Our Team

John Gable is Co-founder and CEO of AllSides, and Co-founder of the non-profit initiative AllSides For Schools.

Throughout John's career, he has been a builder of tools, teams and companies that empower people and improve the world. John has over 25 years of technology entrepreneurship, management and executive experience, leading product, marketing and consumer teams and divisions. He served on the original teams for Microsoft Office, Mozilla at Netscape (browser is now known as Firefox), and ZoneAlarm at Check Point Software (where he met AllSides Co-founder Scott McDonald). He co-founded Kavi Corp (web-based collaboration, sold to Higher Logic) and previously was a professional political campaigner and executive director in the 1980s working for the Republican National Committee as well as for candidates for US President, US Senate, US Congress, Governor and local campaigns. His experience spans consumer technology products, marketing, press, community collaboration and high tech management.

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Scott McDonald is Co-founder and CTO of AllSides.

With a passion for mashing technologies and mixing/mashing music, Scott co-founded Thump Radio, a nationally syndicated radio production company and early (1999) successful community-based website in the music industry that produced the #1 radio show in timeslot (Arbitron Ratings) - reaching over 6 million people a week - and a website with over 100k registered users. (This is where he first met Nikita Tselovalnikov, the AllSides star designer and Drupal-smith who is also the the Russian-born musician and psytrance producer behind Penta). Before coming to AllSides, Scott managed the Global Web Team for Check Point Software (Internet security with over $1 Billion annual revenue) where he met AllSides Co-founder John Gable. Scott's expertise with web development and mashing technologies provides the core to the AllSides approach for revealing and improving our understanding of the world and empowering us to act.

Joan Blades partnered with John Gable to have their two organizations, AllSides and Living Room Conversations, jointly launch the non-profit initiative AllSides For Schools.

Joan is the co-founder of LivingRoomConversations.org, an open source effort to rebuild respectful civil discourse across ideological, cultural and party lines while embracing our core-shared values. She is also a co-founder of MomsRising.org and the progressive activist group MoveOn.org.

She is a Great Work Cultures champion and co-author of The Custom-Fit Workplace: Choose When Where and How to Work and Boost Your Bottom Line, winner of a Nautilus book award in 2011, The Custom Fit Workplace and The Motherhood Manifesto, which won the Ernesta Drinker Ballard Book Prize in 2007.

A mediator (attorney) by training and inclination, she is a nature lover, artist and true believer in the power of citizens and our need to rebuild respectful civil discourse while embracing our core shared values.

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Kristin Hansen is a Silicon Valley-based marketing, communications, and investor relations executive, with former senior roles at Intel, IBM, and several start-up companies. She also serves as Lecturer in Management at Stanford's Graduate School of Business, co-teaching a recurring quarterly course in Strategic Communications. She currently devotes her skills and experience to the emerging movement across the United States to reduce polarization, improve civil discourse, and restore democracy, serving as Executive Director of Civic Health Project and as Director of AllSides Talks (formerly Mismatch), a realtime video platform fostering civil discourse through guided conversations across distance and divides.

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Stephanie Bond is a Strategic Consultant and acting Chief Operations Officer at AllSides.¹

Stephanie Bond is a business management consultant with extensive experience in both the corporate and non-profit arenas as well as both large corporations and small entrepreneurial organizations.

She spent the first decade of her career as a management consultant with McKinsey Company in Atlanta, Georgia, where she advised Fortune 500 clients on strategic, marketing, operational, and organizational design issues. Much of her work was in the healthcare (pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and insurance), transportation, and telecommunications industries. She also managed McKinsey's North American Marketing Practice. After leaving McKinsey, Stephanie remained focused on health care issues helping develop predictions of the impact of the 2010 Affordable Care Act on providers, payors, and consumers, working with a private equity-backed medical products company on a go-to-market strategy, and providing volunteer and philanthropic support to children’s hospitals in Atlanta and in Kansas City.

Stephanie currently heads her own independent management consultancy, working with organizations at the intersection of non-profit / social good and entrepreneurial / high growth organizations. She serves as a thought partner to C-level executives and assists organizations in growth strategy development, team building, organizational structure and performance metrics design, contingency planning, and marketing strategy creation.

