Our Team
Trina DasGupta Pillay
Co-Creator / Executive Producer / Creative Director
Trina DasGupta Pillay is a Cannes Lions, Webby Award and NAB Innovation Prize-winning producer, writer, director, who has specific expertise in behavior-change communications. She has produced original content in 12 languages across television, live events and digital; led a global program to close the technology gender gap with then U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton; and created the world's first mobile social network dedicated to HIV prevention. Trina’s clients have included Viacom, Girls Who Code, the Apollo Theater, Sesame Workshop and STX Entertainment among many others.
Jessica Pilot
Co-Creator / Talent Booker
Jessica Pilot is an entertainment industry tastemaker having discovered and booked top talent for ten years. Most recently, Jessica has spearheaded and produced the comedic talent at The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and CBS Studios. She has also done casting for NBC, Comedy Central, Netflix, Vice and more. Currently Jessica is developing podcasts for LAist Studios, the studio arm of LA’s #1 NPR station, KPCC and is the go-to booker for non-profit, as well as corporate, events for top organizations such as Comic Relief’s Red Nose Day and Meals on Wheels.
Lauren Abelin
Head of SEL
Lauren's work is dedicated to researching and developing effective programs to help children, teens and adults increase emotional awareness, manage stress and personally flourish. Lauren has trained hundreds of educators and thousands of students to manage their emotions through Social Emotional Learning programs she has designed or co-designed. Her skillset and wisdom was gained over the last 8 years, as Social Emotional Learning Specialist, Program Developer and co-founder of GROW, a girls leadership and empowerment program, and she continues to create SEL and mindfulness content, techniques and tools with the aim of ensuring these valuable lessons can reach more people both inside and outside of the classroom.
Stephanie Bagley
Head of Community
Stephanie believes deeply in the power of social media for good, especially democratizing mental health support. She is a startup exec, consultant, investor, advisor and meditation guide, who has helped scale many startups and communities from the ground up. She was previously COO at Frequency and Charity Miles and the 5th hire at RebelMouse and VaynerMedia—the first agency to launch social media for brands as a business. She lives in the woods in the Catskills with her husband and two rescue dogs.
Meira Bennett
Community Manager
Creator, connector, and lover of puns, Meira is a marketing professional who develops authentic messaging and meaningful content for early-stage start-ups. She can be found exploring coniferous forests, surf towns, and experiential art exhibits, as well as (famously) baking mouthwatering focaccia.
Samantha Johnson
Community Manager
Samantha Johnson is a native of Kentucky, a mother, and advocate for social change with an experiential marketing and events background. She has made a commitment to not only reaching back into her community, but actively committed to amplifying voices within marginalized spaces.
Joseph Purfield
Creative Producer
Joseph Purfield is a Director and Producer with in-depth experience across documentary film, television and branded entertainment. He has worked on global television shows like The Great British Bake Off and The X Factor, as well as for internationally acclaimed networks such as the BBC, ITV, Bravo and MTV Networks. His documentary projects include BBC1's New York Hijabis, examining what it is to be Muslim living in Trump's America; and he has directed award-winning commercials and corporate films for renowned brands such as Philips, Masterclass and Mercedes. Joseph is also passionate about telling LGBTQIA+ stories and queer representation.
Nick Detisch
Video Editor
Nick is a video editor with a passion for telling emotionally engaging stories. Starting his career as a producer/editor, Nick has worked on feature narrative films, documentaries, music videos and short form web content. In addition to his producing and editing work, he also served as Post Production Supervisor at Lorne Michaels' digital comedy studio Above Average.
Ryan Maslyn
Director of Photography
Ryan is a Director of Photography based in Los Angeles and New York. He runs a production company called Housebar Productions. His passion for filmmaking has led him around the world and back to tell people’s stories.