Ben Johnson has a Business Management degree from the University of Central Florida and is currently the president at Martin Coffee Company, where he has overseen the roasting of over three million pounds of coffee. He has earned recognition with the former Florida Restaurant Association and the past president of the River City Purveyors Association. In 2020, Ben was recognized by the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce as the Small Business Leader of the Year.

Benoit was the conductor, trumpeter, occasional drummer and bassist and musical director at La Nouba, Cirque du Soleil for 18 years. Since 1981, he has conducted, arranged, composed and played trumpet, drums, and other instruments on more than 120 recordings, film soundtracks, countless jingles, and TV shows. More recently, he has scored movies, composed concert music, and appeared in or in front of symphony orchestras.

Bill is an Academy Award-winning (Dances With Wolves) sound mixer who has worked for over 20 years in Hollywood on such films as Heat, Transformers, Groundhog Day, Independence Day, The Bourne Supremacy, among others. Additionally, he has two Academy Award nominations and has worked for Sony Pictures, 20th Century Fox, and Universal Pictures.

Brian has a degree from Full Sail University. He has toured as a Lighting Director and Production Manager with acts like Aerosmith, DC Talk, Hank Williams Jr., Sir Paul McCartney, Neil Diamond, and Blake Shelton. Brian has also worked on the CMA awards and the Stellar Awards, and he was an SRO Awards nominee for Video Director of the Year in 2014. He is currently a Video Director for Blake Shelton and Thomas Rhett.

Brian Nelson spent a decade teaching stage directing in the USC School of Theatre. His directing stage credits include his own adaptation of The Joy Luck Club, as well as The Matsuyama Mirror, King Lear, and DramaLogue Award-winning productions of Seascape and Twelf Nite O Wateva. Brian wrote the original screenplay for the Lionsgate release Hard Candy, which won Best Picture and Best Script at the Sitges International Film Festival. Brian holds honors degrees from Yale and UCLA.

Byron Harden is a music producer, sound engineer, and the founder and owner of I See Music, a vocational school that teaches audio production to visually impaired individuals. I See Music also houses On the Moon, a full-service recording studio. Byron’s own trials and tribulations as a visually impaired individual have motivated him to ensure that all visually impaired people can pursue their musical dreams.

Camdon Wilde has been working as a graphic designer in the media design field since 2005, specializing in digital graphics, visual branding, identity creation, and brand consulting for a wide variety of clients and a diverse number of businesses and industries. Camdon holds an MFA in Media Design and is a successful design practitioner with a diverse portfolio of cutting-edge projects.

Carissa Craven is Vice President of Creative Service at Westfall Gold, an Atlanta-based fundraising consultancy that serves as a catalyst for growth among non-profits. To date, Westfall Gold has raised more than $1 billion on behalf of non-profits and charities around the world. Carissa manages a team that helps organizations develop, refine, and express their message through video and print work in the context of live events.

Catriona Barbato has over 22 years of experience as an instructional designer. She holds a master's degree in Instructional Systems & Technology from the University of Central Florida and is currently working on her dissertation for an Ed.D in Curriculum & Instruction at UCF. In her roles as Project Manager and Lead Learning Strategist, Catriona has designed and developed e-learning programs for the aerospace, management consulting, transportation, and banking industries.

Chelsea Filley has a master's degree in Business Administration from Rollins College and a master's degree in Predictive Analytics from Northwestern University. In her role, Chelsea uses analytics to inform and execute critical business initiatives to drive revenue and demand to the destination through a combination of data analytics, innovation, business strategy, and guest insight.

Chris Keeling serves as Director of Product Vision for the Wargaming Western Hemisphere and has consulted and worked directly for Wargaming.net since 2008. He has an MFA degree in Video Game Production and Design from National University, and has worked on several military-themed video games and simulations over the past 15 years, including Panzer Elite, America’s Army: Operations, America's Army: Soldiers, World of Tanks, and World of Warplanes, as well as other titles. He is a published author in the game design field, and has received practical hands-on experience during his 23 years of service in the U.S. Army that he uses to lend authenticity to military game designs.

Chris Murphy has a bachelor’s degree in Radio and Television with a minor in Journalism from San Diego State University. Chris purchased his family’s business, Murphy Lighting, in 2003. He is a member of IESNA, TEA, and PLASA and has won several awards, including a TEA award for the Revenge of the Mummy attraction at Universal Orlando in 2004. He continues to grow Murphy Lighting while ensuring that the company maintains its high quality standards.

Craig Richards is a producer with a bachelor’s degree in Photo/Electric Arts from the Ontario College of Art. His latest credits include Unit Production Manager for the Oscar-winning movie Monster starring Charlize Theron, and Producer of the two-time award-winning short film, A Death in the Woods. His other credits include the improvisational comedy feature Action and the comedy Snow White Ladies of the Third Thursday.

