Conference VI - Speakers

Conference VI Speakers

Chris Albrecht
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Home Box Office

Chris Albrecht is chairman and chief executive officer for Home Box Office, responsible for the overall management of the world's largest premium television company, which operates multiple premium networks in the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America, as well as HBO's many other lines of business. He was named to his current position in July 2002.

Albrecht, president of HBO Original Programming since 1995, also continues to direct all day-to-day operations of both West and East Coast original programming for HBO, Cinemax and HBO Independent Productions. With the addition of HBO Sports and HBO Film Programming, Albrecht oversees all programming for HBO and Cinemax services.

Serving from 1990-1995 as president of HBO Independent Productions, a business unit dedicated to developing and producing comedy series for distribution on HBO and the broadcast networks, Albrecht was responsible for "Martin," as well as "Everybody Loves Raymond," the critically acclaimed series currently on CBS.

Albrecht joined HBO in June 1985 as senior vice president, original programming, West Coast. He was responsible for overseeing all HBO West Coast original programming functions for HBO and Cinemax.

Before joining HBO, Albrecht worked for five years for International Creative Management (ICM), where he was instrumental in signing such talent as Jim Carrey, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Billy Crystal and Whoopi Goldberg.

From l975 to l980, he was co-owner of The Improvisation nightclub in New York City. During those years, he also served as a new talent management consultant for ABC in New York City.

In June 2003 Albrecht was honored with the prestigious National Cable Television Association Vanguard Award for programming. As of April 2003, Albrecht serves on the Board of Trustees for the American Film Institute. He also serves on the Board of Governors for the Museum of Television and Radio.

Albrecht holds a BA degree in dramatic literature from Hofstra University in New York.

Vanessa Arteaga
Senior Programming & Production Executive

As Senior Programming & Production Executive for Wellspring, Vanessa Arteaga heads the companies’ co-production projects, thereby securing programming for distribution through all of Wellspring’s major channels.

Ms. Arteaga has been involved in spearheading and managing various co-productions, including as of late, the groundbreaking feature-length documentary film Tarnation. The film has received worldwide acclaim, picking up several awards in the past year including Best Documentary by the National Society of Film Critics; Best Documentary at the Los Angeles Film Festival; the Sutherland Trophy at the London Film Festival, and the Emerging Filmmaker Award by the International Documentary Association. It was also nominated for Best Documentary of the year for both the IFP Gotham Awards and the IFP Spirit Awards.

Prior projects have included Devil’s Playground and Fashion Victim: The Killing of Gianni Versace for Cinemax, Mama Africa for PBS, Muddy Waters: Can’t Be Satisfied for American Masters, Who is Alan Smithee? for AMC, and several pledge programs for PBS.

WELLSPRING licenses, distributes, and co-produces programming worldwide for the television, home video, theatrical, online, and consumer markets. Ms. Arteaga has been with Wellspring for seven years in various production and programming capacities. Prior to joining Wellspring, she was positioned at CBS News Productions working on the acclaimed A&E Biography series, and 20th Century with Mike Wallace.

Marilyn Atlas

Marilyn R. Atlas is an award-winning producer and personal manager, in the worlds of film, television, and live theater. She produced Real Women Have Curves, West Coast theater premiers of God Bless You Mr. Rosewater and To Gillian on her 37th Birthday and was casting director of The Wiz. She is a founding member of Women in Films Luminas Committee, which supports the portrayal of women in non-stereotypical roles in film and television. Along with Dorothy Lyman, Marilyn founded ADT, a directors theatre.

Luca Bentivoglio
Executive Director of Latino Public Broadcasting

As Executive Director of Latino Public Broadcasting, Mr. Bentivoglio is responsible for the development and production of Latino Programs that provide diversity to the PBS line-up. He implements outreach and international distribution strategies to offer Latino independent producers with additional opportunities in the global market.

Mr. Bentivoglio has been a television network and production executive for over two decades and is regarded as a pioneer of U.S. Spanish-language television having worked for Univision Network, Telemundo Network and Warner Brothers International. In 1996, Mr. Bentivoglio launched the new Warner Bros. Channel in Latin America and directed the programming, marketing, and distribution efforts that made WB the #1 family channel in Latin America and Brazil.

Through his own company, Luca Bentivoglio Productions, Inc., he has produced, written and hosted more than 1,000 half-hours of network television broadcasts. As an independent producer, Mr. Bentivoglio created, wrote and produced prime-time shows for Univision and Telemundo, including the award-winning special Viva La Raza, a celebration of the richness of Latino culture in the United States. He also hosted Desde Hollywood and Cine Millonario, both long-running prime time hit series. In addition, he produced and directed several movies of the week for Telemundo, which achieved the highest ratings during the 1994 television season.

Justin Bergeron

Justin Bergeron is the Chief Technical Officer for HD Stuidos LLC. Justin attended UCLA's School of Film and Television and was an editor, director, and producer of standard definition broadcast television prior to his entrance into high definition over five years ago.

Since his entrance into HD, Justin has become one of the premiere Digital Imaging Technicians. He has taught the prestigious Santa Fe HD Workshops and performed as the topside camera operator, digital imaging technician, and online editor for a multi-million dollar documentary television series for National Geographic called The Blue Realm. Over the coarse of several years, this series took him to some of the most exotic locales on the planet, where he shot and pushed the limitations of the HDW F900 HD camera both climatically and with its menu settings.

Justin has also offlined and onlined countless HD projects on both low-end and high-end systems from the Cinewave to the Avid DS. His first-hand knowledge and experience with the entire HD production process is rare.

Allen Blackwell

Allen Blackwell is an entertainment industry veteran who began his career at SBK Records in 1990. At SBK he oversaw the launch of mega-group Wilson Phillips and Vanilla Ice. His success prompted a promotion to Capitol Records where he supervised marketing for their Urban product line. Blackwell utilized his marketing expertise in launching the careers of MC Hammer, Freddie Jackson, Tracie Spencer, Najee and Arrested Development.

In 1993, Allen was recruited by Pepsi-Cola to manage their Los Angeles territory and market their growing product lines. At Pepsi he effectively created regional theme campaigns that became the basis for numerous national campaigns. He was subsequently chosen to spearhead the launch of several new brands for the company, including Lipton flavored iced teas. Under Blackwell’s leadership, the Los Angeles market grew to exceed $20 million annually.

He joined Helene Curtis in 1996 to further develop his managerial skills with an emphasis on financial analysis and forecasting. Subsequent entrepreneurial enterprises saw Blackwell exercising his creative talents, designing and marketing an international clothing line branded Herbn Sportswear. As an entrepreneur, Blackwell’s visionary marketing acumen merged hip-hop and fashion, gaining the recognition of Maverick Records founder Madonna who hired him to oversee artist development and design retail and promotional campaigns her label’s artists.

As the music industry began to change, Blackwell made the transition to home video by helping to build Urban Works Entertainment. The success of this launch led to his recruitment by leading independent video/audio distributor, Image Entertainment. As Senior Director of Urban Programming, Blackwell uses his vast entertainment experience to build a powerful division that will rival the major entertainment companies by bringing high quality audio and video entertainment to the marketplace.

Jeff Blauvelt

Jeff Blauvelt is the founder of HD Cinema, a company that provides high def production and post services to independent feature filmmakers and television documentary program producers.

Two recent projects that involved these services include Me and You and Everyone We Know directed by Miranda July (Sundance 2005 Feature Competition) and Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room directed by Alex Gibney Sundance 2005 Documentary Competition).

In 2004 Jeff collaborated with film/video artist Eve Sussman in a re-creation that brings Velásquez' 1658 painting Las Meninas to life in High Definition digital video. Jeff was the Director of Photography and a co-producer for the project. The installation, titled 89 Seconds at Alcazar premiered in the United States at the Whitney Biennial in March 2004 and was purchased for the Whitney's permanent collection, and was also purchased for the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Jeff began his career while a student at Duke University as chairman of the Freewater Film Society, coordinating film screenings and 16mm film production. His next five years were spent at CBS, NBC and ABC affiliate stations where he won four SE Region Emmy Awards in cinematography, editing, lighting and producing categories. He founded Threshold Productions and Peachtree Post in Atlanta and ran those companies until 1999 when they were sold and he started up HD Cinema as a new HD specific operation in Los Angeles. In 2003 HD Cinema established high def post services with joint venture partner Final Frame in New York City.

Salvador Bolivar

Salvador Bolivar, is a New York-based Latino cinematographer (DP), of Dominican and Costa Rican ancestry. Ever since his childhood, Salvador dreamed of being in the film industry. As a teenager he was an aspiring model and actor. After appearing in a few magazines and in Kelly Klein's book "Under World," Salvador began to explore life behind the camera, working as an assistant to still life photographer and later in film as a grip and gaffer.

In 1991 Salvador landed an acting job with for NYU's "Creative Arts Team" performing conflict resolution workshops within the School of Visual Arts, where he also studied Cinematography for four years. Salvador began working in the industry during his second year and has been a lighting technician on several music videos and over two-dozen indie films. These include, Eric Schaeffer’s Never Again (2001) ; David Daniel's 'Paper Soldiers' and _Shottas (2001) starring Ky-Mani Marley, Wyclef Jean, and Lennox Lewis.

He has photographed several feature length films including Blazin' (2001) (V), an action drama starring Angie Martinez and rapper Fat Joe; Mambo Cafe (1999) starring Danny Aiello, Paul Rodriguez, and Latin star Thalia, and Vote For Me (2002) -- a Hi-Definition feature length, political comedy starring Malik Yoba, Angel Salazzar and Gloria Irizarry. Salvador is constantly looking for greater challenges, and thrives on collaborating with directors in materializing their visions. In the last few years Salvador has lensed dozens of music videos as a DP. This is his second year participating in the Hi-Def workshop as an instructor for NALIP.

