current initiative
PML's NEXT AMERICAN MOONSHOT NOW IN DEVELOPMENT
New York, November 4th, 2020 /PML –
It’s time to come together and unite this country. But how to do this when we are paralyzed with division and discord? Perhaps it’s the power of two.
Polaris Media Lab is now developing NEXT AMERICAN MOONSHOT, the first-of-its-kind reality competition series where unlikely pairs of polar opposites are teamed up to solve deep-rooted problems in their communities.
Moonshot is the ambitious vision that a divided America needs right now - delivered through an entertaining vehicle that will inspire and engage a broad audience behind the notion that we, the people, can and must tackle the challenges we face – as one community.
about us
Patrick Jager – Chief Creative Advisor
Marc Benjamin – Executive Director
We are a collective of entrepreneurs, researchers, creators, influencers and developers. We are parents, students and working citizens with different backgrounds and divergent political views, but who share a passion for community engagement and a better future for our children.
We believe in American exceptionalism. We are committed to
We are a collective of entrepreneurs, researchers, creators, influencers and developers. We are parents, students and working citizens with different backgrounds and divergent political views, but who share a passion for community engagement and a better future for our children.
We believe in American exceptionalism. We are committed to reawakening our country's DIY ethic, the relentless ingenuity fueled by the values we share, like patriotism, idealism, perseverance, independence and the drive to fight for our individual freedom, justice and equality for all Americans.
Marc Benjamin – Executive Director
Patrick Jager – Chief Creative Advisor
Marc Benjamin – Executive Director
PML founder and creator of American Lodestar and Next American Moonshot, Marc Benjamin is a marketing strategist and media producer with expertise in audience engagement and omnichannel communications. Founder of pioneering digital agency Convergence Point Media, Marc is a creative technology innovator and a thought leader on best practi
PML founder and creator of American Lodestar and Next American Moonshot, Marc Benjamin is a marketing strategist and media producer with expertise in audience engagement and omnichannel communications. Founder of pioneering digital agency Convergence Point Media, Marc is a creative technology innovator and a thought leader on best practices for responsible and effective use of digital platforms for positive societal impact.
Patrick Jager – Chief Creative Advisor
Patrick Jager – Chief Creative Advisor
Patrick Jager – Chief Creative Advisor
Patrick Jager has created programming for leading networks including MTV, AMC, VH1, A&E, Travel Channel, USA Network, HGTV, Bravo, Science Channel, E!, Nickelodeon, PBS, NBC News and Discovery. He has overseen programming and creative strategy for NBCUniversal’s creativity-focused SVOD, Bluprint, put his unique mark on such award-winnin
Patrick Jager has created programming for leading networks including MTV, AMC, VH1, A&E, Travel Channel, USA Network, HGTV, Bravo, Science Channel, E!, Nickelodeon, PBS, NBC News and Discovery. He has overseen programming and creative strategy for NBCUniversal’s creativity-focused SVOD, Bluprint, put his unique mark on such award-winning series such as “Behind the Music” and “Biography”, and led the development, sale and production team behind lifestyle juggernaut “Fixer Upper.” He also served as protocol producer for the 2020 DNC.
Sarah Lenti - COO
Indi Maini McCullough – Advisor
Patrick Jager – Chief Creative Advisor
Sarah Lenti is Executive Director of The Lincoln Project and advisor to conservative and independent elected officials, up-and-coming candidates and Fortune 500 executives. She served as a policy advisor to Condoleezza Rice and as lead researcher to Mitt Romney on his book, No Apology: The Case for American Greatness. Sarah was awarded Te
Sarah Lenti is Executive Director of The Lincoln Project and advisor to conservative and independent elected officials, up-and-coming candidates and Fortune 500 executives. She served as a policy advisor to Condoleezza Rice and as lead researcher to Mitt Romney on his book, No Apology: The Case for American Greatness. Sarah was awarded Term Membership at the Council on Foreign Relations and Scholar Fellowship to the Aspen Ideas Festival, and serves on the board of The National Immigration Forum and SAM (The Serve America Movement).
Robb Ryerse – Advisor
Indi Maini McCullough – Advisor
Indi Maini McCullough – Advisor
Robb Ryerse is the Executive Director of progressive grassroots organization Brand New Congress and Political Director of Vote Common Good, a non-profit mobilizing people of faith to make the common good their voting criteria. Robb ran for US Congress in 2018 as an independent Republican. He is the co-pastor of Vintage Fellowship in Fayet
Robb Ryerse is the Executive Director of progressive grassroots organization Brand New Congress and Political Director of Vote Common Good, a non-profit mobilizing people of faith to make the common good their voting criteria. Robb ran for US Congress in 2018 as an independent Republican. He is the co-pastor of Vintage Fellowship in Fayetteville AR. He is the author of two books, including Running For Our Lives: A Story of Faith, Politics, and the Common Good.
