By Alexandra Craissati, Project Manager, Defense and Intelligence Initiatives
At 29, Alexandra Craissati is one of our youngest members of staff at ICT, and has been with us for just 17 months – but she’s made an impact already, working as a project manager on a futuristic movie for the Navy, as the producer on Interns 2024 (video), and now while reporting to Ryan McAlinden, Director for Defense and Intelligence Initiatives as project manager on core creative innovation assignments for the Army’s University Affiliated Research Center (UARC). In this essay to celebrate ICT 25, Craissati talks about being inspired by her grandfather, the renowned A. Stephen Clug who served as a special agent for the US Army Counter Intelligence Corps during the Korean War, and, years later, ended up in Paris as VP, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) International.
It’s been interesting watching everyone prepare to celebrate ICT’S 25th Anniversary and learning more about the institute’s Origin Story. Though this all predates my arrival by over two decades, I understand how important individuals’ stories are to the University Affiliated Research Center (UARC) as they make up the DNA of an institution.
I joined ICT in March 2023, less than a year and a half ago, at the time of writing. Although to many people the concept of using entertainment skills in support of military training is a strange idea, it always made sense to me as the combination of entertainment and military service is part of my heritage. To explain why, I need to tell you about “Steve” aka my grandfather, A. Stephen Clug, who served as a special agent for the US Army Counter Intelligence Corps during the Korean War, and, years later, ended up in Paris as VP, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) International.
My grandfather was an immense influence on my life. Though he sadly passed away in September 2023, he was a gourmand, a bon vivant, and well-traveled. Steve encouraged me by example to live big and explore the world, fueling an intense desire to have a global career. Six years since graduation, and having already worked in England, Belgium, and now Los Angeles, I hope to follow in his footsteps.
While attending Columbia Law School, Steve signed-up for the Korean War (US Army Counter Intelligence Corps), where he served until 1954. He then had a long, distinguished career in the international film industry, with senior roles at Paramount Studios in Indonesia, Myanmar (then known as Burma), Pakistan, Persian Gulf and Brazil, before founding Gold Dolphin Productions (New York). Later on, he joined Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) as GM (Central America and the Caribbean), was promoted to head up their European operations, and then relocated to London as VP, MGM International.
Steve spent the last ten years of his career in Singapore with the Motion Picture Export Association of America (MPEAA), retiring as SVP, Far East and Australasia. Whether it’s a family legend or can be verified in some (now declassified) files, it’s said that Steve continued to serve his country in some capacity throughout his long international career. Moving swiftly on.
In addition to Steve, my uncle – Alexander Clug – also served in the US Army after graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point in the early 90s.
Lastly, having been raised by two multinational parents (French and British), many of my family members still live in Paris and London, and I hold both British and American passports. In fact, I spent most of the COVID-era living and working in London.
LIVING IN LONDON
Back in 2018, I was about to graduate with a degree in Business and Marketing (Minors: Entrepreneurship and Mass Communications) from the Warrington College of Business, University of Florida. I had the urge to travel and work abroad, so I applied for countless jobs in the UK that sat at the intersection of entertainment and technology. Fortunately, as I have both British and American passports, I was able to freelance first as a Digital Project Manager at Auddy, the award-winning, tech-first, audio publishing solution for creators and organizations.
While at the company, one of my first tasks was to build a detailed analysis of audio consumption, covering 4,000 brands, as well as analyze consumer insights. Subsequently, I worked on Auddy’s award application team, and the company went on to win ten (!) awards including the BBC Audio Awards, The ARIAS and British Podcast Awards.
After time spent looking for a full-time role (London is very expensive), I finally landed a notable job in the music industry at Marathon Music Group, an independent music company that owns 5 record labels with 80+ signed artists across 15 countries. While there, I drove high-impact, global technology projects and programs in a mixed methodology environment, leading strategic projects across multi-disciplinary teams, managing financials, guiding investments and driving 15+ cross-functional initiatives from project scope to delivery. In doing so, I generated over £500K in additional annual revenue, resulting in a profit increase of 18% YoY and total capital investment of over £5 million. In fact, one of the Music Tech startups that took part in my program exited and was acquired by Soundcloud. It was an incredible feeling playing a small part in someone’s success.
