BOARD OF ADVISORS

      The HUM Board of Advisors is composed of people who share our vision of open global news, and a belief that media can change the world. 
 
       We want to build a global network of contributors into a board of experts – who can inform, inspire and excite the HUM team and our audience. Scholars of their subject – serving as `editorial counsel’ to help HUM gain focus, knowledge, and understanding on the topics, issues and places which the organization reports on. These advisors will enhance HUM’s content discussion and production; in direct support of the Company’s media efforts.

We're honored to have these esteemed current advisors supporting the HUM vision:

Kim Abbott - International Crisis Group, Director, North America Communications

Kimberly is responsible for developing and leading the U.S. media strategy to advance ICG’s policy recommendations to raise awareness of conflict situations in the media. She joined Crisis Group from InterAction, the largest alliance of U.S.-based international development and humanitarian nongovernmental organizations. She worked with the 160 member organizations on developing their media campaigns and public policy advocacy for collective humanitarian and development priorities on a wide range of international development issues, including debt relief, the Millennium Development Goals, tsunami recovery efforts in Thailand and the role of women in post-conflict situations.  Prior to her work with NGOs, Kimberly spent over a decade in local, national and international television and radio as a producer and reporter.  Her career has also included time on Capitol Hill as a Communications Director and work in U.S. presidential politics, as well as serving as an envoy and translator for the Centennial Olympic Games.  She is a term member at the Council on Foreign Relations, is a recipient of numerous European fellowships in journalism and international affairs and earned a bachelor of science degree in journalism from Boston University. 

Amanda Annan - Humanitarian, Supermodel, Filmmaker

Amanda Annan has a father who is Ghanian and a mother from Martinique. She was raised in London and it was there at the age of 17 that she was discovered. A make-up artist approached Amanda at the gym and promptly hooked her up with an agent at the then top agency, Unique Model Management. She is also hugely involved in CAMFED  (Campaign for Female Education), an organization dedicated to raising money to provide education for young women in 5 African countries who do not have the means or access to get quality education. Annan stresses the importance of this organization being instrumental in improving the quality of life of young girls by providing money, uniforms, school fees, and hostels to help the quality of life to help relieve the financial burden of their parents, encouraging them to stay in school.  Amanda also started her own charity, ETC (Educate the Children). She hopes to use it as a vehicle to emphasize the importance of education and provide this option to disadvantaged kids. She says “Charity has to be about passion and I have to be a catalyst for change”.  Amanda Annan has managed to create a healthy balance of conquering the competitive world of high fashion and dedicating her time to meaningful pursuits of justice for those who have no voice.    

Jennifer Beresford - Beresford Development Group, President

Jennifer Beresford, a business strategist with over 20 years of financial and business development experience, government lobbying, and development related mediation. Ms Beresford is currently member of the board of Directors and Chief Financial Officer of Quest Water Solutions, a vertically integrated water technology company comprised of multiple segments of the water industry, water extraction, purification, water supply, and water recovery. Quest Water operates in Angola, India, Canada and the United States. For the past 7 years Ms. Beresford has also operated an international property and business development consulting practice, with clients including Ledcor Properties, Concord Pacific, Delta Land Development and Grant Thornton, Western Resort Properties, Mammoth Lakes, California. Ms Beresford has extensive experience in capital facilities planning, development to build out infrastructure requirements, civic and development finance, and long-range resort financial planning strategies. Ms. Beresford has extensive project management experience that has assisted new venture start-ups through the early and challenging stages of formation, public listing, and where necessary, a restructure. In addition Ms. Beresford has managed $600 million in complex operations budgets and successfully overhauled a $350 million investment portfolio to dramatically increase returns.  Ms. Beresford holds a CGA (Certified General Accountant) and MBA.   Formerly the President of the Government Finance Officers’ Association (GFOA) of British Columbia and representative to the GFOA Western Canada and GFOA International head quartered in Chicago; for more than a decade, Jennifer Beresford provided pivotal financial and strategic leadership to municipalities. Successes include the negotiated settlement and resolution of major resort based financial and legislative inequities in Provincial and Civic legislation on behalf of both the development sector and governments in Canada and the United States.  Ms. Beresford is the founder and President of My Painted House Foundation, a charitable society providing housing, education and entrepreneurial skills for orphaned children in Africa.  Jennifer is both a Canadian and British national, and is a Rotarian.

