Who We Are
Common Sense Media is a national organization led by concerned parents and individuals with experience in child advocacy, public policy, education, media and entertainment. The members of our staff, Boards of Directors, and Advisors represent leading research, academic and policy institutions as well as the business community. Our members have a broad range of views and backgrounds, but they all share a passion for media and for kids.
Common Sense Media Staff
CEO and Founder: James Steyer
National Children's Policy Expert and Media Entrepreneur
Jim has spent more than 20 years as one of the most respected experts and entrepreneurs on issues related to children's policy and media in the United States. As CEO, he is responsible for the overall leadership of Common Sense Media, the nation's leading nonpartisan organization dedicated to improving the media lives of kids and families.
Prior to founding Common Sense, Jim was Chairman and CEO of JP Kids, a respected family media company. Before that, he served as president of Children Now, a leading national advocacy and media organization for children, which he founded in 1988. Jim began his career as an elementary school teacher and then became a public interest lawyer. He served as a law clerk for the California Supreme Court, as a deputy district attorney, and as a civil rights attorney with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.
In addition to his duties at Common Sense, Jim teaches popular courses on civil rights, civil liberties, and children's issues at Stanford University, where he has taught for the past 19 years. During that period, he has received a number of Stanford's highest teaching honors. Jim is also the author of the widely acclaimed book The Other Parent: The Inside Story of the Media's Effect on Our Children, which draws upon his extensive experience as a leading child advocate, educational media expert, and dad.
Over the past decade, Jim has appeared regularly on a variety of national television and radio programs, including The Today Show, Good Morning America, Oprah, CNN, The O'Reilly Factor, and Larry King. He hosts a regular weekly segment, "Kids and the Media," on CBS-5 TV in San Francisco, and his work has been featured in many publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, Newsweek, and The Wall Street Journal.
Jim grew up in New York City and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Stanford. He received his JD from Stanford Law School, where he founded the East Palo Alto Community Law Project. Jim is the father of four children — Lily, Kirk, Carly, and Jesse — and lives with his family in the Bay Area.
Anne Zehren is an award-winning marketer who joined Common Sense after years as a media executive at Current TV, Teen People, Glamour, and Newsweek. Her record as an executive has been marked by the creation of strong consumer brands which, when combined with innovative marketing tactics, have experienced robust and sustained growth.
As president of sales and marketing for Al Gore's Current TV, Anne helped create, launch, and brand the first cross-platform TV network -- and the first to feature viewer created content. Under her leadership, Current experienced extraordinary growth and attracted significant advertising revenue. As the founding publisher of Teen People, Anne launched and oversaw one of the fastest-growing magazines and teen Web sites ever. Teen People’s circulation increased by more than 200 percent in its first four years, and, after five years, the magazine’s readership had topped 10 million. To keep the magazine's content unique and relevant, she established a network of 12,000 ahead-of-the-curve readers called Trendspotters™ who helped advise editorial decisions.
As a national authority on marketing and innovation, Anne has appeared frequently in media outlets including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Business Week, The New Yorker, USA Today, The Los Angeles Times, NBC, CBS, CNN, Fox, NPR, Entertainment Tonight, Extra, and E! She was a board member of the National Campaign Against Youth Violence and was named to President Clinton’s Executive Advisory Board on Youth Violence.
A 20-year publishing veteran, Liz is responsible for the overall editorial leadership of Common Sense Media. She was vice president and publisher of several of the nation's most prestigious publishing houses, including William Morrow/Avon Books, Addison-Wesley, and Prentice Hall Press (Simon & Schuster), as well as associate publisher of Bantam Books. In addition to her experience editing and marketing books, Liz is an author herself, most recently of the bestselling Money, A Memoir: Women, Emotions, and Cash, as well as the critically acclaimed When Work Doesn't Work Anymore: Women, Work, and Identity. Liz has two kids — a preteen and a teen — who love the Internet, video games, music, and basically anything with a battery or that plugs in. She and her husband spend many hours attempting to manage their media consumption. She is a graduate of Yale University.
