Meet the Global Media Connections Coaches & Advisors
Jim R. Lemay
Jim LeMay advises and consults broadcast executives and journalists around the world. He is a Frank N. Magid and Associates (FNMA) Senior Consultant. His clients include Cox Media Group, Meredith Corporation, Sinclair Broadcast Group, and the NBC O&O group.
In addition, Jim works with businesses and media platforms in emerging countries at the invitation of the U.S. State Department. He previously served as Deputy Managing Editor at CNN for ten years and managed the CNN Newsource D.C. Bureau. His work covered every major national and international story during that time.
Glenda Umaña
Glenda Umaña is one of the most recognized and valued Latin American journalists. She is known for her charismatic, honest, objective and respectful style that has won the sympathy of a global audience.
With 30 years on the screen, 18 at CNN En Español, Glenda has been passionate about broadcast journalism and has covered the most relevant events of the past 20 years.
She offers live broadcasts, moderations, speaker opportunities, interviews, reporting, media analysis, documentaries, and training workshops for media, students, government officials, candidates for presenters, and television reporters.
Meredith Dean
Meredith Dean is a digital branding & career consultant, community builder, travel & lifestyle content creator (3 million+ impressions on social media), university educator, former journalist, speaker & entrepreneur focused on DEI initiatives.
She’s the CEO and Founder of The Dean’s List, a digital branding & career consulting firm that has helped over 350 clients around the world level up their personal brand through online portfolios, social media coaching & workshops, career counseling & more. She has also collaborated with Google Travel, the Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Hornets, AC Hotels, and Bumble Bizz and previously worked for CNN, Fox 5 Atlanta, and Ryan Seacrest Studios. Most importantly, her uplifting culture stands on the core values of collaboration, the celebration of diversity, and human empowerment
Connor Boals
Connor Boals is an Emmy-nominated storyteller whose content connects with viewers through their emotions, feelings, and intellect.
He started as a “kid-with-a-camera” running around Guatemala with a DSLR before organizations like Reuters, NowThis, and CNN opened their doors to him just as the digital video boom was beginning to unfold.
Additionally, he helped build Great Big Story in NYC, then managed their first international bureau in London. He focused on helping brand partners find, uncover, and share their unique stories from every corner of the planet.
He currently leads Underknown Studios, putting his curiosity-driven storytelling to work in new ways. The company is scaling up its content for streaming partners and using its storytelling to create KPI-killing campaigns for branded partners.
Dr. Cynthia LeMay
Dr. Cynthia LeMay received her Ph.D. in international conflict management from Kennesaw State University. Her research focuses on motivating and understanding the Millennial generation and intergenerational conflict in the workplace.
She currently leads workshops on “Millennials and the Workforce.”
With twenty-five years of experience in the corporate retirement industry, Cynthia last served as Vice President for Principal Financial Group.
Before Principal Financial, she was Regional Vice President of Retirement Plans for Northern Trust Retirement Consulting. During her career, she negotiated billion-dollar agreements, participated in union negotiations, and led a Human Resources Department.
She earned lifetime certification as a Senior Professional in Human Resources from the Society for Human Resource Management.
Courtney Kealy
Courtney Kealy is an accomplished radio and television journalist who has covered globally impactful events ranging from major conflicts to cultural revolutions. In addition, she has covered some of the most turbulent years in U.S. history, including racial justice protests, impeachment proceedings, and domestic policy creation.
Courtney is skilled in networking and identifying news as it happens.
Currently based in Washington, D.C. and New York City, she has spent time in Beirut, Jerusalem, Baghdad, and Istanbul.
Courtney trains our clients in concrete researching, writing, editing, scoring a speech, and nailing the delivery with an impactful narrative. You come away from her sessions with the skills to easily modulate your voice to deliver your message while holding the attention of a live audience or owning that live shot.
Gurvir Dhindsa
Gurvir Dhindsa is an Indian-born American journalist who works for CBS46 as a news anchor and reporter. She had her first job after graduating in her native Nashville before moving on to Mississippi, Atlanta, and Washington, DC.
She began her career in media in 1997 as a news anchor for Fox 5’s Good Day Atlanta.
Born in Punjab, India, Gurvir moved to the United States when she was seven. Always a “morning person,” Gurvir loves waking up with Atlanta every morning, but she is delighted to get out in the community to share the “good news” stories that make our area so unique. Her favorites are Positively Georgia, which highlights impressive people making a difference, and the CBS 46 Surprise Squad, which honors those who go above and beyond to help others.
Mark Kohl
Mark Kohl is a successful and innovative Director and Cinematographer in the world of television and feature films.
He shot features for Francis Ford Coppola’s American Zoetrope production company and was the Director of Photography on Aaron Spelling’s Safe Harbor.
In addition, Mark directed and shot over 130 episodes of America’s Most Wanted and lensed over 15 films such as Lonely Hearts with John Travolta and James Gandolfini, HBO’s Recount with Kevin Spacey and Dennis Leary, and The Quest on Disney+.
In between, Mark Kohl delivered over 2000 commercials to hundreds of agencies and clients such as McDonald’s, Honda, Ford, AT&T, Pizza Hut, Carnival Cruise Lines, and Dick’s Sporting Goods.
Marylynn Ryan
Marylynn Ryan is a 38-year veteran broadcast journalist and the recipient of two Peabody Awards, one National Emmy Award, and a DuPont Award.
She is Vice President of News at Georgia Public Broadcasting and leads a team of reporters, podcasters, and digital journalists covering the State of Georgia.
Previously she spent 25 years at CNN, leaving in 2019 as Vice President and Bureau Chief of the Southeast region.
At CNN, she was a Talk Show producer, Executive Producer, and Managing Editor of the CNN newsroom, having worked at three of CNN’s networks, CNN, HLN, and CNN Financial News.
Ferré Dollar
Ferré Dollar has over 30 years of experience with CNN. He covers all events, including wars, famines, coups, hurricanes, tornadoes, elections, inaugurations, and stories involving innovation, science, medicine, nature, the environment, entertainment, sports, and human interest profiles.
His assignments included interviews and extensive coverage of seven U.S. Presidents, many world leaders, those who have made history and impacted the world, also sports and entertainment celebrities.
In his free time, Ferré loves wildlife photography, emphasizing Polar, Alaska Brown, and Grizzly bears.
Melissa Mahtani
Melissa Mahtani is a CNN Award-winning Senior Producer & Reporter with over 17 years of international experience in London, Paris, and New York.
From traditional TV shows to rolling breaking news to Facebook, Instagram, and podcasts, Melissa has been at the forefront of experimenting with emerging media and reaching viewers on TV, Digital, and Mobile.
She has produced content for CNN, CNN International, CNBC, France 24, and ITN, hosting on-camera interviews, writing for a dot-com, and moderating panels for current affairs and business-related news events.
Melissa also plays a crucial role in designing the social strategy around special events, including bespoke CNN Town Hall, CNN Heroes, and the United Nations General Assembly.
Patricia Pedraza
Patricia Pedraza is a veteran international multi-platform journalist with over 30 years of experience. Pedraza spent over two decades at CNN, serving as NY Bureau Chief for CNN en Español. In that role, Pedraza oversaw bilingual (Spanish & English) teams of correspondents, photojournalists, and editors covering daily and breaking news and investigative and long-format stories.
Before CNN, Pedraza worked at APTN precursor WTN (Worldwide Television News) on the Latin America Assignment Desk and in the field.
Pedraza grew up in Latin America and Asia and majored in Asian Studies at Cornell University.