Eddie Borges

Edward Borges is a writer and independent producer based in Los Angeles.

Previously, he was a literary agent at International Creative Management, the preeminent talent and literary agency.

Earlier, Eddie was a contributing writer at LOS ANGELES MAGAZINE, where he covered the entertainment industry. He first started writing about the film business in the Spring of 2000, as a staff writer at THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.

Before relocating to Los Angeles in 2000, Eddie was the legislative director for the American Civil Liberties Union in New York State. Eddie joined the staff of the ACLU after writing the civil rights group’s 1998 investigative report about the police rape of a Haitian immigrant in a Brooklyn precinct house. Several of his recommendations on how to improve the New York Police Department’s relations with New York City’s ethnic minorities were later adopted by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani’s Task Force on Police/Community Relations, the New York City Council, then, finally, the NYPD.

Eddie’s spent most of the 1990s working as a journalist, mostly in New York. For The Village Voice and The New York Observer, he wrote numerous investigative and political articles. As a staff writer for The Miami Herald, Eddie wrote feature stories and analyses of news trends in South Florida. As a staff reporter at The New York Daily News, then the largest circulation newspaper in the New York metropolitan area, he covered politics and government. In 1992, he was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for News for STAMPEDE AT CITY COLLEGE, about nine people who were crushed to death at a rap celebrity basketball game; his story won the Associated Press Managing Editors’ Award for News and the Society of Professional Journalists Award for News.

Before becoming a journalist, Eddie served on the staff of a member of the United States House of Representatives. He studied political science at Queens College of the City University of New York.

Adriana Bosch

Adriana Bosch is currently working as a producer for Univision’s magazine show “Aqui y Ahora.” A twenty-year veteran of WGBH, she has just completed a 2 hour documentary biography of Fidel Castro for American Experience which premiered on January 31, 2005. She was producer, writer and director of Jimmy Carter, a three-hour documentary biography for American Experience that aired on PBS in November of 2002. She produced, wrote, and directed Ulysses S. Grant, Part I, "Warrior,” broadcast in May of 2002, and part II of The Rockefellers, both for American Experience. She was series editor and producer/writer for American Experience’s presidential biographies Reagan (1998) and Ike (1993). Bosch is the author of Reagan: An American Story, the companion book for the Reagan documentary, published by TV Books. She was series producer for The Churchills (1996), and producer, director, and writer for the third episode. Her other credits include: series editor for Americas (1993) and Mexico (1988), associate producer for two programs in the series War and Peace in the Nuclear Age (1989), and associate editor for Frontline Special Report: Crisis in Central America (1985).

Bosch earned a prime time Emmy Award for her work on Reagan. She also received the Christopher Award for Ike, Part 1, “Soldier” and Peabody Awards for Reagan and Ike. She was nominated for the Writer’s Guild Award for her work as producer and writer on “Soldier,” and “Lifeguard”, part one of Reagan.

Bosch received a BA in political science from Rutgers University and holds a PhD in International Affairs from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. She was born in Cuba and arrived in the United States in 1970.

David Buelow

David Buelow is currently Executive In Charge of Production for First Family Entertainment which has a finance and distribution deal with MGM to make family programming for the Home Entertainment market. Mr. Buelow had previously been The Don Johnson Companys Executive Vice-President of Creative Affairs for the past 6 -1/2 years. His responsibilities include being in charge of developing series, television movies and feature films to be produced by the Company. Feature film projects that Mr. Buelow has most recently set up include: The Mysterious Tadpole for Disney, based on the childrens book by Steven Kellogg (Writers are Holly Goldberg Sloan The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course and Gary Rosen Major Payne), Top of the World for Producer David Hoberman (Bringing Down The House) and MGM (Writer is Ted Humphrey). Recent television projects include: The Education of Ron Morris for HBO and Forty Acres and a Mule Filmworks (Writer is Tim Sexton Boycott, Director is Justin Lin Better Luck Tomorrow) and Love in the End Zone for CBS (Writer is Duane Poole Surviving Gilligans Island). Mr. Buelow has just recently sold his original family comedy pitch, Super Size to Disney.

Prior to joining The Don Johnson Company, Mr. Buelow was an Independent Producer, setting up several television movies. He was also the Executive Producer of a one-hour documentary, The Voices of Appalachia, for PBS.

After graduating from California State University, Northridge with a degree in Radio/TV/Film, Mr. Buelow began his career as a story editor for Burt Lancaster. He was named Director of Development for The Arthur Company, an independent production company with a limited partnership with MCA/Universal. There, he held various posts including Production Executive on a series for both MCA Syndication and MCA-TV Films, ultimately supervising over 150 half-hour filmed and taped episodes. On a $1,000 option on a pitch, Mr. Buelow was able to develop and sell a successful prime-time series, FBI: The Untold Stories for ABC. He produced the pilot and an additional 44 episodes. He also sold a half-hour comedy created by Steve Martin to CBS. Throughout his career, Mr. Buelow has developed and sold pilots to ABC, CBS and NBC as well as movies-of-the-week for ABC, NBC, HBO, Showtime and USA Network.

Mr. Buelows years of experience give him a thorough understanding of television and film production and post production, as well as an excellent working knowledge of the business side of the industry. He maintains excellent relationships with many talented writers and directors, as well as their influential representatives in the management and agency field. Mr. Buelow is well suited to succeed in todays highly competitive marketplace.

Mauricio Buendia
Spanish Market Specialist for Studio Latino
Ventura Distribution.Inc.

Mauricio Buendía is a veteran video distributor, new market developer, and acquisitions professional with over two decades of experience in the domestic Spanish and Latin American home entertainment markets.

In his current role as Spanish Market Specialist at Studio Latino, Mr. Buendía is responsible for the execution of sales and marketing strategies, new customer development, and the identification of key library acquisitions from Spanish speaking territories. With notable success, Mr. Buendía has led the development of the Puerto Rican market on behalf of Studio Latino.

Prior to joining Studio Latino, Mr. Buendía served as a consultant to CIC Video International, the Paramount/Universal video partnership outside of the United States. At CIC, Mr. Buendia personally planned and managed the launch of CIC’s presence in Mexico. One of his most notable achievements at CIC Mexico was his early stage work pioneering the first major (film) sell-through releases for that territory including: ET, Indiana Jones, Star Trek, and Jurassic Park among others.

Previously, Mr. Buendía held the position of Director of Domestic Spanish Music and Video Markets and Latin America for The Handleman Company. During his time there, he helped Handleman launch subsidiaries in Mexico, Brazil and Argentina, while also creating both the video and music item master in these subsidiaries. Mr. Buendía additionally facilitated presided over the explosive growth of Handleman’s Spanish Division, which climbed substantially from 12 million at his entrance to over 80 million during his tenure.

Before joining the Handleman Company, Mr. Buendía formed Latin Vision in 1994, which acquired American produced films for distribution in Latin America. Latin Vision also acquired the video rights to important Latin American films like Tiempo de Morir and Gabo, both penned by Noble laureate Gabriel García Marquéz, and distributed them in the United States.

Mr. Buendía was also the founder of Vestron Video Español, one of the entertainment industry’s first Spanish video divisions to acquire original Spanish language films in the U.S. During his tenure at Vestron, Mr. Buendía was among the first entertainment executives to create a new business from the licensing video rights to foreign buyers and formed foreign subsidiaries in Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America to leverage this strategy. While at Vestron he piloted the launch of National Geographic Video en Español.

Mr. Buendía has an undergraduate and graduate degree from the Haas School of Business at U.C. Berkeley. Mr. Buendía is also a member of Orinda's Spanish Honor Society, advisor to the Festival Internacional de Cine de Cartagena and Board member to Inravision, the Colombian Institute of Radio and Television.

Corey P. Carbonara, Ph.D.

Carbonara is a Professor of Telecommunication in the Communication Studies Department at Baylor University. In addition, Dr.Carbonara currently serves as the Director of the Digital Communication Technologies Project at Baylor. He recently served as Chief Technology Officer for the Texas State Technical College System (TSTC) as well as the Director of New Technology and Community Networks for the Cross Border Institute for Regional Development (CBIRD) Project, led by the IC2 Institute of the University of Texas at Austin. Dr.Carbonara is a Senior Research Fellow of the IC2 Institute and has served as a Visiting Adjunct Professor/Lecturer in the Management Department of the Graduate School of Business at UT Austin where he has taught for the new Executive Master’s Degree Program in Science and Technology Commercialization.

Professor Carbonara also served as the Associate Vice-President for Technology Management and Executive Director of the Institute for Technology Innovation Management at Baylor University. Prior to his positions at Baylor, Carbonara held was the product manager of high-definition systems at Sony Broadcast Products Co. He has held several management and executive posts ranging from sales and marketing to jobs in television engineering and production at Columbia Pictures, Inc., Motorola, Inc., Caterpillar Tractor Co., and Columbia College.

Professor Carbonara currently serves in a variety of capacities (as a co-chair, vice-chair, or member) on numerous state, national and international engineering committees, working groups, subcommittees and panels for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC), Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU-R). He also serves as an U.S. Delegate appointed by the US Department of State and the White House to the ITU-R on topics ranging from High Definition Television to Digital Cinema. He is a member of numerous professional societies and organizations in broadcasting, telecommunications, consumer electronics, motion picture management and engineering. In the March 2000 issue, Texas Monthly distinguished Dr. Carbonara as one of the “…Most Powerful Texans in High Tech.” Recently, he was selected to be a member of the Academy of Digital Television Pioneers for his contributions to the development of high definition television. He also was elected to serve on the Administrative Committee of the IEEE Consumer Electronics Society.

