WHAT’S MAKING US LAUGH?

CATY BORUM

Caty Borum is Executive Director of the Center for Media u0026amp; Social Impact. a creative innovation lab and research center based at American University that creates and studies entertainment for social change; and the Provost Associate Professor in AU’s School of Communication. She is an award-winning media producer, scholar, and author of three books about entertainment media and social change: A Comedian and An Activist Walk Into a Bar: The Serious Role of Comedy in Social Justice with co-author Lauren Feldman (foreword by Norman Lear, University of California Press); The Revolution Will Be Hilarious: Comedy for Social Change and Civic Power (NYU Press), published in February 2023; and Story Movements: How Documentaries Empower People and Inspire Social Change (Oxford University Press). In 2021, she won American University’s annual “Outstanding Scholarship, Research, Creative Activity, and Other Professional Contributions Award,” a refereed honor that recognizes extraordinary faculty achievement. In 2020, she was nationally recognized as one of DOC NYC’s “New Documentary Leaders” industry list. As a documentary producer, her films and TV programs have aired internationally and nationally, across TV, streaming, and theaters. Under Professor Borum’s leadership, CMSI founded and co-directs several large-scale national and international comedy programs: Yes, And Laughter, a first-of-its-kind creative incubator of comedy for social justice in partnership with Hollywood and social justice groups, co-directed with cultural agency Moore + Associates; and, with co-creator Bethany Hall, a program that brings together professional comedians and human rights organizations for comedy co-creation, convenings, and research; and, in collaboration with clean energy nonprofit organization Gen180, the Climate Comedy Cohort. Prior to her career at American University, she was Senior Vice President in the Social Impact Group at FleishmanHillard International Communications, where she and her team received the Public Relations Society of America’s prestigious Silver Anvil Award for Public Service; philanthropy director and producer with legendary TV producer Norman Lear; Program Officer in Entertainment Media; Public Health at the Kaiser Family Foundation; and fellow in civic journalism at Philadelphia Inquirer.

ROB LONG

Rob Long is a writer and producer in Hollywood. He began his career writing and producing TV’s long-running “Cheers,” and served as co-executive producer in its final season. During his time on the series, “Cheers” received two Emmy Awards, and two Golden Globe awards. Mr. Long has been twice nominated for an Emmy Award, and has received a Writers Guild of America award. He continues to work in film and television in Los Angeles and New York.rnrnHe is the co-founder of the podcast network Ricochet. Along with a series of podcasts that garner four to five million downloads per month, it’s alsonan online community for discussion and conversation from the center/right perspective.rnrnHis weekly podcast, Martini Shot, is available here and all podcast platforms. He writes regularly for The Washington Examiner and Commentary Magazine, and had been a Contributing Editor at National Review since 1993.rnrnIn recent years, he has been a columnist at The Spectator (London), The National (Abu Dhabi’s English-language newspaper), and The Observer.rnrnHis first book, Conversations with My Agent, chronicled his early career in television. It was published in the UK by Faber u0026amp; Faber, in the US by Dutton, and in France by Actes Sud. His second book, Set Up, Joke, Set Up, Joke, was published in November 2005 by Bloomsbury.rnrnHis most recent book is Bigly: Donald Trump in Verse, published in October 2017 by Regnery.rnrnMr. Long graduated from Yale University, and spent two years at UCLA School of Film, Theater and Television, where he occasionally serves as an Adjunct Professor of Screenwriting. He serves as co-president on the Board of Directors of My Friend’s Place, an agency for homeless teens in Hollywood and is on the board of the American Cinema Foundation. He’s also an active and passionate member of the Southern Foodways Alliance.rnrnOn Twitter and Instagram, he’s rcbl.

KARITH FOSTER

u003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003eFor over a decade, Karith Foster has given presentations and training at top companies like Estée Lauder Companies, Berkshire Hathaway companies, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and top law firms like Fenwick u0026amp; West. She has spoken at academic institutions including Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Brown University and Emerson University. Her expertise is also sought after by industry associations like SHRM, CTIA, the US Chamber of Commerce, and the US Institute for Legal Reform. Karith has also shared a stage with Brené Brown at SHRM’s 2019 national conference, emceed SHRM’s 2022 conference, introducing Arianna Huffington and former President George W. Bush, and has been a repeat lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Business for nine years.  u003c/spanu003ernrnu003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003eBefore founding INVERSITY’s groundbreaking diversity and belonging programs, Karith worked in Human Resources at Estée Lauder’s corporate headquarters for a decade after a career in broadcast journalism at ABC’s The View. Notably, Karith co-hosted MSNBC’s Imus in the Morning nationally syndicated show, was featured in two hit documentary films, and her TEDx talk u0022The Art of Defying Stereotypes,u0022 received accolades in The Washington Post and TIME Magazine. Her 25-year passion for stand-up comedy led to TV and radio appearances on Oprah, The Today Show, and Comedy Central. Karith is an alumna of Stephens College and Oxford University.u003c/spanu003ernrnu003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003eAs a speaker, humorist, diversity expert and bestselling author of You Can Be Perfect or You Can Be Happy, Karith creates seismic shifts in DEIB through INVERSITY’s methodology. Her blend of wisdom and humor inspires audiences to commit to inclusion and belonging. As CEO of INVERSITY Solutions and founder of non-profit F.R.A.M.E., Karith leverages her background in media, HR and comedy to transform challenging conversations into opportunities for growth, embracing her motto: u0022u003c/spanu003eu003cbu003eIf you can laugh at it, you can get through itu003c/bu003eu003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003eu0022 – an invaluable lesson she seeks to instill in others.u003c/spanu003e

