Bryan Mark Urbsaitis

1 (917) 400 1934

urbs@nyu.edu

 

Nationalities

Dual: US & EU (Lithuania).

 

Languages

English, French, Japanese, Spanish.

 

Research Interests

documentary filmmaking, media advocacy, sustainable development, social justice, investigative journalism, social movements, public communication, education, social media, global south, EU, LGBT, HIV & AIDS.

 

Education

MFA (2016) Integrated Media Arts, Hunter College, City University of New York, School of Arts & Sciences: Bryan Mark Urbsaitis Artist Page; MFA Thesis (FEATURE): Men in Heels from + Positive World Media on Vimeo. Internationally screened in United States, Lithuania, Vietnam.

PhD (2007) International Education, New York University, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, Department of Humanities & Social Sciences in the Professions.  Dissertation: “Reconciliation Contested: Understandings of Reconciliation by NGOs in South Africa.”

MA (2001) Speech & Interpersonal Communication, New York University, Steinhardt School of Education, Department of Culture & Communication.  Practicum: “Self-Help is for Wimps: Improving the Dialogue in Father-Son Relationships.”

BS (1994) Communication Studies, Boston University; French minor.

 

TV & Online News Video Packages

219 West Episode 51, Jan 2015.  Producer for monthly news program, Reporter & Field Camera Operator for individual news package on CUNY TV 219 West monthly program.  Produced package for “MOCA—Waves of Identity.”

219 West Episode 50, Dec 2014.  Reporter and Field Camera Operator for news package on CUNY TV 219 West monthly program.  Produced package for “Preventing HIV with PrEP.”

219 West Episode 49, Nov 2014.  Reporter and Field Camera Operator for news package on CUNY TV 219 West monthly program.  Produced package for “Inflato Dumpster.”

219 West Episode 48, Oct 2014.  Anchor and Field Camera Operator for news package on CUNY TV 219 West monthly program.  Co-produced package for “Journalism’s New Dangers.”

Fix My Park, CUNY Hunter, May 2014.  Video for a collaborative article on NYC’s notoriously derelict Playground 52, with Vlada Ginzburg, Hunts Point Express.

Earth Day: Sustainable South Bronx & Friends, CUNY Hunter, May 2014.  Video for a collaborative article on Earth Day with Damian Poplawski, Hunts Point Express.

Poetry Slam @ The Point, CUNY Hunter, May 2014.  Video and article (“Young Poets Slam at The Point”) on a poetry slam semi-final event, Hunts Point Express.

Hunts Point Slam Bake, CUNY Hunter, March 2014.  Video for a collaborative article on a food cook-off to benefit victims of Hurricane Sandy, with Sherlyn Aldas, Hunts Point Express.

Legendary Coach Returns to His Roots, CUNY Hunter, March 2014.  Video for a collaborative article on Bobby Cremins Basketball Camp with Damian Poplawski, Hunts Point Express.

Exhibit GAY, CUNY Hunter, March 2014.  Video and article (“Exhibit Highlights Gay Artists of Color”) on gay artists of color exhibition at CUNY Hostos, Hunts Point Express.

Waiting for Repairs (Esperando Reparaciones), CUNY Hunter, February 2014.  Video for a collaborative investigative reporting article on unscrupulous landlords and bad bank loans (New Push for Banks to Monitor Building Conditions), CityLimits.org.

 

Select Documentaries

Stigma Continues: HIV Positive New Yorkers, March 2014.  Film-screening for First Fridays, School of Public Health, CUNY Hunter.

Breakfast in South Africa, CUNY Hunter, December 2013.  Video documenting AIDS Ride South Africa.

Figura Fondo, EICTV Documentary Production & Development, June 2013.  Video produced with a team profiling a cleaning woman in Havana, Cuba.

Journey of a Wounded Healer, March 2013.  Film-screening for The Netherlands Meets New York Film Festival, CUNY Hunter.

 

AIDS Ride South Africa

AIDS Ride South Africa - AIDS Education and documentary filmmaking in developmental contexts while founding a 501(c)3 charitable organization devoted to cycling from Johannesburg to Cape Town annually to raise money for HIV & AIDS, October 2010 to present. Public Health Communication, Video Ethnographic Field Reseaerch Methodology, Documenting Development.

 

Facilitated Projects

Urban Voices, Directed a CUNY LaGuardia class video project expressing their concerns about rights as New York City students, June 2012.