In addition, Dr. Carbonara has been associated with numerous film, video, and high definition television (HDTV) productions as a producer/director/editor and director of photography. He is also the author of a variety of journal articles, book contributions, encyclopedia chapters, magazines publications, and national and international presentations on a variety of subjects such as HDTV and digital television (DTV), satellite communications, digital video disk (DVD), digital cinema, video game technology, distance learning, multimedia, digital communications networks, opto-electronics, photonics, wireless media communications, managing international strategic alliances, technology commercialization, knowledge management, zero time management strategies and the creative and innovative management of technology.

Professor Carbonara is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Iowa, where he earned a B.A. in Radio/Television and a M.A. in Mass Communication Theory. He is also a Phi Kappa Phi graduate of the University of Texas at Austin where he received a Ph.D. in Radio/Television/Film.

Carlos Carreras

Carlos Carreras is an agent in UTA’s Alternative Department. He covers various areas of the Spanish-language and international marketplaces. Clients he represents range from talent in television, music and film to executive producers and production companies from Spain, the UK and the U.S. including: Plural Entertainment (Subsid of Spain's Grupo Prisa; producers of Univision's "Al Filo de La Ley"); Miami based, Latin World Entertainment; UK's Wall To Wall (FX Networks"Smallpox"), Simon Andreae (UK’s Ch. 4, "Live Autopsy"), So TV (UK's Ch. 4 and Comedy Central's "The Graham Norton Effect"), Michael Davies/Diplomatic (co-executive producer of ABC’s "Wife Swap", executive producer of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?"); Graham Norton, Comedian/Host (UK's Ch. 4 and Comedy Central’s "The Graham Norton Effect") Univision-Broadcast Journalist/Host, Myrka Dellanos; Wilmer Valderrama (FOX’s "That 70’s Show"), Roselyn Sanchez (Miramax’s"Underclassmen", "Edison", "Rush Hour 2"), Beto Cuevas y La Ley (Warner Bros. Recording Artists), Julietta Venegas and Paulina Rubio, to name a few.

Maria Agui Carter

Maria Agui Carter is an independent filmmaker, founder of Iguana Films, and member of the Boston-based Filmmaker’s Collaborative. Over a dozen of Carter’s long-form documentaries have aired on PBS. A native of Ecuador and a 1987 graduate of Harvard where she studied filmmaking and anthropology, Carter started in television producing for the WGBH Latino documentary series La Plaza. She moved to the National Productions department of WGBH to produce for the prime-time PBS series CULTURE SHOCK, a historical four hour mini-series on the relationship between art, morality, and society, nominated for best series by the International Documentary Association. She has since produced other documentaries for PBS, including Rumble Over West Side Story, and Tango: Duel and Dance.

Carter has extensive experience shooting in Spanish-speaking countries, including Spain, Argentina, Venezuela, Mexico, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic. She has completed several dozen shorts in Spanish for the educational market distributed by Heinle and Heinle and Prentiss Hall. She has been a Harvard University Warren Fellow in American Studies, and a Rockefeller Fellow at Tulane University’s Stone Center for Latin American Studies. She is currently in production on REBEL, a film about a woman, a myth, and the politics of national memory. REBEL is supported by grants from the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities and Latino Public Broadcasting.

Sonya Childress

As Director of Campaign Strategies, Sonya Childress develops and manages community engagement campaigns, forms local and national partnerships, and produces new media content and framing materials for social issue documentaries.

In her four years with the company, Sonya has been instrumental in helping individuals and organizations use film in innovative ways to address issues ranging from immigration and changing demographics, globalization, domestic racism, cultural identity and religious tolerance. She works closely with public television, independent producers, educators, policymakers, grant makers, advocates, and local service providers on film campaigns. She has represented the organization at numerous festivals and conferences including Sundance Film Festival, Film Arts Foundation Independent Film Festival, Social Venture Network, UN World Conference Against Racism and the National Conference of State Legislators.

George Cisneros

George Cisneros, electronic media artist, is exploring an artistic language combining performance, interactive technology and community work. His works range from music pieces to sound sculptures and media installations that employ electronic devices, video and computer imagery. Throughout his career, he has used the technology arts as building blocks for community expressions. He lives in San Antonio, Texas where he owns a multimedia production studio, VuTURE ART and is a partner in DCCI, an internet service provider. He performs with Carnaval de San Anto, a dance and drum ensemble and serves as Digital Media Arts Chair for the San Antonio Technology Accelerator Initiative.

Alejandro P. Clancy

Alejandro P. Clancy has Fifteen years of experience in the film industry including four years as Executive Producer, two as Production Coordinator and Postproduction Manager and three as Location Manager. Some of his film credits include Cisco Kid, Nicotina and El Crimen del Padre Amaro, just to name a few.

Marjorie Cohn
Executive Vice President, Original Programming and Development, Nickelodeon

Marjorie Cohn is Executive Vice President, Original Programming and Development for Nickelodeon, reporting to Cyma Zarghami, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Nickelodeon.

A 18-year veteran at Nickelodeon, Cohn supervises the development, creative direction and production of all live-action and animated programming on Nickelodeon. Cohn also oversees Nickelodeon’s Executives in Charge of Production, managing the creative direction and coordination efforts between series production, on-air promotions, marketing and consumer products. She is also a member of the network strategy team.

Most recently, Cohn oversaw the development and launch of several live-action hits including Romeo, Drake and Josh, Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide, Unfabulous and Zoey 101. As a result of the launch of these new shows, more Kids 9-14 watch TEENick than any other programming block on cable or broadcast including broadcast primetime.

Previously, Cohn held the position of Senior Vice President, Production and Development. In that capacity she managed the production of all animation and live-action series for Nickelodeon including such hits as Spongebob Squarepants, The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron Boy Genius, The Fairly Odd Parents, Drake and Josh, All Grown Up, Chalkzone, As Told By Ginger, All That, The Amanda Show, The Nick Canon Show and Nick News with Linda Ellerbee. She was also responsible for the special Rugrats, All Growed Up which garnered record breaking ratings and is the Executive Producer of The Kids’ Choice Awards.

As Vice-President, Executive Producer, Current Series, Cohn oversaw the production of Rugrats, The Wild Thornberrys, Hey Arnold!, Kenan and Kel, Cousin Skeeter and The Secret World of Alex Mack. She began her career at Nickelodeon as a Unit Manager and shortly after became a Producer working on all Nickelodeon productions including Double Dare and Don’t Just Sit There. In addition, she created and produced Nickelodeon's Get The Picture, and was Executive In Charge of Production for Roundhouse and Clarissa Explains It All, both hit shows for Nickelodeon.

Prior to joining Nickelodeon, Cohn worked as a freelance producer for various companies including WNET/Thirteen and Reeves Corporate services.

Born in New York, Cohn graduated from the State University of New York at Binghamton with a BA degree in Fine Art and English. She resides in New York City with her husband, Peter Tarshis, and their two sons Jack and Will.

Lucia Cottone

Born and raised in Latin America Lucia Cottone had the opportunity to attend and graduate from Emerson College in Boston, MA. Her first executive position in Los Angeles was at Rysher Entertainment where she was promoted to Director of Creative Affairs. During her tenure at Rysher she was responsible for the development and current programming of HBO's "OZ", CBS's "Nash Bridges" and numerous network pilots. She then went on to UPN and served as Director of Drama Development. Some of the projects she developed included "The Beat" with Tom Fontana, "Secret Agent Man" with Barry Sonnenfeld and "The Strip" with Joel Silver. Lucia's desire to educate herself with the US Hispanic market lead her to her next position as VP of Development at Telemundo Network based in Miami. While at Telemundo she was not only involved in the development and scheduling of the "telenovelas" but also supervised the original programming slate, inclusive of scripted sitcoms, games shows and reality programs. Lucia left Telemundo to take a sabbatical and ended up in Spain researching and learning development and programming attitudes in that territory. She made her way back to Miami to explore a whole new professional world in radio. During her tenure as a consultant at Prisa she was responsible for the creation of programming content and a national scheduling grid for the acquisition of a major Hispanic radio network in the United States. She also produced a live weekly 4-hour radio talk show that still airs in Miami and Latin America. Getting back into programming permitted her to further educate herself with the Hispanic community not only in the United States but also in Latin America. In early 2004 Lucia was presented with the opportunity to move back to Los Angeles where she accepted the position of Director of Cable Programming at Universal Television now NBC UNIVERSAL TELEVISION STUDIO. She currently oversees day-to-day creative on MONK and has a development slate of over 30 projects with both USA Network and the SCI FI channel.

René Simon Cruz Jr.

Born & bred in Hoboken, New Jersey, René Simon Cruz Jr., has been traveling the globe creating award-winning films for over a decade. René is now focused on bringing his passionate vision for cutting edge films to the big screen.

After attending NYC’s School of Visual Art, René got his start in the industry by assisting directors Adrian Lyne & Bob Zemekis by day. By night, he was known in the burgeoning New York art scene as “SEZ,” a prolific member of the legendary graffiti crew, DownTown Artists.

After working with Lee Grant on her Academy Award winning HBO documentary, “Down & Out in America,” René began making socially relevant documentaries and won awards for “They Speak of Hope,” a film about the Church’s role in El Salvador’s civil war. He was later honored for his documentary work with a prestigious National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship.

René soon founded Esperanza Films Inc. in New York City. Under his leadership the company has successfully produced projects for clients like: Johnson & Johnson, Sony America, Salt N Pepa, Bill Blass, Sony Picture Classics, Independent Film Channel, Malpaso Productions and HBO.

