Project Title:
KQED x New Media Ventures
Strategic Production and Communications
The Context:
In 2024, New Media Ventures hosted a pivotal summit in collaboration with KQED, uniting filmmakers, activists, and investors to spotlight diverse voices in media innovation. Human Impact Solutions (HIS) was engaged to design and manage integrated communications, PR strategy, and onsite production for the two-day event, ensuring that every component, from brand storytelling to live execution, aligned with the mission of amplifying equity and justice through media.
The Challenge
The Summit involved creating a live, multicultural storytelling environment while protecting the time, dignity, and experience of artists and speakers, many of whom were underrepresented voices. Managing strategic PR for media exposure, coordinating numerous stakeholders (performers, filmmakers, AV teams, leadership), and adjusting production schedules quickly posed complex logistical and reputational risks. Ensuring smooth, respectful transitions between performances and expanding the Summit’s impact across digital, media, and live channels were essential priorities.
The Approach
In my role as the lead communications and production partner at Human Impact Solutions, I functioned as a strategic liaison among New Media Ventures, KQED, and the broader Summit production team. From the outset, I emphasized the importance of operational efficiency and the visibility of underrepresented speakers and artists, ensuring that their narratives were not only conveyed but also safeguarded and elevated. Behind the scenes, I coordinated audiovisual and event operations in alignment with the principles of inclusion and precision, effectively managing real-time adjustments in speaker scheduling, stage transitions, and technical setups. In instances where the schedule adjusted or production pressures intensified, I advocated for the presence of speakers and the integrity of their performances, all while maintaining the professionalism and timing of the event. As press engagement increased, I contributed to the refinement of onsite storytelling, ensuring resonance in digital and media contexts, thereby integrating event flow and narrative impact into a unified experience.
The Impact
The Summit effectively honored the identities and intentions of each speaker and performer, resulting in an experience that was both well-organized and emotionally impactful. By prioritizing storytelling in our execution, we ensured that filmmakers, activists, and culture-shapers received uninterrupted opportunities on stage, thereby reinforcing NMV’s position as a leader in justice-focused media innovation. Our strategic adaptability in backstage operations and our strong communication leadership facilitated international media coverage, enhanced community engagement, and established a replicable model for future events. Consequently, the outcome was not merely a well-managed summit; it was a compelling illustration of how values-driven production, equity-informed communications, and operational agility can coexist and mutually enhance one another.