Tag: Social + Digital Media

Creative Video Producer/Digital Media Specialist
rrberry2@illinois.edu

Session: Anatomy of a Viral Video
Time: April 10th, 9:45 am – 10:45 am

Rachel’s path has been shaped by science education outreach. As a child, she made her first film at a stop-motion booth in the San Francisco Exploratorium, a STEAM museum founded by Frank Oppenheimer. She went on to study at Interlochen Arts Academy and completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. After graduation, she moved to Quezon City, Philippines, to work for a non-profit, then to Geneva, Switzerland, where she advocated for climate justice and women’s rights at the U.N. Human Rights Council. There, she rediscovered film as a powerful medium for storytelling. Rachel’s journey continued in Seattle, where she worked at a homeless shelter for women and children and created videos that were shared by the Seattle Seahawks and legendary grunge band Pearl Jam. She then returned to Urbana and earned an MBA from Gies College of Business. After a brief stint working in healthcare technology and producing independent films in her spare time, she joined her alma mater to make videos full-time. Rachel’s work highlights science, research, and education in the Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering. She absolutely loves her job.

Director of Design and Marketing for the Office of the Provost
Illinois’ Strategic Communications and Marketing
crp2@illinois.edu

Session: Scroll-Stopping Design for Social Media
Time: April 10, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm

Charlotte (Peloquin) Voznyuk (StratCom) is the Director of Design and Marketing for the Office of the Provost. She is responsible for developing marketing strategies and visual communications for the office and its affiliated units. She is an alumna of the FAA program at Illinois and is currently pursuing her Master’s in Advertising within the College of Media. Charlotte is passionate about accessibility implementation and mentoring the next generation of creators.

Graphic Design Specialist
Illinois’ Strategic Communications and Marketing
cmarcu5@illinois.edu

Session: Scroll-Stopping Design for Social Media
Time: April 10, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm

Cassidy Marcum (StratCom) is a brand and web designer on the university’s brand team. Responsible for facilitating the university-wide brand rollout, she’s led the redesign of Illinois.edu, overseen digital ad campaigns, and consistently creates content for the university’s flagship social accounts. She’s passionate about thoughtful visual systems, creative collaboration, and the cultural impact of good design.

ADigital Marketing Specialist
The Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
rp33@illinois.edu

Session: Humans Beyond Hashtags: Building Authentic Connections with Students on Social Media
Time: April 9, 9:45 am – 10:45 pm

I’m a Digital Marketing Specialist at The Grainger College of Engineering, where I lead social media strategy and storytelling campaigns that put students at the heart of every post. My work blends data-driven insights with creative narratives to build authentic digital communities across platforms. I’ve worked across startups, nonprofits, and higher education, which has shaped my approach to making institutional content feel human, not corporate. Alongside my marketing work, I explore extended reality and Neuromarketing to understand how technology can deepen emotional connections online.

Communications Manager
RIPE Project
aarp@illinois.edu

Session: Making the Truth Stand Out: Science Communication on Social Media
Time: April 4, 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm

Allie Arp is the communications manager for the Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE) Project at the University of Illinois. She handles all things RIPE communications, from web content to interview prep to event planning. Allie has more than a decade of experience in science communications. She earned her bachelor’s degree in public relations/professional writing from the University of Northern Iowa and her master’s degree in mass communications & journalism/agricultural education from Iowa State University, where her thesis focused on communicating biotechnology to a non-science audience. In addition to working at Illinois for nearly seven years, Allie is also an adjunct speech instructor for Hawkeye Community College. When not working, she researches hobbies that aren’t watching sports and eating Mexican food in the hopes of a more exciting bio.

Founder
Story Tech Media LLC
david@storytechmedia.com

Session: Digital Storytelling with Everyday Tools
Time: April 4, 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm

David Needham is the Founder of Story Tech Media LLC where he helps people capture and share their most important stories using a creative mashup of videography, technology, and learning science. David loves learning almost as much as he loves teaching and sharing new ideas with people. When he’s not bringing stories to life with his wife and kids in Champaign, or co-working in downtown Urbana, you’ll find him playing board games or roleplaying in a D&D campaign.

Video Producer
Droi Media (self-employed)
hi@droimedia.com

Session: Media Training for Marketers (and Managers)
Time: April 3, 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm

Adam is an award-winning producer, director, editor, and videographer with over 18 years of professional production experience. Currently he’s a Senior Video Producer for IronMarkets in addition to running his own freelance video production company called Droi Media. Previously he worked for the Big Ten Network, and he’s taught numerous communication and marketing courses at several midwestern universities. When he’s not nerding out over video cameras, you can find Adam hiking with his wife, daughter, and border collie, brewing his own beer, riding a bike, gardening, or eating guacamole.

Research Communications Coordinator
Gies College of Business
moist2@illinois.edu

Session: From Prep to Post: Level Up Your Interviews
Time: April 3, 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm

John Moist is a communicator with fifteen years of experience helping people and institutions write, speak, and think in public. A Research Communications Coordinator at Gies College of Business, he holds degrees from Mount Aloysius College, Baylor University, and the University of Illinois (PhD, ’22). John has worked in higher education communications, on radio, and on the stage. His academic research examines the digital world’s impact on our ideas of work, economics, and community. When not working or watching basketball, he enjoys making music, teaching, playing board games, drinking espresso, and watching movies. He lives in Champaign, Illinois, with his wife, Kaitlyn, and their cat Mildred.