Future Lab 2026:

Envisioning a New Public Media System

Public media is at a critical inflection point. Traditional funding models, distribution systems, and audience behaviors are shifting, signaling the end of an era. This is not a time for mourning, but for reinvention. It forces us to ask: What are our core needs for public information in a healthy democracy? And how do we ensure it remains free, trusted, and accessible to everyone?

Join us on May 8, 2026, for our first Future Lab, where we will reimagine what a public media system could look like in 2041. We are bringing together industry experts, students, and community leaders to rethink the future of publicly supported media in an era of technological disruption and institutional change.

We’ll look 15 years ahead to speculate and design new models, policies, and technologies that can sustain public media as essential civic infrastructure for generations to come. Be part of the reinvention.

Andrea Zeller

UW Comm Lead Advisory board member, UX Content Design Leader, Currently at Google, previously TikTok, Meta and Expedia

Andrea Zeller is a seasoned UX leader with over 20 years experience leading content design in emerging spaces and has become an expert at turning ambiguity into actionable product outcomes. From her start in creating documentary films to leading UX design on Expedia’s first mobile and family friendly experiences, to leading content design for VR and AR glasses experiences at Meta. More recently at TikTok Shop and currently at Google. She has been building a series of workshops to help students and alumni lead through ambiguity and leveraging futures thinking to envision new ways of thinking. She earned a B.F.A. from NYU in Film and Television and an MA from University of Washington in Digital Media.

Laura Porto Stockwell

CEO + Chief Strategy Officer, tmrw + tmrw

Laura Porto Stockwell is the founder and Chief Strategy Officer at tmrw + tmrw, a futures consultancy helping clients navigate change and uncover opportunities. With 20+ years of experience, she excels at crafting strategies that merge cultural insights, emerging trends, and data-driven foresight. She’s held executive roles at Razorfish, Publicis, and VML, leading innovation for clients including Microsoft, Lenovo, T-Mobile, and Toyota. Laura holds a master’s in media studies from The New School and a certificate in Futures Studies and Speculative Design from Parsons.

If you require any accessibility accommodations to participate in this event (e.g., ASL interpretation, captioning, accessible seating),  please contact commlead@uw.edu by April 28th. We are committed to making our events accessible to all attendees.

Please contact us if you have any other questions about the event.