About Us 2025

About US

Our Mission

The Disruptive Quarterly is a place to discover and explore diverse voices, perspectives, and game-changing ideas. TDQ invites artists, writers, thought leaders, scientists, entrepreneurs, and creators to contribute their work. Work that we think can change minds, hearts, and even industries. Their contributions are innovative and remind us of important things forgotten, or things we never thought we knew.

Together, we explore the possible.

Together, we think we can harness curiosity and wonder to heal the world and each other.

The Disruptive Quarterly is a non-profit publication with fiscal sponsorship provided by 22nd Century by Design. You can donate below.

q1 & q2 2025

Letter from the editor

We are thrilled to launch this special issue of TDQ in partnership with the RENAS team. The RENAS team journeyed from Norway to Nashville to celebrate the anniversary of their company. Together we created a special week meeting innovators, artists and changemakers across genres and industries. BioLargo, Inc. co-sponsored events throughout the week. We hope you enjoy this retrospective that still lingers in our heart and minds.

Thank you TDQ contributors and a special thank you to our guest editor, Wendy Nystrom.

We are delighted to introduce Ruby Martinez and Jack Cuzzocrea, our newest and youngest contributors.

We hope you enjoy this issue and find yourself as inspired as we are!

Warmest regards,

— Cynthia

At The Disruptive Quarterly, we champion visionary organizations, social enterprises and thought leaders who are at the forefront of change and innovation. We are committed to advancing the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Meet the team

Cynthia A. Phillips, PhD

co-founder & Editor

Cynthia A. Phillips is an economist, writer, producer, and social entrepreneur. She serves executive teams at game changing companies and organizations as a strategist as well as an innovation, risk management, sustainability, data science, and marketing expert. She is a former executive in risk management and marketing at American Express. She is the founder of 22nd Century by Design, The Disruptive Quarterly, and Disruptive Spirits Media|Tech|Film. Phillips is a General Partner at Renew Venture Capital, an impact fund that focuses on diversity, sustainability, and supporting underrepresented founders. A 2020 Finalist Global Women in Tech, Phillips is a champion of the 17 UN SDGs and supports nonprofit organizations, creators as well as companies of any scale to integrate the SDGs into their business planning, Business Intelligence, ESG and CSR. She served as an Executive Producer of A Plastic Ocean and Producer of A New Resistance. Her writing has been recognized by The Academy’s Nicholl Fellowship, Humanitas, and LA International Screenwriting Awards. Her first novel, A Sensitive Instrument, was awarded a 2022 Arizona Artist Grant. She believes sharing our stories – well told – can change the world. www.caphillipsco.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-a-phillips-phd-08abb339.

Demetrio Cuzzocrea

Executive Editor

Demetrio J. Cuzzocrea is an creative entrepreneur, actor, screenwriter, playwright and filmmaker whose work has ranged from building video games with Stan Lee to producing and directing award-winning documentaries to providing career counseling for international graduate students at the University of Southern California. Demetrio serves on the Board of Advisors of the Seismic Capital Company, which seeks to democratize venture capital investment.

Demetrio is an undergrad alumnus of the University of Virginia and holds an MFA through the University of San Diego and the Old Globe Theatre.

Manjari Misra

Assistant editor

Manjari is a marine conservationist and enjoys engaging with various stakeholders about marine wildlife and ecosystems. She has a multi-disciplinary background: intern at the Wildlife Institute of India, research assistant at the documentary production company, Sparklework Films, and an analyst in the Climate Change and Sustainability department at KPMG. Currently, she is a Senior Marine Science Educator at the Seattle Aquarium.
She has a B.Sc. Zoology (Hons.) from the University of Edinburgh and a Masters of Marine Affairs from the University of Washington. She recently had her paper published in the journal Regional Studies in Marine Science.

Hannah Tolksdorf

Associate Editor

Hannah’s passion for the arts, environment, and social justice has been the underlying theme of their work and life. As a highschool student, Hannah founded two environmental activist groups. At UC Berkeley, Hannah’s love of art inspired them to pursue a BA in Art History, with a focus in pre-Columbian Art and Artifact, and a minor in Art Practice, in the medium of pen and ink, while playing Wing for the Cal Women’s Rugby team. Go Bears!

The universe brought Hannah and Dr. Cynthia A. Phillips, Founder and Editor of The Disruptive Quarterly, together one day in the best little cowboy steakhouse in Arizona. Since that time, Hannah has been working for Dr. Phillips at 22nd Century by Design on many projects that will have a great and positive impact on the world and its future, including The Disruptive Quarterly.

The Disruptive Future

Ruby Martinez

founder & Editor

Ruby Martinez is a high school senior with a deep love for music, especially jazz, and an ever-growing collection of playlists for every vibe. She’s passionate about social sciences and plans to major in social work, with the goal of advocating for mental health and building stronger, more connected communities. Excited to start college in New York, Ruby hopes to use her voice to bridge gaps, spark empathy, and make real change wherever she goes.

Jack Cuzzocrea

Founder & EDITOR

Jack Cuzzocrea is an aspiring writer and high school senior in Los Angeles, California. He enjoys music, cooking, and playing guitar. He hopes that through his writing, he will be able to showcase interesting stories and inspire people to appreciate each other. Jack looks forward to starting school in the Fall at UC – Santa Barbara.

MANY THANKS TO OUR FOUNDING TEAM

David Zung

Co-Founder & Creative Director / EMERITUS

David Zung is a painter, photographer and filmmaker based in New York City where he has worked in the high-end visual effects, animation and film industry as a storyboard artist, designer, and director. Since 2005 he has taught painting, drawing, design, storyboarding, and thesis at the Undergraduate and Graduate level at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, and more recently at The Fashion Institute of Technology Illustration Department, and The Brooklyn College Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema.

Sophia Uehara

Sophia Uehara is a 2nd generation Japanese American production designer and graphic designer based in New York City. In her work, she is committed to accurately representing marginalized minority populations & individuals in dignified, realistic, and informed ways through the use of color, symbolism, psychological metaphor, and in-depth research. She holds a BFA in Film & Television Production from New York University.

Yves Pasquarelli

Yves is a filmmaker, designer, and web designer from New York. He is currently the webmaster for TDQ. He hopes his bio doesn’t go over the character lim

Connie Nelson

Connie Nelson is Project Manager for The Disruptive Quarterly. Connie approaches projects with energy and creativity. She is an enthusiastic, strategic thinker with an ability and strong track record of successfully developing new programs. Connie is committed to community engagement along with advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion in the education, arts, and culture sectors. Connie holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Arizona.

Kathi Zung

Kathi Zung is a 28-year veteran of stop-motion animation puppet fabrication, public speaker, professional organizer, and a music engineer/producer for the band Harp. She has worked in film, television, and commercial art, made organizing her life mission, and now enjoys assisting in curating content at TDQ.

Sara Pisak

Sara Pisak is TDQ’s Senior Editor. She is a freelance writer and editor with an MFA and MA in Nonfiction. Sara participates in the Poetry in Transit Program and is a Staff Reviewer at Glass Poetry Press. She has recently published work in Hippocampus, the Deaf Poets Society, Door is a Jar, Five:2:One Magazine, and Northern Appalachia Review, among others. In total, she has published over 100 pieces of original creative work.