About the Editors

Michelle Manafy

Michelle Manafy is the senior editor of min, which publishes the Media Industry Newsletter — the go-to resource for advertising data, news, deals, trends and personnel moves shaping the consumer magazine publishing industry — and hosts the industry’s premier events and awards programs. Prior to her current role, Michelle directed content and community for FreePint Limited, a UK based publisher of sites and research serving the enterprise information industry. Michelle previously served as the editorial director of the Enterprise Group for Information Today, Inc. where she edited EContent magazine and the Intranets newsletter. She was also the chair of ITI’s Enterprise Search Summits and the Buying & Selling eContent Conference.

Michelle’s focus is on emerging trends in digital content and how they shape successful business practices. An award-winning columnist, Michelle writes about the intersection of technology, media, and culture. She speaks at a variety of industry events and serves as a judge for many content and technology competitions. She has worked in book and magazine publishing for more than 20 years in areas ranging from pop culture to academic nonfiction and holds a BA in journalism from San Francisco State University.

Michelle’s interest in the distinct differences and opportunities presented by the digital native generation was triggered by her experiences working with interns. Each summer, as a new mound of bright shiny clay turned up in the office, Michelle increasingly sensed subtle changes in texture that began to affect the shape of the mentoring experience. Michelle found that while digital natives bear a striking resemblance to their predecessors, their approaches to work, information interaction, and many other aspects of life are profoundly influenced by their digitally empowered world view. As these young team members began to participate in story creation and collaborative projects and to leave the office to enter the world of work, it became increasingly clear to Michelle that as a lifelong publishing professional who hadn’t used a computer until college, she had a lot to learn about—and from—them.

Heidi Gautschi

Heidi Gautschi is an assistant professor of communication at Lesley University in Cambridge, MA.  Prior to joining Lesley, Heidi taught in the French university system for 10 years. Her research looks at the cultural, social, political, and economic implications of communication technology, with special emphasis on the comparative French and American contexts. She earned a BA in philosophy from Tufts University, an MA in health education from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a PhD in information and communication sciences from the University of Paris X. Heidi grew up in France and the United States, and she continues to divide her time between these two countries.

Heidi’s interest in digital natives arose from her observations in the classroom and during her commute. She noticed mobile technology taking on more and more importance among teenagers and young adults, both in social situations and during classes, and wanted to better understand this phenomenon. In parallel, Heidi continues to experiment with different technology applications in the classroom to see if her students will learn more effectively by using the tools they are comfortable with.