Speakers
We have an awesome lineup of speakers and panelists for 140 | The Twitter Conference at Sundance. Here are the bios and pictures of the people you’ll be hearing from:
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is considered by many fans and sportswriters to be the greatest basketball player of all time. The 7-foot-2 Hall of Fame center, famous for his indefensible skyhook, also dominated the NBA for 20 years. He not only captured the NBA’s MVP six times, was a 19-time All-Star, and set the NBA all-time records in nine categories — he also remains the NBA’s All-Time Leading Scorer, a record that may never be broken.
But as Kareem himself says, “I can do more than shoot a ball through a hoop.” And indeed he can. A lifelong passion for history led to his authoring six best-selling books on various historical subjects. His knowledge and love of jazz birthed not only an audio book (based on one of his NY Times best-selling hardcover, On the Shoulders of Giants) but an upcoming documentary that features a myriad celebrities, from Samuel L. Jackson and Billy Crystal to Quincy Jones and Maya Angelou. Kareem is also executive producing an exciting feature film in development based on the greatest basketball team you’ve never heard of: The Harlem Rens, the first professional champions of professional basketball. Beyond that, Kareem is very involved in “giving back” and participates in numerous charities, especially ones that promote cancer.
LeVar Burton, Burton-Wolfe Entertainment. LeVar is an American actor, director and author who first came to prominence portraying Kunta Kinte in the 1977 award-winning ABC television miniseries Roots, based on the novel by Alex Haley. He is also well known for his portrayal of Geordi La Forge on the syndicated science fiction series Star Trek: The Next Generation, and as the host of the PBS children’s program Reading Rainbow.
His first foray into the world of theatrical film direction was a notable success. Not only did 2003’s Blizzard garner him a “Best of Fest” award from the Chicago International Children’s Film Festival, but he also picked up a Genie Award nomination for his work on the film’s theme song, “Center of My Heart.” LeVar has also directed episodes of Charmed, JAG, Las Vegas, and Soul Food: The Series, as well as the miniseries Miracle’s Boys and the documentary The Tiger Woods Story.
Shira Lazar is an EMMY nominated TV and Web Personality. She covers the latest in socials trends and pop culture on her blog- ON THE SCENE – on CBSNews.com and is a correspondent on THE TOMORROW SHOW WITH MO ROCCA. She is also the host of THIS WEEK IN YOUTUBE, a contributor on The Huffington Post and the host for Live Earth Video bringing people information and news about the global water crisis.
Previously, Shira hosted Yahoo!’s daily What’s So Funny, NBC’s 1ST LOOK and OPEN HOUSE, DirecTV’s HAVOC ON THE 101, was a correspondent on CourtTV’s HOLLYWOOD HEAT, Reelz Channel’s daily movies news show, DAILIES and a journalist on Travel Channel’s CONFESSIONS OF A TRAVEL WRITER.
Online, she has developed and hosted video content for Condenast’s travel blog Jaunted, Movies.com, Hollywood.com, Mania! TV, Verizon VCAST and more. She was the red carpet host for the 2009 Webby Awards and the first ever Streamy Awards, official video blogger of Internet Week NY and was named a “Social Media Maven” when she won Ashton Kutcher’s 24 HOURS AT SUNDANCE. Shira has also appeared on Fox News Channel, CBS, and CNN.
An authority in the new media space, Shira also appears, MC’s and speaks at events around the world including: Mashable’s Social Good Conference, Twiistup, WITI’s 20th Anniversary Hall of Fame Awards, Banff’s NEXT Media Conference, 140 Conference, Digital Family Reunion, Extreme Entrepreneurship Tour, Big Omaha Conference, SXSW, Girls In Tech Catalyst Conference and Media Leaders among many others.
As a crossover personality and hybrid journalist, Shira Lazar continues to bridge the gap between traditional and new media and be a voice for the digital age.
Beau Bridges is an award-winning actor who has portrayed a myriad of characters during his successful career spanning more than six decades. Part of a preeminent Hollywood acting dynasty, he started at a young age and has worked virtually non-stop in his profession ever since.
Bridges recently wrapped production in South Africa on “Free Willy: South Africa” starring with Bindi Irwin. He was last seen on the big screen in the 20th Century Fox dramatic thriller “Max Payne” staring alongside Mark Wahlberg. Bridges played the role of B. B. Hensley, a former cop and mentor figure to Payne, who helps him track down a killer.
Recently Bridges shared a 2009 Grammy Award win with Al Gore, Cynthia Nixon and Blair Underwood for “An Inconvenient Truth” which won the category of Best Spoken Word Album.
