Swarup nurtured Stark Communications Pvt. Ltd., from its inception in 1994 in Trivandrum, South India, to an agency recognized for its distinctive creative, work ethic, people-centric growth and outstanding client retention record. He played a key role in building the Kerala Tourism brand for two decades, actively partnering the brand’s journey from a non-entity to India’s No.1 tourism destination. Swarup’s tourism campaigns have consistently set benchmarks in the realm of destination marketing in India and won him many national and international awards.

Jessica works for the BBC World Service as the producer for National Public Radio’s London correspondent Frank Langfitt, contributing to NPR news programs such as Morning Edition and All Things Considered as well as podcasts from Planet Money’s the Indicator to Consider This. 

Prior to NPR, Jessica was a producer at BBC Radio 4, Radio 3, Radio 2, and produced podcasts including Beyond Today (BBC) and Heist with Michael Caine (Audible). Her work Radio 4’s World at One with host Mark Mardell has won a Gracie Award from the Alliance for Women in Media and the Association for International Broadcasting Award for News Reporting in Radio and Audio. 

Andrew Biggs is a five-time New York Festival winning audio producer. He has worked in radio for almost 20 years in New Zealand, Australia, the Middle East and currently owns and operates eyesound, working for New Zealand's largest radio and media organization NZME for Coast, ZM, Hits, Mix and more.

Olya Booyar is Head of Radio for the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, an association of broadcasting and associated industry bodies reaching more than half the world’s population.

Based at the ABU’s headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Olya is responsible for setting the strategic direction for Radio as well as helping to drive an expansion of services to the ABU’s more than 270 member organisations across the region and around the world. She takes a hands-on approach to public service broadcasting and media development in the digital era, organising and presenting numerous development initiatives for ABU members.

Born in Ukraine and educated in Canada, Olya began her career as an on-air broadcaster-journalist with the multicultural, multilingual Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) in Australia. She rose rapidly through the organisation’s journalism, programming and management ranks to become SBS’s first Corporate and Community Relations Executive, before leaving to become Deputy Director of the nation’s Classification Board. She has also been a General Manager in charge of content, consumer and citizen matters for the Australian media regulator the Communications & Media Authority (ACMA).

She is a past-President of the global International Association of Women in Radio and Television (IAWRT) and is on the Board of the World Summit on Media for Children Foundation, the International Radio and Television Union (URTI) and Australia’s National Association for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN).

Chris Browning is Podcast Producer at Formula 1. Winner of Best Sports Producer at the 2021 Audio UK Audio Production Awards for writing, interviewing and editing work on Spotify Original documentary podcast F1 On The Edge, and production on interview series F1 Beyond The Grid. Winner of a Gold New York Radio Festival trophy in 2016 with BBC Radio Berkshire. Named in the UK Radio Academy 30 Under 30 in 2019. Since starting at local commercial station Isle of Wight Radio, work includes news reading, reporting and presenting for the BBC, as well as producing episodes of the award-winning documentary series 13 Minutes to the Moon for the BBC World Service.

Triona Campbell began her professional career producing television for young audiences. She is an award-winning and Emmy nominated producer and the creator of Gamer Mode, a TV series about video games. Triona was also an EU Ambassador for female entrepreneurs.

Her passion for storytelling led her into writing and she is the writer / creator of the Radio Drama series ‘Adventures of a Young Pirate Queen’ for Roundstone Media Ltd / RTE Jr Radio.

Triona Campbell is represented by the Marianne Gunn O’Connor Literary Agency https://www.mariannegunnoconnor.com/

Since 1995 Diego has utilized his hybrid skills as a scriptwriter, sound designer, musician, radio producer, video editor, post producer, director and tv producer. His impressive career trajectory has seen Diego working within the best first-line radio stations in Buenos Aires as an independent audiovisual producer, creating an unmistakable style through sounds and graphics among all media productions.

As Owner and Director of DMC STUDIO in Buenos Aires, Diego specializes in radio arts, sound stories, commercials, field recording, sound design and mixing. An industry pro known for award-winning work, he creates audiovisual productions for radio, TV, social networks and movies. 

Diego also serves as a Radio Producer for Urbana Play FM.

With 8 Gold New York Festivals Radio Awards, 1 Silver, and 6 Bronze, he has also twice earned the presitigious NYF Grand Award, the ultimate honor bestowed at the NYF Radio Awards Gala.

Jennie Cataldo is an award-winning radio and podcast producer. She is the creator of Accompany Studios, a radio and podcast production company based in San Francisco, California. Accompany Studios uses music, creative audio editing and sound design to produce audio stories that sing.

Jennie has produced a variety of audio content, including commercial and public radio programs, documentaries, short form series, specials and podcasts. The range of subjects in which she has produced programs includes history, music, culture, health, science, and technology. Her productions have aired on national and international networks. She has worked with celebrity host talent such as Dan Aykroyd, Susan Sarandon, and Reid Hoffman. Jennie has conducted hundreds of interviews with critically acclaimed recording artists, authors, critics, historians, entrepreneurs and academic experts. She works with clients such as the University of California at Berkeley, the United States Library of Congress, and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
 

Jennie’s work has been recognized yearly at the International Radio Festival since 2015, where she has also served as a Grand Jury member and presenter. Jennie also serves on the New York Festivals Radio Awards Advisory Board.

Jennie’s interests include music history, cultural criticism and analysis, literature, narrative nonfiction, and record collecting. She studied Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts at San Francisco State University, where she graduated with honors and received a BA in 2012.

John Catlett is a life-long radio broadcaster, having been introduced to the medium as an undergraduate volunteer at WPRB-FM at Princeton University in 1960. He completed his studies with an MBA in marketing at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. After early experience at King Broadcasting Company in the Pacific Northwest and Time-Life Broadcast in New York City, he was tapped to manage CBS-owned WBBM-FM in Chicago just as the potential of FM radio was beginning to see its earliest realization. In 1972, he was transferred by CBS to take over WCBS-FM in New York City, where he installed the first major-market all-oldies format in July of 1972. Without any significant promotion support, the station suddenly became the first FM station to break into the top ten rated stations in the market, with a #5 ranking overall, and only six stations nationwide--AM or FM--had larger cumulative audiences. The oldies format survives to this day at WCBS-FM, with strong ratings.

Chris began his career in audio production as an intern and consultant for Sirius Satellite Radio (now SiriusXM Radio). While simultaneously earning his degree from Seton Hall University, he helped create Oscar and Grammy award winner Jamie Foxx’s comedy and music channel “The Foxxhole”.

Upon successful completion and tremendous success with “The Foxxhole”, Chris joined SiriusXM full time and helped create “Carlin’s Corner”, a 24/7 George Carlin comedy channel and “Que Funny”, SiriusXM’s only bilingual Latino comedy channel. He also oversaw programming and operations for the “Urban View” and “Blue Collar Radio” (now “Jeff & Larry’s Comedy Roundup”) channels. In addition to SiriusXM’s permanent stations, Chris also worked on pop-up channels such as “Richard Pryor Radio”, “Star Wars Radio”, “Comic Con Radio”, and “E3 Radio”.

As Director of Urban Talk and Comedy for SiriusXM, Chris worked on several audio documentaries. These documentaries provided his transition to the role of Vice President of Programming for Cadence13 (formerly DGital Media). While at Cadence13, he oversaw all documentary projects and produced top podcasts such as “Cover Up”, “Origins”, “What Really Happened”, and “Majority 54”.

Having worked with names like Jamie Foxx, Touré, James Andrew Miller, Joy Reid, Zak Levitt, Andrew Jenks, Joe Madison, ESSENCE, PEOPLE, Crooked Media, Sports Illustrated, WME, and the United Negro College Fund, Chris specializes in media partnerships and content development.

Chris is an award-winning documentary host, producer, and writer of the podcast series, Say Their Name, and his passion for conversations surrounding mental health have led him to create the series, Entrepreneur Struggle, where Chris talks about the various mental and emotional challenges that particularly impact business owners and executives.

With a passion for connecting audiences with innovative and inspiring content, Chris founded DCP Entertainment; a place to bring together audio and visual storytelling.

