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By Hannah Stewart (Comm’19)

The clouds and clear skies fought for dominance over Kyiv, reflecting the tension on the ground, as Jordan Campbell stepped off the worst bus ride of his life—a 24-hour slog from Kraków, Poland, to Ukraine’s capital.

It was the second of what would be many trips to Ukraine, and the beginning of an ambitious documentary film. Standing at the bus station, weighted under camera 
gear and body armor, he considered himself a storyteller.

Now, after three further visits to the front lines, he sees himself as a war journalist.

“It’s breaking my heart to see one of my favorite countries being hit like this,” Campbell (Comm’91) said. “I was embedded with NGOs, riding around in an ambulance, because I’m fascinated by humanitarians doing amazing work around the world. And the best thing I can do to serve humanity is go out, tell the stories and come back safe.”

Campbell traversed literal and figurative mountains to become the filmmaker he is today. Climbs in Tibet and Nepal gave him an up-close look at injustice and inequality, awakening a passion for humanitarianism. His work in media—in a senior communications role with Marmot and as a freelancer for National Geographic—gave him the tools to tell life-changing stories from across the globe.

“I was a corporate guy with a love of moonlight journalism,” he said.

In 2011, on assignment for National Geographic in  war-ravaged South Sudan, Campbell documented the work of cataract surgeon Dr. Geoff Tabin. Upon returning to the States, he was approached by filmmaker Michael Herbener—who is also working on the Ukraine project—with the idea of using Campbell’s footage to make a documentary.

That film, Duk County: Peace Is in Sight in the New South Sudan, went on to win awards and was screened twice at the United Nations.

“The awards feel good, but I want to connect with the audience and have them feel the same way I felt when I was in the field,” Campbell said. “To take it to the United Nations twice, that’s the stuff that makes me feel like we’re having an impact.”

The desire for humanitarian impact—combined with his experience as a communications professional and visual storyteller—prompted Campbell to found Ramro Global 
in 2019.

Its seven-person advisory council contributes insights into global challenges. Christina Tobias-Nahi, who specializes in the Middle East and North Africa for Ramro, met Campbell in 2018 when she spoke at CU Boulder’s Conference on World Affairs.

She is based in Washington, D.C., and as director of public affairs, research and advocacy for Islamic Relief USA, she often travels to places with mass displacement.

“I do a lot of advocacy,” she said. “Everything is so political and contentious, and I admire Jordan’s willingness to use his voice to change political will in Washington.”

Somewhat unconventionally, Campbell also appoints advisors for issues that demand global attention, which is how Michael Carter—an expert in the geopolitics of power and energy—came to the board.

Carter’s experience comes from more than 25 years in the energy industry, where he works on issues of transparency and inequity, like lack of access to sustainable power and movement toward a lower-carbon future.

“It takes a very thoughtful and calm, compassionate mind to look at inequity and do something about it,” he said. “That’s the essence of what Jordan is trying to accomplish.”

As a business strategist, Carter has helped Campbell develop Ramro Global from concept to company. As an energy expert, he provides unique insight into the humanitarian projects Campbell chronicles.

“Some of the first targets the Russian army hit were the Ukrainian power plants,” Carter said. “Power allows us to communicate—especially through mobile phones—and I want to help Jordan communicate his message. He has dedicated himself to humanitarianism.”

Campbell is also dedicated to truth and authenticity, which is why he kept returning to Ukraine despite the rising risk. He hasn’t shied from documenting the desperation and destruction he saw working alongside Project Konstantin, a front-line medical evacuation team. Last year, when the U.S. Senate hosted a Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum event, Campbell presented a six-minute cut of the film, Ukraine Under Fire. He also met with Ukrainian Embassy staff.

“There were representatives from 60 countries in attendance who appreciated my testimony because I was an expert witness on what was going on there,” he said. “I’m not a cataract surgeon, I’m not a pediatric cardiac surgeon. But I’m a journalist and I’m a visual storyteller, and I can make some noise and do good things in the world.”

Campbell’s goal with Ukraine Under Fire is to capture a slice of the war while focusing on themes like democracy, sovereignty and—perhaps most important—resilience. He posted a teaser on the company’s website for public viewing and hopes screenings of the completed film in Washington and throughout Europe will help to further those themes.

“This can turn into such a bigger conflict,” he said. “The scale and scope drew me to the subject. And if you’re a journalist, you want to capture something, add value—and then get out of the way.”

Not only has he been shaken by the devastation while on the front lines, but 
the impacts have followed him home: Nearly every place he visited has since been bombed, and he’s lost friends to the conflict, as well. It has, as he put it, “gotten under my rib cage.”

That’s only strengthened Campbell’s commitment to honoring their courage and sacrifice through his film.

“Some people become the bystanders, and some people become the heroes,” Tobias-Nahi said. “Jordan puts his life in danger to bring these stories to people, and it gives a face to that humanitarian need. I really admire his bravery.”