Since moving to Los Angeles to pursue theatrical film and television production, René has been in demand as both a producer and writer, working on projects at the Independent Film Channel, BET and Fox. He has produced a feature film, developed a pilot with Mark Canton at Warner Bros. and has a number of feature scripts in development.

Recently, his screenplay, “The Salted Earth” a mystical drama that asks “What will happen in Cuba after Castro?” was selected for participation in the inaugural Tribeca Films All Access Program to foster production of minority films by Robert Deniro. The project also participated in the highly competitive NALIP Producer’s Academy & the Sundance Producers Conference. The film is slated to go into production in late 2005. The Salted Earth will be Rene’s feature directorial debut.

Other projects include:

Executive Producer “The Treatment” an interview show for Starz Entertainment hosted by former NY Times film critic, Elvis Mitchell. The show is patterned after a successful NPR series that surveys popular culture by featuring in depth conversations with those who shape it.
Producer/Additional Editing by: “Cross the Line” a $1.5 million feature film starring Taye Diggs, Academy Award winner Ellen Burstyn, and Hill Harper.
Writer/ Producer “Beyond Borders: John Sayles in Mexico,” an hour long documentary about John Sayles, “Casa De Los Babys”
Producer/Director on “DriveTime” a 30 min. sitcom pilot for IFC Originals starring Jack Black, Jane Adams and Laura Kightlinger.

In other lives, René has worked as a smuggler, a war correspondent and as a missionary.

Tania Cuevas Martinez

Mexican-born Tania Cuevas Martinez began to study film while growing up in San Francisco. By sixteen, she worked nights and weekends for her mentor and acclaimed music video director, the late Michael Lucero. Being on the set of many early Hip Hop and R&B music videos influenced her style in filmmaking and guided her vision to create something different. Now an independent filmmaker, Cuevas-Martinez makes interesting and captivating films by using mixed media to take intricate stories and create a deeper understanding of the human struggle. While living in New York, her work behind the scenes for esteemed directors such as Nora Ephron, Spike Lee, Ernest Dickerson, Chris Robinson, and Bill Duke has given her the experience to materialize her own productions.

She has produced films such as Voice of the Voiceless - the life, the words, the movement – an edgy documentary about one man’s struggle for freedom while on Death Row and the international community inspired by his will to live. Winning awards including an honorable mention at the Hollywood Black Film Festival, Best Documentary at the Denver Pan African Film Festival, and the Kodak People’s Choice Award, the film received numerous accolades and was featured on a national tour sponsored by Ford Motors, Vibe Magazine, and Black Enterprise while also being selected as Blockbuster Video’s special nightly screening at the 2003 NAACP National Convention. Her second short doc entitled Haters was a post-9/11 piece that analyzed the virus of hate and the demonization of ethnic groups in the United States. It was executive produced by Warrington Hudlin and generously supported by the Ford Foundation.

Extending beyond the boundaries of film production, Tania co-founded the H20 International Film Festival in 2002 to create a platform for filmmakers to exhibit Hip Hop works. Last year, she launched 11th Parallel Worldwide, a media and marketing company dedicated to marketing artists, filmmakers and entertainment-based brands through the execution of film and music events in the international marketplace.

Melissa de Leon

Melissa has developed her professional career in Spanish language mediums as diverse as publishing, cable television and free television. For over nine years, she has held positions in editorial and business development roles and has been producing television for the last four.

Born in Connecticut and raised in both Mexico and the United States, Melissa developed an early awareness of the power of media in the lives of first and second generation Latinos. As an undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania, she decided to pursue a career in journalism, majoring in History and minoring in Latin American Studies. Motivated by the desire to recapture living in a Spanish speaking country, she found an opportunity to work abroad in Spain after graduation.

Melissa moved to Madrid and held her first job position as an editorial assistant for a magazine and began her television career as programming assistant for the HISTORY CHANNEL.

Her first incursion into television content targeting the US-Latino marketplace was in New York, in 2001. She produced segments for bicultural Latino, youth-oriented programming that aired on Galavision. In 2002, Melissa joined Plural Entertainment, the film and television production subsidiary of Spain's Grupo Prisa, as a producer. She associate produced on AL FILO DE LA LEY, the first one-hour weekly prime-time drama series to air on Univision. The legal drama was produced entirely in the United States. The story portrays the lives of first and second generation Latinos living in Los Angeles and dramatizes real life cases.

She currently lives in Miami continues to develop fiction and non-fiction content for the Latino film and television audience.

Deborah Del Prete

Deborah Del Prete is co-owner with partner Gigi Pritzker of Odd Lot Entertainment. Odd Lot is a full service entertainment production company dealing in film, television and theatre. Among its holdings is one of LA’s landmark cultural institutions, The Coronet Theatre.

Together with partner Gigi Pritzker she has produced the recently completed feature film, “Hooligans,” starring Elijah Wood; “The Wedding Planner” with Jennifer Lopez and Matthew McConaughey for Sony Pictures; “Ricochet River” (Porchlight Entertainment), Kate Hudson’s feature film debut; and “Simple Justice” starring Cesar Romero, the Emmy award-winning, Doris Roberts (Everybody Loves Raymond) and John Spencer (West Wing). The team executive produced the HBO film “Hostile Intent” starring Rob Lowe and the Humanitas Award winning “Mean Creek” (Paramount Classics) with Rory Culkin and Scott Mechlowicz, which was a 2004 Director’s Fortnight selection at Cannes.

Deborah and Gigi also own the legit theater company, Dee Gee Theatricals, whose first production was “Kiss at City Hall” by Joe DiPietro (I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change), which had a successful run at the Pasadena Playhouse in February of 2000. Their “One Red Flower,” the Vietnam musical written by Paris Barclay has enjoyed runs at Seattle’s Village Theatre, North Shore Theatre outside of Boston and Washington D.C.’s Signature Theatre under the direction of Eric Schaeffer. Their original drama, “Symmetry,” written by Dave Fields, will premiere at the Tony award-winning Victory Gardens Theatre in Chicago this summer.

As a director, Deborah’s first feature film assignment was the independent film “Simple Justice.” She then directed “Ricochet River,” which also starred John Cullum (Northern Exposure) and Jason James Richter (Free Willy I, II, III) alongside Kate Hudson. She has produced and/or directed numerous television programs, music videos, commercials, industrials and documentaries. Some of these other credits include “The People Versus,” a five-part dramatic series starring Meg Ryan for Viacom; the musicals, “Something’s Afoot” starring Jean Stapleton for Showtime and Barry Manilow’s “The Drunkard” starring Tom Bosley for the Arts & Entertainment Channel; “Journey To Adventure,” a long-running syndicated travel series; “Maintenance Men’s Lounge” (comedy pilot-ABC); “Gifts From The Fire” (CBC series - “Adrienne Clarkson Presents”); and “The Architect and the City” (Host - Edwin Newman for WTTW Chicago).

Odd Lot Entertainment has a full slate of films in various stages of development, including “The Lavender Hill Mob,” an action comedy remake of the Alec Guinness starrer, to be directed by Dean Parisot and written by David Sussman; “Trap for Cinderella,” an erotic thriller to be directed by Iain Softley and written by Chris Gerolmo; “The Reckoning,” a supernatural thriller written by Irving Belateche, being produced in partnership with Lawrence Bender Productions; and an adaptation of the best-selling Melissa Banks’ novel, “The Girls’ Guide to Hunting and Fishing,” written by and to be directed by Marc Klein for Warner Independent.

Deborah resides in Santa Monica, California with her husband and son.

Tatiana Derovanessian

Tatiana Derovanessian over 9 years of experience in post-production.

She started her career in post-production in 1995 working on music videos and commercials. She has been working with advertising agencies around the world on various national and international campaigns.

After 10 years in the business, Tatiana decided to put legs on her dreams and open a post-production company that focused on high-end creative talent and work.

Tatiana launched Cake on October 1st, 2004. Cake provides editorial, visual effects and design services for commercials, features, TV and documentaries.

Martha Diaz

Martha Diaz is an Educator, Filmmaker, Entrepreneur and Visionary with a decade of production experience and a knack for being involved in cutting edge projects. Her intuition for success can be traced back to her teenaged days in New York as a young and aspiring production assistant for the late Ted Demme, the innovative producer and director behind Yo! MTV Raps, Hangin’ With MTV, Yo!, and Denis Leary’s MTV commercials. Due to Martha’s poise and creative ideas, she progressed from intern, to production assistant, to segment producer within a year of her apprenticeship under Demme.

Martha’s aptitude for discovering talent and fresh ideas would later land her the role of co-casting director in Demme’s 1993 debut film, Who’s the Man? Martha flourished in the role, casting some 52 rappers in their first starring and cameo parts, into what many die-hard rap fans now consider a cult favorite. Martha’s close ties to the Hip-Hop community resulted in a natural transition to music videos where she began assisting Demme on videos for the likes of House Of Pain, Cypress Hill, and the Henry Rollins Band. Not long thereafter, Martha was introduced to casting director Tracy Moore-Marable and film director Lionel C. Martin, both of whom hired her to work on separate music videos for Boyz II Men, Keith Sweat, Bobby Brown, SWV, and Jodeci.

It wasn’t long before Martha re-immersed herself in the film world to help Demme with production of Denis Leary’s Showtime Special, No Cure For Cancer and the feature film, The Ref starring Leary, Kevin Spacey and Judy Davis. While working on The Ref in Hollywood, CA, she had the privilege to learn different aspects of the business from acclaimed producers Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson. Impressed by her charismatic nature and genuine ability to work with large groups of people while managing pressing deadlines, Bruckheimer hired Martha to work with talent on the set of the blockbuster hit Dangerous Minds. Bruckheimer became Martha’s mentor and muse, which led her to create the popular, Sabor Wear, a Latin awareness novelty clothing line.

