Staff

Edwin Huang

Client Project Coordinator

ehuang@wqed.org

Edwin Huang began his career in video taking a CMU multi-media project to a start-up company during the dot-com boom in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. He was the VP of Operations and Productions producing hundreds of hours of computer-based training content for Fortune 100 companies including Verizon, Baby Bells, Mitsubishi, Westinghouse Nuclear, and professors from Ivy League Colleges.

He later worked as the house videographer for various Pittsburgh non-profit performance institutions such as the Kelly Strayhorn Theater and Pittsburgh Savoyards.

For 5 years Edwin Huang traveled around the country as the Technical coordinator in charge of streaming for Div III Hockey league- live streaming over 1000 games. Freelance Clients include Academy Award Winning Participant Media, Brothers Brother Foundation, and The Hillman Foundation. Recently Edwin won Pittsburgh’s “Best Virtual Performance” as a videographer for “Milton” in the City Paper for 2021.

Lu Cooper

Program Associate, Film Academy & WQED Multimedia

lcooper@wqed.org

Nathan W. Fullerton

Film Academy Program Supervisor

nfullerton@wqed.org

Nathan Fullerton has been living and breathing digital media for over 30 years. Way back in the 1980’s, Nathan attended Carnegie Mellon University, where he majored in Cognitive Psychology. In the early 1990’s Nathan worked at the CMU Robotics Institute Multimedia Lab where he created courseware and video for advanced classes like Computer Vision (which was a great way to learn the ins-and-outs of lenses and optics!), kiosks for science centers, and the Just-In-Time Lecture project.

Nathan took the technology he developed at CMU to the commercial world and co-founded a company that created corporate training videos for a variety of major corporate clients. The video-based technology was granted a patent and Nathan led crews that travelled all over the U.S. shooting video on-location.

The end of Nathan’s commercial “dotcom experiment” was an offer from Apple, Inc. to be the first of their new “Creative” in-store instructors at their (then fairly new) retail stores. As a Creative for Apple, Nathan discovered his true calling – teaching – and has spent the last 15 years helping literally thousands of people create amazing things with their technology. Nathan went on to become one of the first “Creative Guest Trainers” — Creatives who travel to Apple locations around the world to train other new Creatives. Nathan is described by his students as “very patient,” “clear and easy to understand,” “a wealth of knowledge,” and “a fabulous teacher.”

Along the way, Nathan has done every job on the set at some point — writing, storyboards, lighting, audio, cinematography, editing, visual effects and CGI, and directing. His credits include the low-budget feature, Scream Park, various pilots and web series, projects for the Carnegie Science Center and the Israel Museum, and live action sequences for multiple episodes of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.

He has received Best Director, Best Cinematography, and Audience Choice awards from the Pittsburgh 48 Hour Film Project, and his films have been screened at several festivals across US.

Nathan has a real passion for sharing his knowledge and is thrilled to have an opportunity through the WQED Filmmaking Academy to pass what he has learned to aspiring filmmakers!

Paul Johnson

Learning Level Coordinator
pjohnson@wqed.org

Paul Johnson, a graduate of North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University with a B.S. in Electronic Media Journalism, discovered his passion for empowering inner-city youth during his time at the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation. Concurrently, he embarked on a journey as a WFA Learning Level Coordinator, merging his interests in youth development and film. Presently, Paul serves as a Promise Coach at the Pittsburgh Promise and has previously worked at Point Park’s Cinema Arts department. Recently appointed to WFA Learning Level Coordinator, Paul guides aspiring filmmakers, sharing his expertise in film, lighting, and sound, eagerly nurturing their raw talent and witnessing their creative potential flourish. In his free time, you can find Paul going to the gym or watching one of his three favorite movies: Bring It On, Mean Girls, and Moonstruck.

JIbril Washington

Teaching Artist

jwashington@wqed.org

Jibril is a Pittsburgh native who graduated from Penn State University. Immersed in media and entertainment, he loves to coordinate and come up with concepts. When he’s not being creative, he enjoys diving into the business of media and entertainment. Formerly worked at the NBA league office as a production assistant, and provided various clients with freelance services.

Trey Norman

Teaching Artist

tnorman@wqed.org

Trey Norman joined WQED Film Academy as a Teaching Artist in 2022. Trey graduated from Bowling Green State University with a major in media production. As lead Teaching Assistant, he is always looking to better himself through his work with WQED Film Academy.

He talks about the early struggle with school, “it was tough looking for a college and the one I graduated from sent me a denial letter before I had gotten started. This was tough for me because I really liked the school. I took it a step further, and went to an orientation I wasn’t supposed to go to and met with the admissions director which lead to getting into a program leading to the college.”

“Media production is something that I’m very passionate about, while in North Allegheny Senior High School I was Co-Director of our morning television show and media team. I spent most of my time focused on my schooling and working with my gospel choir A capella group. During the last year of college I worked with a close friend on a student-run campus group called “Live and Loud”. We searched the local Bowling Green area for music artists to record and create music videos. After graduation, I worked freelance in videography. I also worked with EX Transportation; providing reliable transportation for inner city children to make it to and from school.

Soon enough I had made it to WQED Film Academy! My mentor pushed me to find professional work so I could learn more in the film industry and that landed me at WQED Film Academy’s doorstep. Mary Ann McBride-Tackett was more than happy to talk with me about the industry. That talk lead to my filling the opening with WQED Film Academy, and here I am!

Mya Jackson

Teaching Artist

mjackson@wqed.org

Mya Jackson joined WQED Film Academy as a Teaching Artist in 2023. She is a Pittsburgh native, currently attend Point Park University as a graduate student studying screenwriting. In her spare time she likes to run 5Ks and bake cakes. New to the team, she is excited to be a part of the WQED Film Academy program.

RANDALL COLE

Teaching Artist

rcole@wqed.org

VINCENT CASSANO

Teaching Artist

vcassano@wqed.org