Raymond Telles' twenty-five year career in film and television includes the production of documentaries and news magazine segments. He has produced and directed for Public Television, Turning Point and Nightline-ABC, Dateline- NBC. His independent productions include films for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and the Independent Television Service (ITVS).
Among the more than 30 documentaries Telles has produced and directed are: "Continent on the Move" for the PBS series Americas; "The Fight in the Fields," a feature documentary on Cesar Chavez and the Farm Workers' movement which was in documentary competition at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival and aired on PBS; "Children of the Night" for Frontline -PBS, winner of a DuPont-Columbia Gold Baton Award as well a number of other honors; and In Search of Law and Order, a three hour series on Juvenile Justice for PBS and Channel 4 (UK).

Recent documentaries include: “Eye on the Universe” for Discovery Networks International; “Memorials” for Nightline-ABC; “Miracle Babies",“Tough Choices” and “Making a Baby” for MSNBC as well as several segments for the PBS series Life 360. Telles is currently developing “The Storm that Swept Mexico,” a three hour series for PBS and recently completed production on “Race is the Place” for PBS. Telles is the Northern California producer for Media Link International whose corporate clients include Google, Logitech, and Siemens.

Raymond Telles has won numerous awards including three Emmy Awards, two PBS Programming Awards for News and Current Affairs, The Ohio State Award, an ALMA Award, a NATAS Community Service Award, top honors in the San Francisco, American Film and Video Association, Chicago and New York Film Festivals, the DuPont-Columbia Gold Baton, 2 Cine Golden Eagles, as well as numerous other awards for his work in film and broadcast journalism.
In 1999 Telles served on the Documentary Jury for the Sundance Film Festival and has been a consultant to the Institute on Latin American projects.

Frida Torresblanco received her B.A. in Film & Media Studies from Mexico's Metropolitan Autonomous University, a M.A. in Communication Studies from the Complutense University of Madrid and a M.A. in Literature and Scriptwriting from Madrid’s School of Literature. She worked as assistant director on several films, documentaries, TV series and ads in Spain, Europe, the U.S. and Morocco, including MARATHON, by Carlos Saura, official film of the 1992 Olympics, CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS THE DISCOVERY with Marlon Brando, directed by John Glen, and Fernando Trueba's THE IDEAL WOMAN. Frida has worked as production coordinator and line producer on several documentaries, including Javier Rioyo and José Luis López Linares' BUÑUEL and STORMING THE HEAVENS: THE DEATH OF LEON TROTSKI, where she also directed the 2nd unit. Frida then joined Spain's Globo Media where she produced a number of projects including the hit series COMPAÑEROS and MORE THAN FRIENDS, which she executive produced, and the documentary WENCES 100 YEARS.

Frida went on to start up Lolafilms' new television department, Lola Television, where she executive produced the award-winning program LA GRAN ILUSION. Frida was then responsible for the design, pre-production and sales of Lolafilms' international English language productions: THE DANCER UPSTAIRS by John Malcovich, RAIN by Katherine Lindberg, OFF KEY by Manuel Gómez Pereira and THE GIRL FROM RÍO by Christopher Monger. Frida was the producer of Susan Seidelman's GAUDI AFTERNOON.

From 2001 – 2004, Frida headed production for Alfonso Cuarón and Jorge Vergara’s Anhelo Productions, in their New York office. She was executive producer on Anhelo's 2005 films THE ASSASSINATION OF RICHARD NIXON by Niels Mueller and CRONICAS by Sebastian Cordero. In 2005, she and Alfonso created their own company, Esperanto Filmoj, of which Alfonso is president and Frida runs out of New York. With Esperanto, Frida is producing upcoming projects Ciudades Desiertas, The History of Love, and The Memory of Running. Additionally, with Alfonso and filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, Frida is a partner in OMM, which produced Pan’s Labyrinth in 2008.

David Valdes is one of the film industries busiest and most respected film producers. During the course of his long and diversified career, he has enjoyed successful collaborations with such noted filmmakers as Clint Eastwood, Francis Ford Coppola, Frank Darabont, Kevin Costner and has helped launch the careers of a number of popular actors. David most recently shot a western for Warner Bros. entitled THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES by the Coward Robert Ford starring Brad Pitt and directed by Andrew Dominik. An award-winning producer whose films include THE GREEN MILE, GARDENS OF STONE and THE ROOKIE, David is perhaps best known for his professional partnership with Clint Eastwood, with whom he has worked on 18 features, including UNFORGIVEN, WHITE HUNTER, PALE RIDER, THE DEAD POOL, PINK CADILLAC and BIRD. David has worked in television as a director during the first season of the innovative series "Moonlighting," starring Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis. In addition, he has worked in all television formats, including movies-of-the-week, series, commercials and music videos before finding his niche as a motion picture producer.

