About the conference

The conference

The Power of Storytelling is a conference built around the idea that stories can change our worlds.

The only one of its kind in Eastern Europe, it brings together superstar storytellers in all fields – from media, to arts, to business – to show the potential of stories to connect people, to heal wounds, to move to action, and to drive change.

We started in 2011 because we believe stories are for everyone. This event grows out of our deep commitment to in-depth and intimate narrative journalism, and attracts writers, producers, artists, communicators, marketers, activists, entrepreneurs, and community leaders.

Over the years, our speakers have included multiple winners of Pulitzer Prizes, National Magazine Awards, Emmys, and many other accolades. They were writers, editors, producers, digital innovators, filmmakers, entrepreneurs, and musicians, all among the best in their respective fields.

Hosts

The conference is hosted by DoR, a Romanian quarterly journal of groundbreaking nonfiction, and Lateral, an innovative technology company based in Transylvania and the US. DoR and Lateral are joined by many wonderful sponsors, supporters, and friends.

www.decatorevista.ro www.lateral-inc.com

Team

Cristian Lupșa
conference host (@cristianlupsa)

Cristian is the editor of DoR, a quarterly devoted to longform narrative journalism and essays about the way we are and live in Romania. He started The Power of Storytelling conference in 2011 to help spread the gospel of well-told stories.

Adrian Lungu
fundraiser

Adrian has been involved with the conference since 2011, the year he joined the DoR team. Other than raising funds, and enjoying the keynotes, he likes driving the speakers around.

Ciprian Morar
creative partner

Ciprian is the CEO of LATERAL, the wonderful creative hub that worked to plan, co-design and organize the 5th edition of The Power of Storytelling.

Anamaria Tataru
troubleshooter

Anamaria (but her friends call her Anuca) is the administrative magician of DoR team. Her favorite stories are the ones told by numbers: on her daily reading list you will certainly find cash-flows, budgets, and financial reports. She keeps together the accounting strings of the Power of Storytelling.

Alina Dîrstaru
conference fairy

Alina is the conference fairy, or what adults would call her, the project manager. She is here to make sure everything is done on time and everyone is enjoying the day to the fullest.

Andreea Giuclea
content guru

Andreea is in charge of communication & social media for the conference (she is encouraging everybody to start using #Story16). She’s a sports reporter and occasionally takes our guests to games.

Advisors, alumni, friends: Irina Tacu, Ioana Burtea, Oana Sandu, Sorana Stănescu, Andreea Drăgan, Andreea Ioniță, Stela Serghiuță, Ramona Cherciu, Oana Filip, Anca Drăgoi, Andreea Vrabie, Raymond Bobar, Călin Tritean, Ștefan Bălan, Mircea Drăgoi, Ana Vișan, Andreea Bota, Lavinia Gliga, Gabriel Dobre, Gabriela Pițurlea, Solene Cesbron, Ancuța Iosif, DoR reporters and editors, and many enthusiastic and wonderful volunteers.

Past speakers

Jacqui Banaszynski

Jacqui is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter, editor, and globetrotting coach.

Chris Jones

Chris is an award winning writer-at-large for Esquire and a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine.

Lisa Pollak

Lisa is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and radio producer who specializes in narrative stories about ordinary people.

Jonah Sachs

Jonah is the Co-Founder and CEO of Free Range Studios and an internationally recognized storyteller, author, marketer, designer and entrepreneur.

Amy O’Leary

Amy is Editorial Director at Upworthy. She previously worked for The New York Times as a reporter, editor and multimedia producer specializing in digital storytelling.