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Alumni Council

Media, Culture, and Communication

With hubs in NYC, LA, and London, the MCC Alumni Council oversees the MCC Alumni Network, hosts alumni events, and helps advise the department on industry developments. Meet the 2026-28 members!

Meet the MCC Alumni Council

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Jasmine Yook (BS 2014), Council Chair, Jasmine Yook (BS 2014), Council Chair, is a brand marketer and strategist with a background spanning technology, retail, and consumer brands. She is the founder of frequency, a brand and marketing consultancy helping the next generation of consumer and technology companies build brands people care about. She specializes in brand strategy, go-to-market, growth, and content, and has worked with companies including Amazon, Nike, Victoria’s Secret, and Blackbird.

Favorite MCC Memory
Hosting an event as the president of Comm Club with featured guest Eva Chen (now head of IG Fashion Partnerships).

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Waahid Azizuddin (BS 2013) is a Senior Manager of Business Development at Spotify, where he leads podcast licensing & partnerships with large audio & video platforms. He previously held sales and BD roles across ad tech and media, at companies including Liveramp and Publicis Group. He grew up in LA and has spent most of the past decade in various Brooklyn neighborhoods, currently in Williamsburg.

Favorite MCC Memory
Taking MCC classes on Eastern Europe while studying abroad in Prague.

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Sarah Brill (MA 2024) currently works as a Programming Coordinator at NBCUniversal where she helps to ensure the timely delivery of NBCUniversal and acquired content to streaming platforms around the world. Most recently, she supported the on-air distribution of the 2026 Milan Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Before joining NBCUniversal, Sarah held positions with the Tribeca Festival and the MLB Network.

Favorite MCC Memory
Taking courses that broadened my understanding of algorithmic discrimination; a topic that is of great interest to me. 
 

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Natan Edelsburg (BS 2010) is the Chief Partnerships Officer at Muck Rack, a Public Relations Management platform that enables thousands of organizations including Google, International Rescue Committee, Pfizer, Golin, Zapier and Duolingo to build trust and tell their stories through earned media. Natan is the 2026 President of the Board of Trustees for the PRSA Foundation. He is also an adjunct professor at MCC, teaching PR Principles and Practices. He is a frequent speaker on social media, PR, journalism and the future of TV. He’s been honored as one of PR News’ Rising Stars and one of PRSA’s 15 Under 35.

Favorite MCC Memory
When Jon Stewart randomly showed up to Ted Magder's Intro to Media Studies Class in the prime of his time at The Daily Show. The lecture was at 9 AM so students often slept in, but not this student! It was hilarious, informative and inspired my passion for TV even more.

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Elli Garcia (MA 2021), Deputy Chair, is the analytical and creative force shaping brand stories with human truths as a consumer researcher and strategist. From the vibrant energy of Los Angeles to the relentless streets of New York City, Elli specializes in decoding cultural trends and formulating thought-leadership grounded in ethnographic observation and media analysis.

Favorite MCC Memory 
Working alongside three MCC fellows at Weber Shandwick as part of the NYU @ Weber Shandwick Residency Program. 

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Ananya Gouthi (MS 2022) is a social impact consultant at Charities Aid Foundation in London, where she helps corporates and foundations make their social impact work more effective, inclusive, and meaningful. She has previously managed grantmaking and communications at the McNulty Foundation, designed and scaled a two-time Anthem Award–winning youth fellowship at NationSwell, and led a UNESCO India research and capacity-building project. She grew up in India and has lived and worked in New Delhi, Melbourne, New York and London.
 

Favorite MCC Memory
When my final project, Words I Only Kinda Know, a resource to demystify media studies terminology for international students, was included in the MCC student handbook.
 

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Brina Jeffries (BS 2020) is Senior Content Production Manager, leading the production of compelling creative for Events & Partnerships at Adobe. With diverse experience in digital marketing, brand production, and fashion editorial, she has previously worked at Square, Squarespace, Tom Ford International and Michael Kors HQ. Eager about the changing creative technological landscape, Brina completed her MS at University College London in Human-Computer Interaction where she concentrated on the cultural and ethical implications of using generative AI in creative work. She is currently based in London, England.

Favorite MCC Memory
Studying abroad at NYU Prague and immersing myself within the culture as well as taking courses ranging from Advertising in Society to Russian and Slavic Studies.

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Sydney Malone (BS 2021) is a Creative Producer working across editorial digital video at Condé Nast. During her time there, she has worked on brands like Allure, Vanity Fair, GQ & Vogue to produce and direct some of their most notable YouTube and social series featuring talent from A-list celebrities, to athletes & experts. Previously, she worked in Current Programming & Production at Game Show Network. Sydney is based in Los Angeles and outside of work is an active mentor in the MCC Alumni Mentorship Program.  
 

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Khalifa Niasse (BS 2015) is a Senior Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions at New York University, where he leads domestic and international student recruitment (including future MCC students!). He has built a diverse career across higher education administration, marketing, and global enrollment.  In addition, he holds an Ed.M. in Higher Education Administration from the University at Buffalo (2017) and an M.S. in Sports Business from NYU (2025). Currently an MBA candidate at the NYU Stern School of Business, Khalifa recently served as a FIFA Host City Ambassador and remains deeply passionate about global media and sports.


Favorite MCC memory
Studying abroad at NYU Sydney and taking courses like Global Media Seminar: Sydney, Australia and Expressive Cultures: Film. A major highlight was appearing on the live TV show Q+A as a student and asking the panel a question about the current state of Australian media in front of millions of viewers.
 

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Lindsay Strouse (BS 2014) is Head of Partnerships, Digital Skills and Inclusion at the Tony Blair Institute. In nearly a decade of global technology experience helping purpose-driven businesses and products grow, she has launched products such as Google Assistant, Nest and Pixel, built programs to facilitate digital transformation, and advised on early-stage innovations. Passionate about inclusive technology and social impact, Lindsay received her MBA at the University of Oxford and hosts a decision science podcast titled "Figuring It Out."

Favorite MCC Memory
It's a difficult toss-up between meeting Jon Stewart during my Intro to Media Studies lecture, and engaging live with the Occupy Wall Street protests.

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Travis Tan (BS 2014) is Director of Global Marketing at the World Surf League where he leads programs that are growing the sport of competitive surfing and raising the profiles of the world's best athletes. He's spent his career at some of the world's largest media companies (including Conde Nast, Nielsen, Facebook and Instagram) gaining breadth and depth of experiences across marketing roles and functions.

Favorite MCC Memory
Taking a global media class on Italian media while studying abroad in Florence.