Kristen Bennett

About

Freelance audio producer specializing in podcasts and audiobooks, with experience leading production, writing, sound design, episode building, and narrator direction. Recent work includes lead production and writing for the Webby Award-winning social justice politics podcast “Beyond Voting,” directing Penguin Random House audiobooks, and producing/engineering for award-winning podcast series at SPOKE MEDIA and Maximum Fun, plus earlier independent podcast creation and hosting.

Experience

• Freelance Audio Producer (Podcasts and Audiobooks) · Freelance09-01-2023

  September 2023 - present The Secret Life of TK Dutes (Jan - October 2025) - Lead Producer, Writer and Sound Designer for the two part Pilot episode “The Hustle Don ’t Love You Back” Beyond Voting (June 2024 - present): Co-Developer, Lead Producer, and Writer of Seasons 1 and 2 of the Webby Award-winning social justice politics podcast for the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership at Kalamazoo College. I built episodes, edited and produced interviews, directed host tracking sessions, coordinated production scheduling and booking of all episodes New Dimes (October 2023 - February 2024): Co-developed and lead produced pilot episode of the podcast about first-generation, women of color in tech. Shohei Ohtani: A Little Golden Book - (January 2026) - Directed the audiobook for Penguin Random House The Bakery Dragon/ The Bakery Dragon and the Fairy Cake - (August 2025) - Directed the audiobook for Penguin Random House Sweet Tea and Secrets - (March 2026) - Narrated, produced, and mastered the audiobook for the novel written by Bevin G. Studstill

• Producer · SPOKE MEDIA03-01-2021 – 09-01-2023

  SPOKE MEDIA - PRODUCER - Los Angeles (remote) March 2021 - September 2023 The Godfather: a Film We Can’t Refuse - Co-developed, Lead Produced, and sound designed the two-time Webby Award-winning podcast for Paramount Pictures and Audible. Developed a unique approach to a legacy property that has been excavated many times by using it as a prism through which audiences could examine its impact on wider culture by focusing on themes such as women, the American Dream, communities of color, power, and politics. Directed tracking sessions with first-time host, Rebecca Keegan, NBC News Senior Hollywood Reporter (Gracie Award). Provided script editing and feedback. Led a diverse team representing a wide diversity of voices and perspectives and empowered junior colleagues to contribute ideas, take ownership of executing them, and follow their interests to build new skills. Built episodes. Led all weekly creative and production meetings. Movements (Pilot) - Co-developed, Lead Produced, and sound designed a pilot for American Public Media which explored the erased histories of pivotal Black social justice movements. -- 1 of 5 -- Experimented with new ways of storytelling in an audio format that have a more immersive sound design and are less traditionally structured than typical lecture-and-discussion style podcasts. Directed tracking sessions with first-time host, Charlene Carruthers, activist, author, and co-founder of the Black Youth Project 100 and helped her find her unique voice, become comfortable behind the mic, and confidently lead the listeners through the narrative Wrote the pilot script. Built, scored and sound designed two pilot episodes. Led all weekly creative and production meetings The Grand Scheme: Snatching Sinatra - Co-Produced and scored multiple episodes of the Webby Award-winning podcast for Wondery about the kidnapping of Frank Sinatra Jr. Provided editorial and cultural sensitivity feedback on scripts, organized production, scored episodes, and provided guidance to junior colleagues. Gave notes on performance for high profile host, John Stamos Spotify Shows - Produced music podcasts 10 Songs That Made Me and Rock This with Alison Hagendorff Built episodes, pitched guests, conducted guest research, wrote host prep docs, collaborated with host on music selection, produced as well as conducted interviews with various music artists, and uploaded episodes to Spotify platform.

• Fellow/ Assoc. Producer/ Producer · Maximum Fun02-01-2020 – 03-01-2021

  MAXIMUM FUN - FELLOW/ ASSOC. PRODUCER/ PRODUCER - Los Angeles February 2020 - March 2021 Bullseye with Jesse Thorn - Worked as Production Fellow for the NPR podcast. Edited guest interviews to meet NPR time constraints and journalistic standards. Engineered guest recordings. Pulled select guest clips to feature during the show. Wrote NPR blogs for Bullseye episodes. Wrote set-ups for guest select clips. Assisted with guest booking Depresh Mode with John Moe - Co-developed and Lead Produced new show with John Moe featuring guest celebrity interviews about mental health. Engineered recordings, booked guests, produced and edited interviews, built episodes, and lead produced FANTI - worked as a Production Assistant and recording engineer. Engineered recording sessions. Conducted episode research. Edited interviews and assembled episodes as needed Production Assistant (as needed) - Provided production assistance various -- 2 of 5 -- Max Fun shows: Judge John Hodgman, BUBBLE, various Maximum Fun bonus episodes . Engineered recording sessions. Edited guest interviews. Built episodes. Wrote set-ups pulled selects