Natalie Billon - Centurion Global, Investment Analyst

Natalie has spent her career at some of the most prestigious private equity firms in the business.  Prior to Centurion Global, she spent time working at KKR & Co, Soros Fund Mgmt, Bessemer Trust, J&W Seligman, Lazard Freres, and Robertson Stephens.  At KKR Ms. Billon worked to evaluate private equity LBO candidates.  Earlier, with Soros Fund Management (New York-based hedge fund, $10B+) she was responsible for public technology, media and telecom investments for the firm.  Prior to joining Soros in 2002, Natalie was responsible for all technology, media and telecom investments for Bessemer Trust’s public equity funds where she attracted Fortune 500 CEOs and CFOs from various industries as clients to the firm.  Since 1998, Ms. Billon was responsible for all technology, media and telecom investments for a $3B growth fund at J&W Seligman and earlier she was the senior investment analyst at such firms as Lazard Freres and Robertson Stephens (global investment banks).  Ms. Billon led numerous Initial Public Offerings (IPOs), including: The Learning Company, Edmark, Broderbund, and ChipSoft, among others. Natalie was behind pioneering studies which determined Information Technology (IT) supply and demand utilizing a deep network of global fortune 500 Chief Information Officers (CIOs) which was featured on the front page of the Wall Street Journal.  Ms. Billon earned an AB in Economics from Harvard University in 1986 and an MBA in Finance from Columbia University in 1994. She has lived in Western Europe, Eastern Europe and South America and is a humanitarian at heart.

Tonja Brown - Sr. Director of Strategic Integration for CNN Worldwide Ad Sales

Tonja is responsible for identifying integrated content opportunities that benefit the CNN brand and business.  Multicultural, international, cross-divisional and 3^rd party strategic partnerships fall under her realm of responsibility.  She is based in CNN Worldwide headquarters in Atlanta, GA. Since joining Ad Sales in 2006 as a Manager, Brown created, developed and lead the successful launch of the TV & digital audience empowerment initiative Impact Your World, that provided users an ongoing opportunity to "do something" about the news issues that matter to them.  She was instrumental in integrating a branded “action step” into CNN content.  Recently, Brown has developed multicultural strategies that include a partnership with People En Espanol around the “Latino in America” documentary as well as CNN’s first co-production with an African-American publication, Essence Magazine around the "Black in America" documentary.  These successful partnerships lead to the development of a weekly multi-platform franchise What Matters with Essence Magazine and other branded multicultural content.  Prior to joining CNN Ad Sales, Brown was a Sr. Account for CNN’s long form programming unit before transitioning to Consumer Marketing where she was charged with developing the first long-term planning processes and initiatives that changed CNN's organizational approach to cross-platform planning.  Here she created the first multi-platform campaign strategy to leverage CNN's quarterly medical specials, which lead to several promotional awards.  In addition, Brown created Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s Fit Nation franchise to bring national attention to the obesity epidemic in the US.  Fit Nation included CNN’s first on the ground consumer marketing events and ultimately exceeded revenue projections by becoming a successful multi-million dollar franchise. Brown’s non-traditional approach to traditional media has earned her a reputation for a being strategic, innovative and effective.  Although, she believes an innate curiosity, collaboration and a sense of humor are valuable keys to success.  Brown graduated from Hampton University with her degree in Accounting. 

