Preservica RG 009.02 Alumni Engagement

Overview D Simpson's relationship with 88.9FM WERS started off the way anyone's might: by listening. From a teenage fan tuning in from Mattapan to becoming on-air talent while a student, D's relationship with Boston's beloved station has grown and transformed over the years. He later stepped on as the Operations Manager and now serves as its General Manager. Georgette knows better than anyone how special D is, having been mentored by him while at Emerson herself. The pair reunite to talk about the...

Overview Jill Bream is known for dressing funny people - whether it be the many stars who cycle through SNL or the hilarious cast of 'The Other Two,' it's Jill's costuming that brings the characters to life and enhances the hilarity that ensues. She and Georgette chat about her clothing-filled journey from Gabriel Brother's (now Gabe's) in Ohio to Boylston Street to the bright lights of '30 Rock' - as well as her alum husband, their proposal story, the importance of keeping track of your receipts,...

Overview Trustee Traci Blackwell has spent years nurturing the television shows you love - from 'Girlfriends' to 'Supernatural' to 'Jane the Virgin,' Traci was there every day, season to season, shepherding production. After 14 years at the CW, she leveled up in her career again - this time as an EVP of Scripted Programming for the BET network. Her secret? It's a climb. Georgette talks with her all about the rung-to-rung journey up that ladder, advice to pay more attention to your personal life, and...

Overview Being at Emerson gave Andrew Siañez-De La O tons of hands-on experience in all areas of theater, but penning the stories you see on stage is what captured his heart and talents. Having since expanded their horizons to include audio drama, Andrew's magic power is simple: telling good stories. Andrew and Georgette deep dive into what makes characters authentic, Andrew's playwriting fellowship at The Huntington, and a forthcoming audio adaptation of his play, 'The Ortiz Twins Are Coming Home,'...

Overview Deborah Feingold's 40-year career as a photographer started during her days at Emerson College. It was a perfect recipe: the dashed dream of becoming an actor, a job in a camera shop on Boylston Street, and Stephen Shipps, the professor who changed her life forever. Since then, she has taken so many iconic shots of major figures from Madonna to President Obama. Deborah and Georgette chat about building up your confidence, wishing she wasn't so angry in her young adulthood, and the importance...

Overview Matt Labov may have wanted to become a sportscaster while at Emerson, but he's made quite the career for himself representing all sorts of people and projects as one of Hollywood's veteran publicists. He's worked with clients ranging from video games to country music but carved out a unique space for himself working with A-list comedians. Georgette and Matt talk about finding your niche, rejection building character, avoiding the shoulda-coulda-woulda by taking risks, and above all else, the...

Overview Hunter Harris always knew her future would involve writing, but came to Emerson thinking she would become a "serious Watergate reporter." What she ended up discovering was that both what she liked AND did best had everything to do with pop culture and entertainment. In our season finale episode, Hunter gets meta with Georgette about the challenges and joys of interviewing others while being interviewed herself. The two talk about her Substack newsletter, the decision to go freelance, and how...

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A podcast series by the Emerson College Alumni Association with Emerson alumni about how they are succeeding in building careers in different industries.

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Zach Kornfeld studied video production at Emerson, and now? He tries EVERYTHING. A member of the beloved YouTube channel turned multi-media franchise, The Try Guys, Zach uses his Emerson degree every day — but he's not doing it alone, and in fact, recommends strongly against doing just that when the power of collaboration is immeasurable. Recorded July 25, 2022.

Overview Pamela Zapata is a powerhouse who can do it all, but in running a business, she's learned the hard way that just because you can, doesn't mean you should. But before all that, she was Georgette's supervisor at WERS. After a decade of not seeing one another, the pair catches up to talk about training a team remotely, finding the confidence to negotiate your salary and making the decision to let go of perfection for the sake of progress (AND saving yourself in the process). Recorded on July,...

Overview David Yoon tells lies for a living. He's been chasing the feeling of making his entire class laugh at a story in the 3rd grade, and with time, talent, and a little luck, has 4 different titles with his name on the spine in any given bookstore. Alongside his wife, Nicola, who he met at Emerson, the writer power couple has set forth on a journey to help other POC writers tell love stories for their imprint, Joy Revolution. Dave talks with Georgette about everything from the importance of...

Overview For a Making it Big first, we have a dynamic duo who first became friends while at Emerson. From Boylston Street to Sunset Boulevard, Dominique and Quinn's decade-long friendship laid the foundation for their creative, working relationship, as they embark on making a travel-dating show together. The pair discuss inspiration versus comparison, how to keep your creative fire lit when it feels like the world is trying to snuff you out, and what it's like to create work with your friends after...

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Shanaé Burch is a storyteller at heart and is now using her roots in the theater to revive health and reconcile hearts while pursuing an EdD in Public Health at Columbia University. Her path may seem like a winding one but as she shares her experiences on the stage, in the classroom and as a co-editor of Poetry for the Public’s Health, you’ll find that this Emerson alum is a living embodiment of our motto, Innovation in Communication and the Arts. Recorded on August 2, 2022.

Overview After earning a reputation as a feel-good news anchor, Dion Lim found her serious side in the wake of the pandemic and the rise in violence and bigotry toward the AAPI community. On the surface, she might have a perfect smile, hairdo, and face of makeup -- in addition to an aesthetically pleasing Zoom backdrop -- but make no mistake, Dion is so much more than the face you see on your TV. She and Georgette delve into her life as a reporter, her new role as author and how some of the most...

Overview Alan Gwizdowski started out shooting skateboarding videos with his high school buddies before he found himself at Emerson College. It was there that he met some new friends, specifically Dan Perrault ‘09 and Tony Yacenda ‘10, who he’s continued to work with, mostly recently on the Paramount+ series, Players. Alan and Georgette wax poetic about the advice he'd give his younger self, his “holy shit” moment working in television, and lessons he learned the hard way. Recorded on September 19,...

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Donzaleigh Abernathy chose Emerson because she wanted to go to school where people would learn and know her name. Flash forward after many years as a working actress, activist, and writer, and people in airports know her name! She joins Georgette to talk about life as an artist, growing up during the Civil Rights movement with its creators, and the importance of the connections she made during her Emerson days. Recorded on August 9, 2022.

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A podcast series by the Emerson College Alumni Association with Emerson alumni about how they are succeeding in building careers in different industries.

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Evy entered Emerson as a marketing student and left an entrepreneur - for life! She and Georgette discuss the cultural inspiration behind Evy Tea, and get candid about navigating the entrepreneurial reigns as a woman of color, the challenges she faced raising capital, and one thing she wouldn't compromise on. Recorded on April 23, 2023.

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Jasmine is a multidisciplinary artist in all the ways. She's a DJ, an on camera and radio host, a cultural organizer, just to name a few. Georgette and Jasmine both have deep WERS roots, fun fact: Jasmine created The Secret Spot, and they wax poetic on her journey building a career around music and activism, her new work-life balance, and advice she'd give her younger Emerson self. Recorded on March 29, 2023.

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Madeline was on her way to becoming a published author before she completed her MFA. She shares how writing her debut novel, The Golden Season, became a form of liberation for her navigating the intersection of queerness and faith, and how her forthcoming novel, Today, Tonight, Forever, showed the lessons she learned on becoming traditionally published, how she freed herself through writing, and advocating for the LGBTQ+ community personally and artistically. Recorded on March 22, 2023.