Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeff Achen.
Jeff, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
At 17, I joined the Navy and traveled from the Panama Canal to Nova Scotia to the Suez Canal and a war zone in the Persian Gulf. At 21, I attended the University of North Dakota thanks to the G.I. Bill and the maturity gained through service. After graduating with honors, my curiosity and camera took me to Nepal, where I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer. I taught English in the hillside tea fields of Ilam, not far from Darjeeling, India.
I returned from Nepal to graduate school for my Masters of Arts in Communication and Conflict Resolution. My thesis centered on the role journalists play when reporting on conflict. I became fascinated with conflict resolution and how I could facilitate it through my own work as a reporter and communicator.
Over my career, I’ve worked in television as a news reporter, a print and digital journalist, a digital marketing strategist, and as an executive director. Today, I channel my creative energies and expertise into two businesses: Callsign51, a video production company that helps people and organizations grow their revenue through photos and video storytelling and advertising. The second business is a new venture into the world of professional speaking. I specialize in the topics of rebuilding public trust in the media, media literacy and critical thinking.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It was never a smooth road, but I have been very fortunate in navigating my career. I always manage to turn with the tide and make the best of circumstances.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
What connects my military and Peace Corps experiences is a deep commitment to service.
It’s a commitment that led me into community journalism and conflict resolution. My research explores how conflict communication principles serve as a roadmap for journalists, podcasters, tik-tok influencers, public relations practitioners, leaders and anyone that cares about contributing to a better public dialogue.
As the executive director of a nonprofit journalism organization, I led a conflict-sensitive journalism fellowship with 5 reporters from underserved communities in the Twin Cities. I have implimented my conflict-sensitive framework as a community journalist and more recently as a digital strategist and content creator.
How do you define success?
Success for me is about integrity. The integration or alignment of your goals, values, words and actions. So, in that sense to be successful can be about attaining wealth, fame or simply living a life of purpose, dedication and fulfillment. I feel that I am successful. Not in terms of wealth or fame, but as a father, business owner, husband and community member. I feel in alignment with my goals, values, words and actions.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.callsign51.com
- Instagram: jeff_achen
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffachen
- Other: http://www.jeffachen.com
