Staff

View the Planet Forward Staff

Frank Sesno – Host and Founder

Frank Sesno is Director of the School of Media and Public Affairs at The George Washington University, an Emmy-award winning journalist, and host and creator of Planet Forward.

Sesno’s diverse career spans over 30 years of experience, including 21 years at CNN where Sesno served as White House correspondent, anchor, and Washington Bureau Chief. He has recently hosted a ten-part series for public television that explores news and communication in the digital age titled, “The Future of News with Frank Sesno,” at the Newseum in Washington D.C.

Before joining CNN in 1984, Sesno worked as a radio correspondent at the White House and in London for the Associated Press. He has won several prestigious journalism awards, including an Emmy, several cable ACE awards, and an Overseas Press Club Award. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Sesno holds a Bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College.

Frank Sesno on Planet Forward

Fuzz Hogan – Executive Producer

Fuzz Hogan oversees all production, content and business affairs for Planet Forward. Before joining Planet Forward, he was Director of Communications for the education advocacy organization, Advance Illinois. Before that, he spent nearly 20 years at CNN. HIs last job was Midwest Bureau Chief, responsible for coordinating CNN coverage from the network’s bureaus in Chicago and Dallas, as well as coverage in the 14-state region. Previously, Hogan served as the director of coverage for CNN/U.S., responsible for the oversight of the network’s national desk and newsgathering. He has also served as an executive producer for CNN’s National Bureau in Atlanta, managing the work of the network’s Investigative Unit and coverage of the southeastern region of the United States. In 2002, he was co-Executive Producer of the network’s “Terror on Tape” series, which won a Peabody award.

Fuzz Hogan’s Profile

Susanna Murley – Web Manager

Susanna manages website and social media at Planet Forward and the Great Energy Challenge Blog on National Geographic. Prior to joining Planet Forward, she managed Online Campaigns for the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. She graduated with an M.A. in English Literature from the University of Delaware and a B.A. from St Olaf College in Minnesota.

Susanna Murley on Planet Forward

Charlie Rybak – Outreach Coordinator

Charlie graduated from The George Washington University with a degree in Political Communication. He is in charge of Planet Forward’s outreach operation, and talks to students, entrepreneurs, faculty, research teams, and non-profits to get them involved with the project. He is a proud native of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and once hit a half court shot at a GW basketball game.

Charlie Rybak on Planet Forward

Graduate Assistants

Max Burns - Social Media Associate

Max serves as a writer and social media marketing analyst for Planet Forward. His writing focuses on how the free market can promote the development and expansion of alternative energies. Max is also the editor of the virtual world research blog Pixels and Policy (www.pixelsandpolicy.com), with original research featured on BBC Online, Truthout, and Foreign Policy In Focus. Max is currently a graduate student in Media and Public Affairs at The George Washington University, and has an undergraduate degree in International Relations and Government from George Mason University.

 

Interns

Maddie Brennan – Social Media Intern

Maddie Brennan is currently a sophomore at George Washington University hoping to pursue a degree in both Sociology and Spanish. At Planet Forward she works to enhance online optimization through social media such as Twitter, Facebook and various blogs. She also plays a major role in creating Planet Forward’s weekly newsletter.

Jordan Petitt – Video Production Intern

Jordan is a senior at The George Washington University majoring in journalism and mass communication with a minor in political science. At Planet Forward, Jordan assists in producing weekly webisodes that spotlight the innovative ideas of members. She has a special interest in production, social media platforms, and attempting to be clever on her Twitter account.

Sandi Moynihan – Web Intern

Sandi is a junior at the The George Washington University majoring in journalism and mass communication. At Planet Forward, Sandi works to update the planetforward.org site, create new pages and streamline the site for an optimal user experience. Sandi plays varsity softball for GW, is a multimedia reporter for The GW Hatchet and loves to spend her free time catching up on Grey’s Anatomy, taking pictures and (much to her roommates’ dismay) concocting dangerously delicious experiments in her kitchen.

Planet Forward Alumni

Victoria Riess- Producer

Victoria produces the weekly webisodes that appear on Planet Forward’s homepage and showcase member videos. She also helps with Planet Forward’s productions for PBS’s Nightly Business Report. Victoria graduated from The George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs this past May with a BA in Political Communications. She is a Phi Beta Kappa and graduated summa cum laude. A piece Tori produced for Planet Forward while still an undergraduate won a Gracie Award from the Alliance for Women in Media.

Sarah Cahlan – Online Communications Intern

Sarah is a junior at the George Washington University majoring in Environmental Studies and Archaeology. At Planet Forward she works towards engaging and educating the public on issues of climate change, adaptation, sustainability, and other energy and environmental issues. She works towards these goals by maintaining the twitter page, facebook page, and other social media forums. Moreover, she is on the executive board of the Jane Goodall organization, Roots and Shoots which aims to link together people, animals, and the environment.

Kelsey Hamilton – Online Communications Intern

Kelsey is a senior at The George Washington University where she is pursuing a degree in International Affairs with a concentration in International Environmental Resources. At Planet Forward she helps promote web content through social media, using various outlets to increase traffic to our website and interaction with members through through twitter and our blog community.