Adell Coleman's career spans over 16 years, beginning as a producer and host of “2KNation” station on WPFW 89.3 at the age of 15. This early start paved the way for her to earn a degree in Mass Communications from Penn State University. She then moved back to her hometown of Washington DC to join the SiriusXM team. During her time at SiriusXM, Adell worked alongside DCP Entertainment’s Founder and CEO Chris Colbert, producing a number of shows and specials, and taking over as Executive Producer of SiriusXM’s “Urban View” channel.

Throughout her career, she has produced a number of high-profile broadcasts, winning numerous accolades. Adell has worked with Second Lady Dr. Jill Biden, actor/author Hill Harper, and inspirational speaker, author and television personality Iyanla Vanzant A multi-award winning producer Adell has received commendations from the Alliance for Women in Media, The National Association of Black Journalists, New York Festivals, the Webby’s as well as her alma mater Penn State University.

Her passion for audio storytelling led her to co-host and Executive produce the award wining podcast Say Their Name which shares the stories of families who lost their lives to police violence. She serves as Chief Content Officer for DCP Entertainment, a multimedia company that highlights storytelling and podcasting forunderrepresented communities.

Sam is an Associate Professor at Birmingham City University in the United Kingdom. He is the Course Leader for the MA in Media Production and teaches a range of undergraduate and postgraduate audio production classes for the College of English and Media. Before joining academia, he worked in the New Zealand and United Kingdom commercial radio industries. Sam is a Trustee of the Charles Parker Archive Trust and is a member of the Birmingham Centre for Media and Cultural Research, where he investigates development radio, documentary production and popular music studies. Sam has written chapters and articles about popular music and radio production for various publications, and his book, Music Documentaries for Radio, was published by Routledge in 2021. He continues to work as a radio freelancer, producing music documentaries for networks in the United Kingdom and New Zealand.

As the CEO of Open to Debate, Clea Conner is on a mission to restore critical thinking, facts, reason, and civility to America’s public square. Through weekly debates distributed on public radio, in podcasts and digital videos, Open to Debate systematically brings opposing viewpoints together for a respectful and open-minded exchange of ideas. Clea has produced more than 200 award-winning public policy programs spanning technology, culture, economics, law, and global affairs, convening the world’s most influential voices on the most provocative questions of our time. Named one of Crain’s New York “40 Under 40,” Clea developed “Up For Debate” and “That’s Debatable” as television programs on Bloomberg, PBS, and Newsy, and produced the first debate between artificial intelligence and a human debater in partnership with IBM’s historic Project Debater. She holds more than two dozen awards for excellence in public affairs programming in radio, television, and podcasting.

Conner holds a B.A. from The New School with Dean’s Honors and studied political science at American University.

https://opentodebate.org/

Jax Coombes is a Radio Producer with over ten years’ experience working at BBC Radio 6 Music making award-winning documentaries including a Palme D’Or in 2015 for John Grant’s Songs From A Dark Place, a documentary exploring the music, magic, and rise of Icelandic music.

Radio Mitre is the Nº 1 radio station of Argentina. It has great quality in its sound and promotions. There is one guy who is responsible for writing these promotions and monitor its editing and coordinate its airing. He is in charge of maintaining the highest quality standards in music and institutional jingles; he is the director of special reports; he is the Artistic Producer of the whole broadcast... He is Juan Pablo Córdoba. He studied Social Communication (UBA - University of Buenos Aires) and Multimedia Production (EMBA), and he is a vital part of Radio Mitre since 2004.

Nicholas Davis has worked in radio, television and print for the past three decades covering everything from current affairs to the arts. He has won many awards for his journalism, including a 2006 Gabriel Award. For the past 24 years Nicholas has worked at CBC as a reporter and producer -- most notably as Senior Producer for Metro Morning, the number one morning show in Toronto. He’s currently the Executive Director, Engagement & Inclusion.  He was previously  Manager of Program Development for CBC, where he was responsible for the ongoing development of local programming in radio, television and online.

Andrika De Lanerolle is an award-winning producer. She has been a New York Festivals Jury Member since 2016. 

Across her 13 years of experience, Andrika has produced several award-winning programs and documentaries including “St. John’s: In Through the Narrows,” a finalist at the 2016 New York Festivals Radio Awards. She also produced “Two Steps Forward: Indigenous and Disabled in Saskatchewan,” a finalist for a 2017 RTDNA award. 

She is currently the senior producer of “NOW with Dave Brown,” a daily morning news program airing live on AMI-audio and AMI-tv in Canada.  

Outside of producing, you can catch her discussing her favourite albums, what she had for lunch and her opinions on the latest Hollywood flicks. 

Susan Dennehy is a multiple award-winning Independent Radio Producer based in Dublin. She holds a BA Comms (Hons) with a major in radio production from Dublin City University and completed her professional training as a Radio Producer with RTE in 2005. Susan has been producing radio documentaries and series on a freelance basis for national Radio stations RTE Radio 1 and Newstalk for many years. In October 2024, her docu-series ‘Last One On The Train’ produced for RTE ,won gold in the documentary category of the Irish IMRO Radio Awards. 

Dr. Evelyn Dörr studied Theatre, Dance and Music in Berlin. Since 2001 she has worked as a radio director and writer. Her radio drama features have been nominated for prestigious European and American radio awards (Prix Italia, PRIX EUROPA, New York Festivals, Prix Marulic and Grand Prix Nova) and have been arranged by German theaters (Deutsches Theater Berlin) as theatre plays. She is the founder of the Edition Akustische Bühne In this edition also appeared "The Man in the Moon - A Radio Ballet with Charlie Chaplin (2002/2008)" and the audio film "The Poetic Prophet, Director's Cut" - A Fictional Autobiography of the Poet Oscar Wilde (for a woman in 14 voices) 2003/ 2021. 

Elaine Dunseath is an award winning radio producer at BBC Northern Ireland. A journalist for 15 years at the organisation, she has a background which includes researching and producing television current affairs investigations and television news.  She has a particular interest in highlighting the plight of society’s most vulnerable and helping those who often don’t have a platform to be heard. In June 2019, she and reporter Declan Harvey won bronze at the New York Festivals Radio Awards Social Issues category for ‘Did A Serial Killer Murder My Sister?’ which explored how alcoholism can often mean domestic abuse victims go unnoticed. Her most recent documentary is ‘Silent No More: Fermanagh’s Abused Children’ which showed how one person speaking out has forced a rural community to confront how widespread child sexual abuse was allowed to go on for years. 

Michael Freedman was a 35-year radio executive, broadcast journalist, university administrator and professor. He had served with distinction as general manager of CBS Radio Network News, vice president and managing editor for the Broadcast Division of United Press International, leadership press secretary to the Democratic Whip of the United States House of Representatives, vice president and professor of journalism at The George Washington University.  In addition, Freedman served as executive producer of the acclaimed public broadcasting series The Kalb Report, This Just In!, and GW Presents American Jazz (in collaboration with the legendary Tony Bennett). Over the course of his career, Freedman and his teams have earned more than 85 honors for broadcast excellence including 14 Edward R. Murrow awards from RTNDA, five Gold World Medals and a Grand Award in New York Festivals International Radio Awards, and the 2023 New York Festivals Lifetime Achievement Award.

A Grand Jury member since 2009 and recipient of the New York Radio Festivals United Nations Silver Medal (UNHCR) 2008 - The Stolen Generation, SBS Radio - Alchemy. 
Executive Producer and Leader in radio, podcasts, TV and digital media production, having played a lead role in establishing the SBS PopAsia brand from a start-up radio show on SBS Australia into a 24/7 Digital Radio Station, TV Show and digital content hub. Over 25 years Maddy has built significant relationships with audience, industry and community stakeholders, focusing on diversity, music and culture. As an Asian Pop subject matter expert (artists, companies + media) Maddy has negotiated interviews and access to artists as talent for radio shows, podcasts and performance. 

Slobodan Govorcin, holds B.A. in dramaturgy. He is Editor in Drama and fiction Department with the Public media institution RTV Vojvodina in Serbia. He has been a jury member of international radio drama festivals for several times now. He also served as a selector for national amateur theatre festivals and for the festival of monodrama for children. As the author of radio dramas he won awards at the Prix ex Aequo in Slovakia and at the Festival of Best Radio Shows in New York. He was preselected at Prix Europa in Berlin, Prix Nova in Bucharest, HearNow in Kansas and UK radio drama festival in Herne Bay.

