Impact Management Staff

Lisa Rau
Supervising Producer

Lisa Rau is a master's candidate in broadcast journalism at the USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism. With degrees in creative writing and rhetoric, Lisa has written for news publications, websites and nonprofits since 2005. At San Francisco State University, she worked as a campus news writer and competed in public speaking tournaments across the country. Lisa graduated valedictorian in 2008. When she's not in the Impact lab, Lisa manages a blog for BetterGrads.org, enjoys watching documentaries and is learning to play the accordion -- songs from both her German and Colombian heritages.

Christine Detz
Senior Producer

Christine Detz is a second-year graduate student at the USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism. Christine was born and raised in Western Massachusetts and obtained her bachelor's degree in communication and sports journalism at Springfield College and a master's degree in government from Georgetown University. Her past journalism positions include: news director at her college radio station; media relations intern at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame; intern at CNN's Washington, D.C. bureau; and morning news producer at WKTV in Utica, NY and WGGB in Springfield, MA. Christine enjoys traveling and the (not so) occasional trip to Disneyland in her spare time.

Shweta Saraswat
Senior Producer

Shweta Saraswat joins the Impact team as an Annenberg Fellow and first-year graduate student at the Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism focusing on news video. Born and raised in the San Fernando Valley, Shweta graduated from UCLA in 2011 with a bachelor's degree in communication studies and a minor in South Asian studies. She wrote for the Daily Bruin and other publications, interned at the ABC affiliate in Eugene, OR, and interned for one year in the Special Investigations Unit at NBC-LA in addition to contributing to NBCLA.com. Shweta has also been training in Kathak, a classical dance of northern India, since she was just a little thing. She continues to perform across Los Angeles.

Tiara Chiaramonte
Senior Producer

Tiara Chiaramonte is a first-year graduate student at the USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism. She obtained her bachelor's degree from the University of California, Irvine in political science and received a certificate in Middle Eastern studies. As an undergraduate, she competed in various Model United Nations conferences and won two awards. She also helped to create an online fashion and music magazine that explores Los Angeles culture. After graduating, she worked on three political campaigns during the midterm elections. In her free time, she enjoys cooking Italian food, painting, and most importantly, shopping.

Tallie Johnson
Senior Producer

Tallie Johnson, originally from Houston, is a first-year graduate student studying broadcast journalism at the USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism. She began her career in business earning a bachelor's degree from Boston University. She spent time working at KSL Media and The Marketing Arm before focusing on her true passion: journalism. She utilized her writing skills through internships in Los Angeles, including KABC and several entertainment blogs. In her spare time, she enjoys attending cultural events and festivals.

Lee T. Warner
Production Supervisor

Lee T. Warner is the online editor and production/technical supervisor for Impact, an award-winning television newsmagazine series at USC Annenberg's School for Communication & Journalism. He has been with the show and the university since 1997. In addition to his work with Impact, Warner creates lessons for and teaches Avid and Final Cut Pro editing to both undergraduate and graduate journalism students. He has expertise in the new media technology field, with extensive knowledge in handling new file formats, authoring blu-rays, among other skills. Just recently, Warner finished work on the world's first "enhanced eBook" -- a book by Jonathan Taplin called Outlaw Blues. He handled video editing, conversion, and helped with book coding. Warner also helps with the daily operations of the Annenberg Digital Lab.
Warner is an alumnus of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in computer science. Prior to USC, he worked in the entertainment industry on a number of sitcoms, including Murphy Brown, The Naked Truth, and the never-aired WB sitcom, Misconceptions.

Megan Chao
Line Producer

Megan Chao is director of development and producer for Daniel H. Birman Productions, Inc., a documentary production company based in Los Angeles. She shoots, writes and edits, and pitches show concepts to networks. Previously, Chao was production coordinator and researcher for Me Facing Life: Cyntoia's Story, a documentary feature picked up by PBS' Independent Lens for the 2010-11 season. The film was also featured 98 cities around the country as part of the ITVS Community Cinema Program, and won a 2011 Silver Telly Award in the documentary category. Chao was also researcher for Brace for Impact: the Chesley B. Sullenberger Story, a special for TLC and Discovery Channel about the emergency landing of US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River. Previously, Chao published with The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine on brain electrode implantation and aging, lifespan and longevity. Chao has a master's degree in broadcast journalism from USC's Annenberg School of Journalism, and dual bachelor's degrees in biology and nonfiction creative writing from the University of California at Riverside. She is an active member of the International Documentary Association, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Association of Health Care Journalists, and The Paley Center for Media.

Daniel H. Birman
Executive Producer/Faculty Advisor

Daniel H. Birman recently completed Me Facing Life: Cyntoia's Story, a documentary about a 16-year-old girl who committed murder and is now serving a life sentence in prison. This film aired on PBS' Independent Lens for the 2010-11 season and was featured as part of ITVS' Community Cinema Program. It is now being featured in the ITVS Women and Girls Lead Campaign, a new public media initiative with the mission to connect women, girls and their allies. Me Facing Life also won a 2011 Silver Telly Award, highest honors in the documentary category. Prior, Birman completed Brace for Impact: the Chesley B. Sullenberger Story, an engaging hour about what happened when the pilot of US Airways Flight 1549 safely landed his aircraft on the Hudson River. The program was produced for TLC, and subsequently aired on Discovery Channel. Birman also completed Naked Science: Death of the Universe, a one-hour special for National Geographic Channel that explores new scientific theories about the fate of the universe that have evolved since Einstein. Earlier, he produced: Europa: Mystery of the Ice Moon, a one-hour special for Science Channel about a moon of Jupiter that just might support life; and Medical Maverick -- two one-hour shows for Discovery Health Channel that looks at the work of a world-class trauma surgeon. Prior, Birman produced The Team, a four-part and first-ever nonfiction series for Nickelodeon, and Chopper Rescue, a one-hour trauma pilot for Discovery Health. Before that, he produced Alternatives: Uncovered -- a series of one-hour programs, also for Discovery Health.