Brett Pierce is a program developer, producer, educator and writer who has spent over 30 years working in media production that engages and entertains around a defined curriculum. Brett is the founder and Executive Director of Meridian Stories, a digital storytelling nonprofit for middle and high schoolers, now in its tenth year. This work has led to a book deal with Heinemann Publishing about the educational efficacy of digital storytelling.
Brett is the Co-Executive Producer of two radio dramas: Hirka Nabadda (Wave of Peace) in Somalia and Sawa Shabab (Together Youth), targeting youth in South Sudan, which recently concluded its fourth season. He recently completed four years as Co-Executive Producer of a ground-breaking TV series for Iraqi teens called Salam Shabab (Peace, Youth). All three programs were sponsored by the US Institute of Peace and PeaceTech Lab.
Brett has spent most of his professional life at Sesame Workshop in New York City, serving as Executive Producer on media projects about early childhood education, ESL, math, science and conflict-resolution for youth around the world, including projects in China, Macedonia, Indonesia, Poland, Mexico, Cyprus and Ecuador. Most recently for Sesame Workshop, Brett was the Executive Director of a multi-lingual global citizenry initiative for preschoolers called Panwapa and in 2016, led a team from Sesame and the International Rescue Committee to the Semi-Finalist Stage in MacArthur Foundation's 100 million dollar challenge grant, '100 and Change' (which they ultimately won). Brett just completed working with the Abu Dhabi-based Executive Team on the latest production of Sesame Street in the United Arab Emirates, Iftah Ya Simsim and is currently working for National Geographic, writing their first digital storytelling courses.
Brett holds Masters Degrees from Middlebury College and Columbia University, and a BA from Kenyon College. Brett teaches an annual intensive course on 'Developing Media for Social Change' at Colby College, was a Visiting Fellow at Santa Clara University in 2018, and is a frequent presenter at local conferences about digital storytelling, education and media for social change. Brett lives with his wife and family in Freeport, Maine.
Kerry Michaels is a photographer, writer, and multimedia producer. She has photographed five books including the award-winning titles, A Gateless Garden: Quotes by Maine Women Writers, and The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables. Her photographs have been seen in Country Gardens, Fine Gardening, ChopChop and Coastal Home. For 8 years she was the photographer/writer for the internationally popular website, The Spruce: Container Gardening, with over 39 million page views. Kerry was the co-producer/director of the award-winning documentary film, River of Steel. Her script television writing credits include the 20th Century with Mike Wallace, Sesame Workshop, Disney, and Hearst New Media.
Kerry continues to contribute her writing, production and, most recently, her photographic expertise to the impactful work of Steel River Productions.
Website: flyingpointphotography.com
Instagram: @kerrymi
Twitter: @containergarden
Facebook: @flyingpointphotography