Pooja is a legitimate veteran of the Radio industry with 19 years of prolific experience of selling creativity in the airwaves, Radio events, Digital events, Television IPs or an amalgamation of all.

Getting buyers/sponsors for the world of “Theatre of Mind”, has been the most satisfying part of her job and gives her as much kick as creating a masterpiece. 

Creating Hyper local campaigns, National IPs, Vernacular IPs, Tactical campaigns, CSR campaigns that get the most Sponsors/buyers have become her passion over the years

With over 24 years’ experience in the advertising, radio, movie content and newspaper industries Viplove has been at the forefront of  creating and curating multiplatform content, client led brand solutions, radio programming and music management.

A post graduate in English Literature, Viplove has been writing for newspaper and publications on films and film music since an early age, paving his way to advertising industry where he started heading a team of copywriters in no time.

Started his radio career in 2001, he has launched 29 radio stations across India, hired and trained many talents who went on to winning many international accolades.

With an intention to create a positive and meaningful impact on the radio industry of India, he is in the process of launching a podcast for radio professionals who are not finding radio as a challenging medium any more.

Phil Guyan is CEO of CBA New Zealand – a creative media production house providing everything from short-form programmettes, to award winning podcasts and long-form live programming on New Zealand’s leading commercial radio network. CBA is a charitable trust, formed to share the heart of the Christian faith in mainstream media, so their programming is thoughtful, inspirational, and designed to appeal to as wide an audience as possible. Phil and his team have won 20 New York Festivals awards over the past decade for a diverse range of work. They’ve also won prestigious awards the UK, Australia and New Zealand. CBA’s work has extended to supporting media professionals through chaplaincy, media training, advocacy, and providing scholarships to young people starting out in their media careers. Phil has headed up CBA for 27 years.

After a 21 year career in the commercial radio sector, latterly as Managing Director at stations for groups such as Celador Radio, Gary made the side step into the world of scripted audio. Launching Spiteful Puppet Entertainment in 2013.

In just a few years, Spiteful Puppet was producing audio dramas and audio books on behalf of the BBC and Audible as well as developing their own original projects working with top talent like Alfred Molina, Richard O’Brien and Ray Winstone.

Gary also manged the diversification into Book Publishing and Theatre Production, working with the Pet Shop Boys in 2018 on their new cabaret show Musik, which premiered at The Edinburgh Festival before moving to off West End in 2020.

Michael Harrison, the Founder and Publisher of talk media industry trade journal TALKERS magazine, is an iconic radio figure and thought leader.  During a colorful 53 year career, he has consistently been an influential pioneer in trade publishing, station programing, show production, and on-air performing. 

Cathie has worked for various Radio and Television companies internationally including those in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand.

This award winning broadcaster has been extensively involved on both sides of the microphone

Scripting, performing and producing a wide range of programmes for television, radio, and live performance, has given Cathie the opportunity to work with professional musicians and actors in various countries, and with young people both in entertainment and education. More recently she has specialized in researching and producing historical entertainments.

Cathie has had a long association with NEW York Festivals almost since its beginning days.

Her website is www.cathieharrop.com

Saiam Hasan is a seasoned media professional with a 12-year journey, weaving magic in the realms of Creative Writing, Production, Voice Artistry, and independent Music. Saiam's career has taken him from the heart of frontline radio stations to the vibrant world of independent artistry in India and the United Arab Emirates, where his unique style seamlessly blends words and sounds.

Two of his original musical creations, "Aye Sajni" and "Nodey – Krishna," serve as distinct signatures of Saiam's artistic prowess. With nearly 12 years in the audio industry, Saiam has significantly raised the bar in terms of creative and sound standards. His virtuosity in the field has been recognized with prestigious awards, including 6 New York Radio Awards and national honors such as ACEF and Golden Mikes, adorning his career with a tapestry of well-deserved accolades.

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Dylan Haskins is a multi-award winning audio commissioner and executive producer at BBC Sounds and BBC Radio 5 Live responsible for podcasts including I’m Not A Monster, Have You Heard George’s Podcast?, Where Is George Gibney?, Bad People and Wheel of Misfortune. 

I’m Not A Monster and Where is George Gibney? won a total of six Golds, a Silver and the Grand Jury prize at the 2021 New York Festivals Radio Awards, contributing to the BBC also being awarded 2021 Broadcaster of the Year.  

In US and Canada, Dylan’s podcast commissions have also won a Peabody Award, an inaugural Podcast Academy ‘Ambies’ Award, the Banff World Media Festival ‘Rockies’ Award for Podcast of the Year, a RTDNA Edward R. Murrow Award and multiple Webby Awards including Best Documentary and Best Sound Design. In Europe, they’ve won the Rose d’Or for Audio, multiple UK Radio Academy ARIAS Golds, Silver and Bronze, the Broadcasting Press Guild Award for Podcast of the Year, NME Podcast of the Year, British Podcast Awards 'Moment of the Year' Gold and multiple Silvers, Overall Prize at the Justice Media Awards in Ireland and been Specially Commended at the Prix Europa.

Paul Hollins

Paul Hollins is a versatile broadcaster, insightful writer, and innovative business owner whose influence in the media industry is both broad and impactful. His broadcasting career has seen him become a familiar voice on some of the UK's most prominent radio stations, including Capital FM, Heart, and Smooth Radio. His engaging style and natural rapport with listeners have made him a distinguished figure in the radio landscape.

At the helm of Blue Revolution and Radio Express, Paul has propelled these businesses to international acclaim, providing services to a distinguished roster of the world's most notable radio stations and brands. His leadership has expanded the reach of Blue Revolution into the burgeoning world of digital media, with the production of popular podcasts that cater to diverse audiences and showcase his company's adaptability and creative prowess.

As an author, Paul has offered his rich knowledge of the industry through books like "Hang The DJ?" and "Essential Media Law." His expertise extends to journalism, contributing articles for RetroPop Magazine and previously for Music Power Magazine, which speaks to his multifaceted talent and ability to engage with readers on various platforms.

Paul's skills as a communicator are not limited to broadcasting and writing. He has conducted interviews with A-list celebrities, including Elton John and the Spice Girls, revealing his talent for drawing out intriguing and personal narratives. His dynamic presence is equally evident in live hosting and captivating on-stage performances. Additionally, his voice has brought life to campaigns for major brands such as Cadbury and Currys/PC World and has narrated a best-selling documentary series, highlighting his versatility as a voice artist.

Paul Hollins's career is a testament to his creative flair and professional dedication, making him a notable and influential figure in the world of media.

Matt has worked in the radio industry for more than three decades, and in 2018 founded Trisonic, a specialist audio creative and media agency based in London.   Trisonic creates and promotes the use of audio in all its forms.

Matt was a pioneer in the field of radio commercial production, has extensive experience in creating editorial audio content and radio programme management.   He is a highly skilled radio copywriter, audio producer and director in his own right, and also co-founded Spiteful Puppet Entertainment, whose audio dramas have scooped numerous accolades from the BBC and New York Festivals.

Will Jackson has worked in the UK audio sector for thirty years, including BBC and commercial radio. He's Communications Manager for WorldDAB, the global industry forum for DAB digital radio. He also serves as a Trustee for the Radio Academy, the UK radio and audio industry charity, dedicated to the promotion of excellence in UK radio and audio. Prior to this, Will was Managing Director of AudioUK, the trade body for audio and radio production companies. While there, he was a Director of the UK Government's Audio Content Fund, and worked to create the industry's Audio and Radio Emergency Fund in response to the pandemic. 

Caroline Jamet has been Executive Director, Radio & Audio, French Services, CBC/Radio-Canada since November 2017. She has some twenty-five years’ experience as a senior executive with some of Canada’s leading media and cultural players.

At Gesca (publisher of the Montreal daily La Presse), she was Vice-President, Communications from 2000 to 2017. As President of its publishing division Les Éditions La Presse from 2011 to 2017, she oversaw publication of more than 200 books. She was also President of Les Éditions Gesca (the company’s magazine arm) from 2011 to 2014.

She played a key role in the expansion of Gesca (owner of 7 Canadian newspapers), especially during its change-over to digital. Among other achievements, she mapped out the communications strategies designed to ease readers’ and advertisers’ transition to La Presse+, the tablet-based digital edition of the newspaper.

