Our Alums
Alumni Snippets
Brian McLaughlin
ND Class of '82
Brian McLaughlin is president of Emerald Elephant Entertainment, LLC, has had ten years of film experience and has been a producer on twelve films including four features: Trade In, a comedy, stars Corey Haim, Ron Jeremy, and Tiffany Shepis; Good Boy, a thriller, starring Tiffany Shepis, won an Accolade Award of Excellence; Red 71 is a neo-noir with Michelle Belegrin and Angus Scrimm; and 13th Hour (co-producer), a horror, was later adapted into Necromentia. The short film Alma has won three awards, including Best Narrative Film at the University Film and Video Association Conference.
Brian, under the stage name Brian Mulligan, acts in film, television, and stage, and performs stand-up comedy. He has been in over 50 films, including The Decoy and Universal Pictures’ The Kingdom, and the short Take Me Somewhere Nice, which won the Audience Choice award at the Sedona Film Festival.
He was recognized by Notre Dame as an Exemplary Asian Pacific Alumnus. His organizational associations have included president of the Independent Film Association of Southern Arizona, Advisory Board of Arizona Film & Television Workshops, and board of The Loft Cinema. He has a bachelor degree in Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA from Boston University.
www.patrickroddy.com - website for two films Brian has produced, Red 71 and Good Boy.
Christina Glorioso
ND Class of '95, MBA '99 
“While getting my MBA at Notre Dame, the FTT department let me sit in on a Foundations of Television class, which was the seedling of my love of this industry.”
Christina has worked at MTV Networks since 2003, currently as Vice President of Marketing Partnerships for Program Enterprises, overseeing marketing and promotional partnerships for MTV, Vh1, CMT and Logo off-channel properties including Rock Band and other video games, virtual worlds, direct-to-video movies and music consumer products. Rock Band is the #1 selling game (by revenue) in 2008 and has transformed the music industry through its DLC (downloadable content) – new music tracks available every week. MTV Networks is the first major media/entertainment company to earn an Emmy for a virtual property, winning the Technology & Engineering Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Advanced Media Technology for Creation of Nontraditional Programs or Platforms for Virtual Laguna Beach. This summer we’ll launch the virtual Lower East Side as an indie music mecca. Also this summer watch for the MTV premiere of the original movie “The American Mall”. Check out www.RockBand.com, www.vMTV.com and www.vLES.com.
Jesse Newman
ND Class of '96
"As far as career development, Notre Dame provided not so much a specific, applicable skill set as much as an extremely strong foundation that allowed me to grow into the ever-changing field. Most importantly (and this is even more noticeable once having left college), the other students I met at ND are some of the finest people I have ever known."
Jesse Newman is a freelance visual effects artist and designer working on commercials and films. His work includes Armageddon, MMs Kaleidoscope (part of the permanent collection at MOMA) and One Rat Short (accepted to the Cannes Film Fest and awarded Best of Show at SIGGRAPH). Go to jessenewman.com
Allen Hemberger
ND Class of 2001
''In just one semester in an FTT course, I helped design and create a public service announcement and a movie trailer, learned three high-end video editing packages, and learned how to edit on an Avid. ND's film department packs a pretty hard punch, and it's a punch that continues to help me in the visual effects industry.''
Allen is a Color and Lighting Technical Director for ESC in San Francisco, with credits on ''Matrix Reloaded'', ''Revolutions'', and "King Kong". He previously worked for the animation studio Big Idea Productions (Veggie Tales).
Mike Cerre
ND Class of '69
Former ABC News correspondent who earned an Emmy for his reporting during the Iraq War, his independent production company Globe TV produces news segments and documentary programs for the major cable and broadcast networks. Specializing in international reporting and production, his strategic communications clients have included IBM, Intel, Merrill Lynch and FORTUNE. His most recent production is the theatrical documentary CSNY:Deja Vu with Neil Young which premiered at Sundance in January 2008.
Patrick Gallagher
FTT Class of '93
Assistant film editor Patrick Gallagher (right) with fellow Spiderman editors Chris Innis and Bob Murawski at the World Premiere of the film in Los Angeles.
Patrick recently edited the film Rescue Me and was assistant editor on Charlotte's Web.?"?"
Warren Junium
FTT Class of '97
''I came to Notre Dame set on majoring in Government and working in politics after graduation. After my Introduction to Film and Video production class, I decided that FTT was where I needed to be. I did end up working in politics, not crafting legislation, rather producing, editing, and directing video productions for both the Clinton and Bush administrations.''