Sports for Peace , Directed two CUNY LaGuardia classes through a video ethnography project exploring sport as a way to improve community, May 2011.

HIV & AIDS in our community, Directed two CUNY LaGuardia classes through a public community-communication video project exploring the ways in which HIV and AIDS impacts their communities, December 2010.

“Grow Our Own Timber, at University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa, July 2010, March 2009.  Produced multimedia project for higher education diversity workshop in cooperation with NYU Department of Administration, Leadership, and Technology.

Todos Somos LaGuardia, CUNY LaGuardia, June 2010.  Directed a public community-communication project interrogating immigration.

Are Those Real, CUNY LaGuardia, June 2010.  Directed two classes through a public community-communication project discussing body modification.

At Your Service, CUNY LaGuardia, February 2010.  Directed a class through a public community-communication project honoring the meaning of service.

Sex & Dating, CUNY LaGuardia, June 2009.  Directed a class through a public community-communication project as part of events in honor of Pride Month.

Interrogating Gender Identity, at CUNY LaGuardia, March 2009.  Directed three classes through a public community-communication project as part of Womyn’s Herstory Month.

“Social Justice & Human Rights, at CUNY LaGuardia, December 2008.  Directed a class through a multimedia video and public community-communication project commemorating the 60th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights.

 

Publications

Urbsaitis, Bryan (2015).  伤痛的和解之路: 当代南非人民追求社会正义与可持续发展的斗争, Wounded Healers & Reconciliation Fatigue (Chinese Edition).  Morningside South Press, New York, NY, USA. Amazon: epub.

Urbsaitis, Bryan (2014).  المـداوون الجرحى ومتاعب المصالحـة: في السعي وراء العدالة الاجتماعية والتطوير المستمر في جنوب أفريقيا, Wounded Healers & Reconciliation Fatigue (Arabic Edition).  Morningside South Press, New York, NY, USA. Amazon: epub.

Urbsaitis, Bryan (2012).  Los Sanadores Heridos y la Fatiga de la Reconciliación: La búsqueda de justicia social y desarrollo sostenible en Sudáfrica, Wounded Healers & Reconciliation Fatigue (Spanish Edition).  Morningside South Press, New York, NY, USA. Amazon: epub.

Urbsaitis, Bryan (2011).  “No Hope & A Bicycle: NGOs, HIV & AIDS, and Sustainable Development in South Africa,” in Gates, Syreeta (Ed.).  Just Be Cause, The Purple Pack: e-book, Spring 2011.

Urbsaitis, Bryan (2009).  Wounded Healers & Reconciliation Fatigue: The Search for Social Justice & Sustainable Development in South Africa.  VDM Verlag Dr. Müller Aktiengesellschaft & Co. KG, Saarbrücken, Germany.

Urbsaitis, Bryan (2007).  Reconciliation Contested: Understandings of Reconciliation by NGOs in South Africa.  Dissertation for New York University, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, Department of Humanities & Social Sciences in the Professions, International Education.

 

Grants & Awards

Fundraised $50,000 for AIDS Ride South Africa, 2010 - present.

NYU Steinhardt School of Education Teaching Assistantship, Fall 2003/Spring 2004, $18,000/sem.

NYU Steinhardt School of Education Teaching Assistantship, Fall 2002/Spring 2003, $17,000/sem.

ASU Hugh Downs School of Human Communication Graduate Teaching Incentive Award: Fall 2001/Spring 2002, $1000/sem.

ASU Hugh Downs School of Human Communication Graduate Teaching Associateship, Fall 2001/Spring 2002, $14,000/sem.

 

Teaching Experience

Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) Vietnam (South Saigon Campus), Lecturer, Professional Communication, School of Communication & Design, Hanoi & Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; June 2016 to present. Asian Cinemas, Contempory Approaches to Communications & Media, Features & Storytelling, Global Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Project, Interdisciplinary Communication Project, Media Production, Modern Asia, Negotiating Transnational Agreements, New Media New Asia. American Federation of Ramallah in Palestine (AFRP) Education & Culture Mission July 2016.

City University of New York (CUNY), Adjunct Faculty, Humanities Department, LaGuardia, Long Island City, New York; 2007 to 2012.  Communication for Non-Native Speakers, Communication in Professional Settings, Oral Communication, Public Speaking, Speech Communication, Small Group Communication.  WebRadio FacultyAdvisor.

