Creating Purposeful Stories in a Virtual World
Live on Zoom - Wednesday, October 21st at 1PM PST / 4PM EST
The journey from combat to civilian life is one that is not often heard. Join Wounded Warrior Project, Yahoo News and RYOT Studio for a discussion on their partnership profiling veterans with inspiring stories around mental health, stigma, and recovery. The project aims to raise awareness of mental health issues amongst veterans and share valuable resources through a 3-part docustyle video series and an interactive town hall event -- all produced virtually and by remote teams during the pandemic.
In a world that feels more divided than ever, we find comfort in inspiring stories that remind us of what connects us. Verizon Media helps brands reach passionate communities and make a lasting impression through immersive storytelling that forms deeper connections. Read more about the partnership with Wounded Warrior Project here.
Hosted By
Marcia Lesser
Head of RYOT Studio
Verizon Media
Marcia is the Head of RYOT Studio, the in-house branded content division of Verizon Media. In this role she oversees a multi-disciplinary strategy, creative, production and operations team that design and execute innovative content experiences for brands.
Prior to overseeing RYOT Studio, Marcia was the Director of Brand Strategy & Sales at HuffPost where she led the development of content partnerships for a diverse set of brands including Goldman Sachs, Johnson & Johnson and Marriott. She started her digital advertising career at Forbes, where she held a variety of sales and marketing positions for their flagship website Forbes.com.
Featuring
Kelly Brockmeier
Director Public Relations & Social Media Wounded Warrior Project
Kelly Brockmeier is a communications professional with a background in marketing, PR & broadcast journalism. She currently serves as the Director of PR & Social Media for Wounded Warrior Project. Prior to WWP, she worked in healthcare marketing and TV news. Her journalism background has led her to implement brand journalism initiatives at each of the purpose-based organizations she has had the privilege of serving.
Kelly studied journalism at Florida State University where she received her bachelor’s degree. She earned her master’s degree in Integrated Marketing & Communications from Northwestern University’s Medill School in 2019.
Sherry Sanderford
Public Relations Manager
Wounded Warrior Project
Sherry Sanderford is a strategic communications leader with extensive experience in corporate, health care, health technology and not-for-profit communications. She joined Wounded Warrior Project in March 2020 as the public relations manager where she leads the public relations team and oversees external communications and messaging for the organization.
Previously, Sherry founded S2 Communications & Consulting where she provided communications strategy and consulting, public relations, executive communications, and writing and editing to businesses, academic medicine and non-profit organizations. Sherry spent 20 years at Aetna/CVS Health, most recently as executive director, leading executive communications, internal communications, and public relations to drive brand reputation, employee engagement, media coverage and thought leadership for numerous business segments.
Kristyn Martin
Sr. Manager, Custom Content
Yahoo News
Kristyn Martin is the senior manager of custom content for Yahoo News, Yahoo Life, Yahoo Entertainment and MAKERS. She is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker with 20 years of experience in long-form storytelling and documentaries, live and breaking news, program development, franchise branding, talent development, digital and large-scale televised events. Over the course of her career she’s collaborated with some of the most respected on-air journalists in television including Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Ali Velshi.
Since joining Yahoo News in June 2018, Kristyn developed and produced a news video series for women, by women called “Through Her Eyes,” hosted by humanitarian and women’s rights advocate Zainab Salbi. She led an all-woman team to explore crucial news issues of the day through the lens of strong, influential women who are leaders in their fields. She also directed and produced a documentary called “Baby Brain,” exploring breakthrough new science that could change the lives of some of America’s most vulnerable: single mothers living below the poverty line and their children. In 2020 she won a Gracies Award for Online Producer for her work.
Kate Moran
Producer/Editor
RYOT Studio
Based in New York, Kate Moran is a multi-medium producer and artist with extensive and diverse industry experience. Along with graduating from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, Moran has studied at Stella Adler Studio, Stonestreet Studios, and the Peoples Improv Theater. Moran is the director of the award-winning short film,“Are You Afraid of the ’90s?”, starring Heather Matarazzo. She is also the co-founder and vice president of Nasty Women Unite Fest, a non-profit intersectional feminist arts festival raising funds for the ACLU. Currently she works as a producer/editor for RYOT Studio, creating thoughtful and dynamic custom content for Verizon Media publishers such as Yahoo Finance and Huffpost, and directs and produces sketch and stand-up comedy events in her spare time.
