About Us

Michael founded Big Spaceship in 2000 and serves as its CEO. An architect and board member of SoDA, the Society of Digital Agencies, he is also a member of AIGA's Visionary Design Council and the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences. Michael chaired the 2009 Click Conference and co-chaired the 2010 ANDY Awards. Speaking on creativity, innovation and the evolution of digital communications, he participates in and leads seminars across the globe, from MIT's Futures of Entertainment to the One Club. A frequent juror for creative awards, he served as Chairman of the 2009 One Show Interactive Jury and the D&AD Viral Jury. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife Stacie and sons Isaac and Oliver.

Jason oversees daily operations at Big Spaceship. Depending on the day, this ranges from finalizing contracts to implementing procedural standards to exploring new partnerships. He devises and employs the very best of practices for his fellow crew members. Jason's career has frequently fused art with digital marketing. Previous roles include producing interactive and fine art projects for MoMA and the Guggenheim. He is well versed in art history, thanks to studies at Connecticut College and the University of Bologna, Italy. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Cinzia.

Ranae leads the talented team of producers who keep the collaborative gears shifting smoothly. That means topnotch work delivered on time and within budget. Prior to joining Big Spaceship, she worked at Organic, Wunderman and JWT managing digital programs for Bank of America, Martha Stewart, Unilever, Chrysler, Ford and others. Being from Detroit, much of her background is in automotive – and while her Motor City ties are strong, she found liberation by giving up her car and moving to New York. Ranae is also a true foodie, the kind that equally appreciates molecular gastronomy and bacon.

Shortly after retiring from rock stardom, Joshua became Big Spaceship's Minister of Technology in 2002. Once the agency's sole coder, he is now a mentor and leader of the development team responsible for building numerous award-winning digital projects. Overseeing R&D efforts, he is a continual supplier of technical solutions and innovations. Josh is a member of the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences and a long-standing adviser on Adobe product launches. He shares his expertise at industry conferences, instructional workshops and awards panels throughout the world. He is also a video game aficionado.

Ivan Askwith leads Big Spaceship's strategic practice, where he works to help clients navigate the digital landscape and understand emerging behaviors. Building upon his time as a media analyst in MIT’s Convergence Culture Consortium, Ivan specializes in generating deep cross-platform audience engagement and helping brands build meaningful, relevant relationships with consumers. Recent projects include work for NBC, A&E, HBO, EPIX, Second Life and Wrigley.

He holds a Master’s degree from MIT’s Program in Comparative Media Studies, where his work focused on modern television’s increasing emphasis on transmedia narrative in creating and sustaining audience engagement. In addition, Ivan has published chapters on audience behavior and franchise development in several books and encyclopedias. He is a frequent speaker and lecturer on digital strategy and online communities at both academic and business conferences, and an occasional contributor to magazines like Slate and Salon.