PEDRO SILVA

u003cp class=u0022p1u0022u003ePedro Silva has been a conscious student of the human experience for most of his life. Fascinated by what makes us do what we do, he has studied culture and human motivation from a variety of angles.u003c/pu003ernu003cp class=u0022p1u0022u003eLeveraging his upbringing as a multi-hyphenate American, he took his exposure to the many races, cultures, and beliefs that informed his worldview and developed a relational framework that facilitates navigating a variety of contexts. In his evolving career in spaces as diverse as Military Intelligence and ministry, he cultivated an understanding of how culture is often the silent communicator in most human interactions. And how, when unexamined, can unconsciously hinder relational progress.u003c/pu003ernu003cp class=u0022p1u0022u003eHe further refined this understanding through his linguistic studies at the Defense Language Institute, a certification in Diversity Training Management, and through earning his M.Div from Andover Newton Theological School. But, it was serving as a pastor for a decade, working with people in every station of society, that convinced Mr. Silva of the power of narrative structure to shape or shackle people, either binding us to a futureless story doomed to repeating the past, or liberating us from those binds and inviting us into an ever-evolving story replete with relational possibilities.u003c/pu003ernu003cp class=u0022p1u0022u003eNow, in his work outside of the pulpit, Pedro’s concentrating his talents on helping people move beyond the stories that no longer serve them, their families, and their communities so that we can recreate a story that brings us closer to one another, wherever we come from. He currently serves as the Director of Engagement at u003ca href=u0022https://www.younify.org/u0022u003eu003cspan class=u0022s1u0022u003eYOunifyu003c/spanu003eu003c/au003e.u003c/pu003e

BLAKE PICKENS

Blake Pickens is an Emmy Award winning Chickasaw comedian and filmmaker. Blake began his career writing satire for The National Lampoon, where he published numerous featured articles.rnHe is a part of A Tribe Called Sketch, the first all Native American sketch show on a US SecondrnCity Stage. He can be seen performing stand up all over LA. Blake was selected for the Time Warner Sundance Native Producing Lab and Fellowship and the Sundance Producing Fellowship for his film, THE LAND. The film premiered in 2016 at the Sundance Film Festival and was released theatrically by IFC Films. Blake has produced content with a focus on diversity and inclusion, ranging from feature films to commercials and music videos. He has produced commercials that have won a Grand Prix at Cannes Lions two years in a row (2017, 2018), and won a 2018 Emmy for his Pu0026amp;G commercial, THE TALK. He also won an MTV VMA for his work on John Legend’s music video, SUREFIRE. His second feature film as a producer, WILD INDIAN, with Michael Greyeyes and Jesse Eisenberg premiered at Sundance 2021. Blake was also selected for the inaugural 2020 Sundance Indigenous Intensive for his comedy pilot, THE WILDEST WEST, which was also selected for the Black List’s Indigenous List. He wrote on the Rugrats reboot for Nickelodeon and wrote on Spirit Rangers for Netflix. He isrncurrently in post production on THE ROOF for Disney+/Launchpad, writing on Rubble u0026amp; Crewrnfor Nick Jr, directing a short as part of the Disney/AFI Underrepresented Filmmakers Initiative, and is part of Illuminative’s Producers Program. Blake is a graduate of the Peter Stark Producing Program at USC, has an MBA from LMU, and is also a graduate of the University of Oklahoma.

