Audio Storytelling: From Idea to Audience - Presented by Audible (On Demand)

Ann Heppermann has worked in audio for more than 25 years as a producer, reporter, editor and executive creating works for shows such as THIS AMERICAN LIFE, RADIOLAB, and numerous others across the audio and podcasting industry. Over the years, she has received a number of awards including Murrow, Gracie, and a Peabody. In 2011 she was named a United States Artists Rockefeller Fellow for her work in the audio field.

Ann is also a dedicated educator who has taught classes and workshops at NYU, Duke, Columbia and Sarah Lawrence. There, she has taught classes in narrative audio journalism and audio fiction since 2008. Currently, Ann is an executive producer at Audible where she leads numerous titles in non-fiction, scripted, and well-being and leads the Audible Podcast Development Program since its inception in 2020. 

Blaine Morris is a queer Latina multihyphenate filmmaker creating female-driven and queer genre films. Prior to graduating from Columbia University, she acted on MTV's SKINS, MASTER OF NONE, and many more. She has directed, written, edited, and produced short films which premiered at Sundance, Sitges, Austin Film Festival, Outfest, won best horror at Nvision Festival and more. She wrote, produced and starred in the psychological thriller feature film DARK OBSESSION featuring Mena Suvari and Danielle Harris now on Tubi. Other features she has worked on include assisting Academy Award nominated writer/director Charles Shyer for Netflix’s THE NOEL DIARY, producing Kelley Kali's SPEAK LESS, co-producing on Ritesh Gupta's THE RED MASK,, and associate producing THE GROTTO, directed by Joanna Gleason, winner of Best Narrative First Feature at Heartland International Film Festival.

Blaine graduated USC as a MFA George Lucas Scholar in Film & TV Production and is a WIF mentee of GOOD TROUBLE showrunner Joanna Johnson, whom she shadowed on the season 4 finale. She worked with Flmkr Co as a producer and Director of Film Acquisitions and is an adjunct professor in the MFA film program at Calstate LA. Currently, Morris is a 2024 Film Independent Project Involve Directing Fellow with her short JUST WAIT premiering at Slamdance, Rideback Rise Circle Member and wrote and directed 4 episodes on the IHeartRadio and Sonoro Latine horror anthology podcast NOCTURNO hosted by Danny Trejo.

Christabel Nsiah-Buadi is an award-winning global journalist and the founder of Your Podcast Pipeline, a resource for audio creators and creative entrepreneurs seeking insights and guidance for their editorial business needs.

Christabel has built, led, and hosted shows for leading media companies. As an executive at Spotify, she gave creators tools and advice to grow their audiences. She also created and led the company’s Behind the Mic one-of-a-kind podcast production fellowship. She also holds Executive Producer and contributor credits with KCET, American Public Media, the BBC, and NPR. In addition, Christabel has taught journalism and audio storytelling to students at the University of Pennsylvania, Howard University, and Spelman College. Her writing about parenting and the media has appeared in The Independent and British Vogue.

Diandra Pendleton-Thompson is an Afro-Latina multi-hyphenate with over two decades combined experience writing and performing for stage, screen, and alternative media. She began her journey as a theatre performer, switching gears after a car accident to pursue her other passion: screenwriting. Since then she’s had the opportunity to work on properties like STAR TREK, STAR WARS, and STRANGER THINGS. Diandra is currently writing for the animated BATMAN: CAPED CRUSADER series on Prime Video. She was previously the Co-Executive Producer and Writer for Season 2 of Audible’s supernatural thriller THE PROPHECY starring Kerry Washington.

In features, she adapted the bestselling YA fantasy book THE KANE CHRONICLES: RED PYRAMID for Netflix and wrote the original drama ALL OF THE LIGHTS for Sony and Issa Rae. Diandra also staffed on both seasons of the animated Emmy nominated series STAR TREK: PRODIGY for Nickelodeon and Paramount Plus. Championing diverse characters and stories across genres, Diandra is an advocate for storytelling as a vehicle for both personal catharsis and social transformation, a passion she is excited to bring to her new role as a Visiting Faculty member for the low-residency MFA in Creative Writing program at New England College. Born in Brooklyn and raised in Florida, Diandra now spends her free time hunting for the best karaoke bars, pizza, and BBQ in Los Angeles.

Timothy Warner is a Director for Audible Studios. Tim oversees production networks for audiobooks (and non-book audio content) for Latin America, Brazil, Canada, and Rest of World. This includes management of a global production team, including local production specialists, simultaneously producing hundreds of audiobooks as well as Originals and other special projects.

Tim also interfaces with production teams in the EU, UK and APAC, and works with the ROW team to build production networks in emerging areas as they arise. Tim had been in this position for over 7 years, but has worked for Audible for a total of 14 years in various ways, as an audio engineer and director for celebrity projects, and operated an external studio in NYC producing projects for Audible.

Tim has traveled to 80 countries and consumes 15 hours of spoken content a week, usually simultaneously. For fun, he produces a history/travel audio show in his home studio, surrounded by synthesizers and artifacts from his travels.