After her time in Hollywood, Martha returned to New York to create and produce the short-lived Latin Hip-Hop show called Hip Mundo for MTV Latino. Over the next couple of years, Martha began collaborating with other Latinos in the film and television industry with the goal of diversifying programming for døíthis growing ethnic populace: In 1995, she teamed up with Director, Franc Reyes, to produce the short film, In The Deep South, starring Lauren Velez and Jon Seda; In 1996, she worked with Augusto Failde (HBO Latino, ESPN Latin America & Fox Latin America) to develop and package programs for the cable channel, LTV (Latino television); and in 1997, produced for the SONY syndicated bi-lingual magazine show, Mi Gente/My People.

As the 90’s drew to a close, Martha soon revisited her Hip-Hop roots and began shooting H2O [Hip-Hop Odyssey] - a digital video series that she conceived and orchestrated, which chronicles the history and multiple elements of Hip-Hop culture and its global effects. Robert “The RZA” Diggs believed in Martha’s vision and passion to educate people on this worldwide phenomenon and signed on as H2O‘s executive producer. Thus far, Martha has produced and directed a 15-minute short which has been screened from coast to coast, including LA’s Black and Brown Shorts, Brooklyn’s Short film festival, The Rock Steady Crew Anniversary Film Festival, KRS-ONE’s Hip-Hop Appreciation Week Festival, the Vista Film Festival in Dallas, and numerous schools. In March 2000, Martha was hired to produced two weekly live streaming Internet shows for the 88 Hip-Hop channel on the pioneer web station, Pseudo.com. After the dot-com crash, Martha segment produced on the African Heritage Network’s, syndicated Hip-Hop show, Source All Access.

The experience of globetrotting and meeting people who use Hip-Hop as a means of communicating with youth culture inspired Martha to seriously develop a new found talent in videography in order to capture this enigmatic phenomenon. This led to Martha being commissioned by the Hakuhodo Advertising Agency to work on a Mazda campaign that would allow for a collaboration with Producer/DJ Premier in Japan. Martha was then invited to shoot the International Hip-Hop Conference for Peace at the United Nations and also shot and produced a street marketing reel for GTM’s (street marketing company) Truth anti-tobacco campaign. Martha also volunteered to document the Black August Benefit Concert for Political Prisoners Tour in South Africa, The 4th Annual World Aids Day Ceremony for the Betances Health Center in New York, and an evening with Angela Davis, speaking with the community to collectively confront Violence Against Women of Color sponsored by the Sista II Sista Collective of Brooklyn, NY. Martha then became Associate Producer on two 30-second Public Service Announcements for Americans for the Arts, “Art Ask For More – Generation Hip-Hop” campaign with Chuck D from Public Enemy and Poet/ MC, La Bruja.

Once again, Martha embarked on another mission to celebrate and aid filmmakers with a focus on the Hip-Hop community. In 2002, she founded the H2O (Hip-Hop Odyssey) International Film Festival, a platform where filmmakers could be acknowledged and showcase their work. Incorporated into the festival are filmmaking workshops, panel discussions, and an exhibit floor, where a networking of information, products and services could be exchanged. Martha would partner up with over a dozen filmmakers, industry executives, and community activist to create the most exciting and progressive step for Hip-Hop cinema.

While Martha developed the film festival, she was also teaching in the Bronx as a NYC Teaching Fellow. As a Literacy and Journalism educator teaching at-risk youth, Martha used what she knew best – Hip Hop – to engage her students. At the New School of Arts and Sciences, she started a digital filmmaking class while using Hip Hop as the motivational tool. Once again, Martha noticed the influence that Hip-Hop had among her students.

In January 2003, H2Ed was formed to advocate on a grassroots and institutional level for educational reform by exploring how curriculum, activities and learning models using Hip-Hop culture can be a more effective way to connect, educate, and activate youth. In November 2003, H2Ed organized the first Hip-Hop Education Summit. The H2Ed Summit accomplished its first goal of connecting those educators who are currently using Hip-Hop culture as an educational tool with educators who are interested in but have not yet begun to Hip-Hop in educational curriculums. The panels and workshops were organized and facilitated by experienced educators and activists who use Hip-Hop culture as an academic source to inspire students, build inter-generational relationships, and future leaders. The summit also introduced , a home base website for TOPSY (teachers, organizers, parents, social workers, and youth) to share lessons and resources that utilize Hip-Hop culture.

Now under one umbrella, H2O and H2Ed are programs of the Hip-Hop Association, a non-profit organization that uses Hip-Hop culture as a tool for critical thinking, social change, and unity, while impacting communities through educational and cultural initiatives. Through community partnerships, the Hip-Hop Association provides programming, training, and resources to foster, facilitate and preserve Hip-Hop culture.

Martha’s latest project is producing the Hip Hop World Summit for the International Music Council, an NGO under UNESCO. This monumental event will take place at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France. As a prelude to event, she produced a day of Hip-Hop activities during the Youth World Festival in Barcelona, Spain.

Matias Doorn

Born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Mr. Doorn moved to Los Angeles in March 2003 to become Motion Picture, Art and Science Attaché at the Consulate General of the Argentine Republic. As the Representative in the United States of the Argentine National Film and Audiovisual Arts Institute (INCAA) he is concentrating in the promotion of Argentine cinema at festivals and among film studios and TV networks and Argentina as a versatile production center in South America. Matias is the Executive Producer and Programmer of the “Argentine New Cinema” series at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood and Coordinator at film premiers and cultural events.

While in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he was Advisor to the Secretary of Press and Broadcasting for the Government of the Province of Buenos Aires. Matias handled government image and communications, institutional image, direct marketing, events, production of advertising spots, public welfare campaigns, TV and radio programs for a number of organizations within the Government. He produced 30 summer recitals for live mass audiences, two of which were shown in a special program for Channel 13, ARTEAR Argentina. He also produced “Tournament of Buenos Aires Youth” for Fox Sports Latin America and he was in charge of the institutional image change campaign for Banco Provincia de Buenos Aires (the leading Buenos Aires bank and financial institution).

Matias was Executive Producer and Owner of the DM3 Film Group in Buenos Aires which produced and filmed advertising spots at Channel 13 ARTEAR Argentina for McDonald´s, Telefonica, Philips, Gillette, and others. While in university he worked as an independent producer of short films, institutional videos, advertisements, video clips and a number of TV series such as “Los Especialistas” (The Specialists), “Electric Café” and “Leyendas Urbanas” (Urban Legends) and “Bonus Track”.

Robert J. Dowling
Editor-in-Chief and Publisher, The Hollywood Reporter
President, VNU Film & Performing Arts Group

During his 16-year tenure as Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of The Hollywood Reporter, the entertainment industry’s premier daily trade publication, Robert J. Dowling has emerged as one of the leading authorities and spokesmen on entertainment issues and trends worldwide.

Mr. Dowling’s unique publishing background has spanned more than three decades of successful leadership and experience in publishing and entertainment, sports marketing, technology, international and other arenas. He has created and launched five profitable magazines, pioneered an advertising sales and publishing management program, produced conferences and seminars for marketing executives and developed a TV talk show.

When BPI Communications purchased The Hollywood Reporter in 1988 and placed Mr. Dowling at the helm, he began the process of transforming a small, family-owned publication into a highly respected international newspaper. Under Mr. Dowling’s leadership, The Hollywood Reporter has achieved steady and profitable growth, dramatically expanded its coverage of a now-global $100 billion entertainment industry and vaulted to leadership as the number one entertainment daily, read by more than 140,000 industry professionals worldwide.

Mr. Dowling has created and executed a successful business plan to position The Hollywood Reporter as the definitive authority on the fast-changing entertainment industry landscape of the 21st century. He has proven adept at identifying emerging growth areas early, guiding the paper to unparalleled coverage of labor, convergence, new media, international and Hollywood-Washington political issues in addition to its core reporting on the movie, television, music, cable and video businesses.

He launched The Hollywood Reporter’s Web site in 1995, the industry’s first real-time, online delivery of entertainment news, pioneered the first regular entertainment coverage devoted to the convergence of traditional entertainment and new media, and started THR-East, an electronically distributed daily edition designed to bring East Coast readers breaking news stories hours before the competition.

Mr. Dowling has also built the paper’s revitalization on a series of franchise special issues, including the groundbreaking “Women in Entertainment,” “Next Generation” and “Film 500” issues for which the publication has gained a reputation as a cutting-edge industry innovator.

The recipient of several honors over the years, Mr. Dowling became the first publisher ever to receive the Foundation of Motion Picture Pioneers’ prestigious Pioneer of the Year award in 2000. He has also earned the respected American Business Media’s Crain Award for his distinguished editorial career, the Caucus for Television Producers, Writers & Directors’ Journalism Award, and most recently, the Anti-Defamation League’s Distinguished Entertainment Industry Award.

Mr. Dowling is Chairman of the Digital Coast Roundtable and sits on the boards of the Los Angeles Board of Governors for the Museum of Television & Radio, the Hollywood Radio & Television Society (HRTS), the Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Commission and the Fielding Graduate Institute. In 2000 Mr. Dowling was invited to Washington D.C. to brief members of the White House Cabinet on the entertainment industry for the Office of National Drug Control Policy. He has taught a course at UCLA and lectured at USC and Loyola Marymount.