Eric De Fino - Chief Creative Officer, RAYGUN

Raygun is a creative company specializing in dynamic storytelling for television, film, Internet and the music business.  The agency has extensive industry experience and a proven creative production record which ignites every project with a unique vision that goes beyond what typical production companies and post houses can deliver, ensuring their clients' dreams are realized and their story is told.   Raygun's innovative work covers all areas of visual communications and is showcased through the development, production and delivery of informative, entertaining, and passionate creative for, both, short and long form projects.  From live action to motion design, art direction, animation, music videos and entertainment branding, simply put, RAYGUN does it all.  Eric is a sought after creative mind and producer whose image clients have included HBO, Turner Classic Movies, CNN, Discovery Networks, Fine Living, Planet Green, ABC Network, SciFi Channel, Spike TV, TLC, Sony, Adidas, Best Buy, Comcast, ATT, ESPN, Heineken, New Balance, Saucony, Reese’s, Hewlett Packard, the Lung Cancer Alliance, Big Brothers of America, anti-plastic organization Greenplate, singer John Mellencamp, the band The Constellations, and artist Young Jeezy.

Leo Fonseka - International Policy Development Specialist

Leo Fonseka is an internationally recognized policy development specialist with 43 years of experience in corporate management, UN international civil service and NGO development with specialties in policy development, program strategy formulation for local government and child protection. He is currently the President of the Sri Lanka based Marga Institute whose main activity is the study and critical evaluation of past and on-going development processes in Sri Lanka. It approaches and analyses development as a process and as a condition in which economic growth, social equity, political freedom and participation are integrally linked and must reinforce one another. Its programme of research therefore covers three main areas of development-economic, social and political. Consequently, it draws on a wide range of social science disciplines and brings a multi-disciplinary approach to its work.  In the past Leo has been an urban advisor to UNICEF working in hotspots all over the globe and is a graduate of the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Raymond F. Harmon - r.f.harmon media ltd.

Raymond F. Harmon is the principal in r.f.harmon media ltd., a media consulting, representation and management services company he founded in 1999. r.f.harmon media ltd. has supplied services to organizations such as……the NCAA, BCS (Bowl Championship Series), PGA Tour, NASA (National Aeronautics & Space Administration), SpaceDev, FOX Sports, HTN Communications, Pilson Communications, Host Communications, ISL, CBS Sports, Minnesota Timberwolves, Cleveland Indians, WNBA Players Association, and various collegiate athletic conferences – Atlantic10, Big East, Big 12, WAC, MAC, Sun Belt and the University of Notre Dame. He also provided services to start-up networks including SportsTime Ohio, Ice Channel, The Football Network and We Media, an early Internet destination site that produced and distributed live video-streaming of competition from the 2000 Sydney Paralympic Games.      r.f.harmon media ltd. represented new technology companies such as FasTV, an early VSP (Video Service Provider) in agreements with Augusta National and the PGA of America and Coaches Edge, a supplier of content for broadcast and Internet sports sites, now merged with SportVision. Harmon also represented Pineapplehead Ltd, of Australia (now Virtual Spectator), the developer of the interactive golf broadcast tool – Golf Vision – in agreements with NBC for the US Open and with The Golf Channel. r.f.harmon media ltd. has represented sports announcers in new media arrangements. Harmon was a consultant through 2008 to GroupM Entertainment, the production services unit of the leading global media investment management operation, and the entertainment units of the GroupM agencies, including Mediacom, Mediaedge:cia and MindShare. Harmon provided services in the area of Business Affairs, Finance and Production Operations for the various agencies and the parent. Harmon spent 28 years at CBS, the final 14 years with CBS SPORTS. He joined CBS SPORTS as Director of Sports Finance and was promoted to Vice President of Business Planning in the fall of 1992. In the Business Planning role he was responsible for organization and planning associated with program acquisitions and contract negotiations and the day-to-day activities of production operations. As a senior member of CBS SPORTS management, he was an important contributor in the re-acquisition of NFL Football in 1998; the entry of CBS SPORTS onto the Internet though the development of a strategic partnership with SportsLine USA and the subsequent launch of CBS.SPORTSLINE.COM; the acquisition and planning of the1992, 1994 and 1998 Winter Olympic Games; and the contract extension of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament in 1995, 1989 and 1986. Harmon also served on the Board of Directors of the CBS Foundation. The Foundation was the philanthropic arm of the then CBS Corporation.

