Nya Manneh is a current Sophomore studying Communications at USC Annenberg with a minor in Cinematic Arts and Spanish. Aside from being a Co-President of the ACCSA, she is also involved in organizations like USC Troy Philippines, Mixed SC, and more. She loves doing crafts, singing, listening to music, watching movies, and reading a good book. Last year, as part of the ACCSA, she was involved in two major productions for the organization. She helped head the ACCSA’s Women’s History Month video where members of USC talked about women in history that inspired them. She also helped work on a short film for the ACCSA that was shown at the Pan African Film Festival, with the help of her now Co-President Skyler Pak. She’s so excited to welcome you all to the ACCSA and can’t wait to see what you can accomplish this year.

Skyler Pak is a junior double majoring in Communications and Philosophy, Politics and Economics at USC. In addition to being Co-President of ACCSA, she is a Deputy Chief Copy Editor with the Daily Trojan, an Annenberg Ambassador and a Blog Writer for GIVE USC. As part of ACCSA this past school year, she launched its podcast Crossed, which she hosts and produces. Skyler also directed and produced The Affected: We’ve Got This, a documentary that illustrates the impact that the last couple of years has had on students (including perspectives on mental health, online learning, isolation, loss and much more). Outside of school, she enjoys hiking, running, reading, going to concerts and spending time with friends. Skyler, along with Nya, are beyond excited to welcome everyone to ACCSA and are looking forward to the year to come.

JJ is a fiercely creative and committed problem solver with a robust portfolio ranging from sustainability program director to pop-culture podcast producer. They dedicate their life to leading social change and creating compelling stories because they believe we must all strive to leave this world better and more enriched than we found it. As a proud South Los Angeles native, JJ has worked with local organizations in education and environmental justice, creating multiplatform branded content. JJ has been recognized for her work by the University of Southern California, the SoLA I CAN Foundation, and the US Congress.

In their spare time, JJ is building LEGOs, rewatching Harley Quinn, snapping photos of her friends, or figuring out where she’s eating next.

JJ attends the University of Southern California, studying environmental studies with a progressive master’s degree in public administration.

Taylor Marie is an incoming junior at USC majoring in Journalism, and minoring in Music Industry, on the Pre-Law track. She is passionate about ethics, equity, diversity, and inclusion in the entertainment industry, particularly in the music industry. She transferred to USC this past year, and is passionate about creating ethical, inclusive spaces in entertainment/music where everyone in the room feels like they have a voice, and a seat at the table. She has interned with Universal Music Group, Top Dawg Entertainment, and BMG Music Rights Management, and seeks to become a music industry executive who prioritizes employees and puts their needs first. She also runs her own Music PR Company, publishing and recording label, and is actively interning as an A&R.

She is also a member of the USC Annenberg Media Equity Board and has worked on the Newhouse Diversity Committee. She is so excited about being a part of ACCSA because of how impactful it is within the Annenberg Community, and looks forward to creating rewardable, memorable experiences for ACCSA member this upcoming school year.

Miki Turner is currently an associate professor of professional practice at USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. An award-winning photojournalist, Turner spent more than 40 years working in the media industry specializing in print, television, radio and web production.

As a sports columnist at the Oakland Tribune, where she became the first Black female to write a regularly featured sports column at a major daily newspaper, she was well known for looking beyond the Xs and Os and writing personality columns on athletes from the franchise player to the bench warmer. After leaving the Bay Area, Turner was a Pac-10 and Big West beat writer for the Orange County Register and covered pro tennis before moving on to NBA beat.

Turner has also worked at ESPN as a producer and writer, MSNBC as a columnist, AOL as an on-air personality, the NFL Network as a producer and as the West Coast senior writer for Jet magazine and Ebony.com.

Her work has been published in more than 100 magazines and newspapers and her work has been exhibited in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Los Angeles and Hampton, Va.; and she has curated exhibitions at USC.

She is the author of two books—the best-selling journey to the woman i’ve come to love and tomorrow, and a 2015 prize winner in photography at Firenze Biennale in Florence, Italy. Most recently she was honored with the Black Women in Film Network Behind the Lens award for her work in journalism; and a 2021 USC faculty mentoring award.

Tracy Mendoza is Associate Dean for Development and External Relations at USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. A collaborative leader and culture builder, Mendoza has over 25 years’ experience supporting students and advancing academic innovation through successful fundraising.

Dana Chinn has been a full-time faculty member at Annenberg for many years. She currently focuses on data journalism and open data. She is the faculty advisor for the USC chapter of the Asian American Journalists Association, and is active in Investigative Reporters and Editors. Her work experience includes consulting and management positions in media metrics, content strategy, audience development, digital analytics, strategic planning, marketing and finance at news and nonprofit organizations including Gannett, the Los Angeles Times, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Open Society Foundations and the Knight Foundation. She has an undergraduate degree in journalism and an MBA from USC.

Alison Trope, PhD, is a clinical professor at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. She is founder and director of Critical Media Project, a web based media literacy resource focused on representation and identity (gender, race, class, sexuality, disability, religion, age). Critical Media Project is used in Los Angeles Unified School District and other secondary and higher education institutions across the country. Trope is the author of Stardust Monuments: The Saving and Selling of Hollywood (Dartmouth, 2012), which explores the enduring efforts to memorialize and canonize the history and meaning Hollywood takes on in our everyday lives. She has also written about the history and current state of Hollywood philanthropy and activism. Trope received her PhD in Critical Studies from the School of Cinema-Television at the University of Southern California in 1999, and since 2001 has taught a range of courses in the Annenberg School for Communication in media and digital literacy, popular culture, visual culture, fashion, gender, and social change.