Caroline was with the musical entertainment group l’Équipe Spectra from 1986 to 1999, serving as its Vice-President, Communications between 1992 and 1999; she was also a named partner in 1996. In those capacities, she earned acclaim for her major contributions to the growth and reputation of the Festival international de jazz de Montréal and FrancoFolies de Montréal brands, both nationally and internationally.

In 1999 and 2000, she was Vice-President, Communications of Motion International, a leading Canadian television and film production company, which evolved into Zone3 and TVA International.

Geoff set-up Biscuit Jim in 2024 with a focus on format development, sustainable production and providing an a-list friendly service. The resulting company is net zero, setting targets to minimise the carbon footprint of each production, and funding the offsetting of any carbon used. Having worked with the likes of Emma Bunton, Julia Roberts, Claudia Winkleman and James Cordon, Geoff and Biscuit Jim have a particular focus on creating premium quality productions that work around intensely busy schedules.  

For over 20 years Geoff has been at the helm of some of the biggest shows in the UK & Australia. Recognised with multiple awards for creativity he has also held roles in TV and Events Communications. A creative producer, strategist and talent manager with almost two decades experience across radio, TV & social media.

Previously at TBI Media, he was the Executive Producer of Claudia Winkleman for BBC Radio 2 and oversaw a slate which includes programmes for BBC radio and TV, commercial radio, brand podcasts and Audible Originals. 

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Sylvie Julien is a visionary, creative and highly regarded media executive whose 26-year career has seen her excel in both content planning and strategy.

Since 2019, as Senior Director of Radio-Canada’s ICI PREMIÈRE network, she has been focused on developing and promoting public radio and people in the field. ICI PREMIÈRE has achieved record listenership under her tenure.

Ms. Julien has forged an impressive track record during her 15 years with the radio leadership team, first as Content Manager and later as Director of National Programming. She has overseen the creation of over a hundred radio shows, many of which have become flagship programs critically acclaimed for their edgy, innovative content. Some have been so successful as to spawn television spinoffs. In addition to developing Radio-Canada’s literary strategy, Ms. Julien has also been responsible for creating and overseeing a number of groundbreaking and award-winning cross-platform projects.

Before joining the radio leadership team, she helped create content for television in such areas as arts and culture, news and current affairs, kids and youth, and unscripted programming.

Since 2015, Ms. Julien has been an active member of the Médias Francophones Publics (MFP) radio programming commission.

Brand and Content Solutions professional with over 13 years of experience in integrated solutions; concepts and Ideation for Digital, Events, Print and Radio; Branded Content and Advertising, Key Account and P & L Management, Media Production – Content in Video, Films and Audio.
A versatile team player with leadership skills who is always ready to take up ownership and accept new challenges, an academic gold medal winner holding a Doctorate in Mass Communication

Aaron Kearney (OAM) is a multi-award-winning broadcaster, photojournalist, sports commentator, five-time New York Festival award winner, AIPS Sports Award Silver Medallist and Prodi Journalist of the Year.

He’s won a Walkley Award for emergency broadcasting and forged a career across newspapers, television, radio and social with Fairfax, Channel Seven Australia, the ABC and others.

He’s currently the Director of AKS Media International, ABC’s Pacific Disaster Preparedness Broadcast Unit Lead and host of “Pacific Prepared”.

Aaron is in demand across the globe for his experience in broadcasting, commentary, storytelling and innovation, working for the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, the BBC World Service and universities and corporations on five continents.

An inaugural Summer Fellow at Reuters Institute for Journalism at the University of Oxford, he holds a Masters Degree and Graduate Certificate from Griffith University, specialising in broadcast for development. He designed and produced the world’s first Pacific indigenous language live broadcast of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in France, co-produced Papua New Guinea’s historic coverage of the 2015 Pacific Games and has mentored female journalists from six countries at several international events, including the Commonwealth Games.

In 2020, he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for services to broadcasting.

Further information:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-kearney-oam-28772767/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Kearney

James Keen is Managing Director for Tindle Radio’s Channel Island stations – Island FM in Guernsey, Channel 103 in Jersey and newly-launched Soleil Radio which broadcasts to all of the Channel Islands. Channel 103 and Island FM deliver the highest and second highest weekly reach percentages in the British Isles respectively.

As Managing Director, James Keen leads both the commercial and content sides of the businesses. Prior to joining Tindle, James was Managing Editor for Global’s Heart stations in the east of England before which he worked for GCap Media, UKRD Group and Turner Broadcasting Systems.

Greg Kelly is the Executive Producer of the CBC Radio Program IDEAS. Before that, he was Editor of the Radio Netherlands Program The State We're In and Senior Producer and co-creator of American Public Media's The Story. Greg's documentaries in both radio and television have won multiple international awards and honours. Unlike most of his peers, he does not have his own podcast.

Abe Killian – Content Services Manager – Community Broadcasting Association of Australia

Beginning his radio career in Community Radio in the dark days of the late 1990s, Abe moved to Producing and Technical roles in Sydney Commercial Radio. This led to roles leading both content production and Operations teams in Commercial Radio at large metro stations, 2GB and 2UE, then later at one of the National Broadcasters, SBS. Returning to content creation, he worked at the other National Broadcaster, ABC and then back to a national Operations role at Macquarie Media, now Nine Radio. The move to the CBAA in the role of Content Services Manager, overseeing content creation and aggregation plus News editorial and planning, brings the opportunity to bundle his experience to empower community broadcasters to continue to create quality radio content.

Victor is the Co-Founder and CEO of The Lunar Company, a new fiction podcast startup. He produced their debut show, Earth Eclipsed, which won over 15 awards around the world and was an Official Selection of the Tribeca Festival. The Lunar Company is also developing Apollo, a podcast player made for fiction shows, available on iOS and Android.

STEVE LEVINE BIOGRAPHY 2019
Starting as a tape-op at CBS studios in 1975, Steve progressed to in-house engineer
and worked with many new wave, punk & pop acts including The Clash, The Jags,
The Vibrators, XTC & Sailor.
Beach Boy, Bruce Johnson was to play an important part in Steve's early career,
culminating with Steve producing an album for the Beach Boys several years later.
Steve produced all of Culture Club’s classic hits and the bands’ three multi-platinum
albums.
Artist collaborations include Honeyz, China Crisis, Gary Moore, Ziggy Marley,
Louise, The Creatures, The Angelic Upstarts, Lemmy & Motorhead, David Grant,
Jimmy The Hoover, Westworld, Sigue Sigue Sputnik, Mis-teeq, 911.
Steve has collected a number of prestigious industry awards including a Brit Award,
Musicweek Award and a Grammy for his work with Deniece Williams.
He has appeared on many radio and TV programes, is a regular guest presenter of
the newspaper review on BBC weekend Breakfast and on BBC’s 6 Music with his
own show.
His radio production company produces original high quality radio content, in
particular, The Record Producers, a series for BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music.
Steve has won a SONY Radio Award and most recently 2 Gold Awards at the New
York Radio Festival.
He has also presented The Record Producers Live with special guests.
Busy producing new acts, recently XamVolo , Space, and a remix project for the
legendary Millie Jackson entitled “Exposed” for ACE records.
He is currently in the studio working with games producer MILKY TEA on the
soundtrack to a new exciting game HYPERBRAWL currently exclusive to the new
Apple Arcade platform .........more news soon ......and more tracks for
Electronic project Pretty Robotic.
Steve is a Director of PRS for music, a member of the MU, PPL,
and a LIPA Companion and recently elected to the new Liverpool Region Music
Council

·      A Radio professional with over 12 years of experience in Radio

·      Programming & Production (Music & Product) I have launched 13 new stations where 9 new stations in Maharashtra, 1 in Rajasthan, 1 in Gujarat and 2 in Punjab. Where I have also hired a completely new team, groomed them and raised them to current performances.

·      My Ideas won awards on national and international platforms.

