Peter Rivera

SVP, Executive Creative Director
MediaGlow

It's possible that most things I have learned about creativity I initially discovered by watching the movie "JAWS" (1975) over 40 times. I shall explain.

I got my start as a designer and illustrator in 4th grade by collaborating with my best friend to create a "Mad-magazine-like" satire of the entire film. Since I drew Quint, after he was eaten, I was relegated to drawing "clouds and waves", which also taught me to plan ahead whatever the project.

There are valuable lessons regarding economy in "visual storytelling" and "keeping an audience engaged". Pretty obvious. But there is a good lesson in there around "practicing restraint" in that it is far better to show no shark or conservatively leverage a broken mechanical shark, than flaunt a CG-created monstrosity as we often do today. It was perhaps my first lessons in KIS, "keep it simple". What is perceived by others as limitations (a broken shark causing severe schedule slips) can actually be your catalyst for something truly original, something never seen before. And, pertinent to our industry, technology will only take you so far before you need to have an idea. The development world has its share of broken mechanical sharks.

An epiphany about the dualities in human nature occurred (perhaps around the 10th viewing?) as our three protagonists venture out to catch the shark. My reading is that they are symbolically the sides of ONE PERSON all vying for control of the situation. You have the Emotional side (Martin Brody), the Scientific side (Matt Hooper), and the raging MANIAC (Quint with his "I'll-never-put-on-a-life-jacket-again" speech). As a designer and creative director of experiences, I have spent my career wrestling and balancing those aspects of myself to create great work. On occasion those internal battles have been dramatic.

In terms of Mr. Spielberg, the big lesson from him is to get it done whatever happens—as the expectations are high and it is all (seemingly) falling apart. And to build a great team to pull it together while you are sleeping on the couch for a few hours.

I could go on with about 15 other lessons, but this is supposed to be the short bio. Oh yeah, and I manage a team of over 150 brilliant and dedicated web professionals at one of the world's greatest interactive brands. Before that, during Web 1.0, I did interactive marketing and design for a company called Modem Media in both California and Connecticut. Good times.

Allison Bucchere

VP, AOL Living Design

Allison Bucchere is the Vice President and Creative Director for AOL's nine lifestyle web sites (Living, Food, StyleList, Coaches, Horoscopes, Diet/Health, Home, Holidays and ParentDish) reaching 20 million unique visitors each month as the third most popular network of women's sites on the web. Over the past seven years at AOL she has worked in both the San Francisco and Virginia offices, developed advertising creatives generating $500 million/year and designed web experiences for shopping, travel, kids and teens audiences. Before AOL, she ran her own design consultancy focusing on skincare, big 5 consulting and wine industries. She serves on the AIGA Washington DC board and orchestrates monthly roundtable design discussions with the DC design community. Allison is an avid photographer, baker and 1940's-style swing dancer who enjoys spending time with her husband and little girl in Arlington, VA.

Michael Costantino

Principal UI Designer and Information Architect

Michael Costantino is Principal UI Designer and Information Architect at AOL where he labors energetically to bring new and improved experiences to the glass. For over 15 years he has managed the creation and lifecycles of award-winning technology products ranging from websites, to CD-ROMs, to e-Learning architectures, to fitness hardware/software, to computer sound equipment/software, and more. In recent years Costantino has lead major information architecture initiatives for Intel, AOL, Pitney Bowes, IBM, Aetna, New Balance, Nordic Lottery Systems, and Prentice Hall. He has taught and written about information architecture and is committed to bringing keen intelligence, quality, innovation, excitement, and the feeling of "just right" to his work. Mike has two Master of Music degrees from the University of Michigan, and a BA in Music and Astrophysics from Williams College, where he received the Hubbard Hutchinson Fellowship upon graduation for outstanding creative work. His life is held in balance thanks to family, friends, ultimate frisbee, music, a cappella, and sleeping on the train. "tutto nel mondo é burla" Verdi, Falstaff

Lara Rodriguez

Director, Creative Operations

Lara Rodriguez heads up Creative Operations for AOL’s Interactive Design and Development groups in New York, Virginia and Bangalore, India. Currently based in NYC, Lara began her career in 1992 as a graphic designer for GSD&M Advertising in Austin, Texas, after graduating from Texas State University with a BFA in Painting and Graphic Design.

Her den-mother/navigator/firefighter abilities lent themselves beautifully to design and creative management in San Francisco for Young & Rubicam and JWT, then later as Director of Creative Services for Wieden & Kennedy, New York. She has built a career on streamlining creative departments, supporting designers and their endeavors (affectionately likened to “herding cats”), and cultivating strategic partnerships with Creative Directors and supporting departments alike.

Lara has been with AOL since March of 2006, and continues her love of all things creative surrounded by the best group of creatives in the country.

Milissa Tarquini

Director, User Interface Design & Information Architecture

Milissa Tarquini is Director, User Interface Design and Information Architecture at AOL. An AOL veteran since 1995, she has been an integral part of creating the AOL legacy of designing easy-to-use software and content areas. She vaguely remembers her previous life as a graphic designer. She graduated from Hofstra University with a Bachelor’s degree from a whirlwind triple major of CompSci, Human Factors, and Fine Art. Her parents still can't believe their luck that the education they paid for has real application to her everyday work. Milissa is originally from South Jersey, but moved to the DC area on a whim in 1993. She lives in Arlington, VA, and if she is not at the AOL offices trying to slash meaningless features from products, you can find her with her husband chasing their toddler-aged daughter, Isobel.