In 2008 Brides lent his voice for a very special documentary entitled, “Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience,” which received a 2008 Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature. He wrapped production on two made-for-Television films in 2007: “Stargate: The Arc of Truth” and “Stargate: Continuum,” based on the popular Sci-fi drama “Stargate SG-1” in which he played General Hank Landry. MGM Home Entertainment will release “Stargate: The Arc of Truth” in March 2008. He was last seen on the small screen as a guest star on NBC’s hit comedy “My Name Is Earl” as Carl, Earl’s father. His role as Carl garnered him a 2007 Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series.
Deborah Morales has worked with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to create the upcoming Film On the Shoulders of Giants:
In 1939 A team of hard playing black men from Harlem faced a fiercely competitive white team in Chicago, in a game that would forever change the face of basketball and America. The Harlem Rens, America’s first all-black professional basketball team, rose to fame during a time when jazz was the soul of Harlem and basketball was its heartbeat. When a home court doubled as a dance hall and was shared with some of the greatest jazz musicians of all time.
In 2008 Jimmy jean-Louis, A Haitian actor (NBCs Heroes) founded Hollywood Unites For Haiti (HUFH). The original mission of HUFH, a 501(c)3 non-profit is to provide wellness, educational and sports programs for Haitian youth. In the aftermath of the recent earthquake, HUFH is poised to assume a much larger role.
HUFH partners with the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) for which Jimmy Jean-Louis serves as an ambassador to Haiti. PADF is a non-profit organization established in 1962 to promote, facilitate, and implement social and economic development in Latin America and the Caribbean. HUFH also partners with the Organization of American States (OAS). OAS is the world’s oldest regional organization, today, it is comprised of 34 countries from Latin America and the Caribbean.
Through partnerships with these two well established organizations, funds raised by Hollywood Unites for Haiti are stewarded with the utmost integrity. Donated funds are spent wisely with proper administration and oversight. Specifically in the procurement and transportation of supplies into Haiti for the relief of the victims of the January 12th magnitude 7.0 earthquake.
HUFH now launches a special campaign to raise funds for the infrastructural rebuilding efforts that will be necessary in the coming months and years. Jimmy Jean-Louis maintains, “It’s not enough to keep band-aiding this – my – poorest of counties every few years in the worst of times. We need to keep a long term focus on the plight of the Haitian people until our goals are accomplished. Please pledge to keep Haiti for front in your thoughts not just now but in the coming weeks, months and years.”
Matt McKenna founded Red Fish Media in the spring of 2004 and was one of the first companies in the US to secure wireless carrier connections and enter the mobile space. Matt’s expertise in creating innovative mobile products has attracted-and continues to serve-Red Fish Media’s numerous Fortune 500 clients, including: Ralph Lauren, Starbucks, Sony, Microsoft, Nike, Anheuser-Busch, P&G and HP.
The boarding of such notable corporations has earned him widespread recognition as an industry expert paving the way for interactive mobile services. Matt has helped implement SMS services for Google’s Zeitgeist, Oracle’s Open World, The Secretary of State, Gartner and President Clinton’s- Clinton Global Initiative.
Matt is also the co-founder and president of Give on the Go “GoGo”, the fundraising division of Red Fish Media. Matt brings to GoGo entrepreneurial experience, mobile technology expertise, a high level of creativity, and a passion for the nonprofit sector.
Matt’s interest in mobile was propelled by his passion for music and the music industry. His first entrepreneurial venture was a record store in Boston, which he followed by launching a record label and recording studio. During the 90’s and early 00’s Matt lead a globe-trotting DJ career, playing high profile events all over North America and Europe. Matt has close relationships to public figures in the world of music, sports, and film, seeking out their assistance in advancing awareness for charitable causes.
Daymond John, The Shark Tank, FUBU. A success story, an industry leader, a young entrepreneur, a man who has reached and surpassed new heights of commercial and financial success, just a fraction of classifications used to describe Daymond John, CEO and founder of multi-million dollar fashion empire FUBU The Collection. Daymond possesses the capability knowledge, insight and approachable demeanor which allow him to successfully achieve any goals set forth before him, as well as nurture others to do the same.
Changing fashion and the face of American business with FUBU was only the beginning. What started initially with unbridled perseverance and a dream of catering to a market otherwise ignored, quickly transformed into a business venture, and eventual enterprise, worthy of the multitude of accolades and awards it has received. Some such prestigious awards: Brandweek Marketer of the Year (1999), Advertising Age Marketing 1000 Award presented to Daymond for outstanding ad campaign (1999), NAACP Entrepreneurs of the Year award (1999), Crain’s Business of Forty Under Forty Award presented to Daymond (2002) and Ernst & Young New York Entrepreneur of the Year award (2003).