Guilaine C. Jean Pierre - Morgan Stanley, Smith Barney, Second Vice President, Wealth Management

In addition to being one of the top wealth managers in her industry, Guilaine Jean Pierre knows that philanthropy and private funding can change the world.  In addition to her role with Morgan Stanley, Ms. Jean Pierre sits on a number of boards and has founded a variety of initiatives designed to support the world’s needs and is a Trustee of The Children’s Storefront in Harlem, providing tuition free education children.  

Matt Keller - One Laptop Per Child, Director for Global Advocacy

Matt Keller works with governments around the world to introduce rugged, connected laptops to children living in the poorest and remote regions of the world. He also works to develop implementation strategies, lobbying international institutions and wealthy nations, including the United States, to provide resources to less developed countries as a way to acquire this technology.  Mr. Keller has also worked as a senior programme officer with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) for five years in Rome, Italy working specifically on with governments and private organizations to raise awareness and resources for school feeding programs where children are fed nutritious meals in schools.  Prior to this appointment,  Matt served as Legislative Director for Common Cause in Washington, DC focused on issues of openness and accountability in the US Congress; and also acted as a lobbyist and political strategist working closely with Senator John McCain.  Mr. Keller has also worked as a lawyer and lobbyist on behalf of low-income people and migrant farm workers in the United States, and as a Jesuit Volunteer in Portland, Maine.

Dr. Judy Kuriansky - UN Main Representative, International Association of Applied Psychology

Dr Judy Kuriansky is a licensed clinical psychologist in the Department of Clinical Psychology at Columbia University Teachers College and the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. A United Nations representative for the International Association of Applied Psychology and the World Council for Psychotherapy, she has led workshops on peace, trauma recovery, crisis counseling and on her unique East/West intervention programs around the world, from Buenos Aires to Sagar India, Singapore, Prague, Jerusalem, Dubai and Tehran, Iran. Trained by the Red Cross, featured in their post 9/11 campaign, she worked in disaster relief at Ground Zero and the Family Assistance Center, and around the world including after SARS in China, bombings in Jerusalem, an earthquake in Australia, and the tsunami in Sri Lanka. A member of the Human Dignity Humiliation Studies Global Advisory Board, she is also a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and member of the Peace division Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict, and Violence, International Psychology division and a co-founder of APA’s Media Psychology division.  A former television reporter on WCBS-TV, she is a pioneer of radio call-in advice and internet advice and is a popular commentator on many news and talk shows. She lectures extensively and collaborates with colleagues in Asia and was appointed visiting professor of Peking University Health Science Center. Her many awards include the first International Outreach Award from the American Women in Radio and TV.  She has authored many scholarly papers in professional journals and books, including “Access: A Disaster Preparedness Manual” and, “Working Effectively with Mass Media in Disaster Mental Health” in the Handbook of International Disaster Psychology.  Her many books include the best selling “The Complete Idiots Guide to A Healthy Relationship.”  A graduate of Smith College, she earned a masters degree from Boston University and Ph.D. at New York University and spent ten years as a Senior Research Scientist at the New York State Psychiatric Institute doing cross-cultural work in London.  She has presented hundreds of addresses and plenaries, including to the State of the World Forum and scores of health groups, business organizations, and the UN targeting the MDG goals and global issues such as the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.  She is a tireless advocate for media which sheds light.