Jen Wolfe – Video Production Intern

Jen Wolfe is a senior in the School of Media and Public Affairs at George Washington University. She is currently studying journalism and mass communications and has an interest in production. Jen spent last semester abroad in Amsterdam and will be interning with Planet Forward this semester as the journalism/production intern!

Joel Goldberg – Editorial Intern

Joel is a senior at The George Washington University majoring in Psychology with a minor in Journalism. He engages in organizational outreach and assists in Web site management, such as editing and publishing content to the Planet Forward homepage. He is a GW Hatchet staff writer and intramural sports fanatic, who has written a travel blog in Spanish. He grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, a hoagie’s throw away from Valley Forge National Historical Park.

Eve Chan – Online Communications Intern

Eve is a rising junior at The George Washington University majoring in Journalism and Mass Communication. She was born in San Francisco, California but grew up in Taipei, Taiwan her whole life before coming to college. At Planet Forward she works on finding ways to engage and inform the community on energy and environment issues through Facebook, Twitter, and other forms of online communication.

Zixiang (Max) Chen – Online Communications Intern

Zixiang (Max) Chen is a sophomore at The George Washington University where he is pursuing a major in Business Administration with concentrations in International Business and Business, Economics, and Public Policy. At Planet Forward he promotes web content through social media to actively engage members. Max, who is very involved with numerous student sustainability organizations, is also responsible for programming many events regarding campus sustainability.

Jacqueline Corba – Video Production Intern

Jacqueline Corba is a senior at The George Washington University where she is pursuing a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication with a minor in Art History. At Planet Forward she is helping produce in-house productions including weekly webisodes, PBS Nightly Business Report segments, and taping additional events around Washington D.C. She is from Greenwich, CT, Captain of the GW Women’s Varsity Tennis Team, and Vice President of GW’s Student Athlete Advisory Council.

Derek Scully – Video Production Intern

Derek Scully is a sophomore at Elon University majoring in Broadcast & New Media. At Planet Forward, he works in video production, helping to produce segments and webisodes, as well as coverage of events in the Washington D.C. area. Derek works in student television at Elon with a focus on comedy.

David Raish – Associate Editor

Dave assists with content and web management at Planet Forward in addition to covering energy and climate issues in the Pacific Northwest for the Planet Forward bog. He is a junior majoring in Journalism and Mass Communications at The George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs.

Marissa Glauberman – Global News Intern

Marissa Glauberman is a junior at The George Washington University where she is pursuing her degree in international affairs with a minor in journalism.. Since fall of 2010, she has worked at Planet Forward and focuses on the innovation round up and various blogs discussing environmental concerns. Before Planet Forward, Marissa spent time as an Intern at the World Council of Peoples for the United Nations and the Save Darfur Coalition in Washington D.C.

Carrie Winans – Online Communications Intern

Carrie Mae Winans is a sophomore at The George Washington University where she is pursuing her degree in political communications. Since January 2011, she has worked at Planet Forward with special focus on online social media connections. Before Planet Forward, Carrie spent her time as the moderator for the International Scholarship Laureate Program for Chinese Diplomacy facebook page and as a media intern for Manhattan Place Entertainment.

Sara Snyder – Video Production Intern

Sara Snyder is a sophomore at The George Washington University where she is pursuing her degree in political communications. As a video production intern, Sara helps produce the weekly webisodes, member videos, and the PBS Nightly Business Report. Sara also works as a Multimedia Reporter for the GW Hatchet and for GW as a Student Admissions Representative.

Kristina Sgueglia – Video Production Intern

Kristina Sgueglia is a senior at The George Washington University pursuing a degree in Communications with concentrations in Film Studies and Journalism. At Planet Forward she produces short documentaries, video-torials, and behind scenes videos. Her work has been featured on PBS Nightly Business Report. She attends local conferences and forums to interview energy experts and recruit members. Kristina is also Vice President and Social Media Co-Manager of the non-profit organization Danny’s Wish.

Kelsey Rohwer – Online Communications Intern

Kelsey Rohwer is a sophomore at the The George Washington University where she is pursuing her degree in Journalism. At Planet Forward she promotes our web content through a variety of social media spectrums and actively engages with our members. Kelsey also writes an opinions column for the GW Hatchet.

Devin Greene – Video Production Intern

Devin Greene is a junior at The George Washington University where he is pursuing a degree in Philosophy and Journalism. At Planet Forward he produces short documentaries, interviews, and behind-the-scenes videos. His work has been featured on PBS Nightly Business Report and the Pulitzer Center’s Project: Report film channel, and one of his videos was incorporated into a successful online activism campaign to bring recycling bins to D.C. graduation events.

Kathryn Brausch – Legal Research Intern

Kathryn is a first year law student at The George Washington University where she is focusing on environmental law. At Planet Forward she compiles basic information on trending topics in order to provide members with background information on those areas. Kathryn has B.S. in Biology from Stetson University and a M.S. in Environmental Toxicology from Texas Tech University.

Richard Martinelli – Legal Research Intern

Richard Martinelli provides user friendly background research about Planet Forward’s trending topics. As a recent alum of GW’s School of Media and Public Affairs and a current 2L at GW Law, he hopes to get more law students involved in Planet Forward. After graduating from law school, where he’s focusing on energy and the environment, he hopes to work in the clean energy industry.