Alumni News 10 | College of Media

Min’s advocacy for underrepresented groups leads to appointment on President Biden’s Advisory Commission

March 1, 2022 | Vivian La, Communications Intern

Sarah Min (BS ’93, journalism) has always wanted to have a public service chapter of her life. After an extensive career as a media executive, Min now focuses on advocating for people of color and women through nonprofit and political work.

In December, Min was appointed to President Biden’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. The commission will advise the President on issues of equity and inclusion for AANHPI communities, as well as address anti-Asian xenophobia and violence.

“I think we’re in a situation right now where a lot of things in our system are converging to create a climate of hate and polarization,” Min said.

In 2019, she began serving on the board of directors for nonprofits like civil rights advocacy group Color of Change, political action committee EMILY’s List, and engaging with grassroots organizations like the Korean American Community Foundation, with the goal of building civic engagement.

Min saw the power of media in shaping narratives about underrepresented communities.

“Stories—how they’re portrayed and who’s telling them—influence systemic injustice and the biases that we have just as everyday people and consumers of media at scale,” she said.

Min believes it’s important for students to gain real-world media experience as part of their education. In 2020, she established the Daily Illini Journalism Scholarship Fund with her husband Matt Pincus. The fund supports undergraduates in journalism who are committed to working at least one semester at The Daily Illini.

Min said her experiences as a production assistant as well as special projects editor and a reporter for InPrint at The Daily Illini, where she made lifelong friends, were some of her most fun and formative years.

“I’m grateful for that opportunity of being able to learn in an academic setting, but then simultaneously being able to put it into practice,” she said. “[The Daily Illini] was not just a club in the way that we were doing something together, but we also produced something that everybody read every day.”

Min credits the College of Media for facilitating industry connections that launched her career. As a student, Min was drawn to magazine journalism, and was encouraged by journalism mentors Dana Ewell, Jo Thomas, and Bonnie (Bellew) Layton.

“I was fortunate to have mentors who understood the career I wanted, and people who coached me along the way and connected me,” Min said.

Her career began in New York City at Glamour magazine, where she began as an editorial assistant. She held managing editor positions at other magazines including Vibe and Domino, which she helped launch. Min also was president of the publishing company McSweeney’s, founded by fellow journalism alum and author Dave Eggers (BS ’02).

Then, with the rise of digital media and smartphones, Min said “the world changed.” She became executive vice president for marketing and corporate development for ScrollMotion, a mobile enterprise technology company.

Min’s career in for-profit media ended with her time in media consulting, working with companies such as HBO and Penguin Random House.

Min said she recognizes the role that journalism and communications plays in trying to address issues like AANHPI racism.

“I think it’s all our responsibility to be able to tell our own stories, to help other people tell our stories, and to understand our stories,” Min said.

Through the President’s commission, she hopes to bring her professional and personal experience to her role as co-chair of the Data Disaggregation Subcommittee, which will expand the collection and use of disaggregated data at the federal, state, and local levels on AA and NHPI communities, and facilitate improved research on policy and program outcomes for AA and NHPI communities.

“I am honored to be among such a diverse group of leaders who have dedicated much of their lives to improving economic opportunity, environmental health, and equity of AANHPI and all Americans,” she said.

Burke tops charts again with award-winning Super Bowl ads

February 15, 2022

Advertising alum Patrick Burke (BS ’95), executive creative director of the Chicago-based ad agency Highdive, has once again topped the charts with award-winning Super Bowl ads. His team created both the Rocket Mortgage commercial and the Lay’s potato chip commercial, earning the #1 and #6 spots on the USA Today Super Bowl Ad Meter poll.

He got the #1 and #2 spots for Rocket Mortgage in 2021 and the #5 spot for them in 2020.

With Rocket Mortgage this year, Burke served as creative director, overseeing a team. His role on the Lay’s ad was more hands-on.

Burke told Adweek that the team starts each project like any other assignment by getting to one single insight that can drive the creative. Read his interview.

