About Us

Peter Francese

Author and Correspondent

Peter Francese founded American Demographics Magazine (now part of Advertising Age) and speaks and writes frequently on demographic and consumer trends. He is currently the Demographic Trends Analyst for the worldwide advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather. The New England Economic Partnership has also appointed him to be their Director of Demographic Forecasts. He is the recipient of the Silver Bell Award from the Advertising Council for distinguished public service and is a graduate of Cornell University. www.francese.com

Jay Childs

Executive Producer

Director Jay Childs is an award-winning documentary film producer who brings to clients nearly 20 years of experience in many facets of multi-media communications including communications consulting, branding, training/orientation, commercials, education, documentaries, presentation support and more. In 2000, Childs was nominated for an Emmy for his PBS film "Caring For Mo". He is a 1987 graduate of Ithaca College in Ithaca, NY with a Bachelors Degree in Corporate Communications Production and a Minor in Broadcasting. www.jbccom.com

Lorraine Stuart Merrill

Author

Lorraine Stuart Merrill is a writer specializing in agriculture, business, community planning, and the environment. She has contributed articles in Forest Notes, the University of New Hampshire Magazine, the Boston Sunday Globe, the Christian Science Monitor, 2nd Home Journal, regional and national farm magazines, and publications on Smart Growth and preserving rural character for the state Office of Energy and Planning. She and her family own a dairy farm in Stratham. Merrill and her husband, John, received the American Farmland Trust’s 2003 Steward of the Land Award for “outstanding leadership at the national, state, and local levels in protecting farmland and caring for the environment.”

A graduate of the University of New Hampshire, Merrill was a 2007 Food & Society Policy Fellow, supported by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and Thomas Jefferson Agricultural Institute. In November 2007 Merrill was appointed by Governor John Lynch as New Hampshire Commissioner of Agriculture, Markets & Food.

Justin Francese

Associate Producer

Justin is a documentary filmmaker and instructor. His work has appeared on Oregon Public Broadcasting, NECN, Forbes.com, HGTV, and WSIU Public Broadcasting, as well as in film festivals, video installations, and numerous online venues. www.justinfrancese.com