Chief Program and Strategy Officer: Linda Burch
Linda oversees development and outreach at Common Sense Media, as well as the growth and operations of our regional offices. She brings deep experience in management and governance of early stage companies and nonprofit organizations to this role. She has dealt with the practical aspects of launching new products, negotiating partnerships, and building new ventures from the ground up, as well as broader strategic questions related to how to diversify and grow. She was Senior Vice President of Business Development and Corporate Planning at SyStemix, a biotechnology company that she helped build and then sold to Novartis. Previously, Linda was a strategic management consultant at McKinsey & Company in New York from 1985 to 1990, where she served healthcare and consumer-products companies. Prior to that she spent five years in investment banking at Bear Stearns and Merrill Lynch, where she negotiated joint ventures between U.S. technology companies and the People's Republic of China. Linda received her MBA from Stanford University and her bachelor's degree (summa cum laude) from Yale. She has two kids who love media almost as much as they love being outside.
Director of Online Operations: Kiernan McGuire
Kiernan has more than 15 years of experience growing new and early-stage businesses in both the corporate and nonprofit sectors. As managing editor for Kaplan Educational Centers, he helped launch the Kaplan-Simon & Schuster publishing business and managed day-to-day operations for the Kaplan-Newsweek imprint. He later served as vice president of Score Prep (a division of Kaplan), where he helped lead the growth of the nation's first national in-home tutoring business. After serving as a consultant for GreatSchools Inc., a nonprofit Internet publisher of K-12 school information, he joined the company full time as vice president of business operations. He was successful in building significant revenue sources for the organization, including the launch and growth of an interactive advertising business. Kiernan is a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross and holds a master's degree in history from Boston University.
Director of Outreach: Rebecca Randall
Rebecca has nearly a decade of experience working in the nonprofit sector on behalf of children and families. Her particular expertise is in planning and implementing community initiatives, leveraging funds, managing diverse stakeholders, and developing partnerships with both the public and private sector. Most recently she served as associate vice president/program officer for the United Way of the Bay Area. Her primary responsibilities included strategic program direction and fund development for the education portfolio. She also led multiple volunteer committees and a number of early childhood, food/gift distribution and after-school initiatives. Rebecca holds a bachelor's degree in social work from the University of New Hampshire and a master's from the University of Chicago.
Business Manager: Michael J. Hassid
Michael is our jack-of-all-trades. He has extensive experience in nonprofit accounting and administration, project management, human resources, payroll, and information technology — among other things. Having joined the organization in 2004, Michael is responsible for the day-to-day operations, finances, and administrative support for other departments of Common Sense Media. A native San Franciscan, Michael enjoys "arbocizing," engaging in overly ethereal, theoretical, sometimes all-too-dramatic discourse while savoring mind-bendingly strong espresso in North Beach, and, in general, honing his skills as a foodie and sommelier. Michael holds a bachelor's degree in philosophy from the University of California at Berkeley.
Beth's experiences as both an editor and an educator have prepared her well for her current role as executive editor at Common Sense Media. Previously she served as associate editor at FamilyWonder.com, an online educational and entertainment resource for parents, and as senior editor at iVillage.com. She holds a master's degree in education from the University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor's degree in history and women's studies from Wake Forest University.
Executive Editor: Betsy Bozdech
Betsy's experiences working in online parenting and entertainment content were the perfect preparation for her role as Common Sense's senior editor. She began her editorial career at BabyCenter and then served as an editor at Reel.com, Emode.com (now Tickle.com), and AOL's Digital City before becoming the site content manager at Netflix. Her favorite current TV shows are Lost, Saturday Night Live (she's a lifelong fan), and The Office. She holds bachelor's and master's degrees from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.