Dan Migala is an established entrepreneur who has worked for or advised every level of sports franchises, including the MLB, NHL, NFL, NBA, NCAA, MLS, and LPGA, on issues related to sponsorship, technology, and sports marketing. Migala co-founded Property Consulting Group, a sponsorship and consulting company, whose diverse portfolio of sports and entertainment clients include some of the most established sponsors of sports - among them the San Diego Padres - where Dan served as VP of Creative Partnerships from 2009 to 2011.

Denise Threlfall has over 30 years of experience in adult education and training with an emphasis on curriculum development. Dr. Threlfall holds a master's degree in Adult Education and a PhD in Urban Services & Education. She has managed the development of training products for the Army, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps. In her current role, Dr. Threlfall develops distributed collaborative training environments for Applied Training Solutions, LLC.

Donna Dowless has over 30 years of experience in sports and entertainment. She has directed and managed sports arenas and concert venues and worked with professional sports leagues, major live events producers, and numerous presidential events. She was the Executive Vice President of Industry Affairs for Ticketmaster for 18 years. She currently runs her own entertainment media and arts consulting company.

Mary holds bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in Music Education. She is the President of Mary Palmer & Associates, LLC, which works with schools and community organizations to assist them in transformation through the arts. She was also named a Fulbright Scholar. Her awards include recognition from Florida’s Governor, Legislature, and Department of State for her leadership in Arts Education, ACE of Hearts, and the UCF Quill Award.

Dustin Cawood is a sound effects editor and sound designer with over 50 film credits. He has worked on films by George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Robert Zemeckis, Tim Burton, JJ Abrams, and more. His work has received multiple Golden Reel Awards nomination and he won a Motion Picture Sound Award for WALL-E. He has a master's from the Florida State University College of Motion Picture Arts. Dustin currently teaches at Florida State University in the film department.

Dustin Posey is a Strategic Planning Analyst for MOBA Mobile Automation, where he is responsible for developing and maintaining automated reporting using Power BI, designing and implementing various SharePoint environments, exploring and developing feature-rich applications with Power Apps, and more. He has a master's degree in Business Intelligence.

Elbert Perez specializes in working on innovative content for exciting new platforms. He is a former Sr. Software Prototyper for the award winning HTC Vive, where he works both internally and with external developers to create immersive VR experiences. He has previously worked at Microsoft on multiple narrative innovations for products such as the Xbox One, Windows Phone, SmartGlass and various game properties. Elbert is also an independent game developer with over 20 published games on multiple platforms, including PC, Windows Phone, iOS, Android, and Xbox 360. His games have been downloaded more than 2.5 million times.

Elena Maria Rogalle has more than 20 years of experience as a graphic designer, Art Director and Creative Services Manager/Managing Editor in television, radio, and advertising. Her design work has been published in The Best in TV Guide Tune In Advertising, and she has been awarded a PBS Communication Award and several ADDY Awards, including a Best of Show Award for Television Promotion. She holds degrees in Creative Writing, English Literature, Fine and Applied Art, and is currently working towards her PhD in Texts & Technology. Her research interests include ecofeminism, the women writers of the Beat Generation, and ekphrastic poetry.

Enrico is an award-winning director of commercial and film content, and has been recognized with multiple Telly, Communicator, and ADDY awards. He has parlayed his skills into improving the consumer experience for patients and visitors of AdventHealth. With a focus on the details that matter, Enrico curates new experiences and improves processes impacting each and every consumer that comes through the doors of AdventHealth.

Ermir Bakraci (credited as Ermir M. B.) is an award-winning filmmaker with an extensive background in directing, editing, camera operations, and more. He is one of the founders of the filmmaking nonprofit Sunday Scenes. Most recently, he worked as assistant editor on a documentary about the life of musician Ray Parker Jr. and is in post-production on a film he wrote and directed called Fighting Ghosts. Ermir holds a Film Production bachelor's degree from the University of Central Florida.

Eva Roberts has over 30 years of experience as a design educator. She has worked on projects that range from wayfinding and environmental graphics to branding and publication design. Her professional design work can be seen in numerous books and has been recognized by AIGA, Print Magazine, and American Center for Design, among others. Eva Roberts holds a master's degree in Product and Visual Design from North Carolina State University.

As the owner of Stickman Sound in Las Vegas, Fernando Delgado works in production genres such as live sports and entertainment, reality television, motion pictures, and commercials. His audio work can be found on projects including a VR experience with Coldplay, FOX Sports coverage, Top Gear America, and commercials for brands like UnderArmour and Nike. Fernando is an Emmy recipient for his live audio work with HBO's Boxing.

