The film originally sold to Paramount Plus and Showtime in 2001 for a record sale and was recently acquired by Netflix for worldwide rights. Queenpins topped #1 on Netflix in the UK and Ireland.
Pullapilly is currently prepping her next film starring Jeremy Renner.
Michelle Edgar has built a career at the intersection of social impact, entertainment, sports, fashion, and culture. As a connector and founder, she has worked closely with talent, management, brands, and business leaders to ideate, strategize and build impactful marketing campaigns. As a strategic marketing executive with an emphasis on driving value for IP, talent and brands, Michelle has launched talent-focused global campaigns on behalf of both brands and agencies.
In December, she joined the Compton Unified School District as the senior director of business partnerships and schools bringing programs, resources and funding to the district across entertainment, arts, sports, technology and STEM. Last fall, she joined the Santa Monica Arts Commission as living a life of service and helping shape community across a city landscape is a priority along with creating opportunities for all ages and stages and walks of life. This month January, she will be an adjunct professor at Northwestern Law teaching a Sports Law course on Endorsements, Name Image, and Likeness for college athletes. She additionally is a SBJ correspondent.
Lauren was recently named Executive Editor of the Health & Medical Unit at NBC News, leading a team of producers, reporters and editors who produce medical news across all of the network’s broadcast and digital platforms.
Rebecca Bowman, Vivek Shankar and Michelle McGovern – all Medill graduates – met in Seoul, where Rebecca and Vivek live, while Michelle was vacationing with her family. Vivek works at The NY Times Asia desk, Rebecca is a freelance writer and editor and Michelle is the General Counsel of a health tech company.
Will Sullivan (MSJ04) joined The White House as a Digital Service Expert within Executive Office of the President, contributing his expertise to the U.S. Digital Service. The U.S. Digital Service is an innovative agency committed to transforming government services through technology and design. By bringing top-tier digital talent into the public sector, the USDS works tirelessly to improve the delivery of essential services to the American people.
In June 2023, David Plazas (MSJ, ’00) received the Society of Professional Journalists’ annual Sigma Delta Chi Award for Excellence in Editorial Writing. Plazas, the Opinion and Engagement Director of The Tennessean, advocated for LGBTQ+ rights in a state whose lawmakers have been intent on restricting them. SPJ has granted this prize since 1932 to recognize excellence in journalism.
https://www.spj.org/sdxa22.asp
Mike Saccone was honored with the 2023 Environmental Justice 21st-Century “Outstanding Program Award” for his work as Vice President of Communications at the National Wildlife Federation to center equity and justice in his and his team’s work. The national award honors team and leaders for their work to uplift environmental justice.
Chris Gentilviso joined Forbes in September 2022 as deputy editor on its contributors team. Gentilviso previously was opinions editor at the Richmond Times-Dispatch. He earned awards in editorial writing and commentary from the Virginia Press Association and the Society of Professional Journalists’ Washington, D.C. chapter.