Jeff Valdez realized his vision by launching Sí TV in February 2004 as the first national English-language network targeting Latinos. The network features several original shows including, “The Rub”, “Across the Hall”, and “Urban Jungle” as well as numerous acquired programs including “American Family” on PBS and “Resurrection Blvd” on Showtime.
As Co-Founder and Chairman of SíTV, Mr. Valdez was one of the first to recognize that Latinos wanted to see themselves on English-language television. He began his TV career by creating, hosting and producing the local Los Angeles TV series “Comedy Compadres”, leading the Los Angeles Times to dub him “the Ed Sullivan of Latino talent.” In 1996 Mr. Valdez joined forces with venture capitalist Bruce Barshop and started the San Antonio-based Latino Laugh Festival, a star-studded multi-day event that was soon picked up by Showtime.

Ethan Van Thillo is Founder and Executive Director of the Media Arts Center San Diego (MACSD). Since 1989, he has been working in media arts field programming Latino film festivals for the University of California, Santa Cruz, Cine Acción in San Francisco, Cine Estudiantil at the University of California San Diego, and the National Latino Communications Center in Los Angeles. Ethan has curated literally 1,000s of screenings at festivals and/or special events in Mexico City, Morelia, Las Cruces, Nuevo Laredo, San Antonio, Tijuana, Sacramento, and San Diego. In 1999, to broaden the scope of the festival and to serve more communities in the San Diego County-Tijuana Border region, Ethan established Media Arts Center San Diego, 501c(3) non-profit organization. As Executive Director of MACSD, Mr. van Thillo founded such innovative programs and initiatives as the Digital Story Station, Cinema en tu Idioma, Tu Voz Tv, Open Screening Night, Cine Club! and the acclaimed Teen Producers Project (TPP).

Ethan has served on various funding panels including San Diego Commission for Arts & Culture, Latino Public Broadcasting, the national nominating committee for Rockefeller Foundation's Film and Video Fellowships and the National Endowment for the Arts’ funding panel for Media Arts. Numerous local awards Ethan has received include: San Diego Metropolitan Magazine’s “40 Under 40” award, “One to Watch” feature article in the San Diego Union-Tribune in December 2006, and San Diego’s Mayor and City Council recognized him for his significant positive economic and social contributions. His efforts have also been recognized by San Diego County Supervisors, City Council and Mayor of Chula Vista, Congressman Bob Filner, Association of Independent Film & Video Makers, Keep on Crossing Awards, and San Diego Film Critics Society. Mr. van Thillo has been invited to speak at such important events as the National Association of Latino Arts & Culture annual conference, and the American Library Association annual conference.

Natalia Almada is the director of EL GENERAL, a documentary feature that premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the award for best documentary director.  Her first feature documentary, AL OTRO LADO, was developed at NALIP’s Latino Producers Academy, and was shown at festivals all over the world, then had its national broadcast on American Documentary | P.O.V..  Her directing credits also include her internationally recognized experimental short film ALL WATER HAS A PERFECT MEMORY.  Natalia’s work has screened at the Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenheim Museum.  She is a MacDowell Colony and 2008 Guggenheim Fellow, a 2007 Rockefeller Fellow, and recipient of NALIP’s Estela Award in 2007.

Adriana Ambriz is a creative executive at 20th Century Fox.  She studied English Literature at Brown University and began her career in the entertainment industry as an agent trainee and assistant at Creative Artists Agency.  She was then hired as a junior executive at Fox where she has worked on films including THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL and THEY CAME FROM UPSTAIRS.  Adriana also has various projects in development and is a local to Los Angeles, California.  

Rose Arce is a senior producer working on the “Latino in America” documentary series with Soledad O’Brien for CNN.  She was also a senior producer on the series “Black in America,” and the soon-to-be-released HER NAME WAS STEVEN.  Prior to joining the staff at CNN, she was a producer at CBS News and WCBS TV, where she was awarded two Emmys for her work.  Rose began her career as a print journalist, most recently for New York Newsday where she shared the Pulitzer Prize.

Marilyn R. Atlas is an award-winning producer and personal manager who is committed to projects that reflect diversity.  She is equally at home in the worlds of film, television, and live theater.  Her recent musical version of  Real Women Have Curves will move from Los Angeles to the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, and is looking at a possible run on Broadway.  Some additional current projects are BITTER ROOT (Starz/Hallmark), SUBURBAN TURBAN, and LOLA GOES TO ROMA.  Among her credits as a film producer are REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES for HBO, which won the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival.