Warren (right of Pres. Clinton), spent two years at The White House producing video messages, live satellite feeds, and multi-camera events for the Executive Office of the President. He is now the director of publicity for Children's Miracle Network, where he handles public relations efforts in addition to producing and editing multiple award-winning broadcast projects aired on over 200 television stations annually.
Joe Kasko
FTT Class of '99
"'My career in broadcasting would not be possible without the quality of education I received at Notre Dame.''
Joe is the Operations Manager and local host of NPR's All Things Considered for WVPE Radio in Elkhart, IN. He received the Edward R. Murrow Award in 2003 from the Radio and Television News Directors Association, for sports reporting in a small market.
Andy Kris
FTT Class of '94
''How interesting it was to be an FTT student, well trained on good equipment, cared for in a one-on-one way by superb teachers, and then to go to New York, totally naive about the film biz. But when I realized how much more I knew, how much better prepared I was than any NYU or Columbia film student (who, by the way call me regularly looking for work) I started to think, 'Hey, maybe I can make a living at this stuff.'''
Andy owns AKME Sound Productions in NYC, and has been a sound mixing/supervisor on numerous feature films, including 'The Laramie Project', director Todd Solodnz's film 'Storytelling', and the HBO series 'The Wire'.
Vic Lombardi
FTT Class of '91
''My present job as a television sports anchor is a lot like my days as a Notre Dame student. Only now I get paid to talk about sports. Oh, and I don't have to drop Statistics every semester.''
Vic Lombardi, sports anchor of KCNC News4 in Denver, Colorado, is an eleven-time Emmy winner for sportscasting excellence.
Scott Mitsui
FTT Class of '92
''The FTT department was very competitive, but at the same time we had a lot of camraderie. There is a surprising amount of freedom there. It was a great starting place for me as a filmmaker.''
Scott is a producer in Los Angeles, currently working with Jonathan Demme on a documentary about the director's film ''The Truth About Charlie''. He is also producing a feature-length documentary, titled ''The Bay City Bombers'' for JAM Productions.
Maggie Moran
FTT Class of '02
''The FTT department boasts the best of everything - great equipment and experienced, patient, and personal professors. It was the best choice for me because I was able to build relationships with people I still feel as though I can depend upon, even after graduation, even after moving over 2000 miles away.''
Maggie is currently the production coordinator and assistant editor for Baker-Jennings Films in Anchorage, Alaska.
Kristy Murphy
FTT Class of '96
''As an actor I learned in FTT that we are an instrument, our body, our voice, our mind, all of which must be in tune, which means being in front of the camera or on the stage constantly, performing and keeping that instrument in tune.''
Kristy played reporter Katie Witt on NBC's The West Wing. She's also been featured on ER, JAG, Ally McBeal, and Once and Again. She also played a lead role in ABC's series 10-8.
Margaret Ruffing
FTT Class of '98
''No college course could compare to the time I spent working on the Steenbeck & the Avid. Learning that editing, in and of itself, is an art form. Now, I not only think about what some of my ND profs would think of some of my work but I'll actually make changes based on those thoughts--that sort of sums up the department's influence in the real world.''
Margaret is a producer, director, and editor for NFL Films. Her work can be seen on Fox's 'NFL Under the Helmet'. She has also directed commercial spots and been a segment producer for shows on HBO, ESPN, and ABC Monday Night Football, garnering three sports Emmy nominations to date.
Jubba Seyyid
FTT Class of '92
'"Producing reality television is a lot like saving a life... well not really..''
Jubba Seyyid is a television producer living in Los Angeles. His credits include producer of MTV's BioRhythm, Telepicture's Love Connection, and show producer of Warner Brothers ElimiDATE.
Mike Schmiedeler
FTT Class of '94
''I might not use what I learned in Genres of Science Fiction Film class on the job EVERY day, but the hands-on lessons I learned in FTT internships at WNDU and Golden Dome Productions gave me the experience to get a great job producing documentaries for PBS, The History Channel, and A&E.''
Mike Schmiedeler is Vice President of Production for Towers Productions, Inc., with oversight of the company's production operations and staff. He is also Show Runner for Sports Action Team, the sports comedy series syndicated by MGM Worldwide Television. Before moving into his current management role in 2003, Mr. Schmiedeler wrote and produced numerous documentaries for Tower's clients including The History Channel, A&E and The Weather Channel.
