Dan Forbush

Named one of the 100 most influential public relations practitioners of the 20th century by PR Week, Dan launched ProfNet as an email-based expert network for reporters in 1992. After serving in senior communications positions at Syracuse University, the University at Stony Brook, and Skidmore College, he launched Smartacus in 2015 to explore the content-creating power of collaborative media. Since 2022, he has been working with Warren County’s Department of Planning and Community Development to spotlight historic points of interest on Stories from Open Space and to produce smartphone audio tours on Explore Warren County.

Bill Walker

Bill is a seasoned expert in academic public relations, with a distinguished career spanning several of the nation’s top institutions. After serving as Skidmore College’s communications chief in the 1970s and 80s, Walker assumed a series of communications vice presidencies at the College of William and Mary, Rutgers University, Dartmouth College, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The Council for Advancement and Support of Education presented Walker its Distinguished Service Award in 2018. Since retiring in 2013, he has continued to actively consult on strategy, communications, and marketing with academic institutions, serving in interim vice presidencies with the University of Arizona, Brandeis University, and the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. 

Jason Tepper

Jason Tepper is a Saratoga Springs–based entrepreneur and advisor whose work focuses on leadership development and organizational strategy. He is the Founding Director of xLEAD, a firm that develops leadership tools and approaches designed to help individuals, teams, and organizations adapt in a rapidly changing world. Jason also serves as a strategic advisor and fractional Chief Strategy and Operating Officer to a range of technology organizations, providing guidance on growth, operations, and long-term strategy. In the nonprofit sector, he has played a significant leadership role with Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga Springs, where he serves on the board and holds positions including treasurer and finance committee chair. He holds an MBA from INSEAD with a focus on entrepreneurship and organizational behavior and earned a B.S. in engineering from Cornell University.

Dominic Giordano

Dominic Giordano connected with Smartacus in 2021 after completing a standout internship with the Warren County Historical Society. Upon earning a B.A. in political science from Skidmore College in May 2025, he spearheaded the development of our first AI-augmented tour, Voices of Lake Luzerne.