Stephanie has also worked with a variety of non-profit organizations in education, the arts, social services, international development, and health care. She has served on several boards including, youthSpark, Inc. (an Atlanta-based non-profit serving exploited, abused, and neglected youth) and Camp Encourage (a Kansas-City based organization serving youth on the autism spectrum) where she has led marketing, PR, and strategic planning efforts.

She earned an MBA from The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University where she was a Fuqua Scholar. She also holds a BA in economics, magna cum laude, from Vanderbilt University.

1. Techically speaking, Stephanie is currently a consultant and will transition to the full COO role after completion of AllSides' next funding round.

Derek Reisfield is CEO of BBN Networks, the largest Business-to-Business Digital Advertising Network. Previously he was the co-founder and chairman of MarketWatch, a leading financial news and information site sold to Dow Jones for over $500 million. Derek was also a founder and principal of i-hatch Ventures, president of CBS New Media, Director of CBS Sportsline and consultant for McKinsey & Co.

Laura Yecies is an experienced technology CEO and strategist with over 25 years of experience developing and marketing technology products and services. Currently the COO at Mobilize, Laura previously was CEO of SugarSync and Catch.com, Vice President of Marketing and General Manager for ZoneAlarm at Check Point Software, General Manager of Yahoo Mail, and Vice President of the Client Products Division at Netscape. Public spokesperson and recognized industry thought leader frequently sought out by the media in the cloud, mobile, security, collaboration and internet services area. Passionate, multilingual internationalist with expertise in building global business.

Rob Reid is an entrepreneur and American author. He founded Listen.com that launched the Rhapsody digital music service, the first licensed service of its kind. (Real Networks acquired Listen.com, and later sold Rhapsody to MTV for $230 million.) Rob was also a founding board member of IGN Entertainment (went public and then was acquired by News Corp for $650 million).

As an author, Rob wrote two business books, Year One: An Intimate Look Inside Harvard Business School and Architects of the Web: 1,000 Days that Built the Future of Business, and then a hilarious sci-fi satire of the music industry’s copyright laws called Year Zero.

Chris Nolan is Founder and CEO of Spot-On, an online media company servicing political campaign professionals. With more than 20 years reporting experience, Nolan's work is well known to tech-savvy and politically astute readers, with her work appearing in The Washington Post, The New Republic, Fortune, Business 2.0 and Conde Nast Traveler. Nolan speaks frequently on technology, politics and media, as well as the impact of stand alone journalism — a phrase she coined to describe the web-based writing of experienced and professional journalists.

Karen E. Watson established and runs a subsidiary of the Neilsen Company, the Government and Public Sector Sales division. Her extensive experience in government advocacy, communications, and media includes serving as Vice President of Government Relations at Echostar Satellite Services, Director of Public Affairs at the Federal Communications Commission, Associate Director – News and Public Affairs Programming at PBS, Assistant Producer of Morning Edition at NPR, and Production Assistant at the Macneil/ Leherer Report.

Ted Barnett is the Co-founder and COO of Byliner, Inc., a digital publishing company and social network built around compelling works by great writers. He has co-founded several companies, including SuperSecret, When.com (sold to AOL), and ActiveSite. He served as VP of Business Development at Reardon, a start-up incubator, as well as VP of Product Marketing for the Reardon subsidiary Mova. Ted’s background includes senior product management at Apple Computer and he co-authored a patent, issued in 2007, for multi-layered online calendaring and purchasing technology.

Lisa Guillerman Gable is the President of the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation, a CEO-led initiative aimed at helping to reduce obesity in America. She is a branding expert having served as Global Brand Identity Manager for INTEL and as founding partner of The Brand Group. Lisa formerly held the rank of Ambassador representing the United States at the 2005 World Exposition (the World’s Fair) in Japan. Other notable roles include U.S. Delegate to the United Nations, Commissioner of the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships, Vice Chairman for the U.S. Defense Department’s Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services, and advisory board member for Base Technologies (acquired by CA Technologies).

