Hello,
I'm Derek.
I'm a youth media, kid culture, privacy & kidtech expert in San Francisco.
I help brands tell stories, develop safe products and experiences, and establish credibility with youth audiences by aligning their brand with youth culture.
My expertise spans trust and safety for kids, tweens, and teens, teen policy development, community building, content moderation, and youth cultural and creative strategies. I've had the privilege of working with some of the world's leading kidtech, gaming, education, and entertainment brands, helping them establish credibility and resonance with youth audiences.
In addition to my work in the kids and teen space, I've worked as an adjunct professor at the Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education & Psychology (GSEP), advised early-stage education technology & kidtech start-ups, hold patents focused on child trust, safety, and privacy (COPPA), and I'm a recipient of the Disney Inventor Award.
My research, articles, and academic work are published in leading USA and international peer-reviewed journals and magazines. My best-selling book, 'The Gen Z Frequency,' was published by Kogan Page Publishing in the United Kingdom and the U.S.A. and translated into Chinese, Vietnamese, German, and Ukrainian language editions.
Services
Brand Cultural Strategy
Youth Brand Development & Positioning, Youth Marketing, Digital & Social Strategy, PR Strategy, Marketing Communications, Youth Culture Alignment, Kids & Teen Insights, Generational Segmentation, Brand Partnerships, Youth Insights.
Kids & Teen Community
Social Channel Strategy & Development, Brand Voice & Editorial Tone, Community Development, Creative Direction, Fan Experience & Engagement, Social Media Marketing, Influencer Marketing, Program Management.
Content + Creative
Creative Strategy, Managing Editor (voice, tone), Live Event Management, Content Development & Production, Social Marketing Content Development (GIF, Digital, Video, Audio), Sponsored Content Development & Strategy, Digital Playbook Development, Social Impact Content, Partnership Management.
Trust & Safety Privacy + Policy
Trust and Safety Programs, Ethical AI for Kids, Child Rights by Design, Safety by Design, Product Management, Child Safeguarding Policy Development, Product Innovation, COPPA, KOSA, and Kids Privacy Compliance.
Publications
Brands I've Worked With
Testimonials
Dervala Hanley,
Senior Strategist,
Stone Yamashita Partners
"Derek and I collaborated on an ambitious project for Yahoo. Derek is an extraordinarily able educational media technologist and adviser. He doesn't just observe the ed technology and media space, he lives it—and as a result, he has a deep understanding of how social media is shaping education and youth culture. I recommend Derek highly and would love to work with him again.”
Bill Scott, Netflix
“Derek is the most passionate guy I know about the intersection of education, youth, social media, technology & tech for good. Derek & I worked together on Yahoo! Teachers. Totally amazingly really connected in this space with a solid knowledge of what goes on in the space.”
Anastasia Goodstein
Founder, Ypulse
“I don't know anyone better versed or connected in the ed tech space who also gets youth media and marketing. Derek is thoughtful, articulate, one of the best partners I've ever worked with on a project.”
Kerry Snyder, Walt Disney Co
“Derek is simply top-notch. He is a superb human being with a powerful mind full of incisive wit and wonder. He cuts through the B.S., harnesses his encyclopedic understanding of a plethora of sectors, and knows the path to follow like few others I've encountered. If you have the chance to work with Derek, jump."
Mandeep Dhillon, Facebook
“Derek is a rare combination of large company experience, independent thinking and deep insight in an area few people understand - children and technology."
Samantha Murphy, Founder, The Highway Girl
“There are many people claiming to know social media and very few who actually understand it inside and out. Derek has a deep understanding of how the Internet plays an integral part in any company. He has an incredibly keen knowledge of how to leverage social media to bring a company its target market."
Let's Talk!
If you're a brand looking for help, a reporter looking for an interview or just want to say "hi", send me a tweet or fill out this form and I'll get back to you!
Made in San Francisco, CA