Michele Debreceni is the Director of Marketing for Open to Debate, where she leads audience development and brand strategy across live events, broadcast, and digital platforms. Previously, she led marketing and communications for Emursive Productions, presenter of the acclaimed Off-Broadway theatrical experience Sleep No More, and the historic New York cultural institution Japan Society.
Earlier in her career, Michele held senior digital media and e-commerce leadership roles at KIDZ BOP and Razor & Tie Entertainment, overseeing direct-to-consumer marketing and paid media for iconic music brands and artists during the music industry’s digital transformation. She has also served as an independent marketing consultant for nonprofit, media, and film organizations. Michele is equally passionate about digital and analog media and is driven by her relentless curiosity. She holds a B.S. in Marketing and Communications from Boston College’s Carroll School of Management.
How many years have you worked in podcasting or audio?
10+ years
What is your current role, in your own words?
As Director of Marketing for Open to Debate, my role is to amplify brand awareness and deepen audience engagement across our live events and media platforms.
How many years have you been a Signal Awards judge?
This is my first year!
What excited you about joining the Signal Awards Judging Academy?
I’m really excited to discover new podcasts outside my current audio bubble and to play a role in recognizing talented, hardworking creators within the podcast community.
What is one recent podcast you’ve loved and would recommend?
I would recommend Nayeema Raza’s Smart Girl Dumb Questions podcast. Nayeema has served as a guest moderator for many memorable Open to Debate episodes. She probes the important cultural questions of our time with substance, humor, and flair, and always attracts fascinating guests.
What project are you most proud of and why?
At Open to Debate, our goal is to open minds and challenge perspectives through rigorous, respectful dialogue. Over the past year and a half, I’ve been proud to help develop new partnerships with Johns Hopkins University and Arizona State University that bring live debates on thought-provoking issues to university campuses. It’s been deeply rewarding to hear directly from students about how these events have challenged their thinking and to see these conversations resonate with our global podcast audience as well.
What podcasting trend, challenge, or opportunity has your attention these days?
I’ve been fascinated by social media’s evolving, somewhat tangled relationship with podcasting. While we’ve long known that people discover podcasts through social media, many now consume show content exclusively through Instagram and TikTok clips, rather than the original episodes. What does that mean for content development and the creator-audience dynamic?
What are you currently listening to? (podcasts, music, anything)
I just installed a new turntable needle, so I’ve been indulging in some of my favorite vinyl throwbacks—A Tribe Called Quest, PJ Harvey, Erykah Badu, The Clash—when not listening to podcasts, of course.