STAFF
Featured
Over the past couple of years Cheyenne has been a program mentor for Hoops High, FSM News West & South. Cheyenne is now the Administrative Associate for Free Spirit Media.
Michele Berling recently relocated to the Chicagoland area from Los Angeles were she had a successful career as a post production producer, working mainly on movie advertising but also doing some feature film post.
Garnering over a decade of experience in the film, media and educational industries, Michael has always believed in creating an environment that fosters and inspires creativity and unconditional positive regard.
Lee Edwards comes to Free Spirit Media after several years covering a variety of beats in print, digital, and multimedia mediums across the Chicagoland region for the past six years as a multimedia/digital journalist.
Keta Glenn is a recent University of Illinois at Chicago graduate with a Master’s Degree in Education, Youth Development. She received her Bachelor’s Degree at Columbia College majoring in Fine Art Photography, with a strong interest in journalism and activism.
Directing efforts to design, plan, and execute K-12 research and evaluation activities at the federal, state, and local level, Glenance Green has spent the last five years working for the American Institutes for Research (AIR).
Joshua Jackson started off as a participant in FSM News South, then went to Southern Illinois University-Carbondale to study Radio-Television and Digital Media.
Kenyetta Johnson is a Chicago-born producer, director, and videographer! She caught the bug for TV and film while interning at the Illinois School of Media her sophomore year of high school.
André Lodrée provides strategic direction for the ongoing financial, human resources, technology and operational sustainability at Free Spirit Media.
Donell is a Chicago South side native who joined the Free Spirit Media Team as Production Coordinator for Real Chi Youth in the fall of 2014.
A decorated educator and artist whose willingness to commit to truth, transparency, and social justice has yielded transformative youth development programming within north, south, and west side communities of Chicago.
Sarah first started her introduction to Free Spirit Media as a Flash Forward Fellow. She graduated from Northwestern University majoring in Radio, Television + Film.
As Industry Pathways Manager for Free Spirit Media, Chakka leads Free Spirit Media's creative workforce development initiatives—providing underrepresented emerging media-makers ages 18-25 with professional development, production and skills training, mentorship and work-placed opportunities.
Chad Rispalje is the lead producer for Free Spirit PRO, the social enterprise production arm of youth development and media organization Free Spirit Media.
Danielshé (Shé) Rodgers started her filmmaking journey during her digital media class in North Lawndale College Prep on the west side of Chicago in 2013.
Growing up in Chicago, Sherice always pictured herself working in media due to the excitement of the city. The dream first started while she attended Prosser Career Academy High School located on the westside of Chicago.
Luke Sequeira is a mixed multi-media artist, dj and producer with a focus on experimental electronic music production, music curation and digital design.
I'm Briana J Shields, I grew up on the Westside of Chicago in Austin. Today I am proud to be a graduate from Savannah College of Art and Design, where I received my BFA in illustration and visual communications.
Soni Sinha has been involved in the nonprofit sector for nearly a lifetime and brings more than 15 years of experience as a fundraiser, advisor, program director, community advocate and asset building practitioner to Free Spirit Media.
Tracee Stanford is excited to return to Free Spirit Media as Civic Media Manager. With over a decade of broadcast journalism and youth development experience, Tracee is eager to bring insight to program staff and serve as a resource to help young journalists position themselves for success.
Hayward has spent the past few years working on commercials, tv shows and feature films. Film has been a passion of his since he was a child.
Imani is a recent graduate and a fellow for Princeton University’s Project 55 Fellowship. A native from Chicago’s South Suburbs, she is thrilled about working at Free Spirit Media due to its mission of catering and empowering historically disadvantaged people, particularly youth.
Covania Washington is the new Summer Workforce Coordinator assisting with creative workforce development initiatives at Free Spirit Media.
Founder & Executive Director
Jeff McCarter is the Founder & Executive Director of Free Spirit Media, which he created in 2001 in order to share his experience as a media professional (Emmy Award-winning producer, cameraman, director, and editor) with young people from under-resourced communities.