·      Track record of Creating & executing content ideas for- On air programs to enhance listenership, New Promos for shows and Stationality, On Air Special Shows & Celebrity Management, Contests & Game Shows

·      An effective leader with excellent communication, negotiation and relationship building skills

I was one of the original employees at Radio Clyde in Glasgow joining the station in November 1973. Through the 80s and 90s, I was Production Controller for Radio Clyde when the station won "Sony Station of the Year" 3 times and was nominated twice. I was also the producer on two Sony Award-winning shows for Best Rock and Pop Programme - Hue and Cry (1989) and The Big Day C1 (1991). I have 10 New York Radio World Medals as producer or co-producer. Among the other career highlights was the innovatory series of 17 annual open-air Kelvingrove Free Music Festivals which provided to launch pad for many local bands performing original music. I have always had an interest in aviation and have produced three critically acclaimed aviation documentaries. Doing the Continental – An hour-long examination of Continental’s first brush with Chapter 11 made in 1985/86 and featuring Continental pilots and crew, the FAA, and an exclusive interview with Phil Bakes. Britannia 300 Alph

I am a producer and series producer who has worked with BBC News, BBC Radio and BBC World Service. I have written and produced both long-form and magazine shows for both TV and radio as well as outputting the BBC’s flagship domestic, morning news show the Today programme. I am also a three-times winner of a New York Festivals award, each time for a long-form documentary, produced for the BBC World Service and for BBC Radio. 

Liliana Manna is a journalist who graduated in 1972 from the School of Journalism of the city of Buenos Aires and 1974 from the Institute of Radio Education. She was the first woman in Argentina radio to be named a writer-broadcaster in the News Service of Radio Belgrano and served as producer on various radio and television programs. In 7 opportunities, Manna was awarded Gold, Silver and Bronze trophies at the New York Festivals. The last occasion was in 2014 where she won the Gold for Best Documentary for “30 Years of Democracy: Everybody’s Story.” Also in 2014 she won the Ondas Award, awarded by the Cadena Ser Spain, for best documentary radio program in the world “Human Trafficking: Merchants of Innocence” which on December 3rd was delivered in a special audience with Pope Francisco. Other international awards have included: (with journalist Nelson Castro) the "King of Spain" International Award. First distinction achieved by Argentine journalist radio special prize

Mark has worked at a senior level for the BBC covering major world events for more than thirty years. Most recently, he presented the ‘World at One’ and ‘the World this Weekend” on Radio Four, interviewing a wide range of people from top politicians to refugees on the Syrian border. In 2020 he won the Association of International Broadcasters award for news reporting, for a series of reports on US politics. 

Previously he reported for TV and radio as the BBC’s North America editor, during the Obama presidency, and as the BBC’s first Europe editor. In both jobs he made a point of travelling widely across both continents, not merely reflecting the views from Washington and Brussels. Before becoming a foreign correspondent, Mark was based at Westminster as the BBC’s chief political correspondent and before that political editor of Newsnight. During his career he has interviewed many politicians and Prime Ministers from Margaret Thatcher to Boris Johnson. He is currently working on various freelance projects and writing a book about the road to Brexit.

SIOBHAN MCHUGH is a narrative podcast producer, podcast consultant, critic, award-winning author and academic, whose storytelling podcasts have won seven gold awards at New York Festivals. Siobhán’s collaborations include The Greatest Menace, about a ‘gay prison’ experiment:  described as ‘Australia’s S-Town’, it has won 17 major awards. 

She partnered with Melbourne’s The Age newspaper on hit podcasts Phoebe’s Fall, Wrong Skin, and The Last Voyage of The Pong Su and she co-hosts Heart of Artness, about transcultural aspects of contemporary Aboriginal art in Australia. Siobhán’s book, The Power of Podcasting: telling stories through sound (2022), unpacks the art of making narrative podcasts and analyses the history of podcasting as a vibrant medium that foments creativity and expression.

Siobhan’s book has been mentioned by the Oprah Winfrey Network and hailed as ‘the most in-depth guide to the best audio storytelling around the world’, by Marc Fennell, creator, Stuff The British Stole. Siobhan has appeared at podcast industry events alongside Dana Chivvis, producer of Serial, and Kara Swisher, host extraordinaire. She is Associate Professor (honorary) of Journalism at University of Wollongong and continues to teach and research podcasting in global settings.

Dr. Daithí McMahon is a critically acclaimed and multi-award-winning playwright, director, producer, sound artist and Associate Professor of Media & Culture at the University of Derby, United Kingdom. He is a specialist in historical fiction, social realism, and true crime drama with over 17 years of experience in radio and audio media production. Strong central narratives and an immersive audio experience are the hallmarks of his work and have led to him winning six New York Festivals Radio Awards, three PPI/IMRO Irish national radio awards and two invitations to compete at the Prix Europa. As an academic with an international profile his research interests lie in radio and audio media theory and practice; media sociology; digital culture and the critical political economy of the media industries. Through his practiced-based research, he is interested in capturing and disseminating culture, history, heritage and identity through oral history projects. His first book Producing Audio Drama: A Practical Guide for Radio & Podcast, is due to be published by Routledge in 2026.

Oleg Medvedev has more than 25 years of experience in the radio industry as News Director, Executive Director of Radio-7, General Director and General Producer of Melody and Finam FM radio stations in Moscow, Russia. Expert in media project management, journalist, producer, writer, business consultant.

Charlotte is the founder and award-winning producer of Almost Tangible (NYFRA Production Company of the Year 2019), whose approach to audio content delivers hyper-real, high-quality, immersive audio experiences.  With creative development rooted in experimentation and collaboration, Almost Tangible’s core aim is to make audio the absolute best it can be at storytelling by putting listeners at the heart of the action and artists at the heart of the artistic process.   Weaving binaural recording with techniques from film and theatre to create a new audio paradigm, the result has been described by the RNIB as “like having a film running in your ears.” 

A media professional with 14 years of experience in India & the Middle East , Parvathi was part of the Radio and Entertainment business for the top media houses both in Indian and UAE . She headed CLUB FM in the UAE when the brand took a leap from India to UAE in 2015 & launched the station in Dubai . She began her radio journey in 2007 with Radio Mango as a producer when FM Radio was launching as a new medium in Kerala & also has won several national and international accolades .

Nemone has been at the forefront of UK national broadcasting for 25 years, with 23 at the BBC. Renowned for her daytime presence on BBC 6 Music, her long-running specialist show, Nemone’s Electric Ladyland, showcased her passion for electronic music. With a background in psychology from Manchester University and her master's degree obtained in 2018, she now also practices as a qualified psychotherapist, combining her interviewing skills with mental health advocacy. Nemone introduced mindfulness exercises to wider audiences on BBC 6 Music and hosts the award-winning series Journeys in Sound, delving into musicians' personal experiences with music. She joins the ‘Shrink The Box’ podcast as resident psychotherapist in January 2024.

Dedicated to raising awareness of mental wellbeing, especially within the music industry, Nemone organized the first Help Musicians mental health summit at Abbey Road studios on World Mental Health Day in October 2023 and at The Roundhouse in October 2024. Her unique blend of psychotherapy and music has led to collaborations with various festivals, conferences, and cultural institutions, including Scottish Ensemble, Mixcloud, The Box Museum, Plymouth, Glasgow’s Resonate Music Conference, and the International Music Summit in Ibiza, alongside events at London's Science Museum and with artist Max Cooper.

Simon Moorhead produced the award-winning feature films Mirrormask, written by Neil Gaiman & directed by Dave McKean and Luna, written & directed by Dave McKean.  (Best British Feature Film at Raindance 2014)

Simon has been associated with many award-winning TV projects including A Different Drummer, Jigsaw, Threads, The Life and Loves of a She Devil, The Bill, BT Global Challenge, Widowmaker & the ITV series Chimera.

After Luna, Simon took the decision to move full time into producing audio drama, live theatre and publishing

In 2017, Simon produced, directed & created the sound design for ‘The Boleyn Brothers’, the story of the West Ham ‘Pals’ battalion during WW1. The production won Best Audio Drama Podcast at the International Radio Awards in New York in July 2019.

During 2018/19 Simon commissioned, produced & created the sound design for over 21hrs. of original audio drama for The Other 1% and commissioned a further 6 hours’ worth of scripts that are ready to go into production.

Eduardo "Lalo" Morino is an Argentine based voice actor, broadcast journalist, scriptwriter and a professor. He's been working in the global Media Industry for the past 28 years.

Since 2000, he's been part of Radio Mitre, the leading radio station of Argentina, as a service journalist, voice talent, and radio host. Currently, Eduardo's hosting "Overnight, weekend edition" (narrative, music & news) and has been part of teams widely recognized by the industry and audiences all over the world (King of Spain Award, New York Festivals, Martin Fierro, among others).