Lori Levin - Executive Producer/PR/Brand Executive

Lori’s unique career has blended entertainment, marketing, and public relations. She brings a showman’s sensibility to her business endeavors and a business perspective to her entertainment projects. In television, Lori Levin was the Creator and Executive Producer of The Rebel Billionaire, a globally-aired Fox prime time reality series starring Sir Richard Branson, which averaged 7 million viewers a week in the US alone. It also aired in all major global markets. As Vice President of Virgin Corporate communications for the Virgin Group of Companies where she was Richard Branson’s “go-to executive” for 20 years, Lori was largely responsible for establishing Sir Richard Branson as a household name. She and her team created "guerilla marketing" tactics that have become standard marketing techniques today. She has been awarded “Brand Builder of the Year 2007” by Promax DBA and Broadcast and Cable News. Lori has launched new products, companies, special events, and worked with countless celebrities. She has generated public relations coverage in all major national media outlets including 60 Minutes, New York Times, Fortune, and People Magazine; Today Show, GMA, CNN. She is currently lending her expertise to several start up companies through her consultancy Creative Convergency. She also has several new TV series and documentaries in development with Creative Visions Productions. She has served on the Steering Committee of Virgin Unite and the Advisory Board of the Giffoni Hollywood Film Festival. She is currently on the Advisory Board of the Creative Visions Foundation, and has recently been honoured to join the Advisory Board of Mary J. Blige’s FFAWN  foundation.

Roxy Marosa - Writer, Presenter, Actress, Entrepreneur, Humanitarian

Roxy Marosa is a media Presenter with her own television show, “The Roxy Marosa Show” which is a provocative personal development live audience program. It is a platform to investigate and master a variety of life subjects that have one thing in common: They are a reality in your daily life and every person has to face them and deal with them, in various ways. As an individual committed to personal growth and making a difference in people’s lives, Roxy passionately shares her life experience openly and her transformation to people’s best interest. She is also a Transformational Speaker whose passion is in reflecting on growth through ‘tough life’ experiences, with a focus on Positive Living and Personal Growth. Faced with the challenge of HIV/Aids in South Africa, Roxy developed herself and trained as an HIV/Aids trainer and counselor through a number of organizations, including the Christian Aids Bureau of South Africa (linked to World Vision).  Additionally, Roxy is an actress in TV commercials and short movies, a columnist for us at HUMNEWS; a poet, an internationally sought after model, and she is the brand creator, owner and face of Roxy Marosa Total Skin Health Care.  An all natural, not tested on animals skin care line, made from plant extracts, designed for all skin types, intended to address different skin conditions, to maintain a healthy skin. Developed and manufactured in South Africa as the first black female owned natural, scientific and medically oriented skin care range launched in South Africa, available to the world.  Roxy has operated as a multi-skilled and entrepreneurial freelancer since 2002 and facilitates events for corporate, private and public enterprises, locally and internationally. 

Michael Popow - Centurion Global, Managing Partner, Investments 

Michael has spent his career managing some of the most important equity funds on the planet.  He recently launched Centurion Global, a fund with Tiger.  Previously, Mr. Popow was involved with private equity engagements focused on China, the Middle East and the U.S.  Earlier, with Bessemer Trust (New York-based investment firm, $20B+) he founded, developed and managed leading global, long/short, public/private, onshore/ offshore equity funds ($500M) and was also a member of Bessemer’s Investment Policy & Strategy Committee responsible for investments in various international asset classes and was responsible for all public technology, media and telecom investments for Bessemer’s long-only funds, equaling more than $15B.  Prior to this, Mr. Popow was a portfolio manager with Odyssey Partners and was a senior investment analyst with Oppenheimer & Co. (global investment bank); and Gabelli & Co. Prior to 1992, Mr. Popow worked as a computer engineer, first with Bell Labs/Rutgers and then with Convergent Technologies (global computer manufacturer).  At Convergent, Mr. Popow led teams of engineers through the design and development of several client/server computer systems that were launched globally.   Michael earned his BS in Electrical Engineering, a BA in Computer Science and a BA in Philosophy from Rutgers University in 1988 and an MBA in Finance from Columbia University in 1994.  His knowledge of the world’s emerging markets and technology that can connect them is invaluable to a media trying to bridge the `Geographic Gap™’.