Luis Barreto is currently a reality TV producer for 51 Minds entertainment and his credits include “LA Ink,” and “America’s Next Top Model.”  In Spring 2008 he partnered with Chris Ragazzo and founded realitytvbootcampã, a two-day intensive workshop geared to developing producers interested in unscripted entertainment.  Luis began his career producing at Bunim/Murray Productions on MTV shows; quickly advancing he made the jump to producer and director on shows for ABC, PBS, Fox, UPN, A&E, and NBC.  As well as being nominated for an Emmy for his work on ABC's "Extreme Makeover-Home Edition,” he has produced reality television all over the world.

Charlyn Bernal is the associate director of film and television music for the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP).  She works directly with ASCAP's composer, songwriter, and publisher members who have music or songs in a film or television program.  Prior to ASCAP, she worked on several film and television projects as a composer, orchestrator, sound designer, and music transcriber.  Some of her credits include JEEPERS CREEPERS and LOVE STINKS, as well as television shows “Providence,” “The West Wing,” “Roswell,” “The Ellen Show,” and the Emmy nominated Showtime series “Odyssey 5.”  Musical projects include Snuffy Walden's solo album, Taylor Guitar albums, and Windham Hill Christmas samplers.

Douglas Cheney is a writer, director, and co-founder of Big Fantastic, a web production company.  In less than three years Big Fantastic has produced over two hundred episodes of web video content.  Their first two series, "Sam Has 7 Friends" and "Prom Queen" were both Emmy-nominated for Outstanding Broadband Drama, and both quickly sold to Michael Eisner.  In 2008, Big Fantastic launched two major series, their award winning thriller "Foreign Body,” and the teen mystery “Sorority Forever.”  Douglas has shot and directed over seventy-five commercials and music videos and worked on numerous cable television programs.  After making his first documentary film SEARCH FOR SANTA in 2006, Cheney directed FRANK, a feature film starring Jon Gries and Cynthia Watros.

Alfredo de Villa is the director of the feature film NOTHING LIKE THE HOLIDAYS starring John Leguizamo, Alfred Molina and Debra Messing, which was released by Overture Films in November 2008.  The previous year, his film ADRIFT IN MANHATTAN starring Heather Graham and William Baldwin, was featured at the Sundance Film Festival. YELLOW, starring Bill Duke and Roselyn Sanchez, also opened in 2007. WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, his first film, premiered at Sundance in 2002 and won a special jury prize at the Tribeca Film Festival before its national release.  When he is not working on feature films, Alfredo works non-stop directing television, or comes out to mentor at the LPA.

Eric Escobar is a San Francisco Bay-based filmmaker who is part of Kontent Films, a directors collective, where he directs commercials, his own original work, develops tools for filmmakers, and blogs prolifically.  In 2005 his short film, ONE WEEKEND A MONTH, won an honorable mention at the Sundance Film Festival.  In addition to making films, Eric has worked in filmmaking software development at Apple Inc. and Adobe Systems, and is secretly at work on a commissioned web series.

Manuel Garcia-Duran is chairman and chief executive officer of Latino Interactive Network, Inc. / MIO.TV.   Formerly, Manuel served as the chairman of Telefonica Media, a unit of Telefonica SA, the largest telecommunications company in Spain and Latin America.  Manuel held roles as senior vice president of marketing, advertising, and communications at Telefonica, as well as chief brand officer and deputy chairman of Antena 3 TV.  Prior to joining Telefonica, Manuel was CEO and board member of T. Comunicacion, a strategic marketing and branding company specializing in sports.  Manuel also has held executive leadership roles at EMI Record Co., CBS Record Co., and the De Beers Diamond Co.

Nancy Geller is senior vice president for HBO Entertainment, responsible for overseeing the creation and production of HBO’s live music and event programming.  She supervises the production of high-profile programs including “Real Time with Bill Maher,” plus concert events with mega stars like Janet Jackson, Britney Spears, Madonna, and Marc Anthon, along with one-man shows featuring John Leguizamo, Jerry Seinfeld, and Robin Williams.  Nancy joined HBO from the Comedy Channel, where she was vice president of Original Programming.  She has received the Producers Guild of America Nova Award for television programming, as well as the New York Women in Cable & Television Watch Award.  She has worked such successful programs as “Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher,” and “The Chris Rock Show.”

