The Sweaty Penguin team is a small group of college students and recent college graduates, many of whom met through working on publications such as The Bunion and The Emerald Review at Boston University. About 2/3 of the team has received or is pursuing a degree in an environmental field, but the group also includes students studying Film & Television, Journalism, Public Relations, and more. With this mix of experience, The Sweaty Penguin team is well-equipped to communicate climate change in a new, fun way!
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Ethan Brown
Founder & Host -
Megan Crimmins
Producer -
Shannon Damiano
Producer -
Maddy Schmidt
Producer -
Hallie Cordingley
Associate Producer -
Owen Reith
Associate Producer -
Will Andronico
Sound Editor -
Melina Nguyen
Journalist -
Maxwell Pociask
Comedy Writer -
Ysabel Wulfing
Researcher
Ethan Brown
Founder & Host
Ethan Brown is a recent graduate of Boston University, where he studied Environmental Analysis & Policy and Film & Television. Ethan was never outdoorsy growing up, but after studying climate change, he felt compelled to use his years of comedy writing experience as Editor-in-Chief of his high school and college satire publications—The Gorilla and The Bunion—to communicate environmental issues in an entertaining way. With some free time during early quarantine, Ethan launched The Sweaty Penguin Podcast. Since then, the podcast has released over 100 episodes, amassed over 19,000 downloads, showcased the work of professors from eleven countries, won six grants, became a PBS partner, and was honored at the 2022 Webby Awards. Through The Sweaty Penguin, Ethan aims to make climate change less overwhelming, less politicized, and more fun. Ethan has also served as Managing Editor of BU’s student-run earth & environment magazine The Emerald Review and currently serves as a Production Assistant for PBS/WNET’s climate initiative Peril and Promise. His favorite TV show is “The Good Place,” and he is passionately opposed to pineapple on Pizza.
Megan Crimmins
Producer
Megan Crimmins is a recent graduate of Boston University from Prescott, Arizona with a B.A. in International Relations and a B.A. in Environmental Analysis and Policy. She is a Producer for The Sweaty Penguin, researching/writing episodes, spearheading an educational section of the website, managing the TikTok, connecting with other podcasts for cross-promotion, and tackling a variety of administrative and managerial tasks. Megan also served as a copy editor for the Emerald Review, BU’s student-run earth & environment magazine. She has also held an internship with African Diaspora Engaging Africa (ADEA), an initiative that creates a diverse and productive community of African Diaspora living in the Boston area and engaged in collaborative projects in Africa to share experience and resources, and foster collaboration. She has also interned with the International Rescue Committee and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. She is interested in environmental justice, specifically climate migration policy.
Shannon Damiano
Producer
Shannon Damiano is a recent graduate from Boston University with a B.S in journalism. From Spring Lake Heights, New Jersey, she is a Producer for The Sweaty Penguin, designing social media graphics and web comics, adding jokes to scripts, and spearheading the news section of the website. In addition to her journalism work for The Sweaty Penguin, Shannon has been published in The Cambridge Chronicle, and The Daily Free Press, Boston University’s independent student newspaper. Shannon also served as Editor-in-Chief of BU’s satire publication The Bunion in Fall 2021, and as Copy Editor and Photo Editor before that. As a kid, Shannon had a passion for marine biology, and has thoroughly enjoyed applying her journalism experience to climate and environmental issues.
Maddy Schmidt
Producer
Maddy Schmidt is a recent graduate of Boston University from tropical central New Jersey with a B.S. in Film and Television. At The Sweaty Penguin, Maddy contributes listicles, quizzes, and satire pieces for the website and revises/punches up podcast scripts. Maddy has also served as Development Coordinator with New York-based satire site The Weekly Humorist, developing the brand’s foray into television by co-creating two animated sitcom pilots based on Weekly Humorist comic strips. After serving as Managing Editor of BU’s comedy magazine The Bunion, Maddy co-founded BU’s only feminist satire publication, The Pinky Toe, which publishes content for and by women and people of marginalized genders. Her passions include being a team player, spreadsheets and buying groceries for the office.
