MEET THE STAFF

FOUNDER/CEO/INSTRUCTOR

Rev. Chris Hope (He/Him) is a father, minister, social entrepreneur, and award-winning technologist on a mission to make opportunity equitable. As founder of The Loop Lab, he blends creativity, ethics, and tech to help young people of color launch careers in media and AV. From classrooms to boardrooms, he champions dignity, storytelling, and the belief that the future should be built by everyone—not just a few.

Hope is also a lecturer at the Boston University College of Communications, and runs his own AI technical consultancy firm, The Hope Group Consulting. You can learn more on his website!

OPERATIONS

Troy Ellerbee (he/him) was born in Boston, MA and raised in Cambridge, MA. Troy’s mission is to empower others to reach their full potential both professionally, personally and to assist small businesses/organizations with their goals and objectives for healthy growth. He has extensive leadership, organizational operations, and project management experience.

Troy retired from the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA) Bus Maintenance Division after 23 years of service and was the Director of Bus Maintenance & Engineering. He was awarded a Governor’s Citation for performance excellence. He also served as the Chief of Operations for Pentecostal Tabernacle for 25 years, where Troy continues to serve as a minister.

SENIOR INSTRUCTOR

Marlon Orozco (He/Him) has been working in multimedia youth development programs for about 20 years and has focused his work on creative media arts, storytelling and technology. Currently, he is working as the Senior Instructor at The Loop Lab in Cambridge, MA, teaching audio, photography and video production to young adults. His passion for media arts and youth development led him to be the Director of the Teen Media Program and the Do It Your Damn Self-youth film festival at the Community Art Center in Cambridge MA.

GRANTS MANAGEMENT

Michael Levine (he/him) has extensive experience working with nonprofits, government, and philanthropic organizations.  He has held leadership, key staff, and board roles in support of many human and social service agencies. He is very passionate about equity advancing work and continues to support civil and human rights organizations.  Michael received his MPA from American University in Washington, D.C.

COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR

Isabella Bobonis (she/her) is the Communications Coordinator at The Loop Lab. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Isabella’s passion for strategic communication and digital storytelling was sparked by her early interest in photography and graphic design. She recently completed her M.Sc. in Public Relations from Boston University College of Communication where she connected with The Loop Lab. 

ADJUNCT INTRUCTOR

Stephen Walter is a media maker, researcher, and designer living at the intersections of civic engagement and social change. He has worked for the UN, the International Red Cross / Red Crescent, and the US State Dept and led major media co-design initiatives in places like Egypt, Bhutan, Zambia, and Moldova, as well as cities throughout the United States. He has directed and produced a number of independent films and documentaries, but has focused lately on using the power of media to engage people in tackling the complex challenges of our world. One of his biggest projects was using human centered design principles to create, operate, and program the City of Boston's lowest-barrier-to-entry harm reduction day shelter for people dealing with homelessness and substance use disorder - and exploring how storytelling can be one avenue toward recovery and stability. He is psyched to be part of the Loop Lab community! His projects can be found here: weirdmachine.org