Bill Gorman was co-founder of TV by the Numbers which was acquired by Tribune Digital Adventures in 2015. TV by the Numbers provides television industry professionals and enthusiasts with TV ratings and trend analysis as well as insight into key metrics on website traffic, advertising and business. Today Bill runs TVGrimReaper.com, continuing his predictions of TV show cancellations independently of the Tribune Company. Previously, Bill worked for AOL as Mayor of Digital City San Francisco, Managing Director of AOL International, and Manager Business Development.

Freddy Ohou is a computer scientist, software engineer and researcher. He currently conducts private research, specializing in geometric modeling, 3D graphics and visualization, computational topology, data analysis, and NURBS. He holds a Master's degree in Computer Science, Mathematics from the University of Michigan and advises AllSides specifically on AI and machine learning.

Len Apcar, after a long career at The New York Times in senior editing positions, was named in 2015 to the Switzer Endowed Chair at Louisiana State University’s Manship School of Mass Communication. For nearly 40 years, Len was as a reporter and editor first for The Wall Street Journal, and later for The Times. As editor of nytimes.com, he led the nation’s largest newspaper website for four years (2002-2006) when it won virtually every major online award for news, multimedia, opinion, features and photography. As a member of the senior management team, he led the integration of print and digital newsrooms and redesigned the website.

He has been a business and Congressional reporter, for the Journal, and Web editor-in- chief, Washington news editor, Asia editor and a page one editor, at The Times. As chief Asia editor based in Hong Kong, from 2006 to 2010, the Asia edition also won a slew of awards but Len is most proud that he helped create a 24-hour global newsroom – New York, Hong Kong and Paris -- for online and print.

LSU’s Manship School concentrates on media and public policy. Len is a professional- in-residence and holds the Wendell Gray Switzer Jr. Endowed Chair in Media Literacy. He teaches writing, investigative reporting, media management, political communication and a special class on media manipulation and fake news.

A native of San Francisco, he graduated from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism and Claremont McKenna College.

Gina Baleria, Ed.D. is an Assistant Professor of Journalism, Media Writing, & Digital Media in the Department of Communication & Media Studies at Sonoma State University. She is also the host of the News in Context podcast (@NewsInContextSF), which airs every Friday at 8:30am and 6:30pm on KSFP 102.5 in San Francisco.

Prior to becoming a professor, Gina was a broadcast & digital journalist at stations including KCBS Radio, KGO TV, & KGO Radio in San Francisco; and KXTV & KFBK in Sacramento, and a communications consultant for nonpartisan nonprofits working to improve media literacy and engagement across socially salient differences.

She earned her doctorate in Educational Leadership from San Francisco State University; her Master's in Communication: Media Studies from Stanford University; and her Bachelor's in English with emphases in Film & History from UCLA. In her free time, she loves hiking, swing dancing, saying hi to every dog she sees, and hanging out with friends and family (even it it’s on Zoom).

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Louis Libin is President of Broad Comm, Inc., a consulting group specializing in advanced television broadcast, interactive TV, Internet Protocol and wireless communications. Prior to his tenure at Broad Comm, Mr. Libin was Chief Technology Officer for NBC, and was responsible for all business and technical matters for satellite, wireless and communication issues for General Electric and NBC. Since 1989, Mr. Libin has represented the United States on satellite and transmission issues at the International Telecommunications Union in Geneva, Switzerland. Mr. Libin is a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, and is a member of the National Society of Professional Engineers. Mr. Libin also serves on the boards of directors of several private and not-for profit companies.

Kathryn McManus brings world-class expertise in business development, leadership, operations, innovation, marketing and communications. She has built and led teams consisting of MBA’s, PHd’s, and renowned thought leaders.

