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Making It Big In 30 Minutes
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© Copyright Emerson Alumni Association
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A podcast for, by, and about the Emerson community and the many ways its alumni are making the world a little better, every day.
55 Episodes
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Dr. Jay Bernhardt was named Emerson College’s 13th president in January 2023. Hunter sat down with President Bernhardt for a live interview and taping of Making It Big as part of his tour across the country to meet with Emersonians. President Bernhardt shares what stands out to him about Emerson, his own career path that led him to the college presidency, and most importantly, his desire to connect, listen, and collect feedback from the Emerson Alumni community. Recorded on November 16, 2023
As VP of Production for Mattel Films, Kevin McKeon had quite the summer with the smash hit, Barbie, taking the world by storm. But he didn’t land on the pink carpet overnight. He shares his journey from PA to studio exec with Hunter and how Emerson shaped every step along the way. Kevin also talks about the changes he has seen on the Emerson campus, reminisces about his time as a student and offers advice to current students about keeping an open mind and knowing their worth in the industry. Recorded on September 14, 2023.More of Hunter hunterreis.comAnd more about Emerson College at emerson.edu
Nyla Wissa has been making an impact through storytelling since her Emerson days. As one of the founding members of Flawless Brown, Nyla created a space where marginalized stories could be shared, and has continued to do that work at major companies like Buzzfeed, Shondaland, and most recently as a Brand Manager at Nike. She gives Hunter all the details about the origin of her business “Juice Bitch”, and how she leads a fulfilling life. Recorded on September 13, 2023.Find more of Nyla on IG @nylawissaMore of Hunter hunterreis.comAnd more about Emerson College at emerson.edu
Sarah Spiers, like so many Emersonians, had a life changing trip to the Castle. It was there that a conversation with a friend inspired her to pursue her love of video games. A few years later, that passion landed her on Forbes 30 Under 30 in the games category! Sarah discusses being your own biggest cheerleader and how her unconventional path prepared her for her current role at Electronic Arts. Recorded on September 8, 2023.Find more of Sarah on X(Twitter) @sspiers_k and at sarahspiers.comMore of Hunter hunterreis.comAnd more about Emerson College at emerson.edu
Jessica Joseph, Director of Commercial Strategy for the New York Times' Wirecutter, joins Hunter to talk all things green: from advice for young professionals on money management to connecting to her family roots while gardening during the pandemic. She reflects on her time in advertising, the joys of teaching, and the lasting impact the Emerson community has on her personal and professional relationships. Recorded August 25, 2023.Find more of Jessica on IG and TikTok @themagicaljjo and on her Substack Letters from the Safe HouseMore of Hunter hunterreis.comAnd more about Emerson College at emerson.edu
After her time at Emerson, Jamie Loftus started out as a comedian, but certainly didn’t stop there. Between starting a podcast (before they were cool) and writing a New York Times Best Seller about the history of hot dogs (yes, hot dogs), her creative endeavors have taken her to a lot of places, most recently even out to LA. Jamie shares with Hunter how taking risks and keeping things fresh have led to her success. Recorded on August 30, 2023.Find more of Jamie on IG @jamiechristsuperstar and X(Twitter) @jamieloftusHELPMore of Hunter hunterreis.comAnd more about Emerson College at emerson.edu
Seth Adam is no stranger to career moves. After getting his degree in Theatre Studies, he spent time working at GLAAD before becoming a US Foreign Service Officer. He talks to Hunter about lessons he’s learned along the way including finding work you love, learning from your mistakes, and using your voice for good. Recorded on September 2, 2023.Find more of Seth on IG @sethbadamMore of Hunter hunterreis.comAnd more about Emerson College at emerson.edu
Georgette passes the mic to our new host, Hunter Reis ‘17! Hunter explores the trial and error process of creating content for brand-new social media platforms and how the pandemic reset his relationship to work. He then turns the tables on Georgette, and they reflect on the highlights of her time as host and what project she’s diving into next. Recorded on July 14, 2023.Find more of Hunter on at hunterreis.com and on IG @reishunterMore of Georgette at georgettepierre.com And more about Emerson College at emerson.edu
Chrystee knew at a very young age, she was meant to perform and has done just that with roles on Scrubs, Passions, and most recently, Monogamy. She gets real with Georgette about her time at Emerson, how she's easing her way back into acting after a brief hiatus, and how keeping up with the current trends in her industry has kept her gainfully employed. Recorded on April 19, 2023Find more of Chrystee on IG @chrysteepharris and Facebook @chrystee.pharris.7More of Georgette at georgettepierre.com And more about Emerson College at emerson.edu
Growing up in Guatemala, Winnie never imagined that she’d find herself as a film executive at a top Hollywood Studio. Winnie shares with Georgette how she remained steadfast in wanting to assist international students like herself and was very honest about how she learned some things the hard way during her time in school. On this journey, we're often reminded to stay flexible and Winnie did just that. Recorded on April 13, 2023More of Georgette at georgettepierre.com And more about Emerson College at emerson.edu
Ballard C. Boyd is a segment director and producer at The Late Show with Stephen Colbert but before he made it to late night television or won any Emmys, he was making ice cream in his hometown after graduating from Emerson. The path to what we want is rarely linear and he shares his journey with Georgette while giving us a glimpse into how he eventually made it in New York and what kept him going even during the so-called tough times. Recorded on April 4, 2023Find more of Ballard at ballardcboyd.com and on IG @ballardcboydMore of Georgette at georgettepierre.com And more about Emerson College at emerson.edu
