Andrew Shults
Executive Producer · ICAROS
Los Angeles, CA
In My Own Words
As a writer and photographer specializing in the outdoor space, I bring my unique perspective to tell stories about the human experience in the wild. And as a social media, marketing, and communications professional, I help brands strategize and create content to effectively tell their stories and hit their growth, engagement, and conversion goals.
Shoot me a message if you want to work with me or connect!
Work Experience
Executive Producer
ICAROS2024 – Present
• Currently oversee fundraising, social media strategy, and other duties for ICAROS, the feature-length adaptation of COMING HOME
Social Media Manager and Writer
Sondor Studio2022 – Present
• Provide copy, content, and engagement services for client Instagram accounts to reach organic growth goals
Publicity Manager and Producer
Coming Home2022 – Present
• Won Cassavetes Award for Best Actor at the Austin Arthouse Film Festival and Best Lead Actor in a Short Film at the Bare Bones International Film Festival • Write copy and use Canva and Pro Tools to create content that constantly hits engagement rates of over 9% • Utilized Instagram to raise over $18k during a collective five-week period for the short film “Coming Home” • Successfully guided the film though a mid-fundraising rebrand, which included a title change
Writer and Photographer
Modern Hiker2023 – Present
• Writer and photographer for modernhiker.com, the number one hiking blog on the West Coast that consistently receives over 1M pageviews per month and has a social media follower count of over 80k • Create twice-monthly trail guides, giving readers first-hand knowledge of local hikes
Founder
GoForth2024 – Present
• Founder of GoForth, a media and consulting business for those looking to explore the outdoors • offer expertly crafted resources, personalized trip planning and advice, and inspirational outdoor-centered stories to motivate and encourage you to get outside
Social Media Manager
University of Southern California2022 – 2024
• Manage nine Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts totaling 80k followers for USC’s admissions, orientation, and financial aid departments • Spearheaded a new admitted students hashtag to be mailed to over 10k accepted students and promoted on all USC social channels totaling over 200k followers • Work closely with content creators, editors, and graphic designers to share posts with average engagement rates of 6.9% on Instagram and 2.7% on Twitter • Manage monthly content calendars, provide regular updates on follower count, engagement rate, and reach, and write weekly newsletters unpacking trends in USC’s online presence • Give creative input and assist with photo and video content shared with prospective and admitted students
Advisor
Seaside Sustainability2021 – 2023
• As a volunteer, I manage 8-10 interns tasked with responsibilities ranging from marketing to grant writing • Facilitated a deal between Seaside and Searial Cleaners beach cleaning devices to get 10% commission per sale • Educate the public on environmentally friendly practices through educational campaigns and outreach
Writer
Duct Tape Then Beer2023 – 2023
• Wrote and recorded my short, “In My Heart All Along”, for The Dirtbag Diaries, a leading outdoor podcast with over 18 million downloads
Baseball Coach
Palisades Sharks Baseball2021 – 2022
• Led practices and gave constructive, age-appropriate feedback to players aged 9 through 13 years • Identified strengths and weaknesses for players to facilitate learning strategies and improve outcomes
Data Management Specialist
University of Southern California2021 – 2022
• Analyzed USC’s online sentiment and social media metrics to share with division head • Used project-management software Basecamp and Microsoft Sharepoint for USC promotional campaigns • Managed and queried USC enrollment databases for use with promotional and informational materials
Baseball Coach
Positive Impact Players, Inc.2020 – 2020
• Worked as an outfield and base running coach, using the skills I learned as a collegiate athlete to lead drills and exercises. • Supervised workouts and fostered a positive environment
Creator and Director
Grinnell College2018 – 2019
• Created, directed, and produced an eight-episode series for incoming student-athletes’ transition to college • Surveyed varsity athletes about health and wellness topics, and analyzed the data to inform episode scripts • Coordinated a team of over twenty cast and crew members to create a clean and entertaining final product • Co-authored a grant for the NCAA Innovations in Research and Practice Grant Program proposing a curriculum supporting off-season first-year student-athletes • Collected and analyzed data from NCAA findings about substance use in and out of season for use in grant
Athletics Facility Staff
Grinnell College2015 – 2019
• Worked in the Charles Benson Bear '39 Recreation and Athletic Center at the front desk, ensuring everyone is properly clothed and had permission to enter the building • Worked various athletic events to help keep a good pace of the game
Research Assistant
University of Pennsylvania2018 – 2018
• Studied potential Parkinson’s disease indicators at the University of Pennsylvania • Gathered, analyzed, and visualized data on human brain diseases including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s • Presented research results to the 60 members of my lab and at Grinnell College’s biology seminar series
Science Peer Mentor
Grinnell College2017 – 2018
• Met every other week with first-year mentees to help plan class schedules and activities • Served as a resource on topics such as talking to professors and navigating the Science Learning Center and Academic Affairs
Research Assistant
Balto Pharmaceuticals, Inc2017 – 2017
• Studied novel approaches to treat cancer, like disrupting protein-protein interactions via small molecules • Used biology lab techniques to gather and analyze data on human protein-protein interactions in yeast cells • Presented my research results to students and faculty at Grinnell College’s biology seminar series
Math Grader
Grinnell College2016 – 2016
• Met strict deadlines three times a week and kept accurate records of homework grades of a class of 30 students for the entire semester
Education
Projects
GoForth
https://goforthoutside.comGoForth LLC is a media and consulting company for those looking to explore the outdoors.
Modern Hiker
https://modernhiker.comWriter and photographer for modernhiker.com, the number one hiking website on the West Coast that consistently receives over 1M pageviews per month and has a social media follower count of over 80k
In My Heart All Along
https://dirtbagdiaries.com/the-shorts-in-my-heart-all-along/Wrote and recorded my short, “In My Heart All Along”, for The Dirtbag Diaries, a leading outdoor podcast with over 18 million downloads
Coming Home
https://youtu.be/mhJmfzpl4LE?si=QDNf_umTBWjovKluI am the Publicity Manager and Producer for the short film, "Coming Home". It has won several awards, including the Cassavetes Award for Best Actor at the Austin Arthouse Film Festival and Best Lead Actor in a Short Film at the Bare Bones International Film Festival. In my role, I utilized Instagram to raise over $18k during a collective five-week period to fund the production of the film.
