LEADERSHIP TEAM
Photo by Crystal Hodges
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER | CREATIVE DIRECTOR | CURATOR
KIMBERLY J. SOENEN
Kimberly J. Soenen is a Chicago-born Executive Producer, Curator, Communications Specialist and Journalist.
She has led global multimedia teams and collaborated with bureaus and verticals around the world, including data, investigative, documentary and photojournalism, to produce in-depth narratives, top-tier accountability journalism, visually-impactful essays and high-caliber storytelling across multiverse platforms.
Soenen works with an international network of high performing journalists, producers, policy leaders and artists to improve Public Health policy through visual story telling, reporting and live events. They work together globally to expose fraud and criminality across the healthcare ecosystem.
Her areas of expertise are: White Collar Crime, Health Equity, Best Practice, Patient Safety, Quality of Care, Universal Healthcare policy, and Do No Harm business ethics.
Her writing and editing have been featured in The Index on Censorship, New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Magazine, San Francisco Chronicle, Chicago Tribune Magazine, The 2nd Hand, MILK, NPR, CNN, MinnPost and the History in Africa Journal (Cambridge University Press), among others.
During her early career she worked for Harper’s Magazine, NPR in Washington, DC, Chicago Tribune books division, and Kartemquin Films. More recently, she was the Director of Global Business Development and Special Projects for VII Photo Agency in New York.
She is the coproducer of Fatal Neglect, the six-part Médecins Sans Frontières documentary series filmed internationally about Global Health. She is the supervising producer of Long Shadow, a film and national engagement project about mass incarceration policy in the United States and how it impacts Public Health. For the DOC NYC film festival she curated VII Uncommissioned which addresses pressing political issues globally, and she is the Executive Producer of Vicarious, a study of trauma reduction and harm prevention.
In addition, she financed Defy about rape as a weapon of war for the International Rescue Committee and Under Cane which exposes the causes of Chronic Kidney Disease among sugar cane workers.
One of the most impactful long-running multiverse projects she worked on is Bring it to The Table. The project includes a short documentary, webisode series, online platform, and community engagement campaign aimed at bridging political divides and breaking down partisanship.
Soenen is a member of the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism and a graduate of Loyola University Chicago.
ASSISTANT TO THE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
RILEY GUNDERSON
Riley Gunderson is a photographer, writer, and artist based out of Fort Collins, Colorado, Chicago and New York. In the fall of 2022, she will enter the dual degree program pursuing her Masters of Arts in Modern and Contemporary Art History, Theory and Criticism and her Masters of Arts in Arts Administration at School of the Art Institute (SAIC) in Chicago. She is currently studying to earn her BFA in Fine Arts with a minor in Art and Design History from Parsons School of Design in New York City. Previously, she worked as a Photography Assistant for Nicole Thomas Photography. Gunderson's work has been featured at Perspectives Gallery and published by Lithium Magazine. She writes for 10011 Magazine and is preparing for her in-studio year at Parsons. Her work was recently featured in the exhibition "When She Rises, We All Rise" exhibition at Art Gallery 118.
INSTALLATION and DESIGN
PHILIP SPANGLER
Philip Spangler is a Professor of Fine Arts at Harper College. His art his been exhibited widely. An accomplished art handler, carpenter and sculptor, he owns his own studio and workshop in Chicago.
INSTALLATION and DESIGN
DAVID GATES
David Gates is the founder and Managing Director of Hungry City, and Luna's Spot, a community-driven performance space and recording studio in Chicago. Gates is a musician, singer, artist, writer and producer. The frontman for the now defunct band Spacebones, his first solo album will be released in 2021.
ACCESSIBLITY ADVISOR
EVAN HATFIELD
Evan Hatfield (he/him/his) is an independent consultant focusing on accessibility, operations and hospitality for cultural arts and events. From 2005 to 2019, he worked at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, where he created the position of Director of Audience Experience and implemented accessibility initiatives that include relaxed/sensory-friendly programming, touch tours, city-wide audio description trainings, open captioning, all-gender restrooms and the installation of induction hearing loops. From 2013-2018, he served as a founding co-chair of the Chicago Cultural Accessibility Consortium (CCAC), and served through 2019 as a member of the steering committee and vice president of the board. He frequently consults with organizations and events on accessibility programming and services and has presented on accessibility in various cities and university settings.
SUSTAINABILITY CONSULTANT
SVENNING IMPACT | Communication, Sustainability and Circularity Consultancy
Kirsti Svenning is based in Oslo, Norway. She has senior experience working with international politics and sustainable development. She currently works across several sectors helping companies upskill to make the circular change. She also lectures on sustainability, circularity and design. Svenning holds a BA equivalent in Communication and Media Studies from Høgskulen i Volda (HVO) and a BA in English and Russian from the University of Oslo. She is also an alumni of the USA IVLP 2012 program in Media Literacy. For more than ten years, Svenning was Communications Advisor at the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo.
GRAPHIC DESIGN
BRENDA BINGHAM
Brenda Bingham is a photographer, creative director, editor, archivist, book designer, as well as yoga teacher and lifelong student. Brenda works as a Creative Director with renowned photojournalist Ed Kashi, and has previously collaborated as archivist, printer, and design assistant with photographers Henry Grossman, Irina Rozovsky, and Cole Barash, among others. She is currently designing the second edition of the "SOME PEOPLE" (Every)Body limited edition book.
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
MOE LOWE
Lowe is a recent graduate of DePaul University, Lowe is a Chicago based writer, editor and poet. She writes for Poems While You Wait, the group that produces original poetry in public places. She is pursuing her MFA in Creative Writing and is currently seeking professional writing and teaching opportunities. Her first book of poems, It's Been Evening All Day Long, was released in 2020.
FISCAL AGENT | AGENCY PARTNER
TALKING EYES MEDIA
Talking Eyes Media is a 17 year old non-profit production company that strives to stimulate public dialogue and advocate for positive social change on the strength of the work. Talking Eyes produces documentary films, multimedia, books, exhibitions and national events centered on civil debate and civic engagement. In the spring of 2021,Talking Eyes Media received two prestigious film award honors from Pictures of the Year International (POYi) and the Washington, DC Film Festival's Eric Moe Award for Best Short on Sustainability.