Read our 2021 story about Burke.

Murillo produces ‘The Disability Minute’ on Chicago’s WBBM Newsradio

Sandy Murillo (BS ’12, journalism) produces and hosts “The Disability Minute,” a weekly segment that debuted on Chicago’s WBBM Newsradio in August 2021.

“This is an exciting venture that helps us spread awareness about disabilities to an even wider audience,” Murillo said. “Best of all, the segment is produced entirely by people with disabilities.”

Murillo is an associate producer at Chicago Lighthouse Media where she oversees and runs CRIS (Chicagoland Radio Information Service) Radio, a reading service for the blind and visually impaired. She was recently featured in a video to share her experiences at Chicago Lighthouse Media.

Min appointed to President Biden’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders

Sarah Min (BS ’93, journalism) has been appointed by President Biden as one of the commissioners to the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.

The Commission will advise the President on ways the public, private, and non-profit sectors can work together to advance equity and opportunity for every Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community. The Commission is also charged with advising the President on policies to address anti-Asian xenophobia and violence, ways to build capacity in AANHPI communities through federal grantmaking, and policies to address the intersectional barriers that AANHPI women, LGBTQ+ people, and people with disabilities face.

Min is an advocate and former media executive. From 2013 to 2019, Min was an independent consultant, working with clients such as HBO, Penguin Random House, and other nonprofits. Previously, she served as executive vice president for marketing and corporate development for ScrollMotion, an enterprise software company. Min also was the managing editor of Vibe and Domino magazines, a director at media company Bertelsmann, as well as president of literary publishing company McSweeney’s. She serves as a director on nonprofit boards, including Color of Change and EMILY’s List, and has been engaged in grassroots organizations, including the Korean American Community Foundation and the Asian American Power Network.

Read the White House press release.

Marcotte publishes picture book for children

Alison Marcotte (BS ’15, journalism) will have her first children’s picture book, Seeking Best Friend, published on January 25, 2022, by Beaming Books.

“After graduating, I continued to pursue my passion for storytelling and started a career as a children’s book author,” Marcotte said. “The College of Media was instrumental in developing my writing style and voice and building my confidence as a writer.”

In her humorous picture book, a child sends out an open call for a best friend and the most unlikely candidates apply for the job. Her book will be available at independent bookstores, Barnes & Noble, Target, Walmart, Amazon, and other retailers.

Marcotte is a Chicago-based picture book writer. She’s passionate about writing stories that are authentic, funny, hopeful, and filled with heart. She’s a member of the 12 x 12 Picture Book Writing Challenge, SCBWI, Chicago Writers Association, and Off Campus Writers’ Workshop, and a freelance writer for American Library Association’s American Libraries magazine.

Balz receives inaugural College of Media Distinguished Alumni Award

October 6, 2021 | Da Yeon Eom, Communications and Marketing Intern

When Dan Balz (BS ’68, MS ’72, journalism) arrived at the University of Illinois, he had no idea that he would choose journalism as his lifelong profession. His older brother, the late Doug Balz, who was also a journalism alumnus, had recommended that he join The Daily Illini. It was there that he fell in love with the craft as well as the camaraderie that he shared with fellow student journalists.

Balz, chief correspondent at The Washington Post, said his Illinois education and the College of Media have shaped his life and career in all kinds of ways, “from the classroom learning, to the mentoring from faculty members, to working on The Daily Illini, to the friendships that have been maintained. I am incredibly grateful for all of that.”

He has held a unique vantage point of history in the making, covering national politics since joining The Washington Post in 1978. He is also a regular panelist on PBS’s Washington Week, a frequent guest on other public affairs programs, and the author of several books on politics and elections, including two bestsellers.

Because of his extraordinary career, Balz has been selected as the inaugural recipient of the College of Media Distinguished Alumni Award.

“This new annual award honors an alum whose career accomplishments and engagement with the College of Media are exemplary,” said Dean Tracy Sulkin. “Dan has greatly contributed to the profession of journalism, reporting on our democracy for four decades, and has generously supported the College of Media and our students over the years.”