He is the institutional voice of La100FM and Golf Channel Latin America, and he works as Voice Actor and Voice Talent in various fiction, commercial and documentary productions (DirecTV, MTV, Tenaris University-Techint Group, and others).

He is a full professor at ISER (Instituto Superior de Enseñanza Radiofónica) and an independent media & comunication consultant.

Eduardo strongly believes that Radio can empower ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

Leslie Mullen is an award-winning media producer with extensive experience in multiple formats, including photojournalism, documentary video, radio, podcasts, television, and stage performances. Demonstrated success in communicating complex scientific concepts to diverse audiences. Proven ability to orchestrate high-profile events and collaborate effectively with teams to achieve project goals. Adept at streamlining processes and improving efficiency to deliver high-quality productions within budget and timeline constraints. Developed projects for NASA, PBS, and The National Geographic Channel, as well as many other platforms.

Previously, she was the writer, producer and host of the NASA-Jet Propulsion Laboratory podcast “On a Mission.” A science photojournalist for over 20 years, she also is a documentary filmmaker and was previously the producer for Neil deGrasse Tyson’s “StarTalk” podcast.

Greg Muller is an award-winning TV, radio, online journalist and podcast producer, with more than 20 years experience in the Australian media.

Greg's latest podcast, Motherlode is an in-depth investigation into the early computer hacking scene in Melbourne, Australia. It’s also where a young hacker, Julian Assange, cut his teeth on computers and went on to develop Wikileaks. Motherlode reveals the technological and political motivations behind it.

Based in Melbourne, Greg also managed Gertie's Law, an award winning podcast series from the Supreme Court of Victoria and The Age’s multi award winning investigative podcast, 'Wrong Skin'

Greg was a reporter and producer for ABC TV’s current affairs program '7.30' and for many years as a presenter, producer and reporter on ABC Radio National’s 'Bush Telegraph' program.

Greg has produced numerous podcasts and radio documentaries with multiple awards including two Gold New York Festival Radio awards, two Australian Podcast Awards including Best Podcast for 2018, a Melbourne Press Club Quill award and Best All Media from Australia’s Rural Press Club.

When not chasing down yarns, he can be found paddling a swollen river or falling off a mountain bike on some remote trail.

Götz Naleppa, Drama Director & Sound Artist of Naleppa Audio Productions, Germany. He is one of the most well-known and experienced directors of radio plays in Germany. He is a member of the Radio Advisory Board.

In the 90’s he constructed the radio play departments of Germany Radio (Cologne / Berlin) as a radio play director, and from 1997 to 2008 Mr. Naleppa acted as director and dramaturg for Germany Kultur (responsible editor for sound art). Since January 2009 he has concentrated his talents on projects serving as a freelance director (radio drama, media arts), translator, and composer in digital sound art.

The NYF Gold trophy for “ZENScapes – City, Land, River” for Sound Art is Gotz Naleppa’s fourth

Scott Nemes is Executive Vice President, Creative Acquisitions, Universal Studio Group and International Development.  He reports to Beatrice Springborn, President of UCP and Interim President of Universal International Studios.

In this role, Nemes is responsible for the newly created Intellectual Property division that works across Universal Studio Group to identify and secure rights to books, podcasts, articles and other IP that creatively aligns with talent deals at Universal Television, UCP, Universal International Studios and Universal Television Alternative Studio.  He also oversees the first of their kind internal IP incubators, USG Audio and USG Graphic.

In addition to his IP oversight, Nemes also works to enhance the Universal International Studios’ creative efforts in the U.S. by leveraging the international development pipeline to optimize the talent roster and create global opportunities with the goal of strengthening relationships, packaging projects and increasing sales to buyers in the states. 

Nemes joined NBCUniversal in 2019 as EVP, Development and Current, UCP and was charged with packaging series like the upcoming “Joe Exotic” starring Kate McKinnon and John Cameron Mitchell.

Prior to joining UCP, Nemes headed the television arm of Brad Weston’s Makeready, where he oversaw all aspects of television for the start-up studio. He sold a number of projects to cable networks and streaming platforms and completed production on the “Hombre” pilot for Showtime and executive produced Snapchat’s first scripted series “Class of Lies.

Nemes began his television career at Cinemax, where he helped launch the rebrand of HBO’S sister network. He oversaw such primetime series as “Strike Back,” “Banshee” and
“The Knick.”

Previously, Nemes was Senior Vice President, Production and Development for The Film Department, a film financing/production company, and Vice President, Development at Immortal Entertainment.  He also served as executive producer on Dimension’s “Black Christmas” and producer on Focus Features’ “Hanna” while at Adelstein/Parouse, and was an executive producer for Amazon’s series adaptation of “Hanna,” which hails from Universal International Studios.

Eoin produces daily music programmes and weekly feature programmes for RTÉ lyric fm, Ireland's national arts and culture station. 

In 1979 she began her work in Radio Education, has produced more than 60 series, experimenting with all kinds of genres and formats.

She has worked for the public radio and commercial radio service, and is a trainer in the field of radio throughout the country.

She has been sworn in several radio competitions in Mexico and abroad. She has received national and international awards for her work in radio and theater.

Since 1991 she became involved in the performing arts by participating in more than 60 national and international festivals

I have eighteen years of multifaceted experience in audio pre and post production, and also have more than fourteen years of experience in Radio industry.  In these years my work has been recognized and were awarded from not only the world’s best Radio awards “New York Festivals” but also from the India Radio Forum, Golden Mikes Awards and ACEF. Out of them two were from the individual Sound Design Category.  All the show jingles and Rj Intros are produced by me.

I have also been instrumental in sound designs for TVC and dubbings for discovery in Hindi language.My broad skill encompass strong dubbing direction, music composing, arranging, recording,  Mixing & Mastering.  

Carl Prekopp’s career in radio began in 2001 when he won the BBC Carleton Hobbs Award after graduating from The Central School of Speech and Drama in London in 2001. He has continued to work for the BBC as freelance actor and director for Radio Drama ever since.

In 20018 Carl Joined Almost Tangible as Creative Director and received the 2019 NYFT Gold Award for ‘Best Director’ for his adaptation of Macbeth (Almost Tangible’s inaugural production which also won The Grand Award, Gold (Best Digital Drama), Gold (Best Sound Design), Gold (Best Drama Podcast)

In 2020 Carl received the Silver award for Audio Performer of the Year at the Audio Production Awards in London for his narration of ‘The Little Match Girl’, produced by Almost Tangible which also won 2020 NYFT Gold for Best Children’s Audiobook and the Bronze Award for Best Narration.

In 2021, Carl directed season 2 of podcast drama of ‘Out of Sight’ for Reflector Entertainment. To be released in 2022.

HELEN QUIGLEY (Production Director, B7 Media) has more than nearly twenty years’ experience in producing audio for broadcast. 

As an audio drama producer for B7 Media, her credits include Theatre of the Damned - inspired by a true story about the birth of the Grand Guignol in 1920s Paris; The Space Race; Greenborne - a post-Covid radio soap opera; the Audible psychological thriller series The Effect; and for BBC Radio 4 the courtroom drama Barred and a modern dramatisation of the ancient Indian poem Mahabharata Now. Helen has also produced numerous audiobooks, including Marriage Bureau, Scimitar into Stanley and comic artist Dave Gibbon’s autobiography, Confabulation.

Other producer credits include national network radio promos for the BBC’s flagship TV programming, including Blue Planet II, Industry, Line of Duty, The Apprentice and Wild Isles and mastering for Fresh Air Production’s The Big Steal and Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place app.

Previously she was a Continuity Announcer and Producer for Comedy Central UK and in 2006 was also responsible for producing of the UK’s first branded comedy podcasts; Robin Ince’s Show and Tell and Utter Shambles.

In 2023, B7 Media launched Audioteria, a new purchase platform for the distribution of independently made audio drama.

 Indira Rangarajan, National Content Director, Mirchi, is a multiplatform content specialist with over 20 years’ experience in advertising, media & entertainment. She has been associated with Mirchi for over 15 years and has been instrumental in ushering in a new era of audio-video content and celebrity shows. She now handles digital content with Mirchi developing mobile friendly content formats which include podcasts, web-radio and video originals. This former creative director for leading advertising agencies like Ogilvy and Mather is extremely vociferous about women’s issues and strives to promote mental health awareness.