Jerry Hughes
ND Class of '61
"Notre Dame developed my conscience...a very important tool when you work in media and have control of content..''
I started my television career in 1961 directing at WNDU-TV for $1 an hour. My first show was Romper Room. Thousands of hours later (after working with everyone from The Muppets to Ronald Reagan) I still enjoy the challenge each new show presents. Along the way I've been able to share my experiences teaching television production at UCLA, CSUN and Carnegie Mellon. Go to www.hughestelevision.com
Arianne Shean
FTT Class of '97
'I gained a lot from my ND education, especially the ability to learn, think, and follow through.''
Arianne is a freelance television Production Manager in New York City. She works on major network awards shows, concerts, and variety specials like the Daytime Emmys, The Tony Awards, the CMA Awards, Divas Live from Las Vegas for VH1, and the Victoria Secret Fashion Show.
Emily Liu
Actress/Producer, Emily Liu, studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and soon after, got her break in television recurring on ABC’s daytime drama Port Charles. Since then, Emily has been working steadily in TV (including Boston Legal, What About Brian, Sleeper Cell), film (A Good Day to be Black & Sexy – Sundance 2008), and theatre (LA Weekly, LA Drama Critics Circle awards) and has worked with such directors as Spike Lee (in Sucker Free City). She started her production company, Sweet Violet Films, over 2 years ago because of a dearth of leading roles for Asian American actors and produced her first feature film, THE TROUBLE WITH ROMANCE, a comedy about relationships, which has toured festivals to sold-out houses and will be released on DVD by a major distributor in 2008. She attributes part of her successes, both personally and professionally, to the strength and genuine support of the Notre Dame community. Please visit: www.emilyliu.com and www.sweetvioletfilms.com
Jeff Spoonhower
FTT Class of '99
''The live-action production skills I learned in my FTT classes have helped enormously in my professional endeavors. I gained strong foundational understandings of film language, editing and production at Notre Dame.''
Jeff Spoonhower is a professional Cinematic Artist, Animator and Lighter in the video games industry. Jeff's directing and animation work has been featured in such games as NFL Street 1 and 2, Saints Row, Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow, SOCOM: Tactical Strike, and Fracture. Past employers and clients include Electronic Arts, THQ, LucasArts, and Sony Computer Entertainment of America. Stop by his website for news and to view his work!
Stephen Susco
FTT Class of '95
''Without FTT, I'd have gone to Law School. Seriously, the FTT program was invaluable in preparing me for both the creative and business realities of Hollywood.''
Stephen has been a working screenwriter since 1996. His credits include The Grudge, Grudge 2, and the recently released Red. He has written film scripts for and sold pitches to New Line, Dimension, Miramax, Universal, Sony and Paramount Studios, and has worked for directors Mike Nichols and Philip Noyce, Oscar-winning producers Richard Gladstein, Lawrence Bender and Gale Anne Hurd, and actors John Leguizamo and Jennifer Love Hewitt.
Gina Vecchione
FTT Class of '97
''Special thanks to the FTT production faculty who introduced me to the wonderful world of digital filmmaking.''
Gina Vecchione (left) has teamed up with her sister, Ané, to form Sisters Vecchione. Their first short documentary, ''Trip to Tehuacan'', was an official selection at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival and is being distributed by Seventh Art Releasing. Gina is a Freelance Editor in Los Angeles, CA, working for National Geographic, Discovery Channel, and Animal Planet.
Gita Pullapilly
ND Class of '99
''My personal and academic experiences at Notre Dame gave me the fire inside to fight for the struggles of others around the world and a will to try and help them --one story at a time."
Gita Pullapilly is an award-winning television reporter and film producer. Pullapilly has traveled the world making social issue films. She worked as a television reporter for CBS and other network affiliates before making the switch to filmmaking.
She is a Fulbright Senior Scholar and a WGBH Filmmaker in Residence. Check out Dungby Produtions.
Jan Wohrle
FTT Class of '05
"The hands-on production experience gained in FTT classes at ND gave me an edge when looking for my first job. Since then, the lessons I learned at ND have been applied countless times in my day to day productions activities."
Jan works in NY as a Production Manager at Chorion Silver Lining, Inc. She is currently working on The Mr. Men Show premiering on Cartoon Network in February and Olivia, premiering in 2009 on Nick Jr.. She is also on the board of Women in Children's Media, an industry group for professionals working in children's media. Check it out at www.womeninchildrensmedia.org.