Having launched both CNN Japan and News Certified Exchange Kathryn McManus' career has been highly regarded. Kathryn has worked with hundreds of senior executives and forged business relationships with top-tier organizations including: The World Business Forum, Bloomberg, the American Express Foundation, Reuters, Turner International, The Fulbright Foundation, Orrick, Deloitte, The Aspen Institute, NHK, Stanford University, The New York Times, TV Asahi, The Center for Creative Leadership, Fox Business News, Edelman, Bon Appétit Management Company, CCTV, Havas PR and many others. “Kathryn is considered one of the most networked executives within media and industry globally.” according to The Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

As a senior member of Turner International's business development team, Kathryn traveled extensively launching various broadcast networks. On behalf of CNN, she resolved conflicts between the network and international governments, broadcasters, and clients. In addition, Kathryn has been published in The New York Times, CNN, PBS, and is a frequent panelist, lecturer, and moderator. Beyond serving as an advisor to AllSides, Kathryn works in partnership with the Cronkite School and Fulbright Foundation, and select clients who are in the process of nationally scaling their organizations.

Marianna Spicer Joslyn is a news veteran with more than 45 years in television news, 43 with the networks. Her last 25 years were spent with CNN, serving as Executive Director and founding member of the News Standards and Practices office. Prior to CNN, Joslyn was Executive Producer of CBS News’ “Face The Nation,” and produced the ABC News programs “This Week With David Brinkley” and “World News Saturday and Sunday.” She spent four years as an associate producer/writer for CBS News “60 Minutes” and “CBS Reports,” including producing the Emmy award-winning “The Burger Years” with Bill Moyers. Joslyn began in television news in 1980 with ABC affiliate WJLA-TV producing documentaries and news series. Prior to her television career, Joslyn worked in Public Relations for the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center and medical campus, and the statewide emergency medical system. Joslyn retired in 2019 and resides in Atlanta, GA.

Dan Schnur is a Professor at the University of California – Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies, Pepperdine University’s Graduate School of Public Policy, and the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School of Communications, where he teaches courses in politics, communications and leadership. Dan has also taught at the John F. Kennedy School of Government’s Institute of Politics at Harvard University and George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management.

He is the founder of the USC/LA Times statewide political poll and currently hosts a weekly webinar for the LA World Affairs Council Town Hall called “Politics in the Time of Coronavirus.”

Previously, Dan worked on four presidential and three gubernatorial campaigns as one of California’s leading political strategists. He served as the national Director of Communications for the 2000 presidential campaign of U.S. Senator John McCain and was the chief media spokesman for California Governor Pete Wilson.

In 2010, Dan was appointed Chairman of the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC), where he implemented groundbreaking campaign finance disclosure requirements. Dan also was a founder and cochairman of the Voices of Reform project, the bipartisan statewide effort whose work laid the foundation for California’s landmark redistricting reform. After completing his FPPC term, Dan registered as a No Party Preference voter and launched Fixing California, an organization dedicated to campaign finance and political reform. In 2014, Dan ran for statewide office as a non-partisan candidate for California Secretary of State.

Dan has been an advisor to the William & Melinda Gates Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Broad Education Foundation, the Pew Charitable Trusts, the James Irvine Foundation, the Public Policy Institute of California and the Stuart Foundation on a variety of political reform, K-12 education and college and workforce preparedness efforts.

Dan is an active community volunteer as well, serving as a board member of the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust, Junior State of America, the Pacific Council on International Policy, the Center for Asians United for Self Empowerment (CAUSE) and as a senior advisor to the Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE) leadership training programs. He is the former Los Angeles director for the American Jewish Committee and serves as an advisor to the Los Angeles Jewish Federation. He is a member of the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs Senior Fellows program, where he mentors UCLA graduate students and advises them on their academic and professional goals.

Dan’s commentaries have appeared in several newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Sacramento Bee, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, and the New York Times. In addition, he has been an analyst and political commentator for CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, and National Public Radio.

Dan is a graduate of the American University in Washington, D.C. He and his wife Cecile Ablack, an international communications consultant and former Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles, live in LA.

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John Wood, Jr. is a former nominee for congress and a former a vice-chairman of the Republican Party of Los Angeles County. A noted writer and speaker on the subjects of political and racial reconciliation John’s written work has been featured in publications including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Examiner and Quillette Magazine. He is a national spokesperson for the bipartisan organization Braver Angels and lives in South Los Angeles with his wife and three children.

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