Forrest McFeeters has 20 years of professional experience in video and audio production. He has developed, produced, composed, edited, and created media design assets used by industry professionals; he has also taught in the the Media Design program at Full Sail University. Dr. McFeeters holds a master's degree in Instructional Technology from the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and a PhD in Instructional Technology from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Gina Thompson is a Business Development Manager in Robotics at Ross Video in Ottawa, Ontario. With over 13 years of experience in broadcast television, she has previously worked for NBC Sports, CBS News, ESPN, and Disney. Gina has a passion for technical education and has taught at Full Sail University. She holds a master’s in Education Media Design & Technology from Full Sail, as well as a bachelor’s in Communications from Western Michigan University.

Glen Levine is the President of NEP US. He is responsible for the company’s US-based broadcast services and solutions. With more than 33 years of experience in the mobile production industry, Glen has also served NEP in the roles of Vice President of Mobile Engineering and Operations, as well as Director of Engineering. Prior to joining NEP, Glen served as General Manager for Unitel.

Glenn is a digital journalist, consultant, educator, and award-winning documentarian whose work has taken him from war zones in Afghanistan and refugee camps in Haiti, to political conventions and the college football fields of the SEC. He has held editorial staff positions at BBC News, The Guardian (UK), Military.com, and has done freelance streaming video producing for dozens of outlets including Runner's World, Money Media, CSTV/CBS College Sports, and Competitor Group. He is an associate member of IADAS and Webby Awards voter. 

Harbert Jones' professional experience as an instructional designer includes developing eLearning modules and training simulations for Allstate Brand Operations and Support, managing the design and development of over 200 online academic courses for the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, and developing eLearning training modules and managing the translation of training materials for Rotary International.

Henry Maldonado is President of Orlando’s Enzian Theater, which showcases first-­run independent films and hosts film-related events, including the annual Florida Film Festival. Prior to joining the Enzian, Henry was Vice President and General Manager of WKMG-TV, the Orlando CBS affiliate. He is a graduate of Boston University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in Broadcasting and Film.

Jack is a Computer Animation graduate from Full Sail and a 14-year veteran of the animation industry. His work has spanned from video games to commercials and from television to film. His areas of expertise are character animation, crowds, pre-visualization, and motion capture. Jack’s resume includes blockbuster films such as Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, How to Train Your Dragon 1 & 2, GI Joe: Rise of Cobra, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Jack is also a nine-year member of the Visual Effects Society (VES). He was inducted into Full Sail’s Hall of Fame in 2016.

James Calderon has a master's degree in Business Intelligence and eight years of experience as a software developer with a focus in data mining, reporting, business intelligence components, and web design. James has taught and developed Web Development curriculum and was a Full Stack Development Instructor at the University of Central Florida.

Jason Brace has a bachelor’s degree from Eastern New Mexico University. He has over 22 years of experience in live event production, including audio, lighting, and engineering support for events on cruise ships, corporate events, and live music performances. He is currently the Product Manager for Audio for PRG. He was a Course Director for Full Sail’s Introduction to Show Production course in the Show Production bachelor’s degree program. He is also the Audio Department Manager at VER Orlando and freelances as an Audio Engineer at the Orlando House of Blues.

With a background in entertainment and creative marketing, Full Sail University graduate Jason Ross has fathered companies including The Bottlestar, Xcell Advertising, and Trusun Media. Some notable clients include NBA All-Star Dwight Howard, Grammy Award-winner Brian McKnight, gospel singer Fred Hammond, comedian Chris Tucker, television star John Walsh, and many more.

JD Dworkow has worked in live music production since the early 1970s. He worked as a backline and staging supervisor on many music events including Live Aid, 12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief, New York's Central Park shows, Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festivals, and five Grammy Awards telecasts. He has written feature articles for Guitar World magazine and has been a reference source on nine guitar gear-themed books.

Jeff Martin holds a master’s degree in Instructional Technology from the University of Southern Mississippi. He is an Instructional Designer with over 10 years of experience writing courseware. He is currently a Project Lead for Navy courseware contracts and was previously a Project Lead for three major Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) contracts for Camber Corporation.

Jeff started his TV reporting career at WNEG-TV in Northeastern Georgia as a sports reporter and anchor, and then moved up to Senior Producer and Coordinator of Broadcast Productions for UCF Athletics. He has covered sports for SportsTalk Florida and co-hosted radio shows on AM 1080 The Team in Orlando. In addition to teaching, he currently manages two blogs (Black and Gold Banneret and Aerothusiast), and hosts and produces the Black and Gold Banneret Podcast.

Jennifer Akana Sturla has 20 years of experience in the film and television industries. She has a bachelor’s in Literature from the University of Santa Cruz and a master’s in Film and Television Production from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinema-Television. Her film Karena won top prizes at festivals like the 2004 Hawaii International Film Festival; she also wrote and directed Ride the Wake, which was distributed on Amazon and Netflix.

