Ella Mielniczenko: Fostering Creativity and Collaboration
“Creativity is appreciated and welcomed here. Our company has a strong engineering focus, but there’s room for fresh ideas and innovative thinking from all perspectives.”
With a decade of experience in film production, social video, and social marketing, Ella Mielniczenko leads new short-video ventures at NewsBreak—shaping how everyday life is experienced through dynamic, engaging content. She is thriving in a role that allows her to blend her natural creativity and strength in strategic thinking in a collaborative environment.
“Collaboration is key at NewsBreak—decisions move quickly because we communicate directly and work together to get things done. There’s no rigid hierarchy, and our CEO walks around and chats with us—setting the tone for an open and supportive culture.”
One of the things Ella enjoys most about NewsBreak is how it encourages everyone to experiment, execute, and innovate.
“We’re encouraged to take initiative and think creatively. This doesn’t mean ignoring guidelines—it means we’re trusted to make informed decisions and move quickly. Instead of getting stuck in unnecessary approval loops, we focus on innovation and driving progress.”
Ella also appreciates the strong sense of community at NewsBreak. The company fosters connections through Team Lunch Mondays, where a different team each week goes out for a company-paid meal, and company-provided lunches throughout the week.
“I love working here because people are very positive, helpful, and community-minded. We work hard and play hard.”
Fei Tao: Driving AI Innovation with Startup Agility
“We move like a small company, but we stand like a big company.”
Fei Tao leads the multi-modal AI team, building cutting-edge technology for our ‘local-everything’ platform—connecting and empowering people and organizations in communities everywhere. With experience at both industry giants and nimble disruptors, Fei appreciates NewsBreak’s startup mentality and fast-paced execution.
“As part of the NewsBreak team, you get to see the big picture in a way that’s just not possible in a large corporation. That’s inspiring! And we are agile, too, so when you have an idea, you can make it happen. We don’t wait months or quarters to deliver results; we move in weeks.”
In fact, his team launched four new features in the last eight weeks, a feat he credits to their efficiency, expertise, and passion.
“The best part is that everyone here is highly skilled and does their job effectively. We stay ahead of industry trends, even collaborating with academia to push the boundaries of AI.”
Beyond work, Fei enjoys staying active with NewsBreak’s badminton group, where employees come together for friendly competition. He also loves to unwind by cooking and reading.
Ashhad Alam: From MIT to Impactful Ad Tech
“As someone early in my career, I really appreciate working in an environment where learning and growth are encouraged. We’re given opportunities to improve, which is key to professional development”.
A recent MIT graduate with a master’s in engineering, Ashhad Alam joined NewsBreak as a backend engineer for the monetization team—developing cutting-edge solutions to optimize the digital ad platform’s performance. While transitioning from academia to professional life can be daunting, Ashhad has found NewsBreak to be a supportive, growth-oriented environment.
“I learned a lot about computational theory in school, but applying it in real-life situations is completely different. It’s been fascinating to see how things work in practice, especially in an environment as fast-paced as programmatic advertising—we’re talking milliseconds!”
Beyond the work itself, Ashhad has found a warm and welcoming culture at NewsBreak. His team enjoys exploring local restaurants near the office, supporting small businesses while strengthening team bonds.
“I love the people here. They genuinely care, and I’ve really felt the warmth—it’s an inherent part of the culture at NewsBreak. We go on great team outings and company trips too. We even traveled to New Orleans for an offsite team-building event—it was an incredible experience and a great way to strengthen our relationships.”
When he’s not optimizing ad algorithms, Ashhad enjoys hip-hop dancing, rock climbing, and experimenting with new recipes—bringing the same energy, creativity, and curiosity to his personal interests as he does to his work.
