Susan M. Sipprelle is a writer, journalist and founder of Tree of Life Productions. She produced the video “Where Potential Meets Opportunity” for the nonprofit NJ SEEDS. On the basis of the video, she was nominated for a 2010 Russ Berrie humanitarian award. Susan has published articles in The New York Times, many of the Manhattan Media community newspapers, as well as in Autism Advocate and WoodenBoat magazines, The Gotham Gazette, news-press.com and in North Jersey Media Group publications. Her photography has accompanied many of her published news stories. She has also had essays published in The New York Times and The Parent Paper. Susan’s photography has been featured in solo exhibits, and her photographs have also been displayed at juried art shows in New Jersey, New York and Illinois. Susan graduated with honors from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in 2008, with distinction from New York University’s Stern School of Business in 1991 and cum laude from Williams College in 1980. She lives in the New York metropolitan area, but grew up in Rhode Island. She and her husband, Dwight, have five children.

Samuel Newman studied Art History and Theatre Studies at Trinity College, Dublin University before earning a degree in Film Production with departmental honor from Vassar College. While a student Sam wrote and directed the short film 68 Whiskey, which was selected for the NYC Downtown Short Film Festival. Since then Sam has worked as a Production Designer and Director of Photography on several short films and also spends time restoring antique wooden boats in upstate NY. He grew up in rural Vermont and currently lives in New York City.

Nikolia Apostolou is a multimedia journalist. She loves to take photos, shoot and edit video, write and research. Born in Greece, she spent part of her life in Saudi Arabia and Turkey, but she currently lives in New York. Nikolia earned her Bachelor’s Degree at Panteion University, in Athens, Greece majoring in journalism and her Master’s at Columbia University and the Graduate School of Journalism. Since she was 19, she has been freelancing for various magazines and newspapers. Prior to coming to the United States, she had been working in Greece as a tv producer. Today, she also admires the the power of social media.