Australian writer and independent radio feature maker following a long creative career at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation as a highly-regarded producer and presenter across a range of innovative, specialist programs, including The Listening Room and Into the Music. She has collaborated with composers, performers, writers, sound artists and musicians to create unique radio works for these shows and mentored emerging radio creators and artists in residence.

Recipient of international and national awards, including New York Radio Festivals Silver and Bronze awards, the Australian Human Rights & Equal Opportunities Commission Radio Award and the United Nations Association of Australia Media Peace Prize for Radio.

After almost 30 years travelling round the world attempting to entertain the British Armed Forces I decided to leave my job as Head of BFBS Radio UK to give myself a new challenge.  I'm now in the process of writing the book that all of us think is in us somewhere, and I'm hoping that I'm not one of those for whom that book should have remained buried!  

Of course, I haven't left radio behind - who could?!  I was very lucky to be offered a place at a very special radio station, Care Radio.  The station has been set up to surprise, delight and inform care workers across the UK.  From top flight surgeons in the NHS to unpaid carers caring for a relative at home and all points in between in the private care sector, these extraordinary people now have their own station, and one that I'm proud to call home as a presenter and producer.  I'm very lucky to be able to choose what I do with my time, and am only selecting projects that make me happy and fulfilled.  Having the honour to serve as a judge on the New York Radio Awards Grand Jury for a third year is one of those experiences.

Nicolás Harry Salvarrey is an Argentinian radio journalist, producer and works as a co-host in Perros de la Calle, Urbana Play 104.3. He also writes about beer, food and lifestyle as a freelancer.

An astute media professional with an insightful & cross cultural work experience of more than 18 years, comprising of Radio, Television, Digital Marketing & Events. Expertise in revenue optimization through branded content and creative client solutions.

Previously, Vice President, Radio City (Dainik Jagran)

A reporter and producer with over 20 years of experience, Stacey Samuel now serves as the Executive Producer of Al Jazeera English’s flagship news and current affairs podcast, The Take. As a journalism fellow with the East-West Center and the German-American journalism exchange program: Radio In the American Sector (RIAS), Stacey’s focus has broadened over the past few years to include covering international news and ultimately telling news through a global lens.

She considers herself a third-culture kid, as the daughter of immigrant parents from Haiti and Trinidad.

Prior to her current post, she was supervising editor for National Public Radio (NPR), where each day her job was crafting the news that shaped our national discourse and highlighted the human condition. The stories she edited touched all the newsmagazine shows aired on NPR’s premium broadcasts that feature News, Arts & Culture coverage. Stacey speaks nationally to wide audiences about shaping and pitching stories. She sits on the board of the Washington Association of Black Journalists and is a long-time NABJ member.

Before radio, Ms. Samuel covered politics, national security and the Supreme Court for CNN, where she was part of the team that won an Emmy for the coverage of the 2012 U.S. presidential election. She also has field produced for CBS Evening News and CBS This Morning. Her reporting experience includes reporting on education for an ABC affiliate in Florida.

Stacey’s local reporting earned her an Edward R. Murrow award, amongst others. Along with award-winning talent, she has completed two HBO documentaries on children focusing on music and another dissecting diversity in America, which won Emmy Awards and numerous other acknowledgments. Her many credits include stories she's produced for ABC's 20/20, CNN, Court TV, History Channel, Discovery Health and A&E, WNBC, Lifetime, and Nickelodeon. Ms. Samuel has taught journalism at the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and frequently speaks about journalism to university students. A New York native she has a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University and an undergraduate degree in French and economics from Wesleyan University.

Abhishek Sharrma is one of India’s most applauded Audio Programmers. His work saluting the Indian forces, shows on polio awareness, menstrual hygiene, organ donation and more are awarded at the New York festivals, India Radio Forum, Golden Mikes, ACEF and Radio Duniya awards. His recent work is for the Art of Living Radio that was set up, launched worldwide during the pandemic by the Global ambassador of peace Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. An expert with branded content, Abhishek currently head Bhopuwala and provides top class audio solutions to Radio Stations/Podcasters/other businesses worldwide.

Helen is an awarding winning producer/director and has been a judge with the New York Radio Festival since 2013. She runs Athena Media, in Ireland, a digital and broadcast storytelling agency, and Athena Media has previously won the Grand Award, six Gold, 2 Silver and a Bronze for its work at the New York Radio Festival. Athena Media has also been a multiple awardee at both the Celtic Media Festival Awards and the Irish Radio Awards. Helen is a graduate of UCD, DCU and was a Visiting Fellow at Harvard University at the International Affairs Centre. She has worked as a news reporter with the Irish Times, a current affairs producer with RTE and she was editor news and current affairs at BBC Northern Ireland before taking up the post as Head of RTE Radio. RTE is Ireland's public broadcasting service. She ran RTE Radio for five years, launching RTE Lyric fm and leading the digital transformation before taking the sabbatical at Harvard University and post that she set up Athena Media. Athena Media creates award winning podcasts and runs Podcasting Ireland. Some of its recent work includes a new transmedia project called Mother's Blood, Sister Songs www.mothersbloodsistersongs.com exploring the intricate relationship between Ireland and Iceland, through story and song. Helen sits on the board of Arts Council Ireland and is a member of the Royal Irish Academy's Social Sciences Committee. 

Des Shaw is Co-founder and Director of Ten Alps Radio, a multi-format independent radio production company based in London, England. Des has over 35 years experience programming radio stations and producing multi-format projects for clients including the BBC, Austereo, Sky, BP, Orange, O2, Capital Radio, Xfm, Channel 4, Absolute Radio, SiriusXM and Universal Music. Ten Alps Radio has won numerous international broadcast awards for projects featuring a diverse range of presenters including Johnny Depp, Bono, Antonio Banderas, Susan Sarandon, Jerry Hall, Cameron Crowe, Tony Visconti, Deborah Harry, John Sebastian and Anthony Daniels. Ten Alps is now re-branded as Zinc Media.

Mikyung Shin is the executive producer at Busan English Broadcasting Foundation(BeFm), the one and only English Radio Broadcasting in Busan, South Korea.

She has been a dedicated member of the broadcasting field since 1996, at first as a host for various shows across television and the radio in TBC, UBC and TBN in South Korea

She began her tenure at BeFM as a producer, in charge of programs spanning various genres, from news to entertainment.

Mikyung has also created many radio documentaries on multiple issues. She has received the Gold Award at the 2018 New York Festival International Radio Program Award.

Lou is Vice President, Music Programming at SiriusXM Radio. He has been on the air and in management of radio stations across America, as well as hosting syndicated shows. At SiriusXM, he builds and oversees channels in various genres and hosts a weekly talk show about pop music.

Katja Šimunić, formerly a student of the contemporary dance school of Ana Maletić in Zagreb, she is a graduate in dramaturgy from the Academy of Dramatic Arts, Zagreb and has a Master’s by research in dance from the University of Paris VIII. She is a producer in Drama Department /Croatian Radio and Television, as well as the author and director of numerous audio works produced by CRT. Katja Šimunić is also a dance researcher who approaches dance from her double position as a choreographer and as a researcher in dance theory. She has been awarded as a director (in collaboration with sound engineer Marija Pečnik Kvesić and composer Maro Market) for the short audio drama “Notturno” from Grand Prix Nova the Silver Prix 2017 and for “Little Dancer Aged Fourteen” (in collaboration with sound engineer Tomislav Šamec and music editor Franka Meštrović) from Prix Marulić Festival the Silver Prix 2022. As a producer, she has been awarded for Jasna Mesarić’s “Munch and Munch – Dyptich”  from the BBC the Best European Audio Drama 2019 as well as for Jasna Mesarić’s “Byzantine Soap Opera” from Prix Marulić Festival the Grand Prix 2019 and  for the short audio drama Kamov’s “Earthquake” from the BBC the Best European Audio Drama 2021.

Fyona Smith is the Managing Editor at Today FM for Bauer Media Audio Ireland, leading talent development and content strategy for Today FM’s Music and Entertainment portfolio.