Jill joined Common Sense Media in January 2005 as an outreach and development associate before migrating to the editorial department and whipping everyone into shape as managing editor. She's a passionate TV viewer, critic, and fan and considers herself a connoisseur of Lost, Project Runway, and all things MTV. Working for Common Sense Media affords Jill the opportunity to help kids and parents avoid the shows she herself is devoted to. Jill graduated from San Francisco State University with a bachelor's degree in broadcast and electronic communication arts, with an emphasis on television criticism.
Carrie, aka "Super Auntie Carrie," learned her love for children's media from her mother, the world's best preschool teacher. Her favorite kids' movie has to be Mary Poppins, and her favorite picture book is The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle. She also knows more Harry Potter trivia than she cares to admit. Carrie has enjoyed many writing and editing jobs in the past 10 years (and has thoroughly disliked only a couple). Two favorites: DVD and soundtrack editor for Reel.com, and kids and family editor for AOL's Local Guide. She graduated from University of Michigan's Residential College with a bachelor's degree in Spanish.
Games Editor: Jinny Gudmundsen
For more than 10 years, Jinny has been a professional children's technology reviewer. She was the founder and editor of Choosing Children's Software magazine from 1998 to 2004 and for the last six years has written a weekly syndicated column on children's technology for Gannett News Service, which regularly appears on USAToday.com and in over 100 newspapers around the country. Jinny's work has also been published in the Los Angeles Times, San Jose Mercury News, Child magazine, ON magazine, Family PC magazine, Your Family magazine, Computer Source Magazine, and many others. She frequently appears on television and radio as an expert on children's technology, including two appearances on ABC World News Tonight with Peter Jennings. Jinny has judged many national software awards including: The Parent's Guide to Children's Media Awards, the Computing With Kids Best Pick Awards, and Parenting Magazine's Software of the Year Awards. Jinny has a bachelor's degree in English from Oberlin College and a JD from Washington University School of Law. She lives in the Washington, D.C., area with her two technology-savvy children and a technology-challenged husband.
Kate's work as a writer and editor focuses on teens, especially young women. She served as an assistant editor at Teen People magazine and the editorial director of ChickClick.com. Kate has recently contributed to publications such as Publishers Weekly, Teenwire, and the San Francisco Chronicle. She holds a master's degree in journalism from Columbia University and a bachelor's degree in women's studies from the University of California at Santa Cruz.
Communications Associate: Jay Senter
Jay's combination of experience in media effects research and business communications are well used in his current position as communications associate. For his master's thesis, Jay examined how TV consumption influences adolescent males' attitudes about masculinity. Prior to joining Common Sense, he spent two years working in Major League Baseball marketing with the Kansas City Royals and Colorado Rockies. Most recently, he served as a multimedia reporter for the Lawrence Journal-World in Lawrence, Kan. Jay holds a BBA in marketing from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and a master's degree in journalism and mass communications from the University of Kansas.
Marketing Associate, Intern Coordinator: Diana Breashears
Diana joined the marketing department at Common Sense Media in early 2006. She previously ran a small Internet business, where she honed her skills in e-commerce, and worked in a lead-generation firm, where she learned the ins and outs of Internet marketing. The Common Sense message resonates well with Diana, who's both an aficionado of The Sopranos, Lost, and (gulp) Nip/Tuck, and the proud mother of a toddler. Diana received a bachelor's degree in journalism from San Francisco State University and is currently working toward a graduate marketing degree at Golden Gate University.
Development Associate: Emily Hunt
Emily came to Common Sense in June 2006 after a two-year stint providing guidance to wayward art students. A graduate of Brown University, Emily studied media, gender, and education -- with particular interest in how these areas intersect. She brings her passion for pop culture and savvy skill set to her role in Common Sense's development department. Emily is currently obsessed with Weeds, Grey's Anatomy, and Eddie Izzard: Dress to Kill -- none of which she would recommend to kids under 17.
Executive Assistant: Clarissa Mendiola
After earning a bachelor's degree in marketing from the University of San Francisco, Clarissa found herself knee-deep in the creation of a free art magazine dedicated to exposing local talent. The grassroots effort ran strong for an entire year, fueled by bottomless cups of coffee and sheer insanity. After the magazine's demise, she had a brief stint in the corporate arena and then found Common Sense Media (she joined Common Sense Media in June 2006, during what is commonly referred to as "The Fabulous Period"). While she still mourns the end of Arrested Development, she finds comfort in Project Runway, Top Chef, and Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations.