“I really enjoy political reporting,” Balz said. “You get to go around the country, you learn about the politics in different states—which every state has its own rich political heritage—and it gave me the opportunity to cover presidential campaigns and to see the evolving nature of the person who eventually gets elected as the President of the United States.”

After working as a Capitol Hill intern during his sophomore year, Balz knew that he wanted to go to Washington, D.C., as a reporter. For most of his career, he has had front-row seats to the presidential candidates before they are bound by the trappings of the Oval Office, and he gets to observe how newly appointed presidents handle high-pressure situations.

For him, a presidential campaign is like a Rorschach test for the nation.

“The candidates are important, obviously, but a lot of it has to do with the mood of the country and what voters are looking for, and trying to understand all those forces that come together as a campaign,” Balz said. “To me, that has always been stimulating and that has always been different, so it keeps you fresh.”

Balz described political reporting as part biography. “You are watching people, and learning about people, and writing about people. But it also gives you a chance to understand the country and its history.”

Some of his most memorable stories include covering the election of President Barack Obama and the death of Princess Diana.

“The 2008 election campaign was just infused with history and the competition between [Barack] Obama and [Hillary] Clinton was unlike anything that I have ever covered in a presidential campaign,” Balz said.

“The death of Princess Diana was also just an incredible story, in part because it was so revealing of the country as a whole, and the outpouring of anger towards the Royal Family and the tabloid media,” he added.

He said the most rewarding part of his career is to have been at The Washington Post for as long as he has been. He considers it to be a great fortune to have worked under talented editors and to continuously learn from other members of the newsroom for more than 40 years.

“In a sense, I have had to reinvent myself every few years as faces change and demands change and stories change,” Balz said. “That, for me, journalistically, has been the greatest thing.”

For journalism students, Balz shared: “As you start out as a journalist, you will see that every great journalist, no matter what they do, there’s intellectual curiosity, desire to read widely, a fundamental energy to chase and get the story, and a self-critical nature of never believing you’ve figured out how to do the job as good as it ought to be done.”

Davis receives inaugural College of Media Emerging Leader Award

October 6, 2021 | Da Yeon Eom, Communications and Marketing Intern

Suheily Natal Davis (BS ’04, broadcast journalism), senior director of global diversity, equity, and inclusion at McDonald’s, has led a life of championing others through her professional and personal endeavors.

She felt the difference that a welcoming community and a strong support system can make during her time at the University of Illinois.

“I think there were so many instances where such a big school felt very cozy and warm because of how other diverse students looked out for some of us who were coming in, especially from Chicago,” Davis said.

Davis notably has compassion for others—whether helping people navigate the legal system, encouraging underrepresented populations to work in law, or providing resources to expectant families.

Because of the impact of her work and volunteerism, Davis has been selected as the inaugural recipient of the College of Media Emerging Leader Award.

“We created this new annual award to honor an alum whose early career accomplishments and engagement with the College of Media are exemplary,” said Dean Tracy Sulkin. “We’re proud to acknowledge the important work that Suheily has dedicated her career to, while serving her community in leadership roles, and engaging with and supporting students in the College of Media.”

Davis currently serves on the board of directors for the Illinois Equal Justice Foundation and the National Employment Law Council. She previously served on the College of Media’s Leadership Council, on the board of directors for the Diverse Attorney Pipeline Program, and on the associate board for CARPLS, the largest provider of free legal aid to Chicago area residents. Davis also stays very close to her roots on the south side of Chicago through the graduate chapter of her sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, by working on mentorship programs aimed at supporting young girls from her neighborhood.

Davis has also held leadership roles in legal organizations aimed specifically at increasing the meaningful retention and participation of women of color in the legal profession, both the Puerto Rican Bar Association of Chicago and the Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago. In 2017, Davis was named by the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin as one of the top 40 attorneys under 40 to watch.

