Author, entrepreneur & public speaker
J.D. Lasica is an author, entrepreneur, public speaker and new media pioneer. He spoke at the United Nations in 2012 about how to use social media to combat global poverty, and he has given talks on four continents.
- JD is the co-founder and chief experience officer of the tech startup Authors A.I., which uses artificial technology to help authors write better books, and BingeBooks, a new online community for book lovers.
- He writes both nonfiction and fiction. His book Beat the Coronavirus was released in May 2020, co-authored by an ER doctor with the Yale University School of Medicine.
- His high-tech thriller Biohack reached #1 in five Amazon categories (2018). Catch and Kill (March 2019) was a Hot New Release in 11 Amazon categories.
- He is founder and editor of Best of Indie, a site devoted to the best new releases in independent books and films.
- He is CEO and co-founder of Cruiseable, a startup out to bring innovation to the cruise industry.
- JD founded Inside Social Media (formerly Socialmedia.biz) and Socialbrite, a social media learning hub for nonprofits.
- His acclaimed book Darknet (John Wiley & Sons, 2005) explored emerging media, and he wrote three books for the Aspen Institute.
- He co-founded Ourmedia.org, the world’s first free video hosting and sharing site, in March 2005, six weeks before YouTube debuted.
- As a columnist for several magazines, JD also wrote several early groundbreaking articles about citizen journalism.
Cruiseable: JD’s drone capture of Windstar Cruises’ Wind Surf, March 2017.
Business
Cruiseable is here to help people discover, plan and book the perfect cruise vacation.
Social networks

Speaking
- United Nations
- Cannes Film Festival
- Harvard’s Berkman Center
- Stanford University
- MIT
- Princeton University
- Institute for the Future
- Participatory Academy, Sweden
- International Citizen Reporters’ Forum, Seoul
- SXSW Interactive (3 times)
- Digital Hollywood (3 times)
- Digital Storytelling Festival
- see full list of appearances

Affiliations
- Aspen Institute (3 roundtables)
- Intel Advisors
- Traveling Geeks, organizer
- Tech for Engagement, MIT
- Judge, HULT SF Prize competition
- Macworld Faculty alumnus
- Instructor, Poynter Institute’s News University
- Instructor, Knight Digital Media Center
- Contributor, Huffington Post
- First guest blogger, Participant Media
- Senior fellow, SNCR.org
- Co-organizer, Internet Freedom international conference
- Co-founder, Social Media Breakfast – East Bay
- Presenter, CharityHowTo
- Fellow, Center for Social Media
- Alumnus, Squaw Valley Community of Writers
- Advisor, Center for Citizen Media
Accolades
- Named one of Top 40 Silicon Valley influencers
- Named to Top 100 Influencers in Social Media (#38)
- Named one of CNET Top 100 Media Bloggers
- Power Player in Technology Business Media, OnMobile
- Creative Commons Commoner of Month
- Open Media 100 (AlwaysOn)
- Winner, Knight News Challenge
Quoted in news media
- New York Times
- NPR: All Things Considered, Talk of the Nation & On the Media (guest twice)
- PBS.org’s Online NewsHour
- Washington Post
- TechCrunch
- Forbes
- Business Week
- Associated Press
- Minnesota Public Radio
- Le Monde
- Foreign Policy Magazine
- MSNBC (on-air appearance)
- “Attack of the Show” interview (2005)
- LA Times
- Christian Science Monitor
- Bloomberg Radio
- Australian Broadcasting Corporation
- La Nación (Argentina)
- countless blogs & podcasts
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