Juan Gonzalez has been a staff columnist for the New York Daily News since 1987, and a co-host of “Democracy Now” for the past twelve years.  He is currently completing a comprehensive history of racism in the American news media, to be published this year.  On “Democracy Now,” joined by co-host Amy Goodman, his exclusive interviews of international leaders such as Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez and Iran’s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have repeatedly broken major news.  During a turbulent career that has spanned thirty plus years, Juan has emerged as one of the country’s best-known and most-respected Latino journalists.  He is the author of three books:  Harvest of Empire: A History of Latinos in America; Roll Down Your Window: Stories from a Forgotten America; and Fallout: The Environmental Consequences of the World Trade Center Collapse.

Fernando J. Guerra has been the director of the Center for the Study of Los Angeles since 1996.  He is also an associate professor at LMU in Chicano studies and political science departments.  Fernando has authored numerous publications that focus on politics and ethnicity issues in California including: Latino Politics in California: The Necessary Conditions for Success; Minority Electoral Representation Patterns During the Pat Brown Years; and Theory, Reality, and Perpetual Potential: Latinos in the 1992 California Elections.  He is also a member of the Los Angeles Transportation and Rent Adjustment Commissions.

Paula Heredia is an award winning director and editor.  She recently finished “The Alzheimer’s Project,” a multiplatform series for HBO that will premiere in May 2009.  Her latest documentary, AFRICA RISING, chronicles the fight to end female genital mutilation and premiered at the Ouagadougou Film Festival in Burkina Faso.  Paula was awarded an Emmy for the HBO documentary IN MEMORIAM, NYC 9/11/01, while her work on the HBO series, “Addiction” earned an ACE Eddie Award.  Other editorial works include: THE ART OF FAILURE: CHUCK CONNELLY NOT FOR SALE, which premiered on HBO, and ALIVE DAY MEMORIES – HOME FROM IRAQ.  Paula heads the international committee of New York Women in Film and Television and serves on the Board of Advisors of the Tribeca Film Institute’s All Access.

John Hoffman is vice president of HBO Documentary Films. An award-winning television producer, John has been associated with HBO since 1996.  Notable HBO credits include:,”The Alzheimer’s Project,” "Addiction,” “Last Letters Home: Voices of American Troops From the Battlefields of Iraq,” IN MEMORIAM, NYC 9/11/01, LALEE’S KIN: THE LEGACY OF COTTON, PARAGRAPH 175, and Emmy- and Academy- Award winner ONE DAY IN SEPTEMBER.  Prior to HBO, John created and produced the award-winning Nickelodeon series “Allegra’s Window.” As the Executive Director of AIDSFILMS from ’93-96, he produced six multi-award winning documentaries, including the PBS special “AIDS: Changing the Rules.” 

Pearlena Igbokwe is senior vice president of original programming at Showtime Networks, Inc.  She developed and supervises “Dexter” and “Tracey Ullman’s State of the Union.”  Upcoming shows include “Nurse Jackie,” a comedy series starring Emmy winner Edie Falco, and a half hour comedy pilot starring Matthew Perry.  Previously, Pearlena shepherded in the comedies “Fat Actress,” starring Kirstie Alley, “Barbershop,” and “The Underground,” starring Damon Wayans.   She was also responsible for the hit Showtime series “Soul Food,” a two-time NAACP Image Award winner for Best Drama Series.  Pearlena has been featured in Hollywood Reporter and Multichannel News as well as Ebony and Black Enterprise.

Paula A. Kerger is president and chief executive officer of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), the nation’s largest non-commercial media organization with 356 member stations throughout the country.  In addition to leading PBS, Paula is president of the independent organization that raises private sector funding for PBS, and a director of the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.  For the past three years, the Hollywood Reporter has included Paula in the “Women in Entertainment Power 100,” an annual survey of the nation’s top women executives in media, and in 2008, she received the Women of Achievement Award from Women in Development, New York. 

Scott Landsman is currently the vice president, original programming and development at Comedy Central where he focuses on both scripted and unscripted pilots on the West Coast.  This is Scott's second tour of duty at Comedy Central; he was a production assistant in on-air promotions in 1994 in the network's New York office, and rejoined the company a decade later in 2004 as director of current programming in Los Angeles.  Prior to working at Comedy Central, Scott was director of development at Stun Creative, and a freelance writer/producer, producing unscripted projects including the half-hour comedy pilot "Crash" for the National Lampoon Network.  From 1999-2001, he was director of development for USA Broadcasting and executive director of development for USA Interactive.

