State Advocacy Leaders

The work being done by our network of volunteers is integral to our mission to get media literacy education into K-12 classrooms.

Our network is comprised of passionate volunteers committed to getting media literacy education in K-12 classrooms. Our State Advocacy Leaders are teachers, professors, nonprofit leaders, media literacy experts, parents, and grandparents — all of whom see the importance in providing our kids with the skills they need to be safe, healthy, and competent media consumers and creators.

They lead the advocacy in their state, build support and awareness among individuals and groups within their state, and work with policymakers to pursue meaningful legislation and opportunities to elevate media literacy education as a priority.

Advocacy in Action

Lessons learned from a mother-turned-advocate! Joann Bogard’s media literacy advocacy began in 2019 after tragically losing her 15-year-old son, Mason, to a viral social media challenge targeted to young people. From the time she began outreach to state lawmakers to the time that her bill, “Mason’s Education Act” was signed by Indiana’s governor in 2024, she has learned some key lessons in state advocacy. Learn more about her advocacy journey.

I’ve dedicated my life’s work to fostering the benefits of media literacy for individuals and society. As someone concerned by rising suicide, violence, and substance abuse in my state, I see media literacy as a mechanism for empowering others with the critical thinking skills necessary to navigate the world since the advent of the internet, 24/7 news cycle, and smart devices.

Rosemary Smith, Montana

I’m encouraged by Illinois’ progress on media literacy and the ripple effect it’s had in other states. We’ve seen that our mandate has certainly driven an increase in awareness and demand for media literacy education. Yet, we’ve learned over the years that a mandate alone is not enough — it must be paired with sustained professional development for educators and meaningful ways to evaluate student learning.

Michael Spikes, Ph.D., Illinois

We need both a bottom up and top down approach to growing the media literacy movement. We need evidence and success stories from schools, as well as strong coalitions of students, educators, and parents, but also support from the state to develop
standards, resources, and assessments, and to provide funding and training for teachers.

Alan Berry, Pennsylvania, Maine & State Advocate Lead

When Facebook began to share news on their platform, I began teaching a short unit on media literacy to my high school students because I found they were unsure about how to verify the information they were consuming. The proliferation of social media sites accelerated the need for these skills, and that’s when I began advocating for media literacy education in New Jersey.

Olga Polites, New Jersey & State Advocate Lead

As a parent who lost a child to a viral social media trend, I am passionate about providing internet safety education to youth and giving them the tools needed to stay safe online and become good digital citizens. In 2024, the state of Indiana passed legislation that would provide the schools with internet safety curricula. Indiana Senator Jim Tomes took the lead and wrote a bill, and Media Literacy Now was a huge help in getting this law passed. Let’s continue to create this standard for education in every state! Call your legislators and demand media literacy education in your state NOW!

Joann Bogard, Indiana

Take Action

There’s a role for everyone in advocating for media literacy education. Whether you’re a parent, educator, or policymaker, learn how you can take action today to help get media literacy education into more K-12 classrooms.

Contact Us

Interested in connecting with one of our State Advocacy Leaders? Curious about becoming a State Advocacy Leader in your state? Reach out to us to learn more.