TANE DANGER

u003cp class=u0022p1u0022u003eTane Danger is on a mission to make good things fun. He’s a professional improv comedian with a master’s in public policy. He is an interviewer, event host, media personality, and keynote speaker. Tane is the co-founder of Danger Boat Productions and host of its nationally renowned civics-inspired improv comedy show, The Theater of Public Policy. At each show, he interviews newsmakers, policy-wonks, and big thinkers on issues ranging from education policy to the farm bill. Then the show’s cast of improvisers take everything that’s been said and turns it into entirely unscripted improv comedy theater. The result is what the Star Tribune described as “C-SPAN invaded by the cast of SNL.”u003c/pu003ernu003cp class=u0022p1u0022u003eTane designed and teaches a class called Serious Play for the Mayo Clinic Center for Humanities in Medicine. The class uses improv to teach students new ways to be empathetic, collaborative, and caring with patients and colleagues. Tane also created and taught a class for the University of Minnesota School of Design called’ Improvisation for Design.’ The class explores how the tools improvisers use can help anyone be more creative, communicative, and cooperative. In workshops and keynote talks, Tane uses his background in improv comedy to help folks practice communication, collaboration, and creativity differently. He’s taught improv for better communication to everyone from healthcare executives to Lutheran bishops.u003c/pu003ernu003cp class=u0022p1u0022u003eHe is a regular contributor to Almanac, the weekly public affairs program on Twin Cities Public Television. He is also a go-to moderator for public events and discussions for everyone from the Minneapolis Federal Reserve to the University of Minnesota. In 2023, he moderated a widely covered unscripted interview with former U.S. Representative Liz Cheney for the UofM. Tane is also well known as ‘the bus guy!’ In 2019 Tane began working with Minnesotaâ’s Metro Transit on a web series called, ‘Hey! Where Does This Bus Go?’ In each episode, Tane rides a local bus route from start to finish, noting landmarks along the way and chatting with riders. The series demystifies each bus route and changes people’s perception of who rides the bus.u003c/pu003ernu003cp class=u0022p1u0022u003eFrom 2020-2024, Tane served as director and eventually moderator of the Westminster Town Hall Forum, the Upper Midwest’s largest national speaker series. In that role he interviewed legendary journalists Michele Norris and Kara Swisher, comedian Nancy Giles, LGBTQ-rights activist Raquel Willis and economics and China expert Dr. Keyu Jin.u003c/pu003ernu003cp class=u0022p1u0022u003eIn 2014, Tane won a fellowship from the St. Paul-based Bush Foundation. The Bush Fellowship helped Tane earn a Master’s of Public Policy from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs. In a self-designed concentration, Tane looked at how improv theater could inform and improve politics and public policy.u003c/pu003ernu003cp class=u0022p1u0022u003eIn addition to being on stage and in front of the camera himself, he regularly produces events for both nonprofit and corporate clients. Tane is a trustee of his undergraduate alma mater, Gustavus Adolphus College.u003c/pu003e

DR. DAVE CAPLAN, PHD

Writer and Executive Producer Dave Caplan has enjoyed a career in network prime-time television and feature films that spans more than 30 years. He is currently writer/Executive Producer and co-showrunner of ABC’s “The Conners,” and previously served as writer and Co-Executive Producer on the acclaimed “Roseanne” revival. That show was the highest-rated scripted show in a decade.rnrnAmong ABC’s other shows that Caplan has written and executive produced are “George Lopez,” “The Drew Carey Show” (showrunner), “Norm,” starring Norm MacDonald, and the ‘90s cult hit “Dinosaurs.” He was also writer/Executive Producer/co-showrunner of the FX series “Anger Management.” His other notable shows include “Parker Lewis Can’t Lose” and TNT’s police/medical drama “Rizzoli and Isles.” Caplan has been signed to several exclusive talent deals with major studios, where he developed new shows and consulted on numerous others. He has won numerous awards, including the Humanitas certificate and Environmental Media Award. Caplan has been quoted in many national publications and blogs, including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Forbes, Entertainment Tonight Online, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, CinemaBlend, The Wrap, Refinery 29 and several others.rnrnCaplan holds a PhD in Psychology, focusing on media-related issues, from Fielding Graduate University. Having conducted original research into story’s influence on audience empathy, he regularly speaks at schools and universities on topics ranging from media and news literacy to audience psychology and narrative persuasion. Caplan is an advisor to the Civic Health Project, which aims to decrease toxic partisanship and polarization.rnrnCaplan is represented by management agency Odenkirk-Provissiero Entertainment.