Jennifer "J.J." Howard is a teacher and English Department Chair at Palm Beach Day Academy in Palm Beach, Florida. Writing as J.J. Howard, Jen has also had numerous young adult and middle grade books published by Scholastic and Penguin, including That Time I Joined the Circus, Tracers, Z on Location, Pugs and Kisses, and most recently The Love Pug. Girls Just Wanna Have Pugs is coming from Scholastic in 2020. Jen earned her master’s in Humanities from Tiffin University and her bachelor’s in English from Dickinson College.

Jessica Korthuis is the Founder and CEO of Sohuis, an educational platform and digital membership community that provides marketing and branding educational resources to help early-stage female founders grow and market their businesses. Jessica is a 40 Under 40 Honoree, a “Women Who Mean Business” Honoree, and was most recently listed as a “Women to Watch in 2019 and Beyond” by the nationally accredited publication, Bizwomen. Jessica has been featured by Girlboss, Thrive Global, The Lean Startup Co., Girl CEO Inc, Entreprenistas, She Leads NYC, VoyageATL, and Biz Journals.

John Goshorn has a bachelor’s degree in Media Arts and Design from James Madison University and a Professional Acting certificate in the Sanford Meisner technique. He is a filmmaker and film professor at Georgia Southern University. The Happiest Place on Earth, his debut feature film as writer, director, and producer, earned official festival selections from the Cinequest Film Festival and the River’s Edge International Film Festival, among others. He has also worked in television as a videographer, editor, and producer on a freelance basis and for ABC affiliates.

John Valentino has a degree in Business and Public Administration. He currently serves as the Senior Vice President of AEG Live SE LLC, which produces more than 500 concerts and events annually throughout the southeastern United States. AEG Live is also the largest producer of music festivals in North America, from the critically acclaimed Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival to Stagecoach Country Music Festival.

John Mrozek is a Business Intelligence Architect with over 19 years of experience. After many years at SAP in the BI and Supply Chain spaces, he went independent, helping companies like Duracell and Checkers & Rally’s Restaurants improve their businesses via analytics. He is certified in HANA, Business Objects Enterprise, and Web Intelligence.

Joseph has been developing software, games, and entertainment applications for over 10 years with experience on a variety of platforms and languages. He went into business with a fellow Full Sail grad and they co-founded their own studio with a focus on development for mobile games and entertainment software. Joseph has worked with contracted clients including Zynga and Leviathan Games, and has also worked on projects for Vans, Microsoft, Majesco Entertainment, and Fuel Entertainment over the course of his career in mobile game development. 

Judy Hodge has over 25 years of professional industry experience as a graphic designer, creative director, and brand strategist. She has been the Owner/Creative Director of UrbanMindShare since 2011. Her current work includes branding, concept development, website design, banner ads, eblasts, and social media interface design. She has a bachelor's and master's degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

Julia Royal has six years of industry experience in media design, specializing in print media, illustration, web design, social media, video production, and presentations. Julia holds a master's degree in Media Design and is a successful design practitioner with a diverse portfolio of cutting-edge projects.

Katherine Dudley is an educator and award-winning filmmaker. She has a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications & TV Broadcasting, a master's degree in Trade & Industrial Education, a master's degree in School Administration, and a master’s degree in Film Production. Katherine is the writer, director, and producer of a Bronze Telly Award-winning short documentary, The Perfect Selfie. She is currently working as an Assistant Professor of Communication Studies/Digital Production at Shorter University in Rome, Georgia.

Keith Guerrette is an award-winning Visual Effects Artist best known for breaking new ground in narrative-driven video on projects such as the critically acclaimed Uncharted series and The Last of Us franchise. For these projects, Keith and the VFX team at Sony Computer Entertainment’s Naughty Dog Studios received numerous industry accolades, including BAFTA and DICE awards. In 2014, Keith was profiled on the annual Forbes “30 Under 30” list, highlighting some of the most talented young professionals in the industry today.

Keith Guerrette is an award-winning Visual Effects Artist and founder of the visual effects studio Beyond-FX and the community www.realtimevfx.com. He was profiled on the 2014 annual Forbes 30 Under 30 list, and in 2015 he was inducted into the Full Sail University Hall of Fame. His team’s latest works can be seen in products across the real-time industry, such as God of War, What Remains of Edith Finch, and The Legends of Runeterra.

Kelsey Visser has her master’s in International Peace and Conflict Resolution and is a Florida Supreme Court Certified County Court Mediator with over 10 years of experience in teaching and training. Her primary focus has been peace and conflict resolution education. She now works at the Peace and Justice Institute at Valencia College as a Facilitator and Project Coordinator with a focus on trauma healing and community resilience. She is also the Director of Parent Training for Rasur Foundation International.