Madeline Kay Sneed MFA ‘20 on Making it as a Fiction WriterMadeline was on her way to becoming a published author before she completed her MFA. She shares how writing her debut novel, The Golden Season, became a form of liberation for her navigating the intersection of queerness and faith, and how her forthcoming novel, Today, Tonight, Forever, showed the lessons she learned on becoming traditionally published, how she freed herself through writing, and advocating for the LGBTQ+ community personally and artistically. Recorded on March 22, 2023Find more of Madeline at madelinekaysneed.com and on IG @madzsneed, Twitter @madelinesneed, and Tik Tok @madelineksneedwritesMore of Georgette at georgettepierre.com And more about Emerson College at emerson.edu
Jasmine Solano is a multidisciplinary artist in all the ways. She's a DJ, an on camera and radio host, a cultural organizer, just to name a few. Georgette and Jasmine both have deep WERS roots, fun fact: Jasmine created The Secret Spot, and they wax poetic on her journey building a career around music and activism, her new work-life balance, and advice she'd give her younger Emerson self. Recorded on March 29, 2023Find more of Jasmine at xojsmn.com and on IG @xojsmn and Twitter @xo_JSMNMore of Georgette at georgettepierre.comAnd more about Emerson College at emerson.edu
Evy entered Emerson as a marketing student and left an entrepreneur - for life! She and Georgette discuss the cultural inspiration behind Evy Tea, and get candid about navigating the entrepreneurial reigns as a woman of color, the challenges she faced raising capital, and one thing she wouldn't compromise on. Recorded on April 23, 2023Find more of Georgette at georgettepierre.comAnd more about Emerson College at emerson.edu
Donzaleigh Abernathy chose Emerson because she wanted to go to school where people would learn and know her name. Flash forward after many years as a working actress, activist, and writer, and people in airports know her name! She joins Georgette to talk about life as an artist, growing up during the Civil Rights movement with its creators, and the importance of the connections she made during her Emerson days. Recorded on August 9, 2022.Find more of Donzaleigh on IG @donzaleighabernathy and donzaleigh.comMore of Georgette at georgettepierre.comAnd more about Emerson College at emerson.edu
Alan Gwizdowski ‘09 on Making it as a CinematographerAlan Gwizdowski started out shooting skateboarding videos with his high school buddies before he found himself at Emerson College. It was there that he met some new friends, specifically Dan Perrault ‘09 and Tony Yacenda ‘10, who he’s continued to work with, mostly recently on the Paramount+ series, Players. Alan and Georgette wax poetic about the advice he'd give his younger self, his “holy shit” moment working in television and lessons he learned the hard way. Recorded on September 19, 2022 Find more of Alan on IG @alangwiz and gwizphoto.comMore of Georgette at georgettepierre.comAnd more about Emerson College at emerson.edu
After earning a reputation as a feel-good news anchor, Dion Lim found her serious side in the wake of the pandemic and the rise in violence and bigotry toward the AAPI community. On the surface, she might have a perfect smile, hairdo, and face of makeup -- in addition to an aesthetically pleasing Zoom backdrop -- but make no mistake, Dion is so much more than the face you see on your TV. She and Georgette delve into her life as a reporter, her new role as author and how some of the most important things she learned at Emerson didn’t come from her text books. Recorded on August 10, 2022Find more of Dion on IG/Twitter @DionLimTV and dionlim.comMore of Georgette at georgettepierre.comAnd more about Emerson College at emerson.edu
Shanaé Burch is a storyteller at heart and is now using her roots in the theater to revive health and reconcile hearts while pursuing an EdD in Public Health at Columbia University. Her path may seem like a winding one but as she shares her experiences on the stage, in the classroom and as a co-editor of Poetry for the Public’s Health, you’ll find that this Emerson alum is a living embodiment of our motto, Innovation in Communication and the Arts. Recorded on August 2, 2022. Find more of Shanaé on IG/Twitter @shanaerebecca and shanaeburch.comMore of Georgette at georgettepierre.comAnd more about Emerson College at emerson.edu
For a Making it Big first, we have a dynamic duo who first became friends while at Emerson. From Boylston Street to Sunset Boulevard, Dominique and Quinn’s decade-long friendship laid the foundation for their creative, working relationship, as they embark on making a travel-dating show together. The pair discuss inspiration versus comparison, how to keep your creative fire lit when it feels like the world is trying to snuff you out, and what it’s like to create work with your friends after honing your industry skills for 10 years. Recorded on August 4, 2022.Find more of Dominique on Twitter @DominiqueBanas, IG @domnom and Quinn on IG @quinnifermarcusMore about Your Neighbor’s Backyard on Instagram @ynb_communityMore of Georgette at georgettepierre.comAnd more about Emerson College at emerson.edu
David Yoon tells lies for a living. He’s been chasing the feeling of making his entire class laugh at a story in the 3rd grade, and with time, talent, and a little luck, has 4 different titles with his name on the spine in any given bookstore. Alongside his wife, Nicola, who he met at Emerson, the writer power couple has set forth on a journey to help other POC writers tell love stories for their imprint, Joy Revolution. Dave talks with Georgette about everything from the importance of taking a break, rejection, and being your own boss. Recorded on August 1, 2022. Find more of David on IG @davidoftheyoon, Twitter @davidyoon and davidyoon.comMore of Georgette at georgettepierre.comAnd more about Emerson College at emerson.edu
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