The Story Behind Dash Media
Great storytelling starts with great people. The Dash Media team brings together filmmakers, photographers, interviewers, and creative professionals who share a passion for honoring the experiences of older adults. Our team works closely with senior living communities across the country, building genuine relationships that help residents and staff feel comfortable sharing their stories. The result is media that feels natural, dignified, and deeply human.
Founder/CEO
Nathan Jones is a former college football coach turned senior living advocate. Nathan was introduced to the world of senior living just out of college, and from the moment he first stepped foot into a senior living community, he was hooked. Since that day, Nathan’s mission has been to change the negative perception surrounding aging & senior living through sharing authentic stories of older adults.
What began as a passion project birthed a company. Dash Media was born because of the successes & reach of an Instagram account Nathan created called @seniorlivingstories. Since Nathan went launched Dash Media in 2022, @seniorlivingstories has reached 50+ million people through sharing stories highlighting older adults.
In Nathan’s free time, he enjoys competing in just about any sport, cheering on the Georgia Bulldogs, traveling with his family, and doing his best to love people as Jesus loves us.
Chief Creative Officer
Randy always loved storytelling. As a kid, Randy would ride his bike down to his buddies house and play Lord of the Rings with sticks they found in his backyard. Immediately afterwards, he would ride back home and fill his mind with any story he could get his hands on. He loved movies, books, and video games because of where the stories would take him. It was always like going to a new world.
Now, as an adult, Randy has over a decade of telling stories through videography just like he dreamed as a kid. He views every day as a new page to his story. Over the past 5 years, he has traveled to over 20 countries, married the love of his life, and shared the love of Christ, the greatest love story in the history of the world.
During his time as a videographer, he has learned that most people are just like him… they also love a captivating story and are also writing their own story. This is where he has found his passion & purpose… telling others stories! He prides himself on connecting with people and capturing some of the most awe-inspiring stories you could ever hear. Stories of real people and their passions, which is far better than any movie!
VP of Operations
Shawna is a born-and-raised Clevelander, with a BA in Video Production from Ohio University, and an MBA from Cleveland State. After a series of serendipitous events, Shawna and Nate ended up on a Zoom call that completely changed the trajectory of her career.
After 15 years in the steel industry, Shawna jumped at the opportunity to get back to her roots in video production at Dash Media. The greatest loves of her life are her family and traveling. If you receive an out-of-office reply from Shawna, she’s most likely galavanting around the globe with her husband, Andrew. Her wanderlust has taken her everywhere from Africa to Zermatt, and she has captured the good, the bad, and the ugly (Oh, she has STORIES) with video and social media along the way. She’s always looking to expand her bucket list, so let her know where she should go next!
VP of Customer Success
Shelby has always loved Seniors and has worked in the Senior Living industry for most of her career. Her true passion when working in Sales at Retirement Communities was being able to hear the stories of residents or customers looking for their next home. She believes in the power of connection, feeling heard and important, and learning from one another, especially those that have a lifetime of wisdom and experience to share. Shelby’s second passion has always been to create videos and capture moments you can cherish for years to come. This passion led to viral videos on TikTok and Instagram of her and her Grandma. She considers her Grandma (known as “Nanny”) to be her best friend.
After Dash Media had seen one of her videos and shared it on @seniorlivingstories, Shelby was lucky enough to connect with the Dash team and the rest is history. When working with Shelby, feel free to pinch her since she still feels as if she is living the dream of being able to combine her two passions in life into a daytime job. When not creating videos with her Grandma, or having fun… I mean working* for Dash Media, you can find Shelby traveling, spending time with her family, exploring her new home in Baltimore, MD with her fiancée, or promoting her children’s book, Grandma’s in the Phone!
Dash Media exists to help organizations tell the stories of their people through video, photography, and social media. We believe every stage of life carries meaning, dignity, and wisdom worth sharing. By highlighting the voices and experiences of older adults, we help senior living communities honor the lives within their walls and show the world the true heart of what they do.
Dash Media is inspired by the small line between two dates on a gravestone; it’s the dash that represents everything in between. It’s a reminder that a life is defined not by its beginning or end, but by the stories, relationships, and moments that fill it. Our work exists to honor that dash, capturing the dignity, joy, and humanity of older adults through meaningful storytelling.
Dash Media was founded with the mission of engaging the world through the eyes of older adults. We believe the stories of older generations are some of the most meaningful and valuable stories that can be shared.
Our team has interviewed and filmed thousands of older adults across the country, capturing wisdom, life lessons, and powerful personal stories.
The “dash” is inspired by a sermon that Nathan heard in 2016, which is also a poem “The Dash,” It symbolizes on the small dash between the date someone is born and the date they pass away. That dash represents the life they lived — the memories, relationships, and impact they made along the way. Dash Media was founded on the belief that every person has a meaningful story within their dash, and our mission is to help capture and share those stories, especially the wisdom and experiences of older adults.
We're ready when you are. Complete this form and our team will be in touch to help bring your stories to life!
"*" indicates required fields