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Ministry of Education Chile, Idiomas Abren Puertas, Volunteer Language Faculty, Santiago, Chile, Aug 2009 to Nov 2009.  English as a Second Language, Oral Communication.

New York University (NYU) Department of Media, Culture, and Communication, Adjunct Faculty; August 2007 to January 2008; Adjunct Faculty Sep 2004 to Dec 2004; Teaching Fellow Aug 2002 to Aug 2004; Conflict Management in Communication, Public Speaking; NYU Higher Education & Social Reform, Teaching Assistant, Pretoria, South Africa, July 2004.

Arizona State University (ASU); Hugh Downs School of Human Communication Teaching Assistant 2001-2002, Pop Culture in Communication; 4 Seasons Ethnographic Field Research Methodology Program in Mexico City, Mexico; Teaching Assistant, May 2002.  Ethnographic Field Research Methodology.

Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme, Hiroshima Municipal Board of Education, Numata High School, Hiroshima, Japan; English Teacher, August 1994 to August 1997.

 

International Training

Global Action Project (G.A.P.), Resident Archivist, New York, USA, 2015 to May 2016.

EICTV Documentary Production & Development, Film Director, San Antonio de los Baños, Cuba, June 2013.

Pace University, Study Abroad Office, Assistant Director, New York, February to September 2010.

New York University (NYU) Institute for Globalization and Education in Metropolitan Settings (IGEMS), February 2007 to November 2007.

Centre for the Study of Violence & Reconciliation (CSVR), Research Intern, Johannesburg, South Africa, Feb to July 2005.

Boston University Academic Year Abroad, Program Assistant, Grenoble, France, 1992-1993.

 

Professional & Academic Service

National Communication Association (NCA) since 2001.  Manager for NCA LinkedIn.com site, October 2008 to 2010.

International Communication Association (ICA) since 2002.  Administrators for ICA Yahoogroup, 2003 to present; ICA Facebook site, August 2008 to present; LinkedIn.com, September 2008 to present.

National Association of International Educators (NAFSA) since 2010.

International High IQ Society (MENSA) since 2014.

Provided letters of recommendation for over 45 students.

 

Entrepreneurships

+Positive World Media – freelance videographer & filmmaker, Dec 2012 to present.

AIDS Ride South Africa – 501(c)3 charitable organization founder 2010 to present.

Bryan Urbs Consulting – self-owned communication consulting firm, September 2008 to present.

 

Other Experience

Admin Aide - NYU Office of Student Activities, NY, NY, August 2000 to August 2001.

Admin Aide - NYU Program Office, NY, NY, August 1999 to August 2000.

 

Select Conference Activities

“The Affordable Care Act: Universal Health Care vs. States Rights.”  Presenter for “Lehman Votes 2012: Live-Stream Debate,” Presenter, City University of New York, Lehman College, New York, October 2012.

“NGOs and Reconciliation in South Africa.”  Presentation for “Global Justice and Inequalities: A Social Sciences Symposium,” Presenter, City University of New York, LaGuardia Community College, New York, May 2012.

“Sport, Health, and Empowerment in Traumatized Societies.”  Part of a panel on “Sport for Peace and Development,” Presenter, American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance Conference, Boston, March 2012.

“Vernacular Voices around a Troubled World: Engaging Rhetoric and Ethnography for Social Change.” Part of a panel on “Voice,” Presenter, Presenter, National Communication Association, Co-sponsored panel by Ethnography Division and Convention Theme Division, New Orleans, November 2011.

“Performance of Reconciliation: Narrating Survival in South Africa.”  Part of a panel on “Voices for Peace in the Middle East and South Africa,” Presenter, National Communication Association, Convention Theme Division, New Orleans, November 2011.

“Unlikely Agents of Change in South Africa: NGOs at the intersection of reconciliation, higher education, and sustainable development.”  Part of a panel on “Africanization of Education: Curriculum and Instruction, Language, and Knowledge Production via Higher Education Reform and Sustainable Social Development,” Panel Organizer & Presenter, Comparative and International Education Society “Education is That Which Liberates” Conference, Africa Special Interest Group, Montréal, Canada, May 2011.

“Diversity in Higher Education Settings.”  Facilitator on diversity workshop for University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa, Center for Higher Education Staff Development (CHESD) Grow Our Own Timber (GOOT) Programme, July 2010.

“Ethnographic Research in Online Communities.”  Co-presentation and round table discussion for Qualitative Research Conference: Web 2.0/3.0 - The Next Leap, Berlin, Germany, March 2010.

