3 join Media School Alumni Board
The Media School Alumni Board has elected three new members. During their three-year terms, they will attend twice-yearly board meetings, enhance student-alumni connections, review curricula, and provide insight into the media industry.
The new board members are:
RJ Crawford, is a producer at WTHR in Indianapolis working in the journalism field for TEGNA, a digital media and marketing services company. He’s been with the company for over two years working hard to amplify Black voices and disenfranchised communities.
While attending IU, Crawford was a part of many organizations and found a home in The Media School. Before graduating, Crawford managed a team of diverse students for the IDS Black Voices section. Now, he is working to pave the way for future journalists.
In her current role at Palm Beach Media Group, Kristen Desmond LeFevre has several duties. Her primary responsibility is helming Aventura magazine as editor-in-chief, which is published monthly for the greater Miami-Dade County area. LeFevre is also a contributing editor to the group’s flagship title, Palm Beach Illustrated, and market editor of its suite of Florida Design titles.
LeFevre also holds a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (Fiction) from The University of Iowa (class of 1999). She lives in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, with her three children who are 17, 15, and 10.
LeFevre’s award-winning writing and editing have received recognition from the Association for Women in Communications Clarion Awards, Platinum Hermes Creative Awards, the Society of Professional Journalists, and more.
Sean Smith is president and co-founder of the award-winning attention agency™ Third Street.
A believer in hiring the best players available and fostering an environment in which they can flourish, Third Street has grown from an idea on a napkin to a creative growth accelerant for consumer and B2B brands internationally.
Smith’s perspectives on communication and business trends have been featured in multiple media outlets, including The Huffington Post, Entrepreneur.com, FastCompany.com, U.S. News & World Report, and Investor’s Business Daily. He is a recipient of the American Red Cross Leadership Award for Excellence in Media Fundraising and enjoys staying connected to The Media School.
Prior to launching Third Street, Sean led the marketing efforts for all rock-formatted stations at CBS Radio. He has also held leadership positions at the legendary WXRT-FM in Chicago and WRRM-FM in his hometown of Cincinnati, where he started his career as an on-air personality known as “The Prize Doctor.”