Ruth Livier is an experienced actor and producer whose newest feature, DRAG ME TO HELL, was directed by Sam Raimi and also stars Adriana Barraza.  In addition to her writing/executive producer credit on “Ylse,” her animated feature LOS CAMPEONES DE LA LUCHA LIBRE will premiere later this year.  She also continues her reoccurring role as Maribel on “Haunting Passions,” a Mexican-style English language telenovela web series.  She executive produced “In Her Shoes,” a pilot modeled after “The View” featuring diverse Latinas, and has been featured in prominent publications like TV Guide, People en Español, and Hispanic Magazine.  She won a Best Actress ALMA Award for “Resurrection Blvd.,” and has also received special recognition by the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts.

Mark Lloyd is vice president of strategic initiatives at the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR) and the LCCR Education Fund.  He is also an affiliate professor of Public Policy at Georgetown University.  A frequent contributor to both academic and popular publications, his book Prologue to a Farce: Communication and Democracy in America, was published in 2007.  Prior to joining LCCR, Mark was a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress.  An Emmy award-winning journalist, Mark has produced and reported for radio and television including NBC and CNN.  He also worked as a communications lawyer at the firm of Dow, Lohnes & Albertson.

Josefina Lópezis currently writing a screenplay for Sony/Lifetime based on the book by Julia Alvarez, Once Upon A Quinceañera;  her first novel, Hungry Woman in Paris, was published in March.  Josefina is best known for authoring the play and co-writing the film REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES.  She is the recipient of a number of awards and accolades, including a formal recognition from U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer’s seventh Annual Women Making History banquet in 1998, and a screenwriting fellowship from the California Arts Council in 2001.  She and REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES coauthor George LaVoo won the Humanitas Prize for Screenwriting in 2002, and the Gabriel García Márquez Award from the Los Angeles Mayor in 2003.  Josefina is the founder of “Casa 0101 Theater Art Space” in Boyle Heights, where she teaches screenwriting and playwriting and nurturing a new generation of Latino artists.

Juan Mandelbaum is a documentary filmmaker, producer, teacher, and consultant.  His most recent feature, OUR DISAPPEARED, was funded through the Sundance Institute, the ITVS Diversity Development Fund, and Latino PBS.  Its controversial content focuses on the missing people of Argentina’s brutal military dictatorship; it will air on PBS’ Independent Lens in September 2009.  Juan is president and creative director of Geovision, a multicultural agency in Watertown, Massachusetts.  His award-winning work has been broadcast on “American Playhouse” and “Sesame Street,” while his independent productions have aired on PBS and are in worldwide distribution.  He is the past president of International Film Seminars, and is on the board of the NALIP-Boston chapter.

Lucinda Martinez-Desir is vice president, market development, for HBO, where she is responsible for overseeing all market development activities, including retail marketing for the company’s wireless entertainment services, HBO Mobile and HBO Family, and segment marketing/promotions for the African American, Latino and Gay/Lesbian markets.  Prior to her current position, Lucinda was director, strategic partnerships and emerging markets, where she developed and collaborated on marketing and promotional plans in support of HBO’s new media platforms.  From 1998 to 2003, she was at Comedy Central, first as an account director and then as director, partnership marketing.  She began her career as a manager, merchandising/ethnic marketing at Avon Products Inc. in New York City in 1992.

Rosalinda Morales is a casting director whose recent notable feature casting credits are LA MISMA LUNA, LADRÓN QUE ROBA A LADRÓN, and POR VIDA starring Danny Glover, Elizabeth Peña, Snoop Dog, and Kate del Castillo.  She is currently working on the feature film FLIGHTS OF FANCY, which recounts the true life rags to riches story of Dr. Ricardo E. Saca.  She began her career in the entertainment industry over 25 years ago, and has developed promising talent in film, television, and theatre.  Rosalinda has also worked with veteran TV producer and indie filmmaker, Ken Loach.

Rick Najera is vice president, content and development at mio.tv.  An award-winning actor-writer-director and producer with credits in film, television, theatre, and Broadway, Rick penned the feature film NOTHING LIKE THE HOLIDAYS, starring John Leguizamo, Debra Messing, Alfred Molina, and Freddy Rodriguez.  He was honored twice by Hispanic Business Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential Latinos in America.  His writing credits include groundbreaking television comedies “Mad TV” and “In Living Color,” his live stage comedy Latinologues™, which went on to Broadway, and his newest comedic stage plays Sweet 15 Quinceañera and Daddy Diaries.  He was an executive at LATV Networks, where he created new original content including “Homies Hip Hop Show” and “Cesar and Chuy and Mas Comedy.”

