Some students enter American University with a plan. They know exactly what career they want to pursue after college and come to campus with a map to get there. I was not that student. But my parents, well, they had a plan for me: go to college then get into law school.  

But along the way, at AU, I had the opportunity to explore. I took a course in survey research, which is basically polling. And I would do these polls, going out and talking to strangers, and the diversity of what I heard from the people I met compared to what I was expecting was so different, it really opened me up. It also taught me how to pitch and ask good questions. 

I also ran the [AU] concert committee for a year and a half. I took a film course. So, by the time I got to graduation and was accepted to law school –following my parents’ plan for me perfectly –I decided to take a year off and move to Los Angeles to go work in the music business, which was not part of the plan. I had been—at college—transformed in a way. I had a different path. I felt this yearning to do something creative and something different.  

When I read through the accomplishments of these 30 Under 30 Honorees, Courtney Rozen, Festicia Bovell, Matt Pedretti, Sarah Cammarata and Sara Rodrigues, I see both kinds of students – the ones with their eyes on the prize from the jump, and the ones who used their time at SOC to experiment and discover interests and strengths they never knew they had, and their aspirations came into focus over time.  

Once I landed in Los Angeles, it always was a discovery process, especially in those first ten years. I was building relationships through a series of jobs, and I realized what I wanted to do. I'm blessed that AU gave me the opportunity to have so many hands-on experiences, from the polling to managing contracts with musical acts to making movies. It opened me up to a different kind of thinking. Obviously, my parents didn't talk to me for a year and that was difficult. However, they did appreciate what I did and what I became, just as we deeply appreciate the achievements of these 30 Under 30 Honorees.  

Barry Josephson (BA ‘78) is an accomplished Hollywood film producer and the Principal of Josephson Entertainment, whose films have earned more than $1 Billion at the worldwide box office, and whose dozen-plus television series and specials across multiple genres have spanned two decades. His background in entertainment has ranged from talent manager to President of Production for Columbia/Sony Pictures to independent producer. His motion picture credits include the upcoming “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” “Enchanted,” “The Ladykillers,” and “Life as We Know It.” In television, Josephson produced the global hit series “Bones” on FOX, which aired for 12 seasons, as well as AMC’s period drama “Turn: Washington’s Spies,” Amazon’s “The Tick” and the Netflix series “Ultraviolet.” He is a founding member of Comic Relief and the Austin Film Festival. 

Courtney Rozen 

Federal Workforce Reporter, Bloomberg Law 

Journalism, BA ‘18 & MA ’19 

Courtney Rozen writes about federal workers and government agencies for Bloomberg Law, with a focus on the impact of the second Trump administration. Courtney previously covered President Joe Biden as Bloomberg Government’s White House correspondent. 

Festicia Bovell 

Senior Account Executive, MSL Group; Editor-in-Chief, FOCUS Magazine 

PR & Strategic Communication, ‘22 

Festicia Bovell is a seasoned communications professional passionate about storytelling and representation. As a senior account executive at MSL Group, she drives impactful campaigns for P&G, focusing on PR, social media, and influencer strategies that amplify brand visibility and engagement. She has previously worked with renowned brands such as Amazon, Meta, and Diageo, where she secured high-profile media placements, boosted social engagement by 30%, and elevated brand presence in competitive markets. Beyond her corporate expertise, Festicia is the founder and editor-in-chief of FOCUS Magazine, a lifestyle publication celebrating Zillennial culture. Since its inception, the magazine has garnered over 200k in social media reach and 600k website impressions, establishing itself as a leading voice in its niche. 

Matt Pedretti 

Account Supervisor, BerlinRosen 

PR & Strategic Communication, ‘19 

Matt Pedretti is an Account Supervisor at BerlinRosen, working with start-ups, research organizations, and investors in the climate, tech, and finance industries. Through his work at BerlinRosen, he leads media relations, executive thought leadership, and messaging development for clients looking to share insights on the energy transition and the state of climate investment. Before working with BerlinRosen, Matt worked in financial communications at ICR, supporting B2B payments companies entering public markets in IPO or SPAC transactions. Outside of work, you can find Matt on the way to the movie theater, scoping out music venues in NY, or updating his Goodreads. 

Sarah Cammarata 

Intelligence Analyst & Open Source Investigations Expert 

Journalism, ‘18 

Sarah Cammarata is an intelligence analyst at a corporate intelligence firm in the United Kingdom, where she conducts global investigations into white-collar crime and specializes in open-source intelligence (OSINT). A graduate with distinction from King’s College London’s War Studies MA program, Sarah’s expertise spans far right extremism, counter terrorism, and intelligence. She is a key advocate for diversity in the investigative community, serving on the leadership team of the non-profit, UK OSINT Community, and teaching OSINT techniques through the UK-based charity, Centre for Investigative Journalism. With a background in journalism at POLITICO and Stars and Stripes, Sarah applies her investigative expertise to combat financial crime and advance investigative journalism worldwide. 

Sara Rodrigues 

Creative Director, Creative Lead Finance Services, Magnet 

Film & Media Arts, ‘16 

Sara is an award-winning global Creative Director who leads creative for the Financial Services Group at Magnet. Previously she was a Production Designer for film and tv, and a magazine editor for Hearst. She has created for J.P Morgan Chase, NBC, TV Globo, Showtime, and CBS, among others. 

As part of the School of Communication at American University’s 30th Anniversary celebration, we are excited to recognize the incredible accomplishments of our alumni community. To mark this incredible milestone, we are honoring “30 Under 30” exceptional young alumni who represent the future of communication. We will be releasing the names of the honorees over the coming months accompanied by introductions from some of SOC’s most engaged alumni who are leaders in the industries the “30 Under 30” are now helping to shape. The full list will be available in May 2025.