O’Donnell Summit panel ponders digital growth, consequences

Two Oswego alumni were on the podium as a panel of industry experts dug into all things digital, social and mobile during the sixth annual Dr. Lewis B. O’Donnell Media Summit Oct. 14. Co-anchor for Albany’s NewsChannel 13 Benita Zahn ’76 moderated a panel that included Michael Cassidy ’98, founder of digital marketing and media-buying firm Undertone. Front row, from left are Zahn, President Deborah F. Stanley and Vicki Betihavas, president of the U.K.-based 3-D television production company, Nineteen Fifteen. In back, from left are NPR’s Andy Carvin, summit founder Louis A. Borrelli Jr. ’77, Cassidy and Dr. Jon C. Landis of Apple’s Northeast Education Development team. Cable television pioneer Borrelli founded the summit in 2005 with a leadership gift. Three years ago, he and NBC “Today” show co-host and weatherman Al Roker ’76, provided funding to name it in honor of O’Donnell, longtime chair of Oswego’s communication studies department, who passed away in 2007.