Fern Orenstein is vice president, casting at CBS.  She is responsible for casting CBS’s “Hallmark Hall of Fame” movies, reality series, CBC.com’s broadband channel, and original mobile content.  Fern has spearheaded more than 75 actor showcases and workshops as part of CBS’s Diversity Institute program.  Prior to CBS, she was involved in casting more than 100 movies including TOO YOUNG TO DIE, BILLY THE KID, featuring Brad Pitt in his first starring role, and THE TRUTH ABOUT JANE with Stockard Channing.  In 1999, she was nominated for an Emmy Award for her work on the CBS mini-series “Joan of Arc.”  She is the recipient of two Media Access Awards for her diversity work.

Michelle Paster is an accomplished journalist, photojournalist and filmmaker from Los Angeles who is currently directing/producing the documentary film, JOBS FOR RENT, a film about the emotional and financial journeys of three 20-somethings amid these hard economic times.  Most recently, she wrote the treatment for a documentary video for the Pepsi-Cola Company on Pepsi and popular culture.  She is published in The LA Weekly, Documentary Magazine, Phoenix New Times, OC Metro, Film & Video, and has been the managing editor for AFI’s The Daily News.  Michelle’s production work includes Paramount Pictures, the WB, ABC, and TLC Television Programming.

Chris Ragazzo is a writer, photographer, and creator of the top-rated "My Mac Guys," a show devoted to the Apple Macintosh platform.  In 2008 he partnered with Luis Barreto and founded realitytvbootcampã, a two-day intensive workshop geared to developing producers interested in unscripted entertainment.  Chris is also a published photographer; his work has appeared in national publications like The New York Times and JPG Magazine.  His first produced screenplay, MAGIC STICKS, featured Samuel L. Jackson; the film received the AICP Award for New Directors.  Chris’ writing and directing credits include MTV, VH-1, Nickelodeon, Oxygen, Universal Television, and The Sundance Channel.

Harrison Reiner produced and co-wrote AMAR A MORIR, winner of the Best Spanish Language Film Award at the 2009 Santa Barbara International Film Festival.  He is staff story analyst at CBS-Paramount Television, a Latino Writers Lab mentor, and visiting Associate Professor of Screenwriting at UC Santa Barbara.  He served as production executive for Sovereign Pictures (co-distributors of the Academy Award-winning motion pictures MY LEFT FOOT and CINEMA PARADISO), story editor for RKO Pictures, and as story analyst for Warner Brothers Feature Animation, Universal Pictures, and Sherry Lansing Productions in association with Paramount Pictures.  Harrison was a visiting Associate Professor of Writing for Short Film at UCLA’s School of Film and Television, and earned his M.F.A. at Columbia University School of the Arts.

Rene M. Rigal is vice president of development and production at State Street Pictures.  He is partnered with filmmakers Bob Teitel and George Tillman, Jr.  Most recently, he executive produced NOTHING LIKE THE HOLIDAYS for Overture Films.  Future projects for Rene include a feature on famed surfer Bobby Martinez at Participant Media and SAMURAI at Fox Atomic, just two of several projects in development that he will co-produce for State Street.  He began his career as an actor in the late 1990s, both onstage and onscreen.  His first producing credit was FISH IN A BARREL, a comic version of Tarantino¹s RESERVOIR DOGS.

Alex Rivera is a New York based digital media artist and filmmaker.  His first feature film, SLEEP DEALER, premiered at Sundance 2008, and won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award and the Alfred P. Sloan Award.  Alex is a Sundance and Rockefeller Fellow, and his work, which addresses concerns of the Latino community through a language of humor, satire, and metaphor, has been screened at the Berlin International Film Festival, the Guggenheim Museum, Telluride, PBS, the New York Expo, and other international venues.

Phillip Rodriguez is a documentary filmmaker and a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Justice and Journalism at the USC Annenberg School for Communication.  His most recent documentary, LATINOS ’08, examined the 2008 presidential election, and explored the impact Latinos will have on American politics for decades to come.  Phillip’s previous film, BROWN IS THE NEW GREEN: GEORGE LOPEZ AND THE AMERICAN DREAM, won the 2008 Imagen Award for Best TV Documentary.  He is also the founder of City Projects, a company that creates media for a rapidly diversifying America and invites new audiences to its educational programs via broadcast, internet, and community outreach.

Richard Saiz is senior programming manager, Independent Television Services, (ITVS) where he oversees Open Call, ITVS’ biggest funding initiative.   Richard has over 30 years experience as a television journalist, producer, director, and writer in both public and commercial broadcasting.  He joined the ITVS staff in 1999 as a long-time producer, whose credits include 18 documentaries produced for Westinghouse and national syndication.  He has won numerous awards including the DuPont-Columbia Silver Baton and Best TV Documentary from the San Francisco International Film Festival.

