“Without change there is no innovation, creativity, or incentive for improvement. Those who initiate change will have a better opportunity to manage the change that is inevitable.”
-William Pollard
The Team
Our CEO: As CEO of Agency B12, Joy DiBenedetto brings years of creative innovation to our work.
She is an award-winning, entrepreneurial communications professional, a veteran journalist/media executive and a true `globalist’ who adds value to any job, vocation, project and client she works with.
As a keen strategist/observer with a wide international perspective, she works to promote human understanding. As the Founder, President/CEO of the digital `mass-casted’ content company HUM: Human Unlimited Media and its international news agency HUMNEWS, which maximizes the global information landscape to expand and support the messaging of social innovators, individuals, corporations, NGO’s, media, academia, humanitarian and service organizations worldwide; as the most immediate Past President & CEO/spokesperson of the venerable, Nobel Peace Prize-nominated Friendship Force International (FFI) she has developed and grown ideas with all of her experience in mind.
She is highly-skilled in the practice of relationship-building, and identification/development of emergent talent and has a deep belief that the medium of media can change the world, and that the application of deep cultural insights can bring about innovative solutions.
She is formerly, VP, Network Booking and Research for CNN Worldwide, and has 23 years covering every major global news event in successively senior positions, from the studio and field; domestically and internationally; as an award-winning storyteller, producer, and executive who serves as a corporate/diplomatic representative to news-makers, VIP’s, industry associations, professional organizations; governments; national, pan-national & international groups.
To learn more about our visionary CEO, click here.
Our CIO: As Chief Innovation Officer of Agency B12, Andrew Drooker brings with him over thirty (30) years in the media and technology fields.
Andrew started at Turner Broadcasting in 1989. He considers himself fortunate to have been given the opportunity to build such strong relationships; which are strong and personally gratifying to have mutual respect and admiration after these many years. (See CEO of AgencyB12 as an example).
During his career, he previously served as chief technology officer of the insurance company Strickland General Agency and as Vice President of Network Systems at Turner Broadcasting, focused on Network Systems/Architecture and innovation (R&D). He started the innovation group still in existence at Turner.
A self-proclaimed “geek,” Andrew started working on a computer at a young age, writing video games with his brother on the TRS-80 utilizing the BASIC programming language. Now with more than 30 years in the technology field, his “geeky” interests still serve him well. Drooker constantly looks for advances or improvements in clients’ technological capabilities. While at The Weather Channel he was presented an Innovation Award at for all the innovative products and programs he produced while in his position there.
A transplant to Atlanta at a young age, Andrew considers Atlanta home. He holds a bachelor’s degrees in Political and Computer science from Georgia State University, where he minored in statistics and marketing. While at Georgia State, he was also awarded the Sparks Award for recognition of his willingness to go the extra mile with good humor and perseverance.
On a personal note, he is an avid comic book collector. But dear to his heart he is a family man, who shares time with his wonderful four (4) year old daughter (going on 13) and Bella, the dog.
He and his brother are both accomplished technologists. Andrew has three (3) patents related to technology and media and so does his brother. Andrew is a standing member of Digital Hollywood and participates, whenever possible at their annual conference in October. He is an accomplished speaker and champion of the continuing education and learning of evolution of media and technology.
During his spare time he can be found nose deep in the latest novel by Neil Gaiman…and a comic book or two.
For more information on our CIO, click here.
Our Chief of Branding: As Chief of Branding for Agency B12, Lori Levin brings with her over thirty (30) years of unique and successful experience building some of the biggest brands in the world. As Vice President of Corporate Communications for the Virgin Group of Companies, Lori Levin was Sir Richard Branson’s personal publicist and “go-to executive” in the U.S. for 20 years. She was a key player in establishing Virgin and Sir Richard Branson as household names in the U.S. Her team created “guerilla marketing” tactics that have become standard marketing techniques today. From hot air balloons to space travel, there was nothing she would not do to establish the Virgin brand in America. In 2007 she was given the “Brand Builder of the Year” award by Promax DBA and Broadcasting & Cable News.
She helped launch new products, companies, and created special events worldwide that generated national and international PR coverage. She spearheaded the media campaigns in the US for Sir Richard Branson’s hot air balloon attempts, Steve Fossett’s Virgin Atlantic Global Flyer, The Playstation race catamaran with Steve Fossett, and various other adventure attempts by Sir Richard Branson. The highlights of her coverage were major national media outlets, including, “60 Minutes,” “The Today Show,” “Good Morning, America,” CNN, The New York Times, Fortune, and People Magazine.
In television, she was the Creator & Executive Producer of “THE REBEL BILLIONAIRE: Branson’s Quest for the Best,” a globally-aired Fox prime-time reality series starring Sir Richard Branson. It averaged 7 million viewers a week in the U.S. The show was a forerunner of product placement at its best. Virgin did not pay any fees for product placement. “The Rebel Billionaire” also aired in all major global markets.
Lori is currently lending her expertise to several start-up companies through her newest venture Agency B 12. She is co-producing Unity: The Desmond Tutu Legacy Project which includes worldwide concerts and a documentary to raise money for Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s Peace Foundation and to continue his inspiring work for generations to come. We are all connected. Peace within. Peace between. Peace among.
Lori served on the Steering Committee of Virgin Unite and the Advisory Board of the Giffoni Hollywood Film Festival. She was also on an advisory board for Heifer in NYC and FAWN, the Mary Blige Foundation. Her current personal mission is to raise money and awareness to fight Parkinson’s disease. In honor of her mother’s memory she has developed “The PD Balance Challenge: Take a Stand” campaign. She plans to launch the challenge it in 2017.