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

Acting Executive Director

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.