Avis Richards – Philanthropist, Filmmaker

Avis Gold Richards is the Founder and CEO of Birds Nest Foundation™, a 501(c)3 non-profit  creative group that produces high-quality documentaries, short videos and  public service announcements (PSAs) for charitable organizations. An award-winning executive producer and director, Avis has produced and directed over 50 films and multiple websites and events. The goal of Birds Nest Foundation is to provide the media to educate and promote important causes and issues that enable non-profits and other foundations to communicate their messages through “moving pictures.” Avis has won more than a dozen Stevie Awards, Telly Awards, Davey Awards, and Aurora Awards for producing non-profit films and videos. The charities that benefit from Avis’ work include a host of worthy causes dedicated to improving healthcare and education, serving inner-city youth, protecting against domestic violence, promoting human rights, and defending the environment.  Avis is on the Board of Directors for HELP USA (homes for the homeless and less fortunate), Sophie’s Voice (Spina Bifida), Bat for the Cure (prostate cancer), Earth Day Network (the environment), and the R Baby Foundation (infant mortality). Avis is a member of the Advisory Board of Joe Torre Safe At Home Foundation (domestic violence), Cancer Schmancer (breast cancer early detection), and Mobile Movement (mobile philanthropy). Avis is a “Game Ball” recipient for the Boomer Esiason Foundation (Cystic Fibrosis), a Peloton Project member for the Lance Armstrong Foundation (cancer), and served as an Excalibur award member for the American Cancer Society for which she was also the Gala Event Chair. Avis was a founding member of Gilda's Club (cancer support), for which she developed and chaired the Young Committee Members' Gala.  Avis sits on the Advisory Board of Renu Mobile, a corporation dedicated to creative mobile applications with minimal environmental footprint and maximum global reach. Avis is an Ambassador for Bicycle for a Day, and environment and health initiative founded by actor Matthew Modine; and was previously involved in promoting Westchester Medical Center Children’s Hospital, Auschwitz Jewish Center, Whitby School and St. Phillip’s Academy.  Avis is currently producing a public television series entitled “Lunch NYC” for NYC Media, part of the City of New York Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting, after the successful launch of her short documentary, LUNCH, which was sponsored in part by Earth Day Network. The documentary, screened at film festivals across the United States, has distribution rights in Whole Foods Markets. The series exposes unhealthy foods being served in the public school system across the country and highlights the efforts of individuals actively seeking alternatives to promote nutrition and health.   Avis is a graduate of the University of Maryland where she earned her B.S. degree, is an active alumnus of the University of Maryland and in 2010 was honored by the University with its Non-profit Industry Impact Award. She pursued her post-graduate studies at George Washington University and Bank Street College of Education.

Judy Shapiro - Founder, engageSimply

Judy Shapiro's career has always been characterized by her willingness to go against the current in her relentless pursuit of creating marketing momentum. In her early work as a VP at NWAyer Advertising, she took on creating new integrated marketing programs that merged direct mail with in-store promotions and advertising - something most people didn't do given the silo'd nature of marketing functions. Or when AT&T wanted to jump start their consumer products division, they hired Judy from the agency to create marketing momentum around the many new technologies AT&T which she did by introducing the voice of "Judy Consumer" to the conversation. She was tapped to lead the prestigious Lucent Technologies brand launch as Corporate Brand Director, where she literally rewrote the corporate branding book, winning coveted APQC and AMA awards branding awards.  Judy continued to bring new thinking to every subsequent role; at CA, she created from the ground up their lead generation and management system to unify marketing programs, she became the lead marketing expert for all technologies in the Bell Labs New Ventures Group helping launch 8 new successful ventures. Her most recent work at Paltalk and Comodo, let her turn her attention on creating new ways to reach audiences leveraging integrated content, community, creative passion and communications to generate business results.  As a result of her groundbreaking work, Judy is recognized as a voice of practicality within the industry with her regular articles in Ad Age’s DigitalNext column and as an industry speaker (DigitalHollywood and IgniteNYC). Judy loves to mentor technology startups (a throw back to her Bell Labs days) and as a graduate of City University of NY, she is a die-hard New Yorker living in Manhattan (just ask her where the best place is to get Pizza or bagels—you won’t be sorry).  