Hallie Cordingley
Associate Producer
Hallie Cordingley is a junior at Boston University from Littleton, Massachusetts studying Environmental Analysis and Policy and Economics. She is an Associate Producer for The Sweaty Penguin, researching/writing/fact checking episodes, managing the website, and working on audience engagement and educational outreach, among other tasks. Hallie also works on the executive team as a secretary for Boston University’s Sustainable Ocean Alliance chapter. She has worked on science communication at the Hubbard Brook Research Foundation, learning how to effectively communicate climate change to different audiences. She has interned with iUNU agtech, helping to launch a campaign for congressional funding to put greenhouse technologies in urban communities. She has also worked on CropTalk, a podcast discussing integrative pest management. Hallie has a passion for applying her environmental skills in the agricultural sector, and the intersection between economies and our planet.
Owen Reith
Associate Producer
Owen Reith is a junior at the University of Victoria pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce. He is a Researcher for The Sweaty Penguin, researching/writing episodes, fact checking, and working on various projects on the business side. Growing up in the mountains of Whistler, BC cultivated Owen‘s passion for the outdoors and fostered a drive to face today’s climate issues and create a sustainable future. Further, by traveling all over Canada to play hockey, Owen got to experience how multiple communities address issues. This experience allowed him to gain knowledge in many facets of life, while learning how different regions are dealing with the climate crisis.
Will Andronico
Sound Editor
Will Andronico Jr. is a recent graduate from Boston University’s College of Communication where he studied Journalism and Film & Television. He’s from Central Massachusetts, far enough where he can’t say he’s “from Boston.” As Sound Editor for the Sweaty Penguin, Will sound designs and mixes episodes. Will also works as an Account Coordinator for CTP Boston under their Public Relations arm. At Boston University, he wore a slew of hats on several publications, serving as News Director and Producer for WTBU News, and an anchor, writer, producer, reporter and director in other organizations such as BUTV10 and BU News Service. Will has always loved sound design and hopes to make our audience giggle.
Melina Nguyen
Journalist
Melina Nguyen is a junior at Boston University from Nashville, Tennessee studying Journalism and Statistics. Melina is a Journalist for The Sweaty Penguin, contributing news articles to the website and helping with various website management and audience engagement projects. She is passionate about the connection between environmentalism and society, especially regarding marginalized communities. Outside of The Sweaty Penguin, Melina has words in The Somerville Times and The Daily Free Press, Boston University’s student-run independent newspaper. She is involved in WTBU, Boston University’s student-run radio station, and runs the social media and newsletter of Stage Troupe at Boston University. When she is not gaming like a gremlin, Melina is usually taking photographs of her family and friends.
Maxwell Pociask
Comedy Writer
Maxwell Pociask is a sophomore at Boston University from Urbana, Illinois in the College of Communication. He is a comedy writer for The Sweaty Penguin, writing lists and quizzes for the website, writing fake ads, and helping to squeeze those juicy little joke morsels into the sweet, sweet scripted news, baby. Max also works as a writer for BU’s satire publication The Bunion, and as Opinions section editor for the Daily Free Press, Boston University’s independent student newspaper, where you can read his column on unique urbanist solutions found in small American towns. He’s had a lifelong passion for building sustainable and equitable communities, and in 2021, started a grant-funded annual arts showcase for students in Central Illinois. Max doesn’t think that pineapple on pizza is all that big of a deal, but hopes you don’t tell Ethan about that.
Ysabel Wulfing
Researcher
Ysabel Wulfing is a junior at Boston University from Paso Robles, CA studying Earth & Environmental Science, Marine Science, and Journalism. She is an Environmental Researcher for The Sweaty Penguin, transcribing interviews and researching and fact checking episodes. Outside of the classroom, Ysabel serves as a director for The Urban Garden Initiative Boston; a nonprofit that partners with local schools to create and teach hands-on science curriculums. She is the head DJ/producer of Earth to Earthlings on WTBU where she creates themed playlists, interviews guests, researches topics, reads poems, and breaks down the latest environmental news. She also has been awarded grant funding by BU’s campus climate lab to research rain garden implementation on campus. She currently is working as a camp counselor for an outdoor education camp, guiding campers through the local intertidal and teaching them about local flora and fauna in Cambria, CA.