• Independent Podcast Host & Producer · Independent2015 – 2021

  INDEPENDENT PODCAST HOST & PRODUCER - Los Angeles 2015 - 2021 Your Fave is Problematic (2017-2021)- Co-created, Co-Hosted and Lead Produced the independent podcast critiquing pop culture and politics that was featured in Lifehacker, Mashable, and HuffPost. Hosted a weekly comedic podcast that gave in-depth analysis to pop culture, political, and historical figures and topics from Game of Thrones to Classic Film, the NFL to Hip-Hop, Taylor Swift to Abraham Lincoln with the tongue-in-cheek tagline “we ruin your favorite things” Good Libations (2015-2018) - Co-developed and Lead Produced the independent podcast hosted by a certified sommelier and his wine and beer enthusiast partner. They explored the eclcetrc world of wine and beer through little known history, trivia, and pop culture influence. Get off My Lawn (2018) - Lead Produced the independent podcast co-hosted by two Millennial men celebrating the hobbies and interests that made them “Old Souls”

• Community Arts Partnership Program Manager · California Institute of the Arts2018

  Community Arts Partnership Program Manager at California Institute of the Arts - - Los Angeles 2018 Managed 58 AmeriCorps instructors from across several artistic disciplines. Recruited and enrolled 400 LA county students aged 13-18 in high quality, free arts enrichment classes. Managed a large scale budget. Managed day to day operations for the CalArts Community Arts PartnershipSummer Arts Program at Dorsey High School in the Crenshaw neighborhood ofLos Angeles, in which we provided free, high quality arts enrichment classes toLA county students

• Manager of Instruction · Catalyst Prep LLC2017

  Manager of Instruction - Catalyst Prep LLC - Los Angeles 2017 Recruited, managed, and trained high quality educators to teach SAT and ACT test prep across the West coast. Paired Catalyst's clients with tutors best suited to their child's educational needs. Oversaw pay and time sheets for 100+ employees. Copy-edited company SAT English curriculum. Acted as educational consultant for company test prep curriculum

• Lead Tutor · Huntington Learning Center2016 – 2017

  Lead Tutor - Huntington Learning Center - Woodland Hills, CA 2016-2017 I worked as Lead Tutor with Huntington Learning Center in 2016 and 2-17 where I tutored students in Reading, Reading Comprehension, Shakespeare, Essay writing, Algebra, general K-5 academics, SAT, ACT, and ASVAB test prep.

• Tutor · Elite Home Tutoring2016 – 2017

  Tutor - Elite Home Tutoring - Los Angeles 2016 - 2017 I worked as an in-home tutor with Elite Home Tutoring in 2016 where I tutored students in Reading, Reading Comprehension, Shakespeare, Essay writing, Algebra, and general K-5 academics.

• Associate Director of Recruitment and Tutor Management · Varsity Tutors06-01-2014 – 03-01-2016

  Associate Director of Recruitment and Tutor Management - Varsity Tutors - Los Angeles June 2014 - March 2016 Assessed and evaluated tutor teaching ability and subject knowledge in a variety of academic subjects. Contracted and trained tutors; processed hiring paperwork. Reviewed and edited tutor public profiles and managed tutor relations in the Los Angeles area (formerly in Denver, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Seattle)

• Tutor · Responsive Education Solutions - Premier High School at Travis High School (Austin, TX)2013 – 2014

  Tutor – Responsive Education Solutions - Premier High School at Travis High School (Austin, TX) 2013 - 2014 Assisted high school students grades 9-12 with classwork, essays, tests, study skills and standardized testing strategies in content areas including English (all levels) History (World and American), Algebra (1 and 2) Integrated Physics and Chemistry, and Biology. Light clerical work ranging from filing to grading essays to more complicated tasks such as composing rubrics and creating detailed reading guides.

• Lead Teacher · Sylvan Learning Center01-01-2012 – 10-01-2012

  Lead Teacher – Sylvan Learning Center - West Austin January 2012 – October 2012 Lead 3:1 instruction in Sylvan Math Essentials, Academic Reading, Advanced Reading Skills, Study Skills, Homework Help and was also trained in diagnostic testing, setting the floor for instruction, and updating binders.

• 21st CCLC Site Coordinator · Del Valle ISD2010

  21st CCLC Site Coordinator Del Valle ISD -- Austin, TX 2010 Effectively implemented 21st Century Cycle 6.1 grant requirements. Managed a large scale budget. Created original programming, wrote unit and lesson plans for arts enrichment that were aligned with state standards. Identified and partnered with community organizations and programs for student and family programming. Hired and managed high quality after-school instructors and staff. Worked closely with administrators, school day teaching staff, parents and community partners to promote and insure the success and long term sustainability of 21st Century Community Learning Center programming well into the future

• Assistant Teacher · University of Texas Charter Schools (Helping Hand Home)2008 – 2009

  Assistant Teacher - University of Texas Charter Schools (Helping Hand Home) 2008-2009 Assisted classroom teacher with instructional duties. Graded papers, assisted with lesson plans, created individualized behavior and learning plans for each student. Taught in a multi-level classroom with Special Education, dyslexic, emotionally disturbed, and general education populations

• Artist in Residence · Creative Action (formerly Theatre Action Project)2006 – 2008

  Artist in Residence - Creative Action (formerly Theatre Action Project) 2006 - 2008 Teaching Artist in Residence at Langford Elementary School in Austin, TX. Taught after-school arts enrichment classes five days a week. Used theatre, games, music, puppetry and paper crafts to teach students about diversity, self-awareness, the environment, and other social justice issues. Wrote unit and lesson plans for arts enrichment aligned with student's current classroom instruction and in compliance with state standards.

Education

• St. Edward's UniversityBachelor of Arts, Theatre

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