Joseph Lovett is a Peabody Award-winning writer, director, and producer who has worked with multiple major networks and produced the first television investigations on AIDS for ABC’s 20/20.

As an independent producer and director, he created various feature documentaries and over 35 hours of primetime specials. Joe has been honored with the Peabody Award, the AIDS Leadership, the Christopher, the Kitty Carlisle Hart, and numerous other awards from advocacy organizations, including an Emmy nomination.

Now his nonprofit, A Closer Look, creates and distributes new trauma-informed films—as well as his previous documentaries—for educational purposes. These films have been utilized in medical schools, community groups, religious organizations, public broadcast and more.

James E. Cottrell, M.D. serves as an At-Large Member of the New York State Board of Regents. Dr. Cottrell is also a Distinguished Service Professor and Chairman Emeritus of Anesthesiology at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn. As a clinician, Dr. Cottrell has served on the medical staff of Kings County Hospital Center, Long Island College Hospital, Lutheran Medical Center, New York University Hospital, and Bellevue Hospital Center. He also served as an Associate Professor of Anesthesiology at New York University. Regent Cottrell is a Past President of the American Society of Anesthesiologists and was awarded that national organization’s highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award.

MaryEllen Elia is the former New York State Commissioner of Education and President of the University of the State of New York (USNY). In this role, she oversaw the work of more than 700 school districts with 3.2 million students; 7,000 libraries; 900 museums; and more than 50 professions encompassing nearly 900,000 licensees. A native New Yorker, Ms. Elia has nearly 50 years of experience as an educator and is New York’s first female Education Commissioner.

Steve Swiatkewicz grew up in Hartford CT, attended Trinity College, received a Masters’ degree in Public policy from Princeton University, and a law degree from NYU. He worked as a partner in an NYC law firm practicing real estate law for 20 years and then co-founded a real estate development company. Steve is on the boards of Urban Dove and the Hunter College Foundation.

Peace McAllister is an NYU Cinema Studies graduate, class of 2021. With minors in Film & Television and Business of Media. Since graduating, he has traveled on set with HBO and worked with 20th Century / Disney. Now, Peace works as the executive assistant and outreach coordinator for A Closer Look, Inc and an outreach coordinator on all projects.