“In my house we didn’t always have much, but what we did have we always shared with anyone who needed it. The truth is, I would not be in the rooms I am in today had it not been for others who invested in my development and brought me along with them,” Davis said. “The least I can do to honor the people who created opportunities for me is to help open doors and break down barriers for others. The experiences I have had serving my community, legal or otherwise, have helped give me so much perspective and serve as constant reminders that we are all better when we work together.”

She joined McDonald’s Corporation in 2014 as senior counsel for global labor and employment, where her work primarily focused on counseling around issues of fair treatment in the workplace, including maintaining a safe and respectful workplace free of harassment and discrimination of any kind. In 2019, after working exclusively with McDonald’s U.S. business, Davis transitioned into the role of general counsel for McDonald’s Latin American markets. During her time in the legal department, Davis helped develop and lead the legal department’s diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy. She was promoted this year to her current role, in which she partners with the McDonald’s U.S. leadership team to drive strategic diversity initiatives.

“The role combines my passion for equity and fairness with my love for counseling, people, development, and community service,” Davis said. “My best days are when I get to work alongside one of our leaders to help them grow in their journey to be more inclusive and empathetic, or when I get to weigh in on how our brand will use our size and scope to produce meaningful change in society. This is a big, new role with a lot of responsibility, but I am honored that I get to do this work.”

Her roots in journalism stemmed from being fascinated with news and people’s stories. (So much so that her childhood punishment was that she couldn’t watch the news or her favorite investigative shows, 20/20 and Dateline.)

“I think that journalism to me felt like a very good vehicle to learn more about people and how they function, what makes them tick and also to think about whose stories are being told and whose stories are being left behind,” Davis said.

It was during a First Amendment course in journalism at the University of Illinois when Professor Steve Helle, noting that the subject matter sparked excitement in her, pulled her aside and asked if she ever considered pursuing law as a profession.

After discussing it with her family, she decided to follow that career path and eventually earned her JD from DePaul Law School.

Other experiences at the University of Illinois influenced her dedication to inclusion.

She recalled how she was the only person of color in her first class as a college student and realized she would need to navigate spaces with people of different backgrounds, communicating about differences, and across cultures.

“I feel like I grew a lot,” Davis said. “I was stretched in different ways beyond just academics. That concept of lifting while you climb and making room at the table for everyone, that collaborative nature, is something that was fostered at the time I was in college.”

Davis has been lifting others in many ways. Six years ago, she and her husband started a foundation called The Perfect Cadence following the tragedy of losing their daughter. The foundation provides baby showers and celebrations for families who do not have access to resources, and it also provides support for families who have experienced similar losses.

“For me, frankly, I had to give some sort of meaning to that loss to be able to cope,” Davis said. “The foundation was a way to create memories that could stand in place of the memories that we couldn’t have with our daughter, and it’s given us just that.”

Davis has come a long way since being a college student who regularly battled self-doubt. She offered words of encouragement for current students:

“Trust that you are here for a reason, your voice matters, your instinct and your presence are valuable,” Davis said. “There’s frankly so much in the world to deter you and you may have your own difficulties or conflicts, but trust that you are right where you are supposed to be and take a moment to enjoy what’s around you.”

Advertising alum creates two highest-rated ads for Super Bowl

March 4, 2021 | Marissa Plescia, Communications and Marketing Intern

Patrick Burke doesn’t usually like waking up to a work text at 5 a.m. … unless it’s saying that his commercials got the #1 and #2 spots for the USA Today Super Bowl Ad Meter poll.

“If I’m gonna get woken up to a work text at 5 a.m., that was definitely a good one,” he said with a laugh.

Burke (BS ’95, advertising) is the group creative director for Highdive, an independently-owned agency based in Chicago. After working for larger Chicago agencies like BBDO, DDB, and Ogilvy, he decided to move to Highdive in 2019.

Highdive’s winning ads this year were two commercials for Rocket Mortgage starring Tracy Morgan, humorously demonstrating the difference between being “pretty sure” and “certain” about buying a home. Burke was the writer for both of these ads. (Watch the ads here.)