Course Director Kip Roddenberry is a successful entrepreneur with 35 years of experience in the entertainment industry and was instrumental in the startup of NORTRAV Events.  A well-recognized event promoter and business owner, Kip has produced, directed, and managed over 2,500 events in over 50 countries worldwide. He has held executive positions with NASCAR, Virgin Airways, and Blenheim Expositions, and executed contracts with top venues, star performers, worldwide production companies, major airlines, luxury hotels, cruise lines, and tour operators for both international and domestic markets.

Dr. Murray retired from the federal government as the Director of the Advanced Distributed Learning Initiative. As Director, her primary mission was to integrate standards and emerging learning technologies into government training and education programs. She was recently the U.S. Representative and Co-chair to the NATO Individual Training & Development Task Group and the NATO ADL Science & Technology Group. Dr. Murray holds a doctorate degree in Instructional Technology and Distance Education.

Kristy Murray has an Ed.D in Instructional Technology and Distance Education from Nova Southeastern University. She has worked in the field of distributed learning since 1995. She has worked as the Program Manager for Army Simulation, the Senior Military Analyst for TTGI in Orlando, the Director of Advanced Distributed Learning Initiative for the Department of Defense, and more.

Kyle is a Managing Partner at CREDO Conduit, an interdisciplinary coworking community; Program Director at Rally, an international accelerator for early-stage social ventures; and Founder at Beloved Community Framework, a firm that helps organizations improve diversity, equity, and inclusion conversations, program development, and employee engagement. He is an alumnus of Dreamit Ventures, one of the top tech accelerators in the world.

Laura has over 30 years of design experience and has been at Full Sail University for nearly a decade. She enjoys her opportunity to spread her passion of typography and visual communication, as well as brand experience with both large and small companies such as Nickelodeon, Universal Studios, and Disney. She continues to work professionally, focusing on projects that include print and web design, packaging and brand development. Her primary clients include capital investment firms that are creating new products and services.

Leslie Brathwaite is a graduate of Full Sail’s Recording Arts program. He is an award-winning mix engineer and producer who has worked with Boyz II Men, Outkast, Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige, Ludacris, Ciara, and Young Jeezy. Leslie has been recognized with multiple Grammy awards for his work on songs like Brandy & Monica’s “The Boy is Mine” and TLC’s multi-platinum album Fanmail.

Linda Martz has an associate’s degree in Show Production & Touring, a bachelor’s degree in International Business, and a master’s degree in Human Resources. She worked as a Pyro Technician on Epcot's IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth. She currently works at Walt Disney World Resorts with Operations Training to support all technicians.

Lindsay Liszewski has been working in the strategy, analytics, and data science field for more than 15 years. Lindsay has a master's degree in Statistical Computing from UCF.

Marcella "Ms. Lago" Araica is credited for mixing over one hundred chart-topping tunes. She has worked with music icons such as Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Madonna, Nelly Furtado, Usher, Jennifer Lopez, and Missy Elliot, as well as super producers Timbaland, Danja, and Polow Da Don. Marcella currently has her own independent label, N.A.R.S. (New Age Rock Stars), founded in partnership with Danja.

Mark Cecere has a bachelor's degree in Technology (Computer Systems) and a master’s degree in Systems Engineering. He spent 28 years in the military and was an Electronics Technician in Special Operations and Intelligence in the Air Force Reserve. As a Staff Logistics Engineer for Lockheed Martin Logistics & Sustainment Engineering, Mark has spent most of his career specializing in the supportability of laser-based targeting systems.

Mark Dvornik has over 20 years of experience building high-performance organizations and delivering solutions for large, mid-sized, and startup organizations. He is a full-spectrum C-Level Executive with expertise in distribution, marketing, production, technology, business strategy, organizational training and development, mergers, and acquisition integration.

Mark Jocson is a senior executive with 18 years of experience working at Sony, Disney, and Viki. He has a bachelor’s degree from University of California, Irvine and a master’s degree from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. During his time at the Walt Disney Company, he led the Emmy-winning Digital Media Team at the Disney Channel as the Director of Content Development. He is currently the Vice President for Digital Distribution and Partnerships at MotorTrend.

Matthew Carson is the Senior Vice President of Corporate Events at Production Resource Group, LLC. PRG provides sales and rental of audio visual and lighting equipment to the corporate meeting, trade show, and touring industries. Matthew was previously an Assistant Professor at the University of Central Florida. Matthew holds a bachelor’s in Theatre from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and a master’s in Theatre Production from Florida State University.

Melissa Wurzel has a bachelor's degree in Graphic Design from the University of Central Florida and a master's degree in Marketing and Management from Rollins College's Crummer Graduate School of Business. She has more than 15 years of experience in marketing and communications at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. She has held several positions in the Marketing department including Graphic Designer, Marketing Manager, and Director of Marketing.

Mike started his career as a Production Assistant on Lilo & Stitch at Walt Disney Feature Animation Studios. In 2003, he transitioned from feature films to game production and worked on popular titles Halo 2, Call of Duty, and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance at Microsoft Game Studios and n-Space.

