About Auburn Media

From Pakistan and Gaza to the Pope and Proposition 8, religion is in the news. The often-sensational way media represents religion can fan the flames of hatred. Mainstream media need help to cover religion successfully. Auburn Media exists to meet this critical need.

The mission of Auburn Media is to offer religious expertise to the world of media and media expertise to the world of religion. Auburn Media understands that religion is at the crux of world events in every corner of our globe. But many churches, synagogues, temples and mosques are misrepresented in today’s public square of television, radio, print and the Internet. Too little distinction is made in the media between a small number of religious extremists and the vastly larger community of religious voices that call for peace, healing, reconciliation and a better world. Auburn Media restores balance and responsibility in media portrayals of religion and works to make media coverage of religion truly educational, inspiring, and a catalyst for change.

Auburn Media is committed to lifting up the many voices of religion through four convergent media initiatives:

Equipping religious leaders to communicate effectively with and through the media

Equipping media professionals to cover religion accurately and engagingly

Helping faith leaders identify and use the best media materials on religion and related topics

Consulting to religious leaders and organizations in order to support them and to improve their communications

An initiative of Auburn Theological Seminary, Auburn Media is committed to five convergent approaches to the media:

Auburn Media Staff

	Macky Alston : Director of Auburn Media Macky is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, an educator on issues of media and religion, an organizer within the worlds of philanthropy and media making, and a regular writer and reviewer on media and religion. Alston grew up exposed to the power of religion as he witnessed charismatic leaders on the Left and the Right shaping social and political relations for generations to come. He holds a Masters of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary.

	Jeanine Caunt : Associate Director Jeanine comes to Auburn Media having served as a senior-level creative editor at Scholastic InSchool Marketing, an educationally based consumer-marketing agency specializing in the development and distribution of branded in-school and consumer marketing programs. With her expertise in project management, print editorial, and graphic design, Jeanine is a key asset to the future of Auburn Media’s communications work. She holds a Master of Industrial Design degree from Pratt Institute.

	Ashley Harness : Program Associate for Communications Ashley brings to Auburn years of communications and public relations experience at the intersection of media and religion. Most recently, Ashley worked as a Senior Account Executive at Fenton Communications, where she collaborated with the Sister Fund, One Nation, American Jewish World Service, Congregation Beth Simchat Torah, Anglican Women’s Empowerment, and the United Methodist Women’s Division. While working at Auburn, Ashley is pursuing a Master of Divinity degree at Union Theological Seminary.

	Jenna Tiitsman : Senior Research Fellow Jenna is a specialist in religion and media who has written on religion and media for numerous scholarly publications and presented on this theme at conferences in the U.S. and abroad, including the American Academy of Religion and the International Conference on Religion, Media, and Culture. She currently Co-Chairs the Religion and Media Workshop at the American Academy of Religion Annual Meeting. She has taught religion at CUNY-Hunter College and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She holds a Masters of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary and is earning a Ph.D. in Religion and Culture at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.

Auburn Theological Seminary Staff

	The Rev. Dr. Katharine Henderson : President of Auburn Theological Seminary Katharine is co-founder of Face to Face/Faith to Faith, a multifaith international youth program, and focuses on multifaith education, religious leadership and the role of women in public life.

	Barbara Wheeler : Former President of Auburn Seminary and Director of the Center for the Study of Theological Education Barbara is a recognized authority on theological education and consults widely with seminaries, denominations, and congregations.

	Rabbi Justus Baird : Director of the Center for Multifaith Education Justus helps religious leaders thrive in a multi-faith environment by teaching and consulting with seminaries, congregations, and teenagers in the U.S. and internationally.

	The Rev. J.C. Austin : Director of the Center for Church Life J.C. is an expert on faith in public life and the Global South. Austin holds a M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary, and is finishing his Ph.D. dissertation at the University of Cape Town in the field of Christian Ethics and Public Life.