People

Wes Kennison

Creative Director

As Creative Director, Wes oversees projects from their conceptual inceptions with the client to the final tweaks in post-production. With a background in business and operations, Wes became uniquely adept at wielding video as a means to creatively address a problem in a way that a business owner would. He endeavors to be an active practitioner, crafting good creative development and business strategy while continuing to cultivate the technical aspects of video production work. When he comes to work, Wes works to create a uniquely useful video that addresses a business problem through a creative, visual solution. After nearly 9 years at Launch Media, this longtime creative pulls from his experiences in lighting design, background checking, and assimilating into other cultures as a 9 year old.

Fun Facts:
- Grew up in Cameroon, on the Gulf of Guinea in Central Africa, with missionary parents

- Speaks 2 foreign languages, French and Fulfulde (a West African dialect you’ve *prob* never heard of)

- Likes to wear colorful undershirts

Taylor Stoma

Editor

As resident video editor and animator, Taylor enjoys pulling stories out of images and inventing new ways to present an idea to enhance a client’s vision. Taylor started working with Launch Media nearly two years ago, after leaving his position with Complete Weddings and Events where he was awarded “2016 Lead Videographer of the Year.” As a short film maker, he strives to approach his work from a place of artistry, building on the principles and elements of design to elevate conventional marketing and advertising methods. Taylor earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in Media Arts from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 2014.

Fun Facts:
- Aspires to be a touring musician and create visual media for his band
- Believes that art has healing powers
- Likes hearing other people’s conversations in the office (but not in a weird way ;)

Trang Evans

Business Manager

After growing up in a family business and venturing out to run her own, Trang has cultivated a professional savvy that elevates the flow of the entire LM team. As business manager, Trang oversees all business and financial matters at Launch Media for our clients and our internal affairs. Before joining the LM team six years ago, Trang was an entrepreneurial powerhouse, working in real estate and managing properties, including gas stations, truck stops, and a casino. Trang earned her BS in Business Administration and options in Advertising and Finance from California State University.

Fun Facts:
- Dreamed of becoming a basketball star
- Believes active listening is paramount to success
- Played the violin in a symphony for 10 years

John E. Jackson

CEO & Executive Producer

As founder and CEO of Launch Media, John has worked on hundreds of projects, spanning industries from industrial construction and HR to nonprofit and healthcare. Over the course of 14 years, he has transformed a startup 2-man video outfit into a full-service multimedia production company with clients across the country and around the world. Awarded the 2015 Baton Rouge Business Report’s “Young Business Person of the Year,” John is a proven leader with a reputation for quality service, management, and execution. As any good leader knows, with success comes philanthropic effort, and John enjoys serving on boards with Preserve Louisiana, Cap City Beer Fest in association with the Companion Animal Alliance, and the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge.

Fun Facts:
- Grew up like a country song, running around his family farm in a small town
- Likes to read the paper everyday
- Has a wild side, in the Cub Scout Den dad kind of way

Elizabeth Swarner

Communications Manager

As communications manager, Elizabeth creates and coordinates internal and external messaging to ensure brand consistency that reflects and furthers company goals. Elizabeth recently earned her Master of Mass Communication from the LSU Manship School, crafting a strategic communication plan for an end-of-year fundraiser for the Denver-based nonprofit, Wish of a Lifetime, an organization working to shift the way society views aging. Prior to graduate school, Elizabeth worked as the communications officer for the City of Central and as a social media intern with The Jim Engster Show.

Fun Facts:
- Once threw up on the Eiffel Tower #gross #truestory
- Hopes to publish a fiction book one day
- Can quote the entirety of the 2005 Pride and Prejudice film

Chris Jeansonne

Business Development Director

For over seven years, Chris has worked his way up through production, freelancing as a production assistant, an operator, and a Director of Photography. Currently serving as an associate producer, Chris facilitates internal communications with clients and aids the creative director with daily operations. Though he originally studied engineering, Chris took a sharp turn with an internship for TED x LSU, which cemented his ambitions for video production and the creative sphere. Having grown up working for his family business in Slidell, Chris understands the best approach needed to address client concerns and build strong relationships.

Fun Facts:
- Likes cookies and milk for breakfast (in a protein shake)
- Wanted to be an astronaut when he was a wee boy
- Worked on an indie film (stay tuned 2020)

Luke Erno

Studio Manager

As studio manager, Luke oversees studio affairs from equipment maintenance to booking studio rentals . In addition, Luke assists with lighting and sound on set and with post-production. With 4 years of industry experience, Luke values the interpersonal connections that come with sharing stories through visual media. He believes that, “It’s the closest thing to a face to face conversation.”
Fun Facts:
- Wears a leather hat all the time, earning his nickname “Indiana Jones”
- Grew up in Seattle, WA playing in the forest
- Participated in a Native American Sweat Lodge Ceremony with the Lakota

Michael Trufant

Partner & Coordinating Producer

Michael Trufant is originally from New Orleans and moved to Baton Rouge in the mid-70’s to attend LSU in General Studies and Journalism. He was a still photographer for the Daily Reveille and LSU’s yearbook, The Gumbo. In the late 70’s Michael transitioned to television news when they were still using 16mm film cameras. He worked for WDSU (NBC) in New Orleans, WAFB (CBS) and WBRZ (ABC) in Baton Rouge until the mid 1980s. He has traveled extensively to video everything from the war in El Salvador to presidential campaigns.

Michael brings to Launch Media a strong depth of business experience, marketing insight, and on-going support. “John has done an excellent job of building a robust digital media service company,” said Trufant. “I continue to support his leadership and assist anywhere I can to help the vision of Launch Media come about.” Whether advising or producing, Michael celebrates the creativity, collaboration and culture that Launch embodies.

Hometown: New Orleans, LA

Childhood dream job: TV Reporter or US Park Ranger

Something cool you've done: Covered former Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards, as a TV news photographer, for almost 3 years.

#LMwiz

J.J.

Mascot

Nearly 15 years ago, J.J. graduated in aerospace engineering at the top of his class. He then earned his PhD in physics at University of LM Visual Solutions at CBO. As a certified prodigy, J.J. was a top pick for a NASA secret mission to the moon in 2010. It turns out that some Russian agents knocked over the American flag. J.J. led the team to victory and managed to replant the flag in the moondust. Footage of the event remains classified.

Fun Facts:
- Lives on the dark side of the moon
- Has joined Tinder for aliens (it’s a startup)
- Has been approached by the KGB a few times