An industry leader in the Irish and Australian audio markets, Fyona has held national roles in driving Audio Innovation, content creation and industry practices, with a focus on premium live content and podcasts.

Before joining Bauer Media, Fyona was the Head of Radio & Podcasting at AFTRS, developing industry training at a national and international level. 

Earlier in her career Fyona was the National Network Music Director at Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) Triple M Regional, where she was responsible for the music strategy for 34+ stations and delivering specialised shows.

Fyona is an award-winning radio programmer and has been a New York Festival Grand Jury Member for five years.

Ken Sweeney is the Showbiz Editor for The Irish Sun and has been an independent radio documentary maker working with RTE Radio in Ireland. His first doc, an RTE Radio Doc One One, 'Michael Jackson's Irish Driver' won an Irish PPI Radio Award and was a finalist in the New York Festivals in 2014. Since then his music docs on artists including influential Scottish band The Blue Nile have aired on RTE Radio, BBC Radio 6 Music, and CBC. His latest RTE music doc 'REM Out Of Athens' won Silver at the 2018 New York Festivals. An ex-musician, he is a regular contributor to Irish radio as Irish Showbiz Writer 2016 and 2018 at the Irish Newspaper awards ENDS.

Responsible for the production of over 200 professional sports broadcasts per year Documentary Producer/Writer: programs include: Kraftwork: 25 Years of Patriots Ownership Rough Injustice: the Story of the 1976 New England Patriots Too Many Memories: the Bruins-Canadiens Rivalry All In: the Cam Neely Story Call to the Hall: the Willie McGinest Story Gil & Gino Behind the Mic Hail McHale: the Kevin McHale Story Number 33: the Larry Bird Story

Alison Toomey is a Producer/Director/Co-founder at Real Films TV & Radio Production Company in Ireland. Real Films TV/Radio Production Company & Radio work has been awarded six IFTA nominations (Irish Film & Television Awards) and has won three IFTA s. Alison's radio work has won a Gold Medal at the New York Festivals 'World’s Best Radio Programs' in the 'Best International Educational Documentary' category and achieved two finalist certificates. Real Films specialize in producing high-end documentaries in Film, Television and Radio. Alison Toomey has been a Grand Jury member at the New York Festivals 'World’s Best Radio Programs' International Radio awards festival for the last five years. You can listen to Alison's work on https://soundcloud.com/alison-toomey-ireland “Being a Grand Jury Member for the World’s Best Radio Awards is now part of my working calendar. I absolutely love it! I get to listen to radio producers work from all over the world. I always learn so much

Mark Travis has over 20 years of experience in the music industry as a writer, producer, broadcaster, lecturer, and audio engineer. Since 2011, he had been the Associate Director of Media, Production for the New York Philharmonic and was Director of Media Production.  He produced the orchestra's broadcasts since 2003. Mark has also served as a writer and producer for Chicago’s WFMT Radio Network where he wrote and produced over 800 nationally syndicated programs--notably the Bucksbaum Family Lyric Opera of Chicago broadcasts. As a freelance producer, he has produced English-language broadcasts for the Berlin Philharmonic, The Suisse Romande Orchestra, the Bavarian State Opera, the Bavarian Radio Symphony, and the Milwaukee Symphony. Mr. Travis also has an extensive discography as a music-producer that ranges from recordings by the New York Philharmonic to recordings by William Warfield, Jenny Lin, Jeffrey Siegel, Susan Merdinger, Maria-Luisa Rayan-Forero and the Chicago Chorale for Deutsche Grammophon, Naxos

Juan Villalba is director of Radio U of the National University of Cuyo, one of the largest public universities in Argentina. He has more than twenty-five years of experience in the media and radio is his main love. He understands that radio is a stage where literature, theater and music are mixed. In his professional career, he has received numerous awards. He was a four-time finalist at the New York Radio Festival. In 2018 he won the Silver Award with his documentary "Grandma". In addition, he won two Martín Fierro Awards, the most important award for the media in his country.

Stephanie Welch is Senior Producer at the nonprofit Bioneers, and since 2004, has produced its award-winning syndicated program Bioneers: Revolution from the Heart of Nature. She is also a filmmaker. Welch directed and produced the recently released documentary film A Dangerous Idea: Eugenics, Genetics and the American Dream.

Will is one of BBC network radio’s youngest producers. Having secured several programme commissions for Asian Network he is now one of the creative leads at the forefront of redesigning the network for a new generation of listeners. He has presented and produced in commercial stations as well as across the BBC. His work in both entertainment and documentary radio has seen him win Sony Radio Awards, New York Radio Awards, Gillards, two nominations for the Radio Academy’s Producer of the Year and, in each of the last three years, he been named as one of the Radio Academy’s 30 under 30. 

Andrew Wright started his career in the radio and television industry working in some of the world's most dangerous locations as a news sound recordist. He spent 10 years as a broadcaster and latterly programme producer where he developed his production and media management expertise working with programmers, advertisers, official regulators, and talented broadcasters. His company. Wright Communicators, now helps broadcasters develop content, and businesses communicate their brand, marketing and training messages. Andrew’s diverse and valuable experience has also led him to become a leading trainer in creative, personal communication, technical and management disciplines as well as soft skills development. Areas of specialty, past, and present. TV and Radio Broadcaster Broadcasting resources Manager Commercial Copy Writer Professional trainer. (Advert and promotional writing, Digital production, talent development, Core skill development, Business skills.) Company Man

I describe myself as a Creative Artist and Content producer because  my work is divided between Radio, Fine Art and Music and Web Content creation.

I have  produced and presented  two hours of radio on the Arts  for over 20 years on my show Arts Canvass on Bay FM 99.9 in Byron Bay in Australia. I have also written and  produced  a number of radio documentaries including ‘Memories of Sarajevo which won me the Bronze medal  from New York Festivals World’s Best Radio .

I founded the website  The Narratives Library which contains hundreds of authors,  reading from their own work for just 5 minutes which was awarded the Hermes Gold Award for Web Design.

I am also a  professional Fine Artist and  songwriter and composer and my music  has been used in hundreds of T.V shows and documentary films.

I originally trained as an  independent filmmaker and still make   short films for competitions and performances.

I consider it a privilege and a joy to be on the judging panel as the range of wonderful  work produced by presenters from all over the world is such an inspiration.

Carole Zimmer is the host of the podcast “Now What?” about big life decisions, transitions and how you navigate all those curves in the road. She worked at Bloomberg Multimedia as a digital video and television producer as well as a radio reporter for 15 years and is the recipient of numerous awards including the Edward R. Murrow award for her radio documentary “Stalking a Silent Killer.” Before joining Bloomberg, Ms. Zimmer worked at NPR and the CBS and NBC radio networks. She has been a contributor to the New York Times, Washington Post, Harper’s and other publications.

Sue Zizza is a transmedia producer, director, writer, and sound designer. Sue is the owner of both SueMedia Productions, a full service audio production company, and also Radio Waves Studios, a premiere audio facility capturing and producing sound for all media: Audiobooks, TV, Film,VR. Etc.

Sue has produced award winning audio fiction for public radio, audiobooks, and podcasts for more than 3 decades. Her work has been honored by The Audies (9 nominations, two wins); The Gabriel’s; The International Festival of New York; The National Federation of Community Broadcasters; and the Communicator Awards. In 2021 Sue received the Norman Corwin Award for Excellence in Audio Theater for her many achievements in producing audio fiction. Sue’s sound clients have also included: Cleo TV, PBS, Audible, Blackstone, Macmillan Audio, and USA Networks Scy-FiChannel.

From 1996 -2008 she served as the Executive Director of the National Audio Theatre Festivals (NATF) – an audio arts training organization.  In 2013 Sue co-founded with NATF, the HEAR Now Festival.

When she’s not producing and directing, Sue specializes in and manual SFX (Foley) effects for audio productions, film, television and the stage. Sue also teaches audio arts and sound production at New York University’s Kanbar Institute for Film and Television at the Tisch School of the Arts.

With an early introduction to music and storytelling by his older siblings, Tim was intrigued by rhythm and the spoken word from an early age. As an award winning radio programmer, Tim is an active audio ambasador and media mentor. Innovation and creativity drive Tim's unique training, coaching and mentoring of media professionals. A lover of all things retro, Tim loves reading, social tennis and travelling.