INSTRUCTOR BIOS

Nancy Brown

Nancy Brown has been a producer since 1995 of films, videos, and a television series. In the Media Center studio she's been sighted occasionally as production manager or as director. She teaches studio and field production and editing, and is available for private tutoring.

Jeff McGinnis

Hello, my name is Jeff McGinnis. Amongst other things, I am the Media Center Equipment Monitor, in charge of leasing out cameras, lights, microphones, etc. to our producers. I also teach the Media Center's Final Cut Pro editing classes and work on videos for the Media Center. I graduated from Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Communication in 2000 with a degree in television production. I started with the Media Center as an intern in 1999, and have been working for the Center in a variety of ways since 2000. I also work for Millbrae Community Television in Millbrae, and have done work for Peninsula Television. My office hours in the Equipment Room are Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays between 4pm and 8pm. If you happen to be around, please feel free to stop by and say hello!

Karen Adams

Hi, I'm Karen Adams, Production Manager and Staff Producer at the Media Center. I began my professional career as a geologic researcher and technical editor, employed for a total of 12 years by the Alaska State Geological Survey and the U.S. Geological Survey. My research focused on the Alaskan Brooks Range, the northernmost mountain range in Alaska, where I first encountered my phobia of bears.

I branched into video and television production to bring natural sciences to the public and now have been employed in the video arena for nearly a decade. In earlier years, I worked primarily in the field as camera operator and director of multi-camera shoots covering community & government meetings & events. In recent years, I’ve worked mainly in the studio as staff producer--creating 148 episodes of local news & issues programming--and as studio manager--overseeing productions of 50 community producers and 220 volunteer crew, as well as professional productions for client services.

My video work has been recognized with over a dozen awards & honors, including 2 regional Emmy nominations & 2 San Jose Video & Film Commission Joey Awards. Of all my professional accomplishments, I am most proud of providing a media platform to raise awareness around social issues and the state of the natural world.

Stan Ng
Studio Tech and Web Team
stan@communitymediacenter.net

I help out as a Studio Technician/Instructor, Web Guy, and production crew for both field and studio productions. In past lives I've designed electronics for the oilfield, for fighter planes and for spy satellites, and computer networking gear. I've also done stints in Technical Marketing and Support for electronic design software here in Silicon Valley, along with some web programming. None of that is as much fun as helping out at the Media Center.

As a kid, my musical instrument was the accordion. After a 32 years hiatus away from the keyboard, I recently started piano lessons, and I'm slowly working my way through selected Chopin, Joplin and Ellington tunes. I also like a nice bike ride from time to time.

Danielle Fairbairn
Youth Services Coordinator
danielle@communitymediacenter.net

Hi, my name is Danielle Fairbairn (it rhymes with Care Bear), but I respond to all manner of names like Michelle, Diane or Daniela. As the Youth Services Coordinator, I am the official office babysitter. But, when there aren't any little ones to watch, I am in charge of programs like the Youth Advisory Council, internships, and supporting our local video production teachers at the local middle and high schools. I also wear a few other hats like studio tech, teaching classes, graphic designer, and staff-games referee.

Before I joined the Media Center family, I received a B.A. in Media Studies at the University of San Francisco, and participated in Public Allies, an AmeriCorps volunteer program. I enjoy working with youth and have done so since I was 14-years-old. Other fun things I enjoy include playing the bass, knitting, listening to music, reading, photography, swimming, running, and most of all playing with my dogs. Feel free to drop me a line or say hello!

"The Media Center has been such an amazing place to learn the ropes of media production. The staff has always been so supportive of me and my ideas, from experimental performance to social justice to music, poetry and dance. It is such an incredible feeling to make shows that I believe in, and to do so with nice people who are skilled at what they do and want to help me make a professional product. ”

DIGIQUEST
SUMMER CAMPS
FOR VIDEO PRODUCTION

Weeklong Modules, Producing & Editing.