Kelly Sanders is the Executive Director for Truly Indie, an initiative launched by 2929 Entertainment which includes Magnolia Pictures and Landmark Theatres.  Their mission is to find quality films whose filmmakers want direct access to all the services of a professional theatrical release, such as custom marketing, publicity, and advertising campaigns.  Kelly reviews all submissions to the Truly Indie program, and oversees the distribution, exhibition, advertising, and marketing of all releases in the United States.  Kelly has been with Truly Indie since its inception, and is based in the company’s Austin offices.

Rudy Scalese is the director of development for Nala Films, where he helps identify and develop material for relatively big budget films, as well as its lower-budget genre fare.  Rudy recently helped oversee Nala’s development and production of SHELTER, a supernatural thriller starring Julianne Moore and Jonathan Rhys Meyers.  He also produced the critically acclaimed horror documentary GOING TO PIECES:  THE RISE AND FALL OF THE SLASHER for Starz/Encore.  Prior to his position at Nala Films, Rudy helped run the Screamfest LA Horror Film Festival along with festival partner, Academy Award winner Stan Winston.  Rudy began his career as a p.a. on Wes Craven’s NEW NIGHTMARE.

Stephanie Sharis is executive vice president at SnagFilms.  Previously, she worked at AOL as director of creative development, where she developed original programming and managed AOL True Stories, a broadband channel for documentaries.  Before joining AOL, Stephanie co-founded and served as co-president of Transmission Films, an online distributor of independent and foreign films.  She has also worked as a project consultant for Walden Media, Content Film, Urbanworld Films, JP Morgan, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.  Stephanie has also produced films: she co-produced THE PROMISE, a short film starring Saundra Santiago and Kevin Conway;  MUSIC INN, a documentary that premiered at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival; and THE PARTY’S OVER, a feature documentary starring Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Hana Siddiqi is co-producer of the documentary feature NEW MUSLIM COOL. She was raised with a combination of traditional Islamic and modern Western ideals.  As an undergraduate she designed her own interdisciplinary major and wrote her thesis paper on Muslim Politics, Identity, and Hip Hop in America.  She received a Masters degree in Near Eastern Studies from New York University and was a fellow at the CPB/PBS Producers Academy at WGBH. 

Cindi Smith is the Executive Director of research and analysis for Nielsen Entertainment.  She has been involved in market research for films for over a decade both in the area of collecting data and analyzing research results.  As an analyst, Cindi assists all the major studios in marketing their films by providing actionable recommendations based on moviegoers feedback.  She is also a moderator and has led over 100 focus group discussions on films ranging from small independent productions to multi-million dollar box office features.  Prior to joining Nielsen, Cindi earned her MBA, worked in sales and marketing at American Express, and licensed music for film and television.

Maria Topete is a writer/producer who made her debut at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival with feature film DON’T LET ME DROWN.  She was named an Annenberg Film Fellow and participated as a writing-and-producing fellow at the 2005 Sundance Institute Screenwriter's and Producer's Lab.  The film project was also selected for the L'atelier du Festival at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival, and the 2005 IFP No Borders International Co-Production Market.  Maria is the producer of several award-winning short films that have screened on Showtime, PBS and SíTV.

Ela Troyano, a 2008 USA Rockefeller Fellow, is writing a feature based on her 2007 PBS documentary LA LUPE QUEEN OF LATIN SOUL, and co-editing a book of essays on the same subject for Duke University Press.  Additionally, Ela is collaborating with Carmelita Tropicana on “Yo Tube”, a web-based serial, and directing Ricardo Bracho’s play When the Chunt Comes.  Her past credits include the feature LATIN BOYS GO TO HELL, and a Sundance screenwriting workshop with Gabriel Garcia Marquez.  Ela’s work has received funding from the Rockefeller, Ford and Jerome Foundations, ITVS, LPB, NYSCA, and Creative Capital.

Jason Tyrrell is an acquisitions executive for IndiePix, a cutting edge New York distributor of narrative and documentary titles from the international festival circuit.  Some recent releases include TOOTS, SKID ROW, THE END OF AMERICA, HELL ON WHEELS, RUMBO A LAS GRANDES LIGAS, MONA, and CHASING THE DEVIL: INSIDE THE EX-GAY MOVEMENT. Jason also works for IndiePix's production arm, IndiePix Studios, both as a creative consultant and producer.

