Michaela Pereira, Executive Director/Co-Founder
Stories Driving Change
Founded by veteran journalist and television host Michaela Pereira, the Compassionate Media Collective’s network of emerging journalists unearth powerful untold stories that deserve the spotlight. We believe in the transformative power of authentic storytelling to inspire change and foster genuine human connection.
Watch Our Welcome Video
Meet Our Collective
Emerging Filmmakers Committed to Social Impact
Sutton Raphael
Documentary Filmmaker, Director of Photography
Credits: NBC Left Field, Nike, Pepsi
Brooklyn, NY
Jordan Bentz
Producer/Documentary Director
Credits: “Public Plea” - NW Emmy Nomination CareerJourney.org, CareerConnectOregon
Eugene/Portland, OR
Kylie Juggert
Emmy-nominated Documentary Filmmaker, Telly Awards
New York, NY
Matan Alter
Producer/Director/Editor
Credits: "Public Plea” - NW Emmy Nomination
Los Angeles, CA
Executive Team
A Seasoned Team of Media Professionals
Ed Madison
Vice-President/Co-Founder
Ed Madison’s multifaceted career in media and journalism began as a high school intern at the Washington Post owned CBS television affiliate in Washington, D.C. during the height of Watergate. At age 22, CNN recruited him as a founding producer. Madison is an associate professor at the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication and a College of Education affiliated faculty member. His research centers on how journalistic learning methods can enhance overall student achievement. Madison is also a co-founder and executive director of the Journalistic Learning Initiative (JLI), a nonprofit committed to empowering student voice and academic success. description
Sumi Das
Executive Consultant
Sumi Das is a seasoned broadcast journalist with experience covering technology and breaking news. She began her on-air career at TechTV, where she produced and hosted a program dedicated to new and emerging technologies. A veteran of both the tech and news worlds, Sumi has reported from the front lines of breaking news and live events including the Space Shuttle Discovery launch, Oscars and high-profile legal trials. She covered the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina for CNN, helping earn the network a Peabody Award. She has advised leading tech brands including Salesforce, Google and Meta, leveraging storytelling to develop communications strategies.
Chris Adams
Executive Consultant
Chris Adams is an internationally recognized new media pioneer, entertainment executive, and media, entertainment, and technology executive with twenty years of experience creating partnerships, programs, and revenue-generating initiatives between and to the benefit of brands, their customers, and users around the world. Chris joined eBay’s Jeff Skoll as Chief Vision Officer to build Participant Media through its first slate of movies, including Syriana, North Country, Good Night and Good Luck, and former Vice-President Al Gore’s Academy Award-winning documentary, An Inconvenient Truth. His clients have included Facebook, Ziddio.com, Comcast VOD, IFC Channel, HBO, and Comcast.
Ritch Colbert
Distributor/PPI Releasing
Industry veteran with proven first-run track record who has created and led several entertainment ventures. Ritch has enjoyed a career spanning more than twenty-years in television syndication, where he directed efforts to develop, launch and distribute off-network series, feature films, movies made for television and original programs.
Ritch held senior executive positions at Orion Pictures, Colbert Television Sales, Access Entertainment, TPE, and ITC Entertainment Group, where he marketed a variety of programs to television stations, cable networks and international broadcasters, including Tic Tac Dough, Jokers Wild, Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous, Star Search, Motorweek, and George Michael Sports Machine.
Mission Statement
The Compassionate Media Collective’s mission is to produce socially impactful stories that amplify and provide a platform for voices that often go unheard, elevate humanitarian work, and speak to the human spirit.
Our mission is to create stories that inspire, connect, and resonate with global audiences. By focusing on narratives highlighting compassion, resilience, and the shared human experience, we aim to foster understanding and empathy while providing a platform for voices that often go unheard. Through innovative storytelling across multiple platforms, we aspire to be a beacon of positivity in the media landscape, reminding people of the best of who we are and can be.
Background
Founded by renowned television host and journalist Michaela Pereira, the Compassionate Media Collective emerges as a forward-thinking production company committed to shifting the media narrative. In a world where negativity often dominates the headlines, Michaela recognized the need for a media company that prioritizes stories of hope, courage, and transformation. Drawing from her extensive experience in journalism and her unique ability to connect with diverse audiences, Michaela leads the company with a vision to produce content that not only entertains but also educates and empowers.
The foundation of the Compassionate Media Collective is built on the principles of inclusivity and authenticity, with a strong emphasis on representing underrepresented communities. The company seeks to uncover untold stories that deserve the spotlight through collaborations with emerging journalists and storytellers. Focusing on creating content transcending traditional media boundaries, The Compassionate Media Collective leverages television, podcasts, live events, and digital platforms to reach a broad and diverse audience.
At its core, the Compassionate Media Collective believes in the power of storytelling to inspire change and foster a sense of community. By illuminating the common ground and connections between people, the company strives to be a catalyst for positive change, offering audiences a much-needed respite from the divisiveness and conflict that pervades modern media.
Meet Michaela
In 1998, Michaela moved to California to join ZDTV (later TechTV) in San Francisco, where she co-hosted Internet Tonight and anchored multiple hours of tech news coverage. She then spent nine years as a beloved anchor on KTLA Morning News before heading east to anchor CNN’s morning show New Day in New York. She later returned to Los Angeles, where she hosted her own two-hour national daily program on HLN, followed by a role as anchor of Good Day LA on Fox 11.
Beyond journalism, Michaela is deeply committed to mentorship and advocacy. As an adoptee, she has long championed organizations that serve vulnerable youth. She has served on the boards of the Long Beach Boys & Girls Club and Optimist Youth Home and Family Services, among others. Her contributions to media and community work have earned her numerous accolades, including the Genii Award for Excellence in Broadcasting, the Hollywood Community Leadership Award, and the Celebrity Philanthropist Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals.
Michaela is a proud member of the National Association of Black Journalists. She continues to make Southern California her home, enjoying weekend road trips, visits to local farmers’ markets, and playing recreational pickleball. She frequently travels to British Columbia to spend time with family.