During this time, I also took on an Advisor role in Liège, Belgium, mentoring 12 tech-centric companies from 10+ countries as part of Wallifornia (yes, it’s a play on “California” but references the French-speaking area of Belgium known as Walloon), which is one of the three official languages in that region). I got to draw on my “inner Steve” for that role when I was selected from roughly 200 applicants to give a big tech talk on AI and the Metaverse (remember the Metaverse?) in front of 1000+ (virtual) and 250+ (IRL) attendees.
Then COVID hit.
…..and I wasn’t sure what to do.
I liked living in London: sitting on the top of a double-decker bus, listening to music, walking across Battersea Park (usually in the rain, but still, a beautiful park), jumping on the Northern Line tube (what the Brits call the subway) to head to work at Tileyard – where most of the well-known music and technology companies had set up shop.
As I had spent most of my teenage years growing up in South Florida, London was something of a culture shock. Despite being half-British, I never quite wrapped my head around the amount of tea they drank, the uber-politeness, and the constant observation of minute fluctuations in weather. But I felt as if my adventure there had only just started.
Within days of the lockdown, life as I knew it ground to a halt. At that point, I was living in a small flat in Tooting Broadway (not Soho or Camden), and the only thing open was Sainsbury’s (a supermarket). I quickly learned how to work from home on a sustained basis.
When the first flights to the US opened up, I went back to my family in South Florida and re-grouped to consider my options.
Steve was helpful during this time. I told him about how I’d developed an intimate understanding of emerging technologies and how they’re shaping entertainment, and he gave me some pointers on reinventing myself (as he’d done it many times himself).
BACK TO THE USA
After a few more years spent in London, and with Steve’s advice in mind, I decided to make the move back to the US.
I interviewed in New York City (during those days when we all flew with masks on, clutching our negative COVID tests). And then, through networking, I heard about The Institute for Creative Technologies (ICT).
I was in Florida visiting family at the time and decided to borrow my dad’s Volvo XC90 (with his permission) and drive three hours North on the I-95.
It was November 2022, and the ICT team was setting up their annual booth at I/ITSEC (Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation, and Education Conference). The conference was something I’d heard about – not just from Steve’s contacts, but also from my uncle having served in the US Army.
The team asked me about working in London, and I told them it had given me the ability to pivot, find my feet in an increasingly competitive business environment, and develop an adaptability, global vision and an awareness of intercultural challenges and perspectives. They liked my bold approach to life (thanks, Steve) and offered me a job.
Driving back down I-95, I wondered what Los Angeles would be like.
WESTWARD BOUND
And here I am. After complaining about the rain in London, I relish the almost constant sunshine in L.A. I’ve always been very athletic (having been raised by two athletes), and now I get to spend most of my weekends, if not working, playing beach volleyball, tennis, hiking and enjoying the outdoor life.
Before Steve passed, I was able to speak with him about the meaningful work we do here at ICT and how it’s allowed me to grasp a broader understanding of how technology (AI, VR, AR etc.) is shaping US and global policy. Sadly, he didn’t get to see me promoted to working for Ryan McAlinden, Director of Defense and Intelligence Initiatives. Considering his own career, I think he would have gotten a kick out of the incredible initiatives I work on today.
No two days are the same, and I like that a lot. As project manager, I support the full life cycle of technology projects related to modeling & simulation, affective computing, mixed reality, and artificial intelligence (AI) that teach, train and help the Department of Defense (DoD) and Intelligence Community (IC). My role is to lead seamless communication between DoD / IC forces, external vendors and internal management, serving as a trusted advisor, anticipating obstacles and delivering each project’s KPIs, whether related to quality or schedule.
As part of the younger cohort at ICT, I work alongside Bayley Camp (Gen Z) and fellow millennial Mana Marashi (born in 1995, I made it into that generation by just 12 months). Even younger than us are the interns who joined us this summer. They came from many institutions, including HBCUs, plus Cadets from the United States Military Academy at West Point (my West Point graduate uncle approved when he heard that). I got to draw on my entertainment background by producing Interns 2024 (video), this year. ICT felt very lively for that 10 week stint. Multi-generational work teams are crucial to our success at ICT – and I like having mentors from across the board.
Although my grandfather Steve isn’t with us anymore, I still put into practice everything I learned either from him directly or through observing the way he handled himself in his own career. When he passed, my mother asked if there were any of Steve’s belongings that I cherished. I hesitated, and then remembered how much I loved watching Steve rock his many classic blazers. Though I’m taller than he was, his jackets still fit impeccably. As I’m getting into my stride with my career in entertainment, technology, and the military, I feel appropriately equipped: mentally and physically. Thanks, Steve.
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