Michael Eric Dyson

Michael Eric Dyson, named by Essence magazine as one of the 50 most inspiring African-Americans, is one of the nation's most renowned public intellectuals.The remarkable range of his cultural appeal is evident when he is celebrated in the pages of Time magazine and U.S. News and World Report, and in the rap lyrics of hip-hop legends KRS-One and Nas. Dyson has appeared across the cultural landscape, lecturing at hundreds of universities, preaching at countless churches, speaking at numerous conventions and conferences and going toe-to-toe with the titans of television, including Ted Koppel, Bill Maher, Charlie Gibson, Tavis Smiley, Bill O&Mac226;Reilly, Charlie Rose, Bryant Gumbel, Paula Zahn, Dennis Miller and many other distinguished journalists and personalities.

But this ordained Baptist preacher and best-selling author of ten books is just as likely to be found giving talks to the masses in local bookstores, public school auditoriums, and in jails and prisons. Dyson's powerful scholarship has won him legions of admirers and has made him what the Washington Post terms a "superstar professor" Dyson's fearless and fiery oratory has drawn comparisons to Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcolm X, leading the Chronicle of Higher Education to declare that with his rhetorical gifts he "can rock classroom and chapel alike."

Dyson's eloquent writing inspired Vanity Fair magazine to describe him as "one of the most graceful and lucid intellectuals writing on race and politics today." And his visible and principled defense of young people bolstered by appearances like his notable turn on HBO's Def Poetry Jam, where he declared, "I write books/like niggas write hooks" has earned him the love and affection of millions of youth around the country.

Dyson&Mac226;s literary and political efforts have been rewarded with the 1992 magazine award from the National Association of Black Journalists, the prestigious 2004 NAACP Image Award for outstanding nonfiction literary work for his national bestseller, Why I Love Black Women, and the 2005 BET/General Motors Black History Makers Award. Nearly all of Dyson's books have landed on the bestseller&Mac226;s list, including the 2004 New York Times bestseller, Mercy, Mercy Me: The Art, Loves and Demons of Marvin Gaye, which was recently optioned for a major motion picture. He has also written brilliant books on the lives and legacies of some of our most important and controversial social and cultural figures: besides Gaye, they include Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Tupac Shakur. And in May, 2005, Dyson will add to his reputation with the publication of his eleventh book in 12 years, Is Bill Cosby Right? Or Has the Black Middle Class Lost Its Mind?

Dyson has taught at some of the nation&Mac226;s most distinguished colleges and universities, including Chicago Theological Seminary, Brown University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Columbia University and DePaul University. He is presently the Avalon Foundation Professor in the Humanities, and Professor of Religious Studies and Africana Studies, at the University of Pennsylvania. His legendary rise "from welfare father to Princeton Ph.D., from
church pastor to college professor, from a factory worker who didn&Mac226;t start college until he was 21 to a figure who has become what writer Naomi Wolf terms „the ideal public intellectual of our time" may help explain why author NathanMcCall simply calls Dyson "a street fighter in suit and tie."

Leo Eaton

Born in England, Leo Eaton has produced and directed television and film in Europe and the U.S. for more than 2 decades and been honored with most of television's top awards. Eaton is currently executive producing British historian Michael Wood’s new series IN SEARCH OF MYTHS & HEROES for PBS/BBC release in 2005. His 13-part action reality series COWBOY 101 for OLN (The Outdoor Life Network), will air in October 2004. He’s in post-production on TANGO, THE SPIRIT OF ARGENTINA for PBS, sequel to his 2003 performance special MARIACHI, THE SPIRIT OF MEXICO (hosted by Plácido Domingo). Eaton executive produced Michael Wood’s previous 4-hour series THE LIFE & TIMES OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (PBS/BBC 2004) and is completing Season 2 of the 26-hour Kratt Brothers BE THE CREATURE series, now airing on the National Geographic Channel. Eaton’s 3-hour history series, IN SEARCH OF ANCIENT IRELAND — that he wrote, directed and series produced — aired on RTE (Ireland) and PBS in June 2002. Other recent PBS projects include CLASSIC AMERICAN CARS OF CUBA (August 2002). Previously Eaton executive produced and created (with Chris & Martin Kratt) PBS’s 2001 Emmy Award winning hit pre-school nature series ZOBOOMAFOO, for which he also directed, as well as executive producing many other Michael Wood PBS/BBC documentary series that include CONQUISTADORS (2001) and IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT (1998).

For A&E’s INVESTIGATIVE REPORTS, Eaton produced & directed SHUTTLE PILOT (2001) — a behind-the-scenes profile of a NASA shuttle mission, WOMEN WARRIORS, THE MAKING OF A MARINE (1999), the 2-hour DANGEROUS SKIES, INSIDE THE US AIRFORCE (1998), and the 3-hour DANGEROUS SEAS, INSIDE THE US COAST GUARD (1996). Between 1994 & 1996, he was Executive Producer and creator (also with Chris & Martin Kratt) of KRATTS' CREATURES, PBS's ground-breaking children’s comedy wild life adventure series.

From 1989 to 1994, Eaton was Senior Vice President of National/International Production at Maryland Public Television (MPT), responsible for overseeing MPT's growth into one of the top four producing centers for America’s public television system (PBS). As Executive Producer, Eaton developed, produced and/or executive produced numerous major primetime documentary series for PBS, including: SEAPOWER (1994), MINIDRAGONS 11 (1993), THE NEW EUROPEANS (1992), LEGACY with Michael Wood (1992), MINIDRAGONS (1991), AFTER THE WARMING with James Burke (1990) and TIMELINE (1989). He produced, directed and executive produced documentary specials for broadcasters around the world, including THE VIETNAM PEACE (1993) for ABC-TV, Australia, THE CONTRACEPTIVE REVOLUTION with Linda Ellerbee (1992) for TBS and RULING THE WAVES (1993) for ITV's VIEWPOINTS in the UK. With a special focus on co-production, Eaton has developed successful partnerships with more than 20 international broadcasters, especially in Europe & S.E. Asia.

In the 1980s, Eaton produced and directed numerous documentary and children's drama series and specials for PBS and commercial distribution, including THE REAL ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK JONES & PROCTER WATSON (1987), THE PERKINS FAMILY (1987), the Benjamin Britten opera CURLEW RIVER (1985), NEWSCASTS FROM THE PAST (1984) and MY HEROES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN COWBOYS with Waylon Jennings (1981). He was Director of Production at KLRN/KLRU-TV (San Antonio/Austin, Texas) between 1984 and 1987 and President & CEO of West Texas-based production company, Big Bend Productions Inc.

Eaton has taught film production & scriptwriting at the University of Texas (Austin) and lived in Greece, Portugal, Canada and Mexico, where he developed and wrote feature films and drama scripts for British film and television. Before moving to the US, Eaton worked on British TV series such as THE SAINT, UFO, JOE 90, CAPTAIN SCARLET and other TV episodic drama series based in the UK. Author of a recent book on Irish history In Search of Ancient Ireland, published by Ivan R. Dee in 2002, Eaton’s awards, publications and associations are available on request.

Moctesuma Esparza

Moctesuma Esparza, award-winning filmmaker, producer, entertainment executive and entrepreneur is well known for his contribution to the movie industry and his commitment to providing access and opportunities for Latinos in Hollywood. A partner in the highly successful Esparza-Katz Productions, he has worked with stars such as Robert Redford, Jennifer Lopez, Jimmy Smits, Martin Sheen and Halle Berry. Additional Production credits include: Selena, Introducing Dorothy Dandridge; Gettysburg; The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez; and The Milagro Beanfield War. He has won over 200 awards, including an Emmy for Cinco Vidas and an Academy Award nomination for Agueda Martinez - Our People, Our Country.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Esparza has not forgotten his humble beginnings and is dedicated to giving back to his community. Esparza’s father, Francisco, came to the United States in 1918 during the Mexican Revolution from Jalisco, Mexico. He worked as a farm worker and railroad hand from Texas to Utah to California where he settled in Los Angeles. Esparza grew up with a strong sense of social justice and remembers the education, principles and values he learned from his father, and incorporated them in his lessons for his own children and all American Latino youth.

As a UCLA student in the late 1960’s, Moctesuma Esparza played an active role in the student youth movement. He was a founder of MECHA, and leader in the famous Chicano Student Walkouts of 1968 for which he and 12 others were arrested. He was also present with a film crew at the August 1970 National Chicano Moratorium March against the Vietnam War. The footage he shot there eventually was incorporated into the film Requiem 29.

For more than thirty years, Esparza has maintained his commitment to the Latino Community from his first "Only Once in a Lifetime" (1979) to one of his best-known films, “Selena” (1997).
But there is another side to this remarkable Latino producer. As an entrepreneur he acquired the franchise for the first all Latino owned cable company, Buenavision Cable TV in East L.A., which he built and operated. Moctesuma learned early on the business of art, he explains “I learned that a movie has to be made for a market, and film is truly a marriage of Art and Commerce”. Today, in addition to producing films he has also established a chain of movie theatre complexes, called Maya Cinemas.

A life long entrepreneur and businessman, Mr.Esparza served as Chair of the Board of the New America Alliance Institute from 2000-2003, an organization of American Latino business leaders united to promote the economic advancement of the Latino Community in America from 2000. New America Alliance is organized on the principle that American Latino businesspersons have a special responsibility to lead the process of building the forms of capital most crucial to Latino progress – economic capital, political capital, human capital and the practice of philanthropy.

Stephen Espinoza

Stephen Espinoza is an attorney with the law firm of Ziffren, Brittenham, Branca, Fischer, Gilbert-Lurie, Stiffelman & Cook. The firm, founded in 1978, is one of the premier entertainment and media law firms in the United States. Stephen represents a variety of writers, producers, directors, actors and independent companies in film and television.