BRANDON BOAT

Brandon Boat is one of the co-founders of Danger Boat Productions, which produces The Theater of Public Policy. Since 2011, he’s produced and performed at over 700 shows and events around the country. He has entertained and educated experts and novices alike using unscripted theater. rnrnBrandon has a strong commitment to public service in his background, whether it was working with the Center for Victims of Torture, at an affordable housing site with AmeriCorps, teaching English in Busan, South Korea, or advocating for community college students at LeadMN.rnrnHe has held numerous artistic residencies, including at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Central College, St. Johns and St. Benedict’s University, and Carleton College. He is also a winner of the Knight Foundation’s Knight Arts Challenge. rnrnHe graduated with a B.A. in History from Gustavus Adolphus College.rnrnHe currently lives in Minneapolis with his wife Ashley, his two sons Arie and Malcolm, and a french bulldog named Kimchi.rn

ROB FELD

u003cp class=u0022p1u0022u003eRob Feld is a filmmaker and journalist in New York. His recent documentary, Jesters and Fools, interweaves the social science of Duke professor Chris Bail and the observations of comedians Colin Quinn, Mo Amer, Jim Norton, Rosebud Baker, Nathan Macintosh, andu003c/pu003ernu003cp class=u0022p1u0022u003eDean Edwards to reveal the truth that America is not nearly as polarized as our media landscape would have us believe. It can be seen at www.jestersandfools.com. Rob’s first dramatic short film, Love, Lots of It, starred Campbell Scott, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and was acquired for distribution. The second short film he directed, Sandu003c/pu003ernu003cp class=u0022p1u0022u003eCastle, had its international premiere at the TIFF Kids International Film Festival. As a journalist, Feld hosted and produced Day for Night, a series of film screening events with filmmaker and actor interviews streamable on THE HUFFINGTON POST. He is a contributing writer to the DGA QUARTERLY, WRITTEN BY magazine andu003c/pu003ernu003cp class=u0022p1u0022u003eCINEMONTAGE, where his interviews with noted filmmakers publish regularly. Feld has appeared as a commentator on Entertainment Tonight, is a contributing editor of Newmarket Press’ SHOOTING SCRIPT book series, and has also written for AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER. Feld regularly directs and produces content for creative agenciesu003c/pu003ernu003cp class=u0022p1u0022u003eand private clients.  As head of production at Manifesto Films, he was associate producer ofu003c/pu003ernu003cp class=u0022p1u0022u003eMichael Rymer’s Sundance Film Festival film Perfume, starring Michelle Williams, Rita Wilson, Jeff Goldblum, Jared Harris, Mariel Hemingway, Leslie Mann, Paul Sorvino, and others. Feld is an Adjunct Instructor of screenwriting and directing at New York University,u003c/pu003ernu003cp class=u0022p1u0022u003ea proud Starts With Us Movement Partner, and a graduate of Cornell University.u003c/pu003e

TRYGVE THRONTVEIT

STEVEN OLIKARA

Steven Olikara is a nationally recognized changemaker, political commentator, and entrepreneur. He serves as the President of Bridge Entertainment Labs (BEL), dedicated to harnessing the power of culture-shifting entertainment media to transform the divisions in America and create a healthier democracy. He is also the Founder u0026amp; Former CEO of Future Caucus (formerly Millennial Action Project), the largest nonpartisan organization of young elected leaders in the U.S. Steven’s political commentary and analysis have been featured on CNN, NBC News, Fox News, NPR, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, USA Today, and more. He recently made history as the first South Asian candidate for U.S. Senate in Wisconsin, garnering national attention for his debate performance and fresh approach to politics. Steven’s journey is featured in the documentary film, “The Reunited States,” on Amazon Prime and PBS.rnrnSteven is a frequent speaker on leadership, democracy, and political bridge-building at venues such as the Aspen Ideas Festival, Harvard’s Institute of Politics, SXSW, the National Press Club, the Sundance Film Festival, the White House, and the United Nations. In 2018, he was invited to testify before Congress on issues facing young entrepreneurs and gig economy workers. He also hosted the podcast series, “Meeting in Middle America,” featuring guests such as Oscar-winning screenwriter John Ridley, former U.S. Senator Russ Feingold, and Emmy-winning comedian Charlie Berens. An avid musician, Steven is a former radio DJ in his hometown of Milwaukee, WI, and co-author of the book, “JFK: The Last Speech,” on the role of artists in democracy.rnrnPreviously, Steven has advised two multi-platinum recording artists on youth empowerment and sustainable energy, including Akon Lighting Africa which electrified over 1 million homes in Africa with solar power. He serves on numerous boards and commissions focused on causes he is passionate about: human rights, democracy, national service, and the performing arts. A proud alum of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Steven has won numerous awards, including Forbes Magazine’s 2017 30 Under 30 in Law u0026amp; Policy, the World Economic Forum’s Global Shaper designation, and the Truman Scholarship.

LIBBY STEGGER

Libby is a social entrepreneur committed to improving community outcomes by fueling innovations that work. In 2020, Libby founded Move for America to tackle our nation’s growing polarization and culture of division. Move for America equips young adults across urban and rural Minnesota to be civic bridge builders through immersive and experiential learning opportunities.rnrnThroughout her career, Libby has led high growth initiatives in K12 education and domestic hunger relief. Libby holds a BA in political science from Davidson College and an MBA from Yale University. She lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota with her husband and four daughters.