Michael Donaldson is the owner and manager of 8DSync, a music publishing and content licensing company that represents over three dozen artists from around the world. He is also a consultant to emerging record labels and industry professionals, focusing on rights management and growth strategies. Previously, Michael founded the promotions company 8DPromo and toured the world as Astralwerks recording artist Q-Burns Abstract Message.

Michael is a cross-discipline game developer who specializes in production. He graduated from Full Sail University with a bachelor’s degree in Game Development and a master’s degree in Game Production. Michael has over eight years of experience in applying agile principles on teams of different sizes and disciplines to reduce development waste, increase product stability and quality, and nurture team health across Electronic Arts and Magic Leap. His credits include Madden NFL, NCAA Football, NBA Live Mobile, and Project Create.

Michael McCurdy has a bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Central Florida and a master’s in Educational Media Design & Technology from Full Sail University. He has been a professional public-school educator for over 30 years. He currently works as an Online Instructional Designer (OID) for the SCPS Department of Teaching and Learning. As an OID, he works with subject matter experts to design online courses for K-12 environments as well as instructional training materials for educators.

Michael Murray has a degree in Engineering from Wright State University. He is a cinematographer, a seven-time Emmy-nominated Director of Photography, and the President of Adrenaline Films. He was the Director of Photography on Survivor, The Contender, Running the Sahara, Expedition Africa, and The Great American Road Trip. He has also produced national television campaigns for Universal Studios Florida.

Michael Phillips has a Film and Music Study degree from Montana State University. He is a co-inventor and designer of Avid’s Film Composer and Symphony product lines. Avid’s Film Composer earned Michael an Academy Award for Scientific and Engineering Achievement in 1994, as well as an Oscar in 1999. Michael continues to research and develop new technology solutions; he is also Creative Technology Officer at Hula Post in Los Angeles, where he designs workflow solutions.

Michael Smotherman has been a Web Developer for almost 20 years, with a focus on JavaScript development.  His areas of expertise extend beyond JavaScript and SPAs, into UI/UX design, full stack development, database design, and mobile web apps.  At Full Sail, he helped design the web and mobile degree programs. Currently, Michael is a Senior Developer at Disney, building internal web applications and reporting tools for finance divisions globally.

Mike Shaunnessey is an IT professional with over 30 years of experience designing, building, testing, and deploying some of the largest computing systems in the world. He holds an MBA degree from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology, and was a 15-year cast member at Walt Disney Corp. where he held roles in systems engineering and automated testing on cloud-based systems.

Michael Westafer has 25 years of experience in creative design and direction, web development, and marketing technology. He is the CEO of Roger West, an award-winning digital marketing agency headquartered in Tampa. The agency has received numerous ADDY, Davey, Emmy, and W3 awards. Mike holds a BFA in Graphic Design from the Savannah Institute of Art & Design and a master’s degree in Computer Information Systems.

Monica Bermudez has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Central Florida, a certificate in Digital Marketing from Rutgers University, and a master’s degree in Project and Program Management from Brandeis University. She worked in Sales, Retention, Marketing, and Market Research during her six-year career at Pearson Online Learning Services. She currently manages projects and marketing strategies for a mindfulness company in Orlando.

Mya Surrency is the co-founder of Digital Edge, an agency focused on digital marketing for DMOs. Mya has also held roles with Visit Jacksonville and the St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra, and Beaches Visitors and Convention Bureaus. Mya studied Mass Communications at Towson University in Towson, Maryland.

Nancy Swenson has an Educational Specialist degree, a master’s degree in Education, and an independent consulting company in which she assists schools, educational bodies, organizations, parents, and students with education-related problems. She also works full time at the University of Central Florida as an Instructional Designer, where she assists instructors in designing both campus and online-based courses and curriculum.

Nancy Wang has a bachelor’s degree in Psychobiology and master’s degree in Cinema-Television. She worked at Legend, where she bridged the needs of their creative and technology teams. She oversaw teams across facilities in the US, Canada, and India, ensuring that deliverables and handoffs to clients went smoothly. Currently, Nancy works for the Walt Disney Company as a Senior Manager overseeing title graphics for all international releases.

Course Director Natalie Onesemo earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Finance with a concentration in Music Management from the University of Maryland at College Park. Natalie has experience in record store management, financial analysis for media consulting firms, and has worked at Epic Records / Sony Music in the marketing department where she handled planning, coordinating, budgeting, promoting, advertising, and marketing for many internationally known artists including Tori Amos, Shakira, Cyndi Lauper, Sade, Macy Gray, Gloria Estefan, and Michael Jackson.

Noel Beaulieu has over 10 years of sports marketing, sales and sponsorship experience. His background includes experience from professional and college teams, conferences, and media organizations - Tampa Bay Devil Rays, San Diego Chargers, USC, Sunshine State Conference, and Clear Channel Communications. Noel holds a Master of Business Administration degree in Marketing and Sports Management from the University of Florida and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Sociology from the University of Toronto.