Stephen graduated from Stanford University and attended UCLA School of Law. After graduating law school in 1996, he joined the entertainment department of Greenberg Glusker, where he eventually became responsible for servicing many of the firm’s highest level accounts, including, among others, Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Joel Silver, Jonathan Demme and Playboy TV International.

Stephen joined Ziffren, Brittenham, Branca, Fischer, Gilbert-Lurie, Stiffelman & Cook in 2002. Together with his colleagues at the firm, Stephen represents a broad range of TV and film producers, including Scott Rudin (“Closer”, “School of Rock”), Barry Sonnenfeld (“Out of Sight”) and Gavin Polone (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”, “Secret Window”) and Joss Whedon (“Buffy”, “Angel”). Stephen also works with a diverse group of talent, including actors Keanu Reeves, Val Kilmer, Dave Chappelle and Patrick Stewart and music cross-over artists Eminem, Alicia Keys and Toni Braxton. Stephen also represents professional boxers Oscar De La Hoya and Mike Tyson.

Stephen also represents an impressive list of up-and-coming Latino talent. Such clients include Jacob Vargas (“Traffic”, “Flight of the Phoenix”), Cristián de la Fuente (“Driven”, “Basic”), Rick Gonzalez (“Old School”, “Coach Carter”) and Jorge Reyes (creator of “Kevin Hill”).

Stephen is a member of the American Bar Association and the National Hispanic Bar Association. He is an active community volunteer and is currently on the Board of Directors of the Boys and Girls Club of Echo Park.

Evy Ledesma Galán

Evy Ledesma Galán is vice-president of Galán Incorporated of Austin Texas, an award-winning television and film production company specializing in long form documentary currently producing Cottonfields, Crossroads, and Tex-Mex Blues featuring Los Lonely Boys. She is also the founder of the CineSol Latino Film Festival held in the Rio Grande Valley Border Region of South Texas.

Hector Galán

Independent filmmaker Hector Galán has been producing award-winning documentaries and television programs for over twenty-five years including eleven episodes for FRONTLINE, and programs for The American Experience. He has produced numerous specials such as the acclaimed series Chicano! History of the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement, the recent six episode series Visiones: Latino Art & Culture (PBS) and Cinco de Mayo. (The History Channel) Currently, Galán is working on Cottonfields, Crossroads, & Tex Mex Blues featuring Los Lonely Boys and is in production on a documentary on the life of Arch Bishop Patrick Flores, the first Mexican American Bishop in the United States. For a complete filmography of Galán’s work, please visit www.galaninc.com.

Alexis Garcia

Alexis Garcia is an associate in the Entertainment & Media Group in the firm Sheppard Mullin's Century City office.

Mr. Garcia primarily counsels entertainment industry clients, both at the studio and independent level, in the development, production, financing and distribution of motion picture and television content. In this capacity, he has negotiated numerous writer, director, actor and producer agreements on various film productions, both on the institutional and talent side. He is also a member of the firm's Hispanic/Latino Business Group, representing entertainment/media clients targeting U.S. Latino audiences and/or involved in film production in Latin America, whether focusing on English or Spanish content.

Mr. Garcia earned his J.D. in 2002 from UCLA School of Law, where he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Entertainment Law Review, Business Editor of the UCLA Law Review, and Coordinating Editor of the Chicano-Latino Law Review. He is the author of "Finding the Unobstructed Window for Internet Film Viewing," 9 UCLA ENT. L. REV. 243 (2002), "Digital Videorecorders May Not Meet 'SONY' Fair Use Test," Focus Column, The Daily Journal Feb 19, 2002, and "The Iberia Criteria: Co-Productions between Spain and Latin American Countries," which appeared in the Hispanic/Latino Business Group's inaugural newsletter, Enfoque Latino (Feb. 2005). Mr. Garcia was also recently featured in the Univision.com article "El cine en america latina: Una buena opcion para los hispanos." (available at http://www.univision.com/content/content.jhtml?cid=515673).

Mr. Garcia is also a board member of the East L.A. Classic Theatre, a non-profit aimed at providing comprehensive literacy training and engaging, relevant theatre experiences to disadvantaged youth and minority communities in the promotion of cultural inclusion and academic excellence.

Rafael Garcia
Creative Executive, Development & Production, Nickelodeon

A member of a bi-coastal team under the leadership of Marjorie Cohn, EVP, Development and Original Programming, Rafael is celebrating his 5th year at Nickelodeon.

As Manager of Production Rafael has worked on both live action and animated projects for Nickelodeon including Pelswick, Kid's Choice Awards and the Nick Cannon Show. He also served as Executive in Charge of Production for Nick's In Concert on TEENick music series as well as the Nick Video Picks. He is currently developing properties created by John Leguizamo and singer songwriter Jewel.

A New Yorker of Puerto Rican/Dominican decent, Rafael grew up in Washington Heights and is a graduate of Baruch College with a bachelor's degree in Journalism and Creative Writing.

Mark Gill

Mark Gill was named founding president of Warner Independent Pictures in August 2003, with responsibility for development, production, acquisition, marketing and distribution of the company’s slate of films. The company has greenlit 15 pictures in its 16 year, including “Before Sunset” starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, “A Very Long Engagement” from the director and star of “Amelie” (Jean Pierre Jeunet and Audrey Tautou); “A Scanner Darkly” starring Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey Jr., Woody Harrelson and Winona Ryder; “The Jacket,” a psychological thriller starring Adrien Brody, Kiera Knightley, and Jennifer Jason Leigh; and “The Painted Veil” based on the classic W. Somerset Maugham novel, starring Edward Norton.

He joined Warner Independent from Stratus Film Co. (a partnership with financier Bob Yari and “Saving Private Ryan” producer Mark Gordon) where he developed, packaged and produced several films, including “Laws of Attraction,” a romantic comedy starring Pierce Brosnan and Julianne Moore.

Prior to Stratus, Gill spent eight years at Miramax Films, where he was President of Miramax/L.A. He was involved in the production or acquisition of more than two dozen films, among them “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” “Central Station,” “Next Stop Wonderland,” “Apocalypse Now Redux,” “In the Bedroom,” “Amelie,” “The Quiet American,” “Frida,” “Rabbit-Proof Fence” and “Under the Tuscan Sun.”

He joined Miramax in 1994 and served for three years as the company’s marketing chief, based in New York. Among the films he marketed: "Pulp Fiction," “Scream,” "CopLand,” “Good Will Hunting,” "Muriel's Wedding," "Flirting With Disaster," "Trainspotting,” “Slingblade,” "Emma,” "Bullets Over Broadway,” “The Postman/Il Postino,” “The English Patient,” “Life is
Beautiful” and “Shakespeare in Love.”

Prior to joining Miramax, Gill worked for six years at Columbia and TriStar Pictures, culminating in a three-year tenure as Senior Vice President in the marketing department. There, he worked on such films as "The Age of Innocence," "Awakenings," "Boyz N the Hood," "Bram Stoker's Dracula," "El Mariachi," "In the Line of Fire," "A League of Their Own," "The Prince of Tides," "The Remains of the Day," "A River Runs Through It," "Terminator 2," and "Wolf."

Prior to joining Columbia, Gill worked for nearly four years at Rogers & Cowan, the publicity agency. Before that, he served as a general assignment reporter for Newsweek magazine and for the Los Angeles Times.

Jackie Glover

Jacqueline Glover is director, original programming for Home Box Office responsible for overseeing the development and production of documentaries for HBO and Cinemax. She has worked at HBO since 1992 and was named to her current position in November 1998.

During her tenure at HBO, Glover has been the supervising producer on such projects as the Emmy Award winning documentaries Life of Crime Two, The Cruise and Kids of Survival and Emmy nominated American Hollow. Glover also served as the coordinating producer for the Academy Award nominated documentary by Spike Lee, 4 Little Girls, the Academy Award winning documentary short, The Personals, and the 2004 Academy Award winning documentary short, Chernobyl Heart.

From 1999-2002, while on leave from HBO, Glover produced the Emmy Award nominated documentary Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives, which premiered on HBO in February 2003 and was supervising producer for HBO’S Half Past Autumn: The Life and Works of Gordon Parks.

Prior to working with HBO, Glover worked at The Entertainment Group in both development and production capacities, and held a variety of production jobs in television and broadcasting in New York.

Jacqueline Glover graduated with a BFA from New York University Tisch School of the Arts.

Sonia Gonzalez

Ms. Gonzalez is an emerging media maker and 10-year veteran of working as a professional editor/assistant editor on such distinguished films as HORSE WHISPERER, JUNGLE FEVER, MALCOLM X, MAN ON THE MOON and THE DEVIL'S OWN. As producer/director, she helmed a short comedy, DEBUTANTE, and is completing her documentary BRAGGING RIGHTS plus developing feature screenplays. Ms. Gonzalez was the Coordinator for the National Congress for Puerto Rican Rights, and formed "Latinos for Positive Images" in 1996. In 2001, she co-founded Chica Luna Productions, which is dedicated to commercializing social consciousness through the development of popular media and activist initiatives that advance progressive socio-political ideas and actions.

Umberto Gonzalez

Umberto began in the film business by working production in commercials, music videos and features in the late 90s. He worked with talented directors such as Joel Schumacher, Spike Lee and Alejandro González Iñárritu.

In the summer of 2000 at the first ever New York International Latino Film Festival, Umberto met up with Franc. Reyes. Franc. and Umberto developed a wonderful bond while Franc. made his directorial debut with Empire. Their friendship and mentor relationship continues to this day.

