SPEAKER: Chem Thug, Science Educator and Communicator

Chem Thug is a Brooklyn native that always kept his childhood wonder about the world. After completing a bachelors in chemistry, he became an educator for 3 years before pursuing his PhD in organic chemistry. During the six years of research, he began the Chem Thug channel with his wife; creating videos explaining chemical phenomena and debunking pseudo-science scams with an entertaining flair. With his PhD completed, he has fully committed himself to science communication and sharing his deep love of chemistry. His work, at its core, seeks to elevate the general public’s awareness and appreciation for the complexity of life through the lens of chemistry. He hopes to instill in audiences of all ages a joy for learning and a desire to grapple with information critically.

MODERATOR: Maliaka Mealy, Publicist and Media Relations Strategist at ACS

Maliaka Mealy is a Publicist and Media Relations Strategist on the External Communications team at the American Chemical Society (ACS), where she leads media relations and established the strategy for the organization’s first-ever creator and influencer partnership program. In that role, she has shaped how one of the world’s largest scientific societies shows up in the creator economy, setting partnership strategy and bringing science creators into ACS’ biggest convenings to reach audiences who discover science on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

She brings nearly two decades of communications experience to the work, with a journalism degree from North Carolina A&T and an early career in the newsroom. Prior to ACS, she led rapid response and communications for the White House Interagency Working Group and earlier led executive and reputation communications at Fannie Mae. A Washington, DC native, Maliaka is fluent in earned media, executive counsel, high stakes narrative work, and the creator economy, with a reporter’s instinct for the story underneath the story.

SPEAKER: Jeremiah Worth, Managing Director, Life Science, CG Life

Jeremiah’s more than twenty years of experience in omnichannel marketing and communications guide his ability to build digital brand strategies and integrate concepts that engage the life sciences and healthcare sectors. He oversees the life science portfolio of clients at CG Life, providing strategic direction and support to our teams that translates into impactful and measurable programs for the agency’s clients. Prior to joining CG Life in 2013, Jeremiah held management positions at multiple B2B agencies and non-profit organizations, as well as leadership roles at Sears Holdings and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. He earned his B.S. from Purdue University.

SPEAKER: Blair Ciecko, Senior Vice President, Public Relations, CG Life

Blair started at CG Life in August 2021 on the PR team. A Chicago native, she brings three decades of strategic communications experience to the agency. Blair is responsible for strategic PR initiatives that result in client growth and visibility; works with a stellar team of scientists and storytellers to positively shape earned media outcomes; and contributes to agency growth and creating enduring partnerships. Blair’s career experience has always been on the agency side with diverse exposure to various industries: life sciences, healthcare, manufacturing, chemical, agriculture, and technology. Prior to joining CG Life, she held senior PR, brand, and integrated communication leadership roles at agencies including Edelman and Celtic Chicago, was the co-founder of her own agency, and enjoyed being a local journalist for community news.

SPEAKER: Jannelle Roscoe, Director of Digital Marketing, Marketing Systems, and Reporting, Lonza

Jannelle Roscoe is currently Director of Digital Marketing, Marketing Systems, and Reporting at Lonza. She has worked in various marketing and digital marketing roles at Lonza, Sartorius, and in the fitness industry before joining Lonza’s Global Marketing team in late 2021. In her current role, Jannelle oversees demand generation strategies, marketing automation, marketing systems and performance marketing reporting for Lonza’s Global Marketing team.

Additionally, she oversees the digital marketing strategy for Lonza’s Integrated Biologics platform.

Jannelle holds a BA in English from Benedict College and is a three-time Marketo Certified Expert. Outside of work, she enjoys teaching dance fitness classes.

Additional panelists to be announced soon.

SPEAKER: Jordan Nutting, Senior Editor, C&EN BrandLab, ACS

Jordan is a Senior Editor at C&EN BrandLab. While earning her Ph.D. in chemistry she also pursued her passion for writing and communication, including a stint as a science reporter during the COVID-19 pandemic. She now funnels her love of words and chemistry into creating compelling, human-centered science marketing.

SPEAKER: Erha Andini, PhD, Chemical Engineer & Science Communicator

Erha Andini is a chemical engineer, science communicator, and the creator behind Erha the Explorer, a platform dedicated to making science make sense for 130K+ curious minds and growing. She has a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Delaware, where her research focused on chemical recycling of mixed textile waste, developing practical pathways for recycling the fabrics most of us wear and most recyclers cannot handle. Her work has been published in Science Advances and featured in The Washington Post, MIT Technology Review, Nature, C&EN, and the World Economic Forum.

Born and raised in Indonesia, Erha’s path into science communication was shaped by her own experience translating complex research beyond the lab. Today, she helps make green chemistry, sustainability, and materials science more human and relevant to broader audiences. Her work sits at the intersection of research, storytelling, and science marketing, helping complex ideas reach the people they are meant to serve.

Additional panelists to be announced soon.