Because Rocket Mortgage isn’t a full-time client of Highdive, the agency had to pitch their idea against several other agencies. Their idea was ultimately chosen.

“What’s funny is, sort of immediately, we had Tracy Morgan’s voice in our heads when we were writing the script, and there were times in the process where we were asked to explore backups in case Tracy said no, and we could never find any,” Burke said.

This isn’t the first time Burke and Highdive were awarded top spots on the USA Today Ad Meter poll. Last year, they won the #1 spot for a Jeep commercial starring Bill Murray—which was a play on the classic film Groundhog Day—and the #5 spot for another Rocket Mortgage commercial featuring Jason Momoa.

Burke said it was very rewarding to get the #1 and #2 spots for Rocket Mortgage after getting #5 for them last year.

“I was really, really happy for our clients because it meant a lot to them and it’s a lot of PR,” he said. “It makes all their hard work and championing the idea worth it.”

He said he also enjoyed working with Tracy Morgan, although he wasn’t able to meet him in person this year due to the pandemic.

“Tracy Morgan is just super, super sweet,” Burke said. “We always dealt with him online or over Zoom or on the phone, but he is just the nicest, sweetest guy and just super funny.”

Working with Bill Murray last year, however, was an especially exciting experience for Burke because the actor is a major idol for him, he said. He shared one story about when he was finishing up work and showed up to a dinner with Murray 45 minutes late.

“It’s Bill Murray, you know, he’s famous for just giving people a hard time,” Burke said. “As soon as I walk in I know I’m getting roasted for being late to his dinner. It was just like the highlight of my life, getting made fun of by Bill Murray.”

Burke said going to UIUC and the College of Media gave him a well-rounded education that helped him in his career.

He added that the advertising faculty were very helpful, and he’s stayed in touch Steve Hall and Peter Sheldon, both senior lecturers.

“I wouldn’t trade my education for anything,” Burke said. “I think the faculty and staff have great real-world experience. They all have great connections within the industry and they stay connected to the industry.”

Sheldon said Burke was undeniably talented as a student and that he could tell he would be successful.

“He was one of those students that you know from the first month of having them, the best thing to do is to stay out of their way because they’re going to succeed.”

But despite his talent, Sheldon did fail him on his first assignment for turning it in late.

“He recovered nicely,” Sheldon said with a laugh.

He added that College of Media students can learn from Burke that it’s not enough to just be funny, but that it’s important to be smart too. Burke also proves that students don’t need to go to a portfolio school to be a successful creative in advertising.

Sheldon said he didn’t know when first watching that the two ads from last year were Burke’s. This year, he was looking for them.

“It gives me something to dangle in front of 130 students in a lecture,” Sheldon said. “I can tell the story of how Pat Burke used to sit in that chair there and this is what he’s doing now. I thought a year ago having the first and fifth highest rated ads was like the capstone to an incredible year … then this year he comes back with first- and second-highest rated ads of the Super Bowl. It makes me proud.”

Pictured above: Patrick Burke recently joined one of Peter Sheldon’s advertising classes to give feedback to students during a portfolio critique.

Kalis supports students with new award for creativity in advertising

December 2, 2020 | Kimberly Belser, Communications and Marketing Intern

Talented advertising undergraduate students will be recognized for their creative work and provided with a monetary gift to support their creative career path, thanks to the Murray Kalis Award for Creativity in Advertising. The new award was established by College of Media alumnus Murray Kalis (BS ’61).

“Much of advertising education is quantitative based: media, research, tracking,” Kalis said. “Yet, what can truly differentiate ad agencies is qualitative. What I learned in the ad business was creative is the great equalizer in agency pitches. No matter how big our competitors were, if we had the big idea, we won the account.”

Kalis, who spent most of his career as a creative director, endowed this award to emphasize to students the importance of creativity in advertising.

“Overall, as a department head, I feel blessed and very happy that we have alumni who care deeply about our students, and who would really like to recognize the strength in our talent pool,” said Professor Mike Yao, head of the Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising.