Oliver Peters has a bachelor’s degree in General Studies and a master’s degree in Communications. He has worked in the television, film, and entertainment industries since 1970. His production credits include national and international TV and film projects, which have won awards such as NATPE Iris, Telly, ITS Monitor, and a national ADDY award. He has been involved in over 20 feature films and documentaries as an editor and colorist. He is a Contributing Editor for Digital Video magazine and the Creative Planet network websites.

Oscar Peterson is a Los Angeles-based digital strategist and talent manager. Oscar founded Unforgettable Media in 2011, where he oversaw revenues in excess of $2 million. Oscar joined AEG in September 2015 and currently heads the Comedy and Non-Traditional Touring division for the company. Oscar has a bachelor's degree in Music Business from Full Sail.

Peter Gordon has over 35 years of experience in the entertainment industry, creating and curating content for platforms ranging from live theater to digital video. Peter earned a BA from Yale with honors and an MFA in Directing from Carnegie-Mellon. He directed in New York and in regional theater for companies including the Roundabout Theatre and Indiana Repertory Theatre. Peter moved to Orlando to become Golf Channel’s first Director of Programming, creating the shows and strategies that enabled the channel to grow from startup to a value of over $1 billion. He also had leading roles in program planning and development for NBC, HBO/Cinemax, PBS Station WLIW, and AMS Pictures, the largest production company in Texas.

Phil Pallen is a Los Angeles-based brand strategist. He works with personalities on major TV networks in the US. Phil's digital campaigns have been featured by hundreds of media outlets. Phil speaks at at conferences around the world about social media and branding. He is also the author of Shut Up and Tweet, a book featuring game-changing Twitter strategies.

RaeLynn has over 10 years of experience in both the collegiate and professional worlds of sports, and was the Assistant Athletics Director for Marketing and Promotions at the University of Central Florida. She oversaw the entire marketing and promotional activities for 16 sports and managed the UCF brand and image. RaeLynn received a Master of Science degree in Education from Virginia Tech in 2007, and also graduated from the University of Dayton in 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications. 

Rafael Garcia has a degree in Electrical Engineering from Universidad Metropolitana in Caracas, Venezuela; a degree in Digital Media from Full Sail; and a master’s in Business Administration from the University of Miami. He has over 20 years of experience in digital media and marketing. He is the founder and CEO of RG2 Digital Media, a growth marketing firm with clients in the US and Latin America.

Rob is a Telly Award-winning music composer and sound designer specializing in console and iOS video games, VR/3D sound immersion, and post-production audio and sound for film and television. He has worked on games like You Don’t Know Jack, Madden NFL, Tiger Woods PGA Tour, and Warhammer Online. He is the owner of Rob Warren Sound. He is also a sound designer and mixer for the Pinna audio streaming service, including the award-winning 5 For 5 Trivia show.

Ron Hill is a three-time Grammy Award-winning music and entertainment veteran with over 15 years of experience in the music industry. He is currently the VP of Artist Development at RCA Inspiration. Ron has won three Grammys as a producer on Kirk Franklin’s Best Gospel Album winner Long, Live, Love, Tori Kelly’s Best Gospel Album winner Hiding Place, and Kirk Franklin’s Best Gospel Album winner Losing My Religion.

Sajani Desai Granquist has a JD from Hofstra University’s School of Law. She previously worked in entertainment law, specializing in the music industry. She is currently the Associate Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Full Sail’s Career Development Department. As part of her role, Sajani helps to identify and communicate employment opportunities to the student body through diversity recruitment programs and job fairs throughout the country.

Samuel Sanabria has a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Florida's Counselor Education Program. He is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Florida Qualified Clinical Supervisor, Nationally Certified Counselor, and Certified Sex Therapist. Samuel is currently the Department Chair of Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, and specializes in multicultural, social justice, and sexuality issues in counseling with a focus on neurobiology.

Sharon Hoogstraten has a master's degree specializing in Visual Communications. She has 40 years of professional experience as a graphic designer and commercial and fine arts photographer. She earned two Emmy awards, an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Individual Achievement, and a Gold Award from the Broadcast Designers Association for her work in graphic animation, photography, and design.

Shaun Trout has worked as a Producer and Director of Photography on television, commercial, promotional, and live streaming projects since 1997. Some of his clients include the Orlando Magic, NBC’s Golf Channel, United Way, and ITV/BBC. He also produced an original documentary film that has been distributed by Amazon, Apple, and DIRECTV. He has a bachelor’s degree in Film and is the co-founder of Concrete Lion Pictures.