Born and raised in Seattle, Chase Jarvis grew up skiing at Stevens Pass. “Long live Cowboy Ridge!” he says. He’s been a season pass holder since he was a youngster, way back in the early 1980s. As a world renown sports, lifestyle, and popular culture photographer, Chase’s images breathe a compelling freshness sometimes technical or conceptual, other times authentic or raw that is rarely seen from an established commercial shooter at the ripe age of 35. Known for his artistic vision and boundless energy, creative directors, art buyers, and photo editors around the world gravitate towards Chase’s style and location sense. He has for 10 years been creating stunning photography for mega-brands like Volvo, Nike, Apple, Microsoft, Columbia Sportswear, REI, Philips, Jeep, Red Bull and hundreds more, as well nearly every niche active-lifestyle company in the marketplace and many of the world’s largest magazines.
Chase has garnered the respect of his peers by winning countless awards and the attention of pop culture, art, celebrity, and technology magazines, as well as podcasts, TV, and numerous online buzz centers. He has earned the titles Hasselblad-, Nikon-, and ASMP Master, and if he’s not the only photographer in the world to be recognized as such, he’s certainly the youngest to do so.
Dom Sagolla, Author, @TheBook. Dom Sagolla helped create Twitter while working for Odeo in 2006. He grew up in New England before attending Swarthmore College, where he earned a degree in English Literature in 1996 and created Dom.net. A software engineer in Silicon Valley during the dot-com boom, Dom returned to get his Masters in Education from Harvard University in 2000. Since then he has helped build Macromedia Studio, Odeo Studio, the original Twttr, Adobe Creative Suite, and now produces iPhone apps with his company DollarApp in San Francisco. His successes include the official Obama ‘08 iPhone App, as well as two iTunes Staff Favorites: Big Words and Math Cards.
Dom’s forthcoming book “140 Characters” describes the short form as a new genre of literature. @TheBook deals with the deluge of information in social media, and how to command an audience using one’s unique voice. With over 25 active Twitter accounts of various types, he can be found simply as @dom: user number 9 on the system.
Marcin Teodoru was born in Bielawa, Poland and since settling in California in 1991, Marcin has hit the ground running. Driven with intense passion and a wide-ranging skill set, he quickly became known to friends and colleagues as the “Predator”, representing his talents in producing, directing and editing. At a tender age of 28, Marcin is a fledgling entrepreneur and an avid filmmaker.
In 2006, Marcin founded Circle Films, a full service independent production company where he and his team produced top quality music videos, web media, commercials, and short films.
In 2008, Marcin co-founded TurntableU.com, the world’s premier online DJ school. Combining both his business acumen and filmmaking experiences, he produced and directed over 100 high definition instructional tutorials with some of the world’s best DJs. TurntableU is sponsored by the industry’s leading companies, such as ProSound, Sorato, Rane and Power106.
On November 20, 2009, the “30 Day Feature Film Challenge” was born. In just a mere thirty days, Marcin set out to come up with an idea for a screenplay, write it, cast it, crew it, produce and direct it – all with no budget. On day thirty with 75 cast and crew in a musty, old, abandoned warehouse, that vision became a reality.
Marcin creatively used social networking sites such as Facebook, Youtube and Twitter to garner fans and support in over 32 countries worldwide. It was through such media that the film, entitled, “Closure,” was able to gain momentum and be executed in the 30 days. This entire process was documented with daily video blogs: www.30dayfeaturefilmchallenge.com
Brian Solis, Principal of FuureWorks. Brian, an award-winning PR and New Media agency in Silicon Valley. Solis is globally recognized for his views and insights on the convergence of PR, Traditional Media and Social Media. Considered one of the original thought leaders who paved the way for Social Media and PR 2.0, Solis is co-founder of the Social Media Club and is an original member of the Media 2.0 Workgroup.
His blog, PR 2.0 is among the top 1.5% of all blogs tracked by Technorati and is ranked as one of the leading voices in the Ad Age Power 150 index of worldwide marketing bloggers. He also runs bub.blicio.us and contributes to TechCrunch, BrandWeek, and WebProNews.
He actively contributes his thoughts and experiences through keynote speaking appearances, books, articles and essays as a way of helping the marketing industry understand and embrace the new dynamics fueling new communications, marketing, and content creation.
Steve Broback, Founder, The Parnassus Group. Steve Broback is the founder of the Blog Business Summit and the Web Community Forum conferences. He is also the coauthor of Publish and Prosper: Blogging for Your Business (Peachpit Press, 2006.) He also co-founded Thunder Lizard Productions, (a technology event production company) in 1991, which became a subsidiary of Fawcette Technical Publications in 2000.
At Thunder Lizard, Broback orchestrated some of the most successful technology events of the last 10 years focusing on Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Macromedia DreamWeaver. He also produced TLP’s Web Design World, Macromedia Web World, and other events with attendees numbering in the tens of thousands.