Maureen Sullivan Stemberg – Entrepreneur, Designer, Author, Fashion Editor, Photographer, MSS Interior Design

Over the past 20 years, Maureen Sullivan Stemberg has proven to be one of the most talented Interior Designers and business women in the industry. She has owned and operated successful design firms in both Boston and Palm Beach, taking on upscale clients with the most discriminating taste. During that same time period for over 5 years she was design & fashion editor of a magazine in Palm Beach. Interviewing people from the world’s best interior and fashion designers - including a president and the first Lady. Her ability to transform any room into a timeless masterpiece has boosted her reputation as a visionary with impeccable attention for detail.   There is no challenge too great for Maureen – she is persistent, knowledgable and a sheer talent.  Some of her accolades include designing and completing the entire Trump Plaza Penthouse, Presidential rooms, Club Colette of Palm Beach, and the University of Maine.  She was the youngest member to be elected to Who’s Who in Interior Design, and her work has been featured in the New York Times, House Beautiful, Better Homes & Gardens, House & Garden, Design Times, 100 Designers’ Favorite Rooms (book, by John L. Pellam, c. 1998 Barons), Interior Visions – Great American Designers & the Showcase House, along with several television appearances and interviews showcasing her talent.  She is an associate member of the American Society of Interior Designers, a council member for the National Museum of Women in the Arts, and member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.  She attended Boston College, studying Political Science and Art History, as well as the Museum School of Fine Arts, and the Boston Architectural Center. She was most recently selected for the WHO’s Who 35 Anniversary edition for “Women of Distinction.”   In 1985, Maureen served as the inspiration for her ex-husband Tom Stemberg in founding STAPLES Office Supply Stores.

Bradden Young – Producer, Filmmaker, Humanitarian – Principle Partner, Pedestal Pictures

Bradden Young’s international career as a marketing professional and producer for film, TV, news, concerts and events has afforded him the opportunity to support a broad range of corporate and non-profit organisations. For five years until 2010, Bradden worked as a Vice President for Oxford Analytica, a prestigious political and economic consultancy and publication firm. Bradden’s responsibilities included marketing initiatives, business development and media partnership implementation with Reuters, Bloomberg, Forbes, and CNBC.  These initiatives furthered Oxford Analytica’s reputation as a proven leader in predicting key trends, preparing for contingencies and providing actionable intelligence and global analysis to corporate and government executives.

As a producer Bradden has worked across many different disciplines.  He was a Field Producer with the Open Broadcast Network and a CNN World Report Producer based in Sarajevo for three years amid the Balkan conflicts.  As a Film Producer he was recently involved in producing a series of five short films with Young Indies which highlighted new directors and went on to be screened at over 30 international festivals.  Currently Bradden is founding partner of Pedestal Pictures and producing feature films based on true, inspirational stories.  As an Event Producer for The Event Management Group and McNabb & Associates he has worked for major corporate clients including IMG, NBC Sports, The International Olympic Committee, Viacom, Vivendi Universal and GE.   

Bradden’s work has often extended into the non-profit/humanitarian sector, receiving recognition when he was invited to become a member of The Transatlantic Young Leaders Forum.  In 1999, he was co-founder of the Live For Life Foundation, which focused on the practical removal of landmines, victim support and the promotion of reconciliation through the Arts in Bosnia.  Live For Life organised the first inter-ethnic concert in the post-conflict Balkans, which saw more than twenty bands take to the stage at the Olympic Stadium in Sarajevo in support of the anti-landmine campaign.  Through Live For Life and other projects Bradden has continued to work in the non-profit world for a variety of organisations including The Campaign For A Landmine Free World, Norwegians People’s Aid, Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation, Mercy Corps, Charity Water, One Home Many Hopes, AMFAR, OSCE and the UN.