Wilmer Valderrama, born in Miami, is an American actor best know for the role of Fez in the sitcom THAT '70S SHOW. Wilmer is also the host of the MTV series YO MOMMA, and the voice of Manny in the children's show, HANDY MANNY. He got his start performing in numerous plays and was cast in the CBS miniseries FOUR CORNERS and OMBA MAKAMBA on the Disney Channel. He made his big screen debut opposite Freddie Prinze Jr. in Warner Brothers film SUMMER CATCH and appeared in the Los Angeles Times critic's choice play BLACKOUT, an adaptation of the feature film DRUNKS, and starred opposite Anjelica Huston and Ben Kingsley in the Actors' Fund of America one-performance only reading of SUNSET BOULEVARD. He played the lead in the short film LA TORCEDURA and appeared in the film THE DARWIN AWARDS, an independent film directed by Finn Taylor, starring Winona Ryder and Joseph Fiennes. He had a starring role in EL MUERTO, an indie film directed by Brian Cox and based on the successful comic book created by Javier Hernandez. Wilmer made an appearance in Paula DeAnda's music video for "Easy", as well as Colombian singer Fanny Lu's new video "Tu No Eres Para Mi", where he portrays her boyfriend. In January 2007, Valderrama launched his own men's fashion label called "Calavena", a moniker derived from a blend of the Spanish words for “skull” and “vein” that Wilmer says is “the original blueprint for any human being.”

Ligiah Villalobos is currently writing an 8-hour mini-series.  She just completed writing the screenplay for DIEGO ASCENDING, to be directed by Rodrigo Garcia, along with an adaptation of the Israeli film BONJOUR, MONSIEUR SHLOMI for Salma Hayek's production company Ventanazul.  She is the writer and executive producer of the feature film UNDER THE SAME MOON/LA MISMA LUNA, which was an official selection at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival, and sold to Fox Searchlight and the Weinstein Company before opening theatrically as the most successful-Spanish language film in the U.S..  She co-produced the film DANCING IN SEPTEMBER, was a staff writer on the NBC show "Ed," and Head Writer on the Nick Jr. series, "Go, Diego! Go!”.  She has sold TV projects to NBC, Showtime, F/X and ABC/Family.  Ligiah was named “One of the 25 Most Powerful and Talented Hispanic Women in the Entertainment Industry” by the Hollywood Reporter and Billboard Magazine in 2007, and received NALIP’s Outstanding Achievement Award in 2008.

Marlon Wayans is an actor, writer, and producer who has been entertaining audiences for almost 20 years.  Marlon will next be seen in Paramount’s G.I. JOE, which will be released in theaters this summer.  At the helm of Wayans Brothers Productions, a company Marlon began with his brothers Keenen and Shawn Wayans and producer Rick Alvarez, Marlon continues to develop for television and film.  Next on the slate is DANCE FLICK directed by Damien Dante Wayans.  Future projects are SUPER BAD JAMES DYNOMITE (Rogue Pictures), a feature film he wrote, PRETTY UGLY (DreamWorks), and THE YEAR OF LIVING BIBLICALLY (Paramount).  Among Marlon’s other film credits are THE LADYKILLERS, LITTLE MAN, SENSELESS, SIXTH MAN, WHITE CHICKS, and NORBIT.

Debra Zimmerman is the Executive Director of Women Make Movies (WMM), a non-profit New York-based film organization that supports women filmmakers.  During her tenure, it has grown into the largest distributor of films by and about women in the world.  Films from WMM have won prizes at the last three Sundance Film Festivals, including this year’s Best Documentary World Cinema prize for ROUGH AUNTIES and last year’s THE GREATEST SILENCE: RAPE IN THE CONGO.  She is in great demand around the world as a speaker on independent film distribution, marketing, and financing as well as on women's film.  In addition, Debra is a member of numerous advisory boards, and a mentor and teacher to many filmmakers.

David Zucker, one of Hollywood’s most successful filmmakers, is developing a live action comedy for TreeHouse Entertainment, his company that plans to produce films for multicultural and Latino audiences.  David first moved to Los Angeles in 1972, and parlayed earlier theater successes into the indie film hit KENTUCKY FRIED MOVIE.  He went on to create the groundbreaking comedy AIRPLANE! which was the surprise hit of 1980, as well as a streak of successful comedies that included TOP SECRET!, RUTHLESS PEOPLE, the NAKED GUN trilogy, SCARY MOVIE 3 and 4, and the comedy classic BASEKETBALL.  David’s work has branched out beyond comedy to include A WALK IN THE CLOUDS with Keanu Reeves and PHONE BOOTH with Colin Farrell.