Our Team
Founder & Executive Director
Jeff McCarter created Free Spirit Media in order to share his experience as a media professional (cameraman, editor, and Emmy Award-winning producer) with underserved urban youth. More >
Program Director
With over 15 years of youth development experience, Melissa brings an array of management, evaluation, and program design expertise to FSM. More >
Technology Coordinator, NLCP
Shaun is the Technology Coordinator for Free Spirit Media’s programs at North Lawndale College Prep, making sure urban youth have opportunities to develop skills to be successful beyond high school. More >
Youth Voices Program Coordinator
Rebecca Connie joins the Free Spirit team as the Youth Voices Program Coordinator. She received her MFA in Film and Video from Columbia College Chicago and her BA in Media Studies and Anthropology from DePaul University. More >
Program Manager
Elizabeth Czekner is an interdisciplinary artist and educator. She holds a B.A. in art education and a teaching certificate from The Ohio State University and a M.F.A. from Columbia College Chicago where she focused her graduate studies in video, new media theory and practice. More >
Production Assistant, Little Village High School
Amir joins Free Spirit Media as Production Assistant at Little Village Lawndale High School. He is a motion picture artist and curator, whose background includes production of web content, short films, and music videos. More >
Program Coordinator
Andrea Hart is a multimedia journalist and interdisciplinary educator who believes in democratizing contemporary media to give voice to the voiceless. More >
Program Associate, North Lawndale College Prep
Max is a native of St. Louis Park, Minnesota and joins Free Spirit Media as a Program Assistant through the Lutheran Volunteer Corps. More >
FSM News Technology Coordinator
Dan is a Colorado State University alum and once lived with Fulani herdsmen in The Gambia, West Africa as a Peace Corps volunteer. More >
Lead Instructor, NLCP Christiana
Larissa Nikola-Lisa is a graduate of Emerson College, where she earned a Master’s Degree in Visual Media Arts with an emphasis in documentary filmmaking. More >
Program Associate
Julie is a native of Rockville, Maryland and joins Free Spirit Media as a Program Assistant through Princeton Project 55’s Fellowship Program. More >
FSM Productions Producer
Chad started as FSM's Technology Coordinator at the Gary Comer Youth Center in December of 2008, instructing youth in the technical aspects of broadcast journalism and live-event production. More >
Development and Operations Director
Anel Ruiz joins Free Spirit Media as the Director of Development and Operations. Anel brings diverse fundraising, communications, and strategic management expertise to FSM. More >
Production Coordinator, FSM Productions
Christiana joined Free Spirit Media in the spring of 2009. She is a producer and instructor for FSM Productions, which provides opportunities for Free Spirit Media high school students to work on professional media projects for a variety of clients. More >
HoopsHIGH Coordinator
Producer and mentor, Rahkal Shelton joined the Free Spirit Media team in 2010 to coordinate the HoopsHIGH Sports Broadcasting program. More >
Lead Instructor, North Lawndale College Prep & Collins Campus
Samantha joins Free Spirit Media as the new lead teacher at NLCP Collins. Over the past ten years, she has been working with high school age youth across the city of Chicago striving to create opportunities for them to express themselves creatively. More >
FSM News Program Coordinator
A native of Chicago's South Side, Teresa White knew she was destined to become a journalist when in high school she reported on the shooting death of a fellow classmate at the Chicago Vocational Career Academy. More >
HoopsHIGH Technology Coordinator
Jasmine is a native of Chicago's South Side and joined the Free Spirit Media team in 2012 as Production Coordinator for HoopsHIGH. More >
Program Associate, North Lawndale College Prep
Hailing from Denver, Elie has a diverse work and volunteer background leading him to social justice work through Free Spirit Media and AVODAH Corps: The Jewish Service corps. More >
