Our Founder

MARY ANDREOLLI, MDiv | MFA
Creative Technologist | Artist | Scholar

Mary has been fascinated by computers and screened devices since she was a teen. Whether writing BASIC programs on her TRS-80, shooting down aliens on her Atari, or making touchdowns on her Coleco Electronic Quarterback hand-held console, she has been connected to screen technology for most of her life.

Mary’s leadership in technology spans from the development of digital imaging and workflow technology (including SGML and HTML in the 1990s) to the human-first ethical application of AI for government contractors, nonprofits, and theological schools today. In her career as a Religious Communicator, Mary focused on the design and development of digital content that was measurably impactful and transformative. She believed digital media, through intentional human design, could evoke a sense of the spiritual and wrote her MFA thesis on “evoking a sense of the spiritual in motion media design through a nature aesthetic.” Following her MFA, Mary worked for Epic Games as a Virtual Production specialist for the hallmark Unreal Engine 5.0 release.

The Kranky Realization

At the same time, Mary continued to witness how digital media was being used to influence humans toward rampant consumption for the sake of corporate financial gain. In 2020, Mary became deeply impassioned about the impact of screened devices on the natural world. By 2023, she became painfully aware of how social media was affecting her and her spouse’s personal life and began researching the physical, mental, and spiritual impact of social media and screened devices on humanity.

Why The Collective Matters

In 2025, she decided a unique approach was needed to communicate a vital message: for the sake of humanity and the natural world, we must find a better way to survive with our screens so that humanity may thrive. Thus, the Kranky Thumb Collective was born. Her goal is to reimagine humanity’s relationship with nature and technology so that all of creation may equitably flourish.

Mary holds an MFA in Motion Media Design from the Savannah College of Art and Design, a Master of Divinity from Wake Forest University, and a Master’s Certificate in Comics from the Center for Cartoon Studies.

To learn more about Mary’s art, visit: maryandreolli.com