Angela Costello
Award-winning creative producer, director, composer, communicator, event strategist, and innovation leader with more than three decades of experience at the intersection of creativity, technology, and impact.
Angela Costello is an award-winning creative producer, director, composer, communicator, event strategist, and innovation leader based in Hampton Roads, Virginia. With more than three decades of experience in communications, marketing, media production, immersive technology, public relations, live events, and strategic storytelling, she has built a career at the intersection of creativity, technology, and impact.
As President and Chief Creative Officer of AngelaCostelloGroup, which she has led since 1989, Angela directs a creative think tank known for cost-effective, high-impact media, public relations, presentations, special events, and dynamic programming. Guided by the company mantra, "The sky is not the limit, it's a great place to start," she has served national and international clients including Amazon, Microsoft, MGM, Matchbox Twenty, Insomniac, Clemson University, the Academy of Country Music, USAID, the World Bank, and National Geographic. She has also spoken to more than 500 conference and professional audiences.
Angela's leadership experience also included serving as Vice President of Communications and Marketing for the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation, where she supported Virginia's innovation ecosystem through strategic communications and marketing initiatives under the Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade.
A leader in UxS, Advanced Air Mobility, virtual reality, aerial imaging, and emerging media communications, Angela has helped pioneer proprietary technologies that merge storytelling, aviation, entertainment, medical training, and immersive experiences. She is the founder/operator of SwivelVR360, SwivelMed, and ScapeVR. SwivelVR was featured on Entertainment Tonight for the world's first live virtual reality broadcast with Matchbox Twenty and became one of Apple's top 10 apps. SwivelMED advanced interactive surgical training in live operating environments, while ScapeVR was created as one of the early immersive environmental experiences combining virtual reality and music.
Angela has earned more than 75 national and international awards for her work in communications, television, film, music composition, event production, and innovation. She has produced more than 200 award-winning programs and five books distributed in more than 200 countries and 60 languages. Her recognitions include Virginia Wesleyan University's Distinguished Alumnus Award, Inside Business's Women in Business Award, the Rotary Citizenship Award, the Virginia Municipal League Communicators Award, and recognition among the 2024 Top 100 People to Meet. She also holds patents related to advertising display technology, entertainment VR, and medical/surgical virtual reality filming and training systems.
Angela is an alumna of Harvard Business School, where she focused on international business, including foreign studies in Japan and participation in the U.S. Competitiveness Project, and Virginia Wesleyan University, where she studied Psychology and Human Services. Her additional studies include innovation and public policy at Harvard Kennedy School of Government and MIT, as well as master's-level work in Communications and Advertising at Regent University.
Beyond her professional achievements, Angela is deeply committed to public service, humanitarian work, and community leadership. Her affiliations and service have included appointed roles with the Economic Development Authority, service as Public Information Officer for the City of Poquoson, the Virginia Wesleyan University Alumni Board, Langley Air Force Base Civic League, the U.S. Fulbright Scholar Program, the Television Academy of Arts & Sciences, ASIFA-Hollywood, Rotary International, and the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International. Her humanitarian work has extended across Africa, the Philippines, Russia, Ukraine, China, Korea, Thailand, and India.
Angela is also a licensed pilot, Part 107 UAS operator, and ordained crisis chaplain with Chaplains International. Her personal and professional philosophy, "Think big, plan well, remain flexible, appreciate people, and enjoy the journey," captures the spirit of her leadership, creativity, resilience, and service. Among her greatest personal achievements is the international adoption of her son, a journey that reflects the compassion, determination, and global perspective that have shaped her life and career.