Title:Hoyas in Letters Presents “Letters and Lunch: Careers in Writing” Resume Workshop & Panel

Hoyas in Letters teamed up with the Georgetown University English Department on Friday, 2/9, for “Letters and Lunch,” a working session for current students to learn more about careers that involve writing.

Hoyas in Letters is an exciting alumni initiative that connects and engages members of the Georgetown community who are passionate about words and the power of writing. Hoyas in Letters is organized by alumni Allison Gilbert Weintraub (C’92) and Moira Bailey (C’ 80) in partnership with the university’s New York Office of Advancement.

Panelists included Moira Bailey (C ’80), Editorial Director, Public Affairs, at Empire State Development; Zeplyn Tillman (’14), Founder of Neo Elite, LLC; Tessa Moran (C ’06), documentary filmmaker and Co-Founder, Eidolon Films; and Allison Gilbert Weintraub (C ’92), author and Emmy award-winning journalist. Lunch will be provided at Noon.

Panelist Information:

Moira Bailey (C’80) is the editorial director in the Office of Public Affairs for Empire State Development (ESD), the lead economic development agency for New York State. Prior to joining ESD in 2015, Moira worked as a journalist for Time Inc. in New York and London, at both PEOPLE Magazine and its former Australian sister publication, Who Weekly. She’s also worked as a staff writer, reporter and columnist for other media companies including Gannett, the Associated Press and the Tribune Company. Moira is also co-founder , with Allison, of Hoyas in Letters, and a longtime Georgetown volunteer in roles including Class Ambassador and interviewer for the Alumni Admissions Program (AAP).

Tessa Moran (C’06) is an Emmy Award winning documentary filmmaker and co-founder of Washington, DC-based Eidolon Films. Her forthcoming independent documentary film, The Guardians, tells the story of an indigenous community who much confront internal divisions and illegal loggers in order to recover the forest they nearly destroyed. Her previous film, Fate of a Salesman, was nominated for the 36th annual News & Documentary Emmys and won a Capital Emmy. Writing is a key part of her role as director/producer at Eidolon Films, where she regularly writes non-fiction treatments and scripts as well as grant proposals and marketing copy. Moran also co-instructs an intensive summer documentary film course at Georgetown’s Villa Le Balze in Florence, Italy, guiding students as they produce their own short films about life in Italy, from treatment to the screen. To learn more about the Summer 2018 “Italian Realisms” course visit www.vlbfilm.com.

Allison Gilbert Weintraub (C’92) is the author of four books including, Passed and Present, Parentless Parents, and Always Too Soon. She is co-editor of Covering Catastrophe: Broadcast Journalists Report September 11, the definitive historical record of how broadcast journalists covered that tragic day. The landmark book was turned into a documentary by the U.S. State Department and distributed to embassies and consulates around the world. Allison is the only female journalist to have been featured in the National September 11 Memorial & Museum and she’s just been asked to narrate the Museum’s official September 11, 2001 exhibition audio tour. Allison is also cofounder of Hoyas in Letters, a campus-wide and alumni initiative that connects members of the Georgetown community passionate about words and the power of writing. You can learn more about Allison by visiting her website: www.allisongilbert.com.

Zeplyn Tillman (C’14) is a 25-year-old entertainment producer and media host, with an english degree from Georgetown University. Tillman first developed his passion for music when he began playing the saxophone at 10 years old. His passion grew over the years, as he learned to play piano, and decided to extend his career to the business side. Tillman got his start in the industry interning as a producer and engineer at MaddBass Studios in Newark, NJ, a studio that produced for artists such as Queen Latifah and Naughty by Nature. The next summer, he interned at A+E Networks, followed by an internship with Live Nation Entertainment at The Warner Theatre. Upon graduating, he was amongst the first 5 interns at 300 Entertainment (Fetty Wap, Young Thug, Migos) in New York, and transitioned into being the Digital Marketing Assistant. In 2015, he moved back to Washington D.C., and founded the entertainment company – Neo Elite, LLC, a brand and creative agency specializing in content development and curating events that both entertain and elevate urban millennials. The first brand launched under the Neo Elite, LLC umbrella was Neo Age Live, a concert production and multimedia entertainment brand in partnership with the Howard Theatre that introduced millennials to the next generation of the most talented soulful and authentic superstars. In 2017, Neo Elite formed a television production partnership with the D.C. Office of Cable, Television, Film, Music and Entertaining producing a television show and digital content series entitled “The D.C. Soul Stage”. Some partners of Neo Elite have included Mayor Bowser’s 202Creates, Frito Lay, Pepsico, and Chuck Levin’s Washington Music Center; with media appearances on Fox 5, ABC 7, and the Washington Examiner. In addition to overseeing daily operations of Neo Elite, Tillman is also a host and correspondent on the Washington D.C’s District Knowledge Network television show, “I Wish You Knew”.

Georgetown Writes: Truth in Media

On October 11, 2017, Hoyas in Letters partnered with Georgetown University Library Associates to present the fourth Georgetown Writes program, featuring alumni discussing their experiences. Panelists included Sarah Mimms (C’10), Deputy Politics Editor for Buzzfeed, Mark Bulik (F’80), Senior Editor, The New York Times, and Russell Adams, (C’ 98), Editor, The Wall Street Journal. The moderator was Sanford J. Ungar, Director of the Free Speech Project, Office of the President, Georgetown University. The discussion drew a large and engaged crowd of students and alumni inside Pierce Reading Room, Lauinger Library.

In partnership with Hoya Gateway and the Cawley Career Education Center, this career panel brought together alumni representing a variety of career paths related to entertainment and media. Author and Hoyas in Letters Co-Founder, Allison Gilbert (C ’92), was honored to join the meaningful discussion and lend her perspective. Other panelists included, Ben Crosbie (C ’06), Co-Founder, Eidolon Films, Aaron Davis (C ’99) Investigative Reporter, The Washington Post, Jeffrey Schneider (UCLA 1987, Georgetown University Law Center, Adjunct Professor, EVP Business and Legal Affairs, National Geographic Partners, and Marci Wiseman (SFS ’85), Co-President, Television, Blumhouse Productions. Mitch Peyser (MSB ’93), Vice President, Time Life, served as moderator. The October 18, 2017 event took place at Robert and Bernice Wagner Alumni House and was packed with undergraduate and graduate students.