Sheena Fowler has a bachelor’s degree in in Humanities and a master’s degree in Entertainment Business from Full Sail. She has been with the Orlando Economic Partnership for over 10 years, has led statewide organizations including Women in Film and Television – Florida, and has earned accolades like the Orlando Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 List. She was inducted into Full Sail’s Hall of Fame in 2013.

Stephen Campbell is an accomplished cinematographer who has worked on hundreds of productions including commercials, feature films, music videos, television series, and documentaries. His credits include AMC’s The Walking Dead, HBO’s The Sopranos, feature films such as The Waterboy and Academy Award-winner Monster, where he served as the “A” Camera Operator and Additional Director of Photography. Stephen also worked with Michael Jackson on his 35mm documentary of the Bad tour, during which he traveled to Europe, Asia, and around the United States for over 15 months.

Prior to joining Full Sail’s Computer Animation department as a Course Director in 2003, Steve worked as a motion control camera operator on the BBC/WGBH documentary The Kennedys, as well as an animator on a variety of projects in New York including Beavis and Butthead and School House Rock. In May of 2010, Steve produced and provided art for comic industry veteran Mark McKenna’s first 3D children’s book Banana Tail’s Colorful Adventure. Among other degrees, Steve earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Film and Television from New York University Tisch School of the Arts.

Steve Curtis has a master’s degree in Graphic Design from Kent State University. He has over 35 years of experience in designing books, educational products, magazines, corporate communications, and interactive media for well over a dozen nationally and internationally recognized clients. His management experience includes the design and creative direction of collaborative teams of graphic designers, illustrators, and photographers.

Steven Heller has a bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications and has been producing commercials and music videos for over 20 years He is the owner of Attitude Specialty Lighting, which provides large scale proprietary lighting to feature films, TV series, and live sporting events. Steve’s company has worked on The Lord of the Rings, The Fast and the Furious and Black Panther, as well as several Super Bowls, NCAA Final Four Basketball Tournaments, and the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Steven Roberts has a bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Central Florida as well as certifications that include ISO 9001 Lead Auditor, ISO 27001 Lead Auditor, and LEAN Methodology. He has been working with SAP since 2001 and transitioned into a US-based quality management role in 2011.

Sue Bauer has a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a master’s degree in Instructional Technology and Instructional Systems from the University of Central Florida. She has taught with Orange County Public Schools and she has been an instructional designer with UCF since 2001. Her research interests include quality in online courses, online engagement, professional development for online teaching, and mobile technologies in education.

Timothy Brock taught the online version of the advanced and capstone graduate course at Franklin University for over five years. He specialized in teaching principles and application of evidence-based performance improvement tools and methods for the Instructional Design and Performance Technology master’s degree program. He currently serves on the faculty of the United Nations System Staff College at Turin, Italy.

Tom Kenny is the editor of Mix magazine. He has written film sound stories for The Doors movie, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, and Beauty and the Beast. In the late 1990s, he released a collection of his articles on film sound through Mix Books. He is a lifelong student of popular culture and media systems who has witnessed the changes in content creation and distribution systems from the inside, building websites, newsletters, data properties, and rich media for professional markets.

Tom Todia is a 1997 Full Sail Recording Arts graduate. He is an award-winning sound designer, mixer, and implementer with over 20 years of experience in the audio production industry. He has worked for various game and interactive productions including Madden NFL, NCAA Football, Tiger Woods Golf, NBA Live, Depth, Maneater, and Assassins Creed 3. Tom is currently serving as Audio Director at Electronic Arts.

Tracy Wren has a master’s from the University of Iowa Writers Workshop and the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California. She currently teaches at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Gifted and Talented Youth. Tracy has directed three features, including Rain Beau’s End, starring Edward Asner and Sean Young.

Wallace L. Johnson has 18 years of experience in corporate audio-visual events. He currently runs WLJ Consulting, and he works as a consultant with Mertzcrew. He is also the host of the AVNation.TV podcast The LIVE Life. He acts as a speaker and advisor to several education organizations that have courses related to the audio-visual industry.

Wendy Howard has a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Secondary Education, a master’s degree in Corporate Communication and Technology, and a Ed.D in Instructional Design and Technology. She has over 20 years of experience in both instructional design and teaching. She is currently the program director of the University of Central Florida’s iLab, which serves as an incubator for the next generation of digital learning.

William Wills has a bachelor’s degree in Computer MIS and an MBA from the University of Central Florida. He has over 30 years of software development experience and more than 20 years in software development management. He designed, developed, and implemented a comprehensive platform for AAA to handle 30 million road service events each year and writes apps for iPhones.

Yuliya Panchenko is the founder of Yuliya Panchenko Photography. She has been invited to photograph in major cities in the United States and Europe with a focus on wedding and boudoir photography. Yuliya has won multiple awards from PPA (Professional Photographers Association), WPPI (Wedding & Portrait Photographers International), ONE EYELAND PHOTOGRAPHERS, and SRL Lounge for her signature wedding images.