Indi Maini McCullough – Advisor
Indi Maini McCullough – Advisor
Indi Maini McCullough – Advisor
Indi McCullough is a social entrepreneur at the leading edge of marketing and manufacturing trends in the areas of wellness and sustainability. An accomplished brand strategist on the agency side, Indi is currently founder and CEO of Shleep, a global luxury/wellness brand that provides grassroots and content marketing support for local wo
Indi McCullough is a social entrepreneur at the leading edge of marketing and manufacturing trends in the areas of wellness and sustainability. An accomplished brand strategist on the agency side, Indi is currently founder and CEO of Shleep, a global luxury/wellness brand that provides grassroots and content marketing support for local wool-growers in the manufacture of innovative, high-performance, all-natural products.
Lawrence Norden – Advisor
David Riordan – Producer, American Lodestar
Lawrence Norden – Advisor
Lawrence Norden is Director of the Election Reform Program and Deputy Director of the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice. A leading voice on American Democracy, Lawrence is expert in issues from election security to improving the campaign finance system. His work has been featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Jo
Lawrence Norden is Director of the Election Reform Program and Deputy Director of the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice. A leading voice on American Democracy, Lawrence is expert in issues from election security to improving the campaign finance system. His work has been featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, and NPR. He has frequently testified before Congress and several state legislatures.
Curtis E. Lee – Advisor
David Riordan – Producer, American Lodestar
Lawrence Norden – Advisor
Curtis Lee is a Richmond-based youth and community engagement strategist helping organizations operating in urban settings problem solve and develop outreach methods that effectively support their missions. His community development activities span mental health counseling, classroom instruction, motivational speaking, mentoring and coach
Curtis Lee is a Richmond-based youth and community engagement strategist helping organizations operating in urban settings problem solve and develop outreach methods that effectively support their missions. His community development activities span mental health counseling, classroom instruction, motivational speaking, mentoring and coaching. Currently he serves as Co-Chair for the VCU Health Hub’s Community Advisory Council and founder and coach of the community youth step team “Gents and Gems”.
David Riordan – Producer, American Lodestar
David Riordan – Producer, American Lodestar
David Riordan – Producer, American Lodestar
David Riordan is Managing Director and producer of Story Studio. He was Executive Producer of the award-winning documentary “Lost in Woonsocket,” Producer for “Random 1”, an unscripted series on A&E Networks, and Director of the film “The Future of Christianity.” David also co-created Google Ocean and the Ken Wilber Biography Project, and
David Riordan is Managing Director and producer of Story Studio. He was Executive Producer of the award-winning documentary “Lost in Woonsocket,” Producer for “Random 1”, an unscripted series on A&E Networks, and Director of the film “The Future of Christianity.” David also co-created Google Ocean and the Ken Wilber Biography Project, and led gaming production teams at Time Warner, Disney and Philips Media, winning numerous accolades, including seven Interactive Academy Awards.
Niklas Myhr, Ph.D – Advisor
Steven M. Silverstein, Ph.D – Advisor
David Riordan – Producer, American Lodestar
Niklas is an author, keynote speaker and international TEDx presenter who teaches Social Media, Digital & Global Marketing at Chapman University. Google’s #1-ranked "Social Media Professor," Dr. Myhr received his Ph.D. in Marketing from the University of Virginia. Author of "The Social Customer Journey", he has been featured on ABC, CBS,
Niklas is an author, keynote speaker and international TEDx presenter who teaches Social Media, Digital & Global Marketing at Chapman University. Google’s #1-ranked "Social Media Professor," Dr. Myhr received his Ph.D. in Marketing from the University of Virginia. Author of "The Social Customer Journey", he has been featured on ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX News, USA Today, Huffington Post, the San Francisco Chronicle, the BBC, The Washington Post, Marketplace Morning Report and InformationWeek.
Steven M. Silverstein, Ph.D – Advisor
Steven M. Silverstein, Ph.D – Advisor
Steven M. Silverstein, Ph.D – Advisor
Dr. Silverstein is the Associate Chair of Research in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Rochester Medical Center. He is an internationally recognized researcher in perception, cognition, and social cognition, including on how people process and apply information about others, key to understanding the personality and envir
Dr. Silverstein is the Associate Chair of Research in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Rochester Medical Center. He is an internationally recognized researcher in perception, cognition, and social cognition, including on how people process and apply information about others, key to understanding the personality and environmental factors contributing to effective collaboration, problem solving and negotiation. Dr. Silverstein has close to 250 publications in scientific journals.