Meet the Festival Team
Our team is combined of a diverse background of knowledge, expertise, and artistic vision, with each person striving to create the most powerful festival and programming year round.
Leadership

Robert Raben
Founder

Joanne Irby

Isisara Bey
Artistic Director

David Andrusia
Executive Director Emeritus
Staff
DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
ANNA CLINE
FESTIVAL PRODUCER
CLEA’ EVENT PRODUCTIONS
VIRTUAL PRODUCER
BRANDON SMITH
FINANCE & ACCOUNTING
IBONEE PERRY, BRIAN SMITH, & ANGELA YANG
EMERGING & STUDENT FILMMAKER COMPETITIONS
OPAL HOPE BENNETT
VR SALON CURATOR
AJA Q. EVANS
CREATIVE DIRECTION, DESIGN, & ILLUSTRATION
NICOLE M. BACKUS
GALA & FUNDRAISING CONSULTANTS
KIMBALL STROUD, LIZ SIZER, MARIE SMEALLIE, & BRANDON TUSKES
CUSTOMER SOLUTIONS
JEN LEE REEVES
STRATEGIC ADVISOR
STEFANIE CRUZ
LINE PRODUCTION
A BOND EVENT
TALENT & HOSPITALITY
JIM TAGLAUER
DIGITAL PRODUCTION & DISTRIBUTION
ACT.TV
DIGITAL MARKETING
FEVER CONTENT
WEBSITE DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT
MORGAN BUTLER
MEDIA & PUBLIC RELATIONS
YOCHI DREAZEN, SARAH DAVEY WOLMAN, & JAYLA SHANNON
AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT
JESSICA HUGGINS
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS ADVISOR
HEATHER HOLMES DILLARD
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
CYAN SHREVE
Board of Trustees
The Festival is guided by a team of leaders across the entertainment, policy, and social justice arenas that ensures the success and execution of our vision.

Stephanie Gold
Hogan Lovells, Chair

Victoria Bassetti
Brennan Center for Justice, Vice Chair

Craig Emanuel
Paul Hastings, Finance Chair

Vickee Jordan Adams
Finsbury Glover Hering

Joyce Brayboy
Goldman Sachs

A'Lelia Bundles
Author

Samara Foxx
Attorney

Melissa Maxfield
Comcast

Joseph Olchefske
Educator and Entrepreneur

Denielle Pemberton-Heard
Diversified Search Group

Alicin Williamson
Yahoo!