About

What the hell is SocialTechPop?

SocialTechPop.com is a premier popular culture and technology blog. The blog, is run by a group of homegrown Chicago technophiles. SocialTechPop reports on emerging digital technologies, start-ups, incubators, events, and society's affects and influences on technology.

It isn't enough to recognize that technology exists and impacts our daily lives. Rather Social Tech Pop detects, uncovers, and explores the fabrics that tie our society together in this emerging digital age. SocialTechPop Founder Jess Loren added, “Chicago is home to some of the most famous and successful tech businesses in the industry. It only makes sense to launch the premier tech blog right in their own backyard.” Buzz is growing, and the city is excited for Social Tech Pop.

Society, technology, and popular culture. They all impact one another, and now Chicago will have a voice to infuse excitement into what will soon be the leading city for technology in America.

If you have any ideas, stories, products, an event, a new business, or anything related to technology, social media, let SocialTechPop.com know!

Our Founder:

Jess Loren is an energetic entrepreneur and start-up savant who specializes in the team-based execution of innovative ideas. The co-founder of Chicago social media marketing and business technology solutions company Kambio Group & tech/pop culture blog SocialTechPop, Jess is not only a fluent expert in the present state of social media, but a visionary with an eye toward the future. In her projects, Jess combines the effects of cutting-edge technology with the connectivity of social media, and examines how they play a role in determining the next big thing. Jess has contributed across the industry, working with everyone from Fortune 500 companies to a company that hosts the “largest bar crawl in America.” .

The Writers:

Justin DiSandro joined SocialTechPop at its inception in 2010. He has been integral in growing the blog by working closely with the technology and the pop culture community. His sarcastic wit and charm has earned him numerous writing awards and accolades, and his absurd knowledge of all things ‘pop' has earned him recognition throughout the entertainment industry. His writings have appeared in countless magazines, literary journals, and documentaries, as well as being quoted by a variety of scholarly studies and film fests.

Hi, I'm Katlyn Hayes. I am a public relations major and a media studies minor at Loras College. I am also an intern for Mix Media Solutions LLC in Chicago. I am on the public relations committee for a charity called Dance Marathon and I am also one of the top ten fundraisers. I also raise money for the Loras fund. I love social media, new technology and popular culture, I love socialtechpop.com

Dylan McHugh is a published DePaul University journalism major (game design minor) who loves writing about video games almost as much as he does playing them. Combining the best of print journalism with the sharp wit and connectivity of newer media, Dylan is determined to write stories that enthrall, immerse, and stay with the reader long after the final period. His articles have appeared in Chicago Dispatcher, The DePaulia, and his own video game blog Dead Pixel Daily. In his free time, Dylan enjoys playing guitar and authoring alluring alliterations. Dylan is also an extremely cool guy [citation needed].

Kristen Micek (@KristenMicek) is pursuing a BA in English with a minor in Digital Cinema from DePaul University. She is a Digital Media Strategist at Kambio Group and a contributing writer/product reviewer for SocialTechPop. She's been published in NewCity and occasionally contributes film reviews to CrimeSpree Magazine. Kristen is always trying to learn about the newest technology trends, as well as keeping up with the current pop culture happenings.

Lana Samara (@LanaSamara) is a DePaul University College of Commerce graduate currently working as a Digital Media Strategist with Kambio Group and SocialTechPop. Her sharp wit and humor come to light within her own personal blog as well as her contributions to SocialTechPop. She is in the beginning stages of exploring the world of PR and Social Media Consulting.

Adam Svoboda is a student at DePaul University in Chicago where he has lived his whole life. He is a Geography major but has experience with various types of digital media as well. He hopes to use these fields as well as the various others he has experienced through different jobs to support his work at Mix Media Solutions.