“Democracia y Desarrollo en África: Nuevos Actores y Nueve Institucionalidad en los Campos Políticos y Sociales.”  Presentation given for el Observatorio Regional de Paz y Seguridad (ORPAS) at Universidad Bernardo O’ Higgins (UBO), Santiago, Chile, October 2009.

“School to Work Connections: Expanding Educational Opportunities.”  Panel Discussant, New York University International Education Exploring Quality and Equity in Education: Innovation and Challenges in International and Comparative Contexts Conference, New York, March 2008.

“Reconciling Gun Culture, Violence, and Human Rights in a (potentially) Gun-Free South Africa: an analysis of South Africa’s conditional gun amnesty.”  Part of a panel on “The Role of Education in Conflict and Post-Conflict Settings,” Presenter, New York University International Education Graduate Student Conference, Beyond Borders: Global Change and Education in Action, New York, March 2007.

“Making Reconciliation Work: A Comparative Study of Reconciliation NGOs in South Africa.”  Part of a “Comparative Peace” panel, Presenter, Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Information, Education for Peace & Democracy Conference, Antalya, Turkey, November 2006.

“Surviving reconciliation in post-apartheid South Africa: Narratives of reconciliation NGO (non-governmental organization) workers and apartheid-era abuse survivors.”  Part of a panel on “Determination, Mediation, Miscommunication: Three Instances in the Struggle for (and Against) Reconciliation,” Presenter, National Communication Association, Peace and Conflict Communication Division, San Antonio, November 2006.

“Unmet Expectations: the Search for Meaningful Implementations of Community Healing vis-à-vis ‘good enough’ Reconciliation Measures.”  Part of a panel on “Peace and Reconciliation in Israel, South Africa & Northern Ireland,” Presenter, New York University International Education Graduate Student Conference, States of Mind: Creating and Transcending Borders through Education, March 2006.

“The Efforts of International Aid Organizations to Promote Access to Education.”  Panel Discussant, New York University International Education States of Mind: Creating and Transcending Borders through Education Conference, New York, March 2006.

“Understandings of Reconciliation by Non-governmental Organizations in South Africa.”  Part of a panel on “10 Years of Jubilee and Beyond: The Health of Reconciliation Efforts in South Africa,” Panel Chair, Organizer, and Presenter, National Communication Association, Association for Rhetoric and Communication in Southern Africa Division, Boston, November 2005.

“Filling the Reconciliation Gap in South Africa: Balancing Between Policy and Implementation through Non-governmental Organizations.”  Part of a panel on “Negotiating Protracted Intercultural Discord: Reconciliation Balancing Acts from the Edge,” Panel Chair, Organizer, and Presenter, National Communication Association, Peace and Conflict Communication Division, Boston, November 2005.

“Reconciling Interracial and Intercultural Community Discord: Healing through Art, Activism, and Literature.”  Panel Organizer, National Communication Association, International and Intercultural Communication Division, Boston, November 2005.

“Democratizing Reconciliation Work in the Middle East: Perspectives from Morocco, Iraq, and Israel-Palestine through Conflict, Cooperation, and Mediation,” Panel Chair and Organizer, National Communication Association, Peace and Conflict Communication Division, Boston, November 2005.

“Transformative turns: Healing through the ethnographic experience,” Presenter, Round Table Discussion, National Communication Association, Ethnography Division, Boston, November 2005.

“Questioning Mediated Intercultural Identities: The Search for Self and Other in Reality TV, Higher Education, and Distance Learning.”  Panel Organizer for the International Communication Association, Intercultural & Development Communication Division, New York, May 2005.

Hobbies

travel, flute, juggling, S.C.U.B.A., skiing.

 

References

Dr. Deborah Borisoff
Professor
New York University
Department of Media, Culture, and Communication
239 Greene St 7th floor
New York, NY 10003
+1 (212) 998 5192
djb1@nyu.edu

Dr. Sarah Amira de la Garza
Associate Professor
Arizona State University
Stauffer Hall Building A, Room 412
PO Box 871205
Tempe, AZ 85287
+1 (480) 965 3360
delagarza@asu.edu

Dr. Phil Hosay
Professor
New York University
Department of Humanities & Social Sciences in the Professions
246 Greene St 3rd floor
New York, NY 10003
+1 (212) 998 5496
pmh2@nyu.edu

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