The TPP Team

The Purple Principle Team

Robert Pease
Creative Director & Executive Producer

Prior to creating Fluent Knowledge, Robert worked as a journalist, executive recruiter, and non-profit administrator, living in Japan, Singapore, and China for many years. He was educated at Princeton and Brandeis University in politics and economics, and was a Fulbright Scholar at the National University of Singapore. A lifelong political independent, Robert created The Purple Principle to highlight the hyperpartisanship, legislative gridlock, partisan media and other forces eroding American political institutions and social fabric.

Valerie Wencis
Senior Reporter

Valerie Wencis is a former communications and marketing executive who pivoted during the pandemic to pursue her first passion: journalism. An “NPR junkie,” Valerie is currently a graduate student in Boston University’s Master’s of Journalism program focusing on TV and radio. She most recently led The Fletcher School's Office of Communications, Public Relations and Marketing. Previously, Valerie managed marketing communications programs at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. A former Fulbright scholar and graduate of Tufts University, she enjoys pilates, hiking, swimming, and cycling. But If there’s music playing, Valerie’s dancing.

Jillian Youngblood
Co-Host Emeritus, The Purple Principle

Jillian Youngblood is the executive director of Civic Genius, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that aims to overcome political polarization and rebuilt civic culture. She has two decades of experience in politics, government, and communications with a focus on democracy reform, public health, and education policy. Previously, Jillian worked as a Capitol Hill staffer, managed New York City’s federal and state legislative portfolios on public health under the Bloomberg Administration, and led communications for an education technology start-up. She is a decent cyclist, a pretty good violinist, and thinks that party affiliation is overemphasized and uninteresting.

Kevin A. Kline
Senior Sound Engineer

Kevin earned a master’s degree in Mass Communication from Emerson College in Boston, where the foundation of his understanding of audio production was laid. He then spent 21 years as a Commercial Production Director for radio stations in Boston. Kevin has recently shifted from the radio world into podcasting, pausing along the way to complete a course in Audio Mastering Techniques through Berklee.

Alison Byrne
Senior Producer, Audience Engagement

Alison is an award-winning producer who fell in love with podcasting during long commutes in L.A. She was a producer/editor on the chart-topping CBS podcast “Mobituaries” with Mo Rocca, and the national weekly radio show, “With Good Reason.” She's also produced documentary films and reality TV for HBO, PBS, HGTV and Discovery. Alison has an MFA in Integrated Media Arts and is a graduate of the Transom Story Workshop.

Dylan Nicholls
Associate Producer & Reporter, The Purple Principle

Dylan is an audio producer and journalist living in Eugene, Oregon. Originally from the northern Virginia area, he reported local news from across the Shenandoah Valley while working as News Director for The River 95.3 radio station in Front Royal. He has won awards from the Virginia Association of Broadcasters and the Virginia Associated Press Broadcasters for his work, including his continuing coverage of the 2018 midterms. Dylan is a graduate of James Madison University with a degree in English and Creative Writing. He enjoys hiking, creative writing, and watching classic films whenever he gets the chance. 

Emily Crocetti
Co-Host Emeritus, The Purple Principle

Emily is a graduate of Dartmouth College, where she majored in Neuroscience and Philosophy and was a media producer for Dartmouth’s Media Production Group. Emily is passionate about the inner workings of the human mind and how it functions in socio-political landscapes. She is interested in producing meaningful media content, which challenges people to consider different perspectives in hopes of inspiring change.