Who's behind it?

Manya Marcus is a psychotherapist and writer. In both roles, she surrounds herself with her great love: stories. Like many Jews in the diaspora, Manya was deeply impacted by the events of October 7th, 2023. After months of grief and paralysis, she decided she wanted to share stories about how the “Black Shabbat” affected survivors, Israelis, Jews, and Zionists in ways big and small, wrenching and surprising, in Israel and abroad.

Manya believes it has become increasingly important to share these stories against the backdrop of rising antisemitism and the growing inclination to disregard the stories of survivors. She is committed to emphasizing that focusing on these narratives does not diminish the stories of others impacted by the conflict.

When Manya isn't working, she enjoys spending time with her husband and three children, who are active members in their local Jewish community.

Shanie Roth is an American-Israeli Tel Aviv-based photojournalist and producer currently pursuing a Master's degree in Security and Diplomacy at Tel Aviv University. She brings a background in the technology sector, having worked in business operations and product development for various startups. Shanie combines regional strategic insight with a passion for visual and audio-based storytelling to What Came After.

Samantha Dier is a brand and creative director based in Los Angeles. Now working independently, she previously ran studio and video production at The Free Press, where she produced the Honestly podcast and directed a three-part documentary series filmed in Israel and the West Bank following October 7. Her Pulitzer Center investigation into abortion access for incarcerated people, published on NPR, prompted the Illinois governor to change state corrections policy. She holds a master's in journalism from Northwestern's Medill School.

Ben Wallick is an audio engineer, music producer, and podcaster based out of Jerusalem, Israel. Over the past 13 years, he has worked with an array of talented acts in the studio and on the stage. These days, when not engaged in family life, you'll find him primarily making things sound better in his studio or interviewing a host of music producers and audio engineers for his own podcast, Secret Sonics.

Keren Glicksman is a creative writer, audio engineer, and musician who recently earned her BA in English Literature and Creative Writing with a minor in Sound Technologies. Her poetry can be found in Triple Cities Magazine and the God, Love, and Loss literary collection. She lends a creative vision to the What Came After team, shaping the podcast's content and taking on various roles in its production.

Gavi Kutliroff is an audio engineer and musician based in Brooklyn, New York. He is the editor for a variety of podcasts, including Secret Sonics, the podcast for music producers. He records and performs under the moniker Pleasant Peasant.

Avi Hilton is a Jerusalem-based, London-bred audio engineer and music producer with years of professional experience spanning audio editing, mixing, and music production. Formally trained in both music and audio, and proficient across multiple instruments, he brings a sharp technical ear and a distinctive creative voice to every project. Outside of client work, Avi is constantly evolving his own sound, exploring new sonic territory and pushing the boundaries of what his music can be.

Alexandra Yelderman is a law professor, artist, and lifelong friend of Manya Marcus. She is thrilled to contribute to this compassionate and nuanced documentary series in response to the events of October 7th.

Alfie Rees is a London-born, Herzliya-based developer studying Economics, entrepreneurship, and data science at Reichman University. He built the What Came After website from the ground up, designing and developing it to carry the project's growing archive of stories. When he isn't studying, Alfie is happiest building projects of his own, playing sport, and cooking.