I remember my first week at AU. It was freshman orientation and all the journalism students, a couple hundred of us, were sitting in an auditorium ready to meet our dean.  I was excited to hear about the path to TV news success, but she was there to give us a reality check.  “I know you all want to become network news anchors, but look around, only two of you in this room will ever end up working at the network level.” This was indeed a big revelation!  I sat up and craned my head around the room, trying to figure out who the other person was.   

If that sounds cocky, I assure you my confidence was not based on superior skills (or any skill for that matter).  Many of my classmates were wildly talented and it was already abundantly clear they would succeed in this competitive field wherever they landed, even if not “at the network.”   

Instead of talent, what I had was a dream and I was determined to make it come true. I believed that with the right courses, the right mentors, and the right opportunities I would be able to weasel my way into TV news and prove myself. A few days later, I marched into AU’s campus TV station and told them I wanted to be a reporter.  They told me to take a seat and start learning the biz first.  So, I started by selling ads for the station and eventually got the chance to practice being on-camera. Spoiler alert! I sucked at the on-camera part.  But I kept doing it and...slowly...very slowly...I started getting better.    

When I look at this group of 30 Under 30 honorees and their achievements since graduation, I see that same can-do spirit and intentional effort. Hard work and opportunity live on at SOC. Cady Tran, Cody Rogers, Giovanna Diez, Julia Reisman, and Zachary Gradishar have the kind of drive that thrives on the mentorship, career preparation, and hands-on experience SOC offers its students. In this period of seismic shifts for the media, it’s exciting (and heartening) to see the energy these AU alums bring to journalism, media production and innovative communication. The world needs good storytellers and trustworthy info sources and with them, we get that. I look forward to following their careers.

Alisyn Camerota is an award-winning journalist, author, working as an anchor and correspondent at CNN, FOX, NBC and ABC. Camerota has covered the gamut of breaking news events domestically and internationally, including memorable interviews with Donald Trump, Hilary Clinton, Bill Cosby’s victims and George Floyd’s brother, Philonise, after Floyd's murder in May 2020. She is the author of two books, Amanda Wakes Up and her recent memoir Combat Love. 

Cady Tran

Account Coordinator, MWW PR 

Public Relations & Strategic Communication, 2024

Throughout her time as an undergraduate, Cady gained professional and pro bono experience from a variety of integrated agencies, nonprofits, and small businesses. Following her graduation, she returned to MWW where she now works full time out of the New York City office. In addition to corporate account work, Cady is involved in various DEI initiatives. 

Cody McLeod Rogers 

Co-Founder & Creative Director, Development at Foreground Productions 

Film and Media Arts, 2024

Cody has produced two seasons of the nationally airing television series NEXT at the Kennedy Center where he has worked with artists such as Cynthia Erivo, Sara Bareilles, and Ben Platt. Outside of his work at the Kennedy Center, he continues to produce and direct numerous television series and specials including "Broadway's Leading Men", "Broadway's Leading Ladies", and "What the World Needs Now: A Celebration of Dionne Warwick" to name a few. In August of 2024, Cody and AU alum Tristan Au opened their production company, Foreground Productions, where Cody now spends his time expanding the commercial branch and developing scripted films that seek to redefine narratives and reveal human experiences. Foreground currently has several films in development with anticipated releases in late 2025 and 2026. 

Giovanna Diez 

Senior Manager, CRM & Loyalty, Naturium 

Journalism, 2018 

Giovanna is a dynamic marketing leader specializing in CRM, growth marketing, and loyalty strategies in the beauty and e-commerce industries. With a proven track record at top brands like E.L.F. Beauty, About-Face, and Lime Crime, Giovanna excels at driving customer engagement, optimizing retention strategies, and scaling revenue growth. She brings expertise in managing end-to-end CRM campaigns, implementing data-driven marketing solutions, and enhancing customer loyalty through innovative approaches. Giovanna is most passionate about building meaningful customer relationships and delivering measurable business impact.

Julia Reisman 

President and Founder, Sister Seekers 

Communication Studies, 2020

Julia has dedicated herself to the nonprofit sector, demonstrating a deep-seated commitment to supporting organizations in need. Julia holds a bachelor's degree in Communications Studies, specializing in Media & Society, from American University in 2020. Complementing her major, she also pursued a minor in Business & Leadership through the Kogod School of Business. Since completing her studies, she actively contributes to the community as a board member of The Naples Lion’s Club and plays a significant role in the SWFL JDRF chapter; she continues her passion for serving the Help A Diabetic Child mission. She currently serves as the President and Founder of Sister Seekers, Inc. 

Zachary Gradishar

Publicity Coordinator at Warner Bros. Discovery, HBO & Max 

Public Relations & Strategic Communication, 2022 

Born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and raised in Chicago, Zachary is an experienced publicity and digital marketing professional based in Los Angeles working in the entertainment industry, specializing in film and television series campaigns. Just days after his graduation, Zachary moved to LA to kick off his professional career as a post-graduate PR/Publicity intern with The Walt Disney Company. There, he provided vital support to the National Publicity team on numerous campaigns for both theatrical and streaming films. Afterwards, Zachary was brought back as a Publicity & Awards Coordinator at Searchlight Pictures where he continued to cover premieres, major awards shows, screenings, film festivals, conventions, and talent Q&As for varied industry guilds as the studio was heavily campaigning for the award-winning film The Banshees of Inisherin which received nine Academy Awards. Most recently, Zachary has been a Publicity Coordinator with Warner Bros Discovery and HBO & Max.

As part of the School of Communication at American University’s 30th Anniversary celebration, we are excited to recognize the incredible accomplishments of our alumni community. To mark this incredible milestone, we are honoring “30 Under 30” exceptional young alumni who represent the future of communication. We will be releasing the names of the honorees over the coming months accompanied by introductions from some of SOC’s most engaged alumni who are leaders in the industries the “30 Under 30” are now helping to shape. The full list will be available in May 2025.