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Norel Hassan
Lead Product Designer
The New York Times
Norel Hassan is a lead product designer at The New York Times. She works on the Reader Experience team, designing features to help readers find what is most important to them. Prior to joining The Times, Norel worked on an array of digital projects spanning across e-commerce, archives, social media and art. She has been a guest critic at SVA, Parsons and her alma mater, The Cooper Union. Norel lives in Brooklyn with her husband and spends as much time in the Catskills as possible.
Kevin Hayes
Executive Editor
The Weather Channel Digital
Kevin Hayes is the Executive Editor of The Weather Channel Digital, where he leads enterprise coverage on the aftermath of severe weather and the impacts of climate change. He spearheaded 2017's "United States of Climate Change" project, which has been recognized with numerous journalism awards. He previously worked at CBS News.
Neil Katz
Global Head of Content and Engagement
The Weather Company
Neil Katz is the Global Head of Content and Engagement at The Weather Company. He oversees a broad portfolio of assets including our digital news division, subscription platforms, Weather Underground and a tiger team that builds unique engagement technologies across all platforms.
Nancy Lane
VP & Sr. Executive Producer of Programming & Development
CBSN
Nancy Lane is the Vice President and Senior Executive Producer of Programming & Development for CBS News Digital. In this role, she focuses on expanding livestream operations within CBS Interactive, including for international, sports, entertainment, and other verticals. She is also responsible for the expansion of enterprise reporting within existing franchises and with new programming opportunities, and she oversees MoneyWatch, branded content and video operations.
Lane oversaw the creation and launch of CBSN, CBS News’ 24/7 digital news network, in 2014 and has driven various new content initiatives that have since expanded CBSN’s original content slate. These include the launch of daily current affairs program “Red and Blue” and the CBSN Originals documentary series. To date, CBSN has streamed 25 Originals, covering a wide range of topics that take a deep dive into the key issues driving the national and global conversation. In addition, Lane was integral to the launch of “CBSN: On Assignment,” a limited-run primetime series highlighting CBSN’s distinctive reporting style that premiered on the CBS Television Network in June 2017.
Lane oversaw the creation and launch of CBSN, CBS News’ 24/7 digital news network, in 2014 and has driven various new content initiatives that have since expanded CBSN’s original content slate. These include the launch of daily current affairs program “Red and Blue” and the CBSN Originals documentary series. To date, CBSN has streamed 25 Originals, covering a wide range of topics that take a deep dive into the key issues driving the national and global conversation. In addition, Lane was integral to the launch of “CBSN: On Assignment,” a limited-run primetime series highlighting CBSN’s distinctive reporting style that premiered on the CBS Television Network in June 2017.
Prior to joining CBS News Digital, Lane was senior vice president of editorial for CNN/U.S., where she directed newsgathering operations, including rapid response to breaking news and in-depth coverage of ongoing and exclusive stories. She also oversaw affiliate desks, domestic bureau chiefs, guest booking, and the deployment of CNN's domestic newsgathering resources.
Previously, Lane served as vice president and news director of CNN/U.S. Lane joined CNN in 1981 as an intern in its New York City bureau, and subsequently served as an assignment editor, field and line producer, senior political producer, New York executive producer, Washington executive producer and deputy Washington bureau chief.
She graduated from City University of New York-Hunter College. Lane is based at CBS News headquarters in New York.
She graduated from City University of New York-Hunter College. Lane is based at CBS News headquarters in New York.
Rob King
SVP, Original Content, Newsgathering and Digital Media
ESPN
Rob King oversees ESPN’s entire portfolio of newsgathering and storytelling assets across television, digital and print including the ESPN App, ESPN.com, ESPN the Magazine, ESPN Fantasy, ESPNFC, espnW and The Undefeated.
In this role, King is responsible for ESPN’s storytelling brands including ESPN Films, 30 for 30, Outside the Lines, and E:60. He also oversees the Stats and Information Group and leads ESPN’s Editorial Board that sets the tone and direction of ESPN’s overall content coverage and standards.
Named by Fast Company one the “Most Creative People 2014,” King, who joined ESPN in 2004, enjoyed a 17-year newspaper careers that included stops in Danville, Ill., Cherry Hill, NJ, Louisville, KY and Philadelphia, PA. Among his titles: graphics editor, photography director, deputy sports editor and deputy managing editor.
Jenna Pirog
Sr. Director, Video & Immersive Experiences
National Geographic
Jenna Pirog is the Senior Director, Video & Immersive Experiences at National Geographic. Previously, she was Virtual Reality Editor for The New York Times. As the first staff member at the Times focused on immersive storytelling, Jenna guides content and product decisions for this new medium. She has produced 15 VR projects for the Times including The Fight for Falluja, which was nominated for an Emmy, and most recently, The Land of Salt and Fire. She helped launch the NYT VR app and cardboard headset distribution in November 2015 and produced the Times's first virtual reality film, The Displaced, which won the Grand Prix for Entertainment at the Cannes Lions festival and first prize in Innovative Storytelling in World Press Photo.
Prior to coming to the Times, she was an editorial consultant for Airbnb, Magnum Photos, The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, and the Apple Design Award-winning storytelling app, Storehouse.
She worked with National Geographic editor at large Michael "Nick" Nichols for 7 years, managing production of NGM feature articles, books, exhibits, and presentations.
She was the Producer of the LOOK3 Festival of the Photograph in Charlottesville, VA for 5 years, overseeing the production of the exhibits, presentations, projections, and workshops.
As a photographic coordinator for National Geographic magazine, she produced over 75 natural history stories, developing her passion for visual storytelling and learning the processes behind producing a world-renowned magazine.
Jenna earned a degree in English Literature from the University of Virginia.
