Web Lab Staff | Staff Bios

Marc N. Weiss, Executive Producer, spent a lot of time in old media -- a lot of time -- before new media came along to make life interesting again. As a kid, he was addicted to TV and he started making experimental films in college. Beginning in 1969 -- and well into the 90's -- Marc was pretty much consumed with the production, distribution, programming and promotion of independent documentaries. He was also a freelance writer, with articles in Rolling Stone, Variety and Mother Jones. He created P.O.V., the award-winning public TV series, in 1987 and was its executive producer through 1995, when he founded P.O.V. Interactive. From there it was a hop, click and a jump to Web Lab. Marc loves mouseovers.

Nekeisha Alexis-Manners, Web Intern, is currently Web Lab's resident web guru. A recent graduate of New York University with a degree in Africana Studies and Computer Applications, she seeks to use her skills to benefit arts and activist organizations in the non profit sector. Her work can be viewed at kre8 design. She is originally a Trinidadian native, but now calls Manhattan home.

Jed Miller, Director, Collaboration & Community, grew up in Manhattan, where he learned that everyone has an opinion. Jed is working on the current projects and the ongoing development for the newest version of Small Group Dialogue. He has built communities on AOL, NYTimes.com, abuzz.com and audible.com. Six years online have shaped Jed's belief that the Internet is foremost an "identity engine": It enables us to be who we already are and to build safe outposts in the speculative territories of who we may be. It is the medium and we are the message.

Suzanne Seggerman, Special Projects Manager, Crossover, is back at Web Lab as a part-time consultant after a year-and-a-half hiatus. For a new Mom and a recent resident of Kosovo, Web Lab is the welcome calm after the storm! Her background in interactive media includes community-oriented projects and the design of non-traditional games. Some of this work earned her awards from New Voices New Visions and Communications Arts. Her independent film experience includes credits as Production Manager for Ken Burns' PBS series "The West" and CO-producer of "Race For Life," a humanitarian aid and documentary film about Eastern Europe. As the manager of the Crossover selection process and Studio A's "Clipboard Lady", she's something of a control freak. She is also a nationally-ranked Scrabble player and the Queen of Asteroids.

Addison Smith, Coordinator, hails from Austin, Texas, but is happy his friends tricked him into coming to NYC last year. Before joining Web Lab, he was Assistant Director of Mesolore, an interdisciplinary educational tool on the native civilizations of Central America. He likes to talk about open society building, information theory, or pirates.

Elizabeth Thompson, Development Director, is also co-founder and Executive Director of PLANETWORK, a California non-profit exploring the role the Internet and information technology can play in activating awareness of both environmental problems, ecological solutions and a sustainable future. She also serves on the funding Advisory Board of the Buckminster Fuller Institute; is a founding member of LinkTank; and an Owning Member of the Chaordic Commons.

Her background in the arts includes a prolonged immersive experience in conceptual art as the Director of John Gibson Gallery, New York and as a founding member of the Obie Award-winning experimental theater company Cucaracha Warehouse Theatre where she worked both as a performing artist and producer of their renowned Summer Performance Art series. She is a frequent participant in Art and Culture forums at the New York Open Center focused on Art and Ecology and is a current contributor to Guggenheim Public at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice, Italy.

Vanessa Wruble, Lead Producer, Crossover. In addition to her work at Web Lab, Vanessa has been a world traveler, a documentary filmmaker, a Burning Man arts festival enthusiast, and an interactive artist. She is an active participant in what she sees as a "new movement" in DIY participatory/interactive event culture, especially in her playground, NYC. She has extra special skills connecting great people with each other and with great projects. She also holds the title of Director of Cool at Web Lab, which she takes entirely seriously.

Rich Zahradnik, Business Development, Rich has a long history working in media, both old and new. Before joining Web Lab, he served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Goal Media Group Inc. Prior to joining GMG, Rich served as President of space.com where he was responsible for the site's content, technology, operations, marketing and sales. He was also Vice President of Interactive at CNNfn, responsible for launching CNNfn.com, one of the most trafficked financial news sites on the web and the first news site to turn a profit. He also served as Editor of London-based Television Business International and managed the magazine's editorial content, production and design. He was the London-based European Bureau Chief of The Hollywood Reporter and Co-founder and General Manager of GoalNet, Britain's first online service for soccer fans.

Barry Joseph, Dialogues Consultant, has, after 2.5 years as Supervising Producer, transitioned to a consulting role (he left a note about the change). Before he graduated to a .org, Barry served .com time @radical.media, where he produced and Web-designed sites for Black & Decker, Car & Driver, Premiere Magazine, The Today Show, NBC, MSN, MSNBC, AT&T, Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation, Sotheby's, @radical.media, Movado & Kevin Bacon (a list he once found impressive, but now slightly more than silly compared to his Web Lab projects). Barry teaches Web Design to both students and educators in New York City's alternative high schools. He has also been recognized by New York magazine for his courses held at the Chautauqua Institution, Parsons, and the School of Visual Arts. Barry believes Oprah gives good hugs... and he speaks from experience.