The award process, which begins this December in advertising senior lecturer Peter Sheldon’s ADV 452: Creative Concepts I course, will take place during a virtual portfolio review, where at least one “upper-level creative with an extensive track record” will critique the students’ work.

Three awards will be given: one for the best single ad, one for the best three-ad campaign, and one for the best 10-ad portfolio. Students have the ability to win in multiple categories.

The criteria for the Murray Kalis Award for Creativity in Advertising is smart positioning, outstanding creative concept, and strong execution, in addition to that “wow” factor, Sheldon explained. The winners will be given a gift award to support their efforts in pursuing a creative career path in the advertising industry.

“From the time I started at [the University of Illinois], I was always interested in majors that require creativity,” Kalis said. “In fact, I switched majors every semester, starting with architecture, to industrial design, to fine arts painting, and then to creative writing.”

Because of this, he had little to no concentration of prerequisites to start his junior year. Then, he learned that the School of Journalism only required 60 hours completed, and that the school offered a major in advertising.

“I loved advertising because it called upon everything I knew and had learned. After all, you never know what products you might need to work on,” Kalis said. Two years later he graduated from the journalism school having majored in advertising.

“Even though our curriculum does not have a dedicated track for creativity because its history has always focused on strategy, there are many creative talents in our major,” Yao said. “We will always be looking for a way to discover and support these students who are interested in pursuing a creative path in advertising, and so this timely gift and this award will allow us to discover and cultivate this type of talent.”

Yao said it is important for students to be given a broad view of the industry and to be able to pursue their interests through the advertising curriculum, while feeling supported and recognized.

“This award really reflects our dedication and our view of the importance of this particular dimension of advertising,” he said.

Kalis is creative director of Kalis, Inc.; a partner and creative director emeritus at Riester; a board member of the Los Angeles World Affairs Council; on the board of advisors for Dave’s Hot Chicken; and a member of the Tech Coast Angels, the largest angel investor group in the U.S. Most recently, he joined the Los Angeles-based B2B delivery startup, Ship District, as Chief Marketing Officer.

Kissel to speak at 2018 Convocation

January 22, 2018

The College of Media is pleased to announce that Dave Kissel, a 1985 journalism graduate, will be the alumni speaker at the College of Media Convocation ceremony on Sunday, May 13, 2018. He has built a distinguished career in marketing, advertising and sports for Fortune 500 clients by leading high-impact teams at world-class agencies and media companies.

Kissel is currently a member of the senior management team of DDB, one of the largest and most awarded advertising agencies in the world, and a partner to McDonald’s Corporation in 44 countries. He is responsible for the global leadership and coordination of DDB’s worldwide McDonald’s relationships, helping each office deliver innovative strategy, content and experiences to measurably grow the McDonald’s brand and business.

He moved into DDB’s McDonald’s global role after having been a key architect and builder of Omnicom’s We Are Unlimited, called by The Wall Street Journal as the “Advertising Agency of the Future;” an agency designed specifically for McDonald’s U.S. Dave helped establish the agency, source its talent, develop its first work and, as the agency’s Chief Delivery Officer, helped create the agency’s operating system and technology tools.

In addition, Kissel is currently a Strategic Advisor to, and the former CEO of, InStadium, a national Nielsen-measured sports media network consisting of 450+ pro and college teams. Under his leadership, InStadium transformed into a multi-media video and gaming platform for major brands. Prior to InStadium, he helped create and scale the award-winning agency Zócalo Group, Omnicom’s first dedicated social media agency, a division of Critical Mass.

A frequent speaker on sports marketing, advertising and social media, Kissel has more than 25 years of accomplishments and awards in sports media and marketing, is an advisor to Block Six Analytics, a sports-analytics technology company, and to the University of Illinois’ College of Media’s Executive Board. He lives in a northern suburb of Chicago with his wife and fellow Illini alumnus, Sue, and his three daughters.

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