Office Assistant: Alyssa Tecklenburg
A native Northern Californian, Alyssa moved to San Francisco after earning a bachelor's degree in linguistics from UC Davis, where she was involved in the revival of a student-run publication, and where she secured four intramural championships (including dodgeball). During that time, she provided administrative support for a Sacramento nonprofit dedicated to providing quality care for frail elders. At Common Sense Media, she's responsible for managing day-to-day operations of the office, among other duties. If you find her in front the television, she'll undoubtedly be watching Project Runway,Top Chef, or other creativity-based reality shows. Alyssa also instructs indoor cycling at the YMCA.
Pacific Northwest Outreach Manager: Dr. Jill Sells
Dr. Jill Sells is a pediatrician dedicated to improving children's health and development. She studied human biology with a concentration in child development and disability at Stanford University before attending the University of Washington School of Medicine, where she is currently a clinical assistant professor of pediatrics. Dr. Sells partners with others to assure that families have the information, resources, and support they need to promote their children's health and development. She has experience in early childhood systems planning, working for the past three years with the Washington State Department of Health on Kids Matter: Improving Outcomes for Children in Washington State. She does outcomes based research with SRI International on the Statewide Evaluation of First 5 California. She serves on the Board of the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Washington State, the Advisory Council for the Foundation for Early Learning; and as the Community Access to Child Health (CATCH) facilitator for the Washington Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Through all her activities Dr. Sells tries to support families and impact systems so that all children can reach their full potential. Dr. Sells lives in Seattle with her husband and two young children.
Washington Director: April McClain-Delaney
April McClain-Delaney runs Common Sense Media's efforts in Washington, D.C. Prior to joining Common Sense, April spent 15 years working in the communications arena in various roles. She worked for three years as an FCC attorney with Cohn & Marks, a boutique broadcast and cable firm. She then spent five years with Orion Network Systems as director and then vice president. In the 1990s she co-founded USAT, an international satellite-based Internet services company. More recently, April has worked on children's issues in the nonprofit sector. She oversees the Delaney Family Foundation fund and has served on multiple boards, including those of the Children's Hospital Foundation, the Community Foundation of the Capital Region, the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Washington Metropolitan Area, Discovery Creek's Children's Museum, and Family Life Services. She also serves on the Georgetown Law Board of Visitors. She's licensed to practice law in Washington, D.C. and New Jersey and is a member of the Federal Communications Bar Association. She holds a bachelor's degree in communications from Northwestern University and a law degree from Georgetown Law Center.
Common Sense Key Consultant, Chief Strategy and Business Development Specialist: Erick Odmark
Erick Odmark has led Common Sense's strategy and business development work. He works with many growth-focused organizations and investor groups across the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors. Erick initially worked with Common Sense when he was a manager at Bain & Co. and led a pro-bono strategic planning assignment. At Bain, he was a leader in the technology, consumer, and private equity practices. Prior to Bain, Erick worked in the financial restructuring practice at Price Waterhouse (now FTI Consulting). Erick has an MBA from the Anderson School at UCLA, where he was a Carter Fellow, and a bachelor's degree in the political economy of industrial societies from UC Berkeley, where he was a Chancellor's Scholar.
Common Sense Key Consultant
Chief Technology Specialist: Omar Khan, President, ISL
Omar has led the Web development efforts for Common Sense Media. He's president of ISL Consulting, a leading, award winning e-business services company specializing in the design and development of innovative Web-based applications for major businesses. Prior to joining ISL he worked for the Boston Consulting Group and consulted independently to companies such as Oracle and nCube. Omar has an MBA from the Stanford Business School and a master's degree in philosophy from Columbia University; he graduated summa cum laude from Dartmouth College.
