Zach grew up in northern New Jersey, along with childhood stints in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Florida. He earned his bachelor’s at Cornell University, where he majored in English and Performing & Media Arts and graduated summa cum laude. Zach then pursued graduate study at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he earned both a master’s and, as of 2024, a PhD degree in Communication Arts. Zach has published scholarship on global cinema, experimental film, and the contemporary media industries, with a particular focus on independent distribution companies. While at UW-Madison, Zach taught hundreds of students across courses in film production, digital media, and film history. Beyond writing and teaching, Zach enjoys keeping up to date with culture (everything from art exhibits and French films to the latest Mario game or Real Housewives franchise), cooking moderately difficult recipes at home, and going on hikes with his silly, happy dog, Georgie.