Last year, Umberto sold his first pitch entitled First Person Shooter to a producer on the Paramount lot.

He is set to make his directorial debut this year on Get Tito.

Evangeline Griego

Evangeline Griego is an independent award winning documentary producer whose credits include The New Americans (PBS) (Winner of the 2004 IDA Limited Series Award) My Journey Home (PBS), Winner of the 2004 Cine Golden Eagle Award) Calavera Highway and her documentary Border Visions. In 1996, Griego directed the award-wining documentary Paño Arte: Images from Inside. Her extensive production managing and line producing experience includes short and feature films, music videos, and PSA’s. She has worked with Esparza-Katz Productions, the J. Paul Getty Trust, the Walt Disney Company, Morgan Creek Productions and MGM Studios, and is currently producing We Gotta Get Out Of this Place! for Displaced Films as well as producing and directing the independent documentary for PBS, God Willing about a bible-based nomadic cult.

She has worked with OUTFEST as the Festival Manager and is a Founder of the Silver Lake Film Festival in Los Angeles.

Ms. Griego holds three degrees from the University of Southern California.

She serves on the board of directors of The National Association of Latino Independent Producers and OUTFEST the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian film festival..

Leslie Haas

Leslie Haas is the founder and president of Desert Mountain Media. She launched this independent entertainment company in September 2001 and has amassed one of the largest libraries of award-winning Latin films, branded as the Latin Cinema Collection. DMM has played a pivotal role in launching Latin Cinema as a unique category at many major retailers in the U.S. and has established a reputation worldwide for releasing first class, award-winning DVDs.

Prior to DMM, Ms. Haas was the Vice-President and General Manager of the Sony Pictures DVD Center. She successfully led the company from its inception to a 100-member organization which achieved Sony’s goals to become the worldwide leader in DVD Home Video. She launched a second company, Sony DVD Center Europe, in 1999 to meet global DVD expansion needs with offices in Salzburg, London, and Paris. Ms. Haas was also the Vice-President, Business Development, for the Sony Pictures Digital Studios. While at Sony Pictures, she and her team won multiple awards for technical innovations, creativity and excellence including numerous Divi Awards and the Milia d’Or Award in Cannes, France. She also won the 1997 Sony CEO Award and Sony 50th Anniversary Award from Sony Headquarters in Tokyo.

Before joining Sony Pictures, Ms. Haas was with Rockwell International where she received the Rockwell International Leadership Award, the NASA Personal Achievement Award, and the Rockwell Engineer of the Year Honoree Award. Ms. Haas has a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Texas A&M and a MBA from Pepperdine University.

Michael Harpster
Co-founder of Sabrosa Entertainment

Sabrosa Entertainment co-founder Michael Harpster has more than twenty years of experience in marketing management, media planning, defining distribution channels, strategic planning, and directing multi-task teams.

As Senior VP for NEW LINE CINEMA, Mr. Harpster played a key senior management role in the company's development from a small distributor of non-theatrical film into the major publicly-held independent entertainment company it became prior to its sale to Turner Broadcasting. Later, Mr. Harpster co-founded Providence Entertainment and developed business plans which attracted over seven million dollars in commitments.

Mr. Harpster's extensive entertainment marketing expertise includes utilizing database and niche marketing, directing media development and placement for print, radio, television, and public relations campaigns.

Working with both in-house and outside vendors, Mr. Harpster has designed effective trailers, television spots, "one sheets", newsprint advertisements and various promotion materials for over 100 motion pictures.

Bel Hernandez

Bel Hernandez is CEO/Publisher of LATIN HEAT Entertainment, the only English-language entertainment trade magazine focused on the Latino entertainment professional. Ms. Hernandez began her career in entertainment as an actor on stage, screen and television. She made her transition into publishing in 1992 serving as Publisher and Editor-In-Chief of Latin Heat.

Ms. Hernandez has been recognized for her journalistic endeavors by the Hispanic Public Relations Association’s Premio Award and by the Los Angeles Women's Theatre Festival’s Integrity Award in 2003, and has participated on numerous panels dealing with Latinos in the entertainment industry. In April 2005 she will be a panelish on the Entertainment Panel at the New Generation Latinos Consortium in Miami. She has appeared on numerous national and international television shows, including a CNN special which featured Latin Heat. She is also eatured in the book Careers in Entertainment, Career Role Models for Young Adults from Mitchell Lane Publishers.

Ms. Hernandez is also one of the founders for the Latino Entertainment Media Institute (LEMI), a non-profit organization focusing on addressing the needs Latinos in the entertainment industry through education.

Ms. Hernandez currently sits on the prestigious Peabody Awards Board, which honors excellence in radio, television, and documentaries.

Sarah Hoch

Sarah Hoch was born in Kansas City, Mo. in 1963. She has lived in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, México for the past 23 years. She studied International Business at the University of Nebraska, and started her film production career more than ten years ago.

Sarah is the project founder of the State of Guanajuato’s Film Commission and has been the director since its beginning in 1997.

She is the founder and director of the International Film Festival Expresión en Corto, which is held every summer in San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato, Mexico. The festival was created to provide an alternative and dynamic space for audiovisual expression as well as to award quality short films and documentaries.

Today, Expresión en Corto is Mexico’s largest film festival, and the most important of its kind in Latin America.

In 2004, Sarah organized the first Pitching Market in Mexico, resulting in the complete financing of five Mexican films, and partial financing of another three, an unprecedented event in the history of Mexican film industry.

Sarah is the President of the Expresión en Corto Foundation, which was created in response to the growing necessity to offer opportunities to a new generation of filmmakers in our country. Together with the State of Guanajuato, Sociedad General de Escritores de Mexico (SOGEM), Instituto Mexicano de Cinematografia (IMCINE) and Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Producción Cinematográfica, formed the screenwriting contest for short and feature film “Expresion en Corto… y Largo”, with the purpose of stimulating screenwriters to contribute to the strengthening of the national film industry.

Sarah Hoch organized the First Women in Films and Television International in Mexico, which established as an institution a few weeks later in our country, being the first one in Latin America.

Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi

Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi recently received his master's degree from New York University. In the summer of 2003, Eli's first full-length documentary, Inventos: Hip Hop Cubano, premiered in Havana, Cuba and has toured successfully across the U.S. He has also made numerous music videos, including the acclaimed, Besin. Currently, Eli is in production on his next film entitled, HomeGrown, a powerful documentary on Hip Hop in Ghana, West Africa.

Natalie D. Jáquez
Coordinator, Alternative Programming, Specials Late Night

As both department coordinator and executive assistant to Andrea Wong, executive vice president, Alternative Programming, Specials and Late Night, ABC Entertainment, Natalie D. Jáquez works closely under Andrea’s leadership to contribute to the development and management of reality and late night programming and primetime specials. Ms. Jáquez has worked on Emmy nominee “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” “Supernanny,” “Wife Swap” and the phenomenal franchise “The Bachelor”/”The Bachelorette”. On the specials front, she has been involved with the “Academy Awards” and the “American Music Awards” and she has worked on the late night talk show “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”

Prior to her two-year tenure at ABC, Ms. Jáquez assisted Mark Itkin, executive vice president and worldwide head of Cable, Syndication, and Non-fiction Programming at the William Morris Agency. Under Mark, Ms. Jáquez had the opportunity to work with such clients as Bunim Murray (“Real World”), Endemol (“Fear Factor”), FremantleMedia (“American Idol”), Granada (“I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!”), Mentorn (“Paradise Hotel”), Stone Stanley—now Stone & Co. (“The Mole,” “Celebrity Mole”), and Vin Di Bona Productions (“America’s Funniest Videos”), among many others.

Born and raised in El Paso, TX, Ms. Jáquez relocated from her native Southwest bordertown to Los Angeles, CA to attend the University of Southern California. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the Annenberg School of Communication in 1999.

Loretha Jones

Loretha Jones came to MTV nearly five years ago and has been involved with a variety of projects for both the channel and the film division. Among her producing credits for the channel include Beyonce’s first film, the critically acclaimed “Carmen: A Hip Hopera,” which was one of MTV’s highest rated television films. For MTV Films she also produced the Martin Lawrence concert film, “Runteldat,” and most recently the N.A.A.C.P. Image Award and American Black Film Festival Award best film winner, “The Fighting Temptations” – starring Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Beyonce. Currently, she oversees original programming for the Direct-to-DVD division of the company and works on various motion pictures for the film division.

Loretha began her career in the entertainment industry through her legal background when she worked on Spike Lee’s 1986 romantic comedy “She’s Gotta Have It.” Two years later she was co-producing her first feature film “School Daze,” once again directed by Spike Lee. Since then, Jones has built an impressive list of producing or executive producing credits including: “The Five Heartbeats,” “The Meteor Man,” “Denial,” and “Price of Glory”.

Her love of music led her to executive produce several soundtrack albums including: “The Five Heartbeats,” “The Meteor Man,” “Carmen: A Hip Hopera, ” and Grammy nominated “The Fighting Temptations.” And for the small screen, she has also produced and directed episodes of several television programs, including the long running Warner Bros. Series, “The Parent ‘Hood.”

An active member of Directors Guild of America, where she serves as Co-Chair of the African-American steering committee, Loretha is also a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Producers Guild of America.

Greg Kahn

Greg Kahn has worked in the entertainment industry for over nine years and currently serves as President of filmBUZZ, a market research consultancy for independent filmmakers and distributors. Since its inception, filmBUZZ has partnered with fourteen festivals nationwide and has tracked audience reactions to over 600 independent films.

Greg has participated as a panelist at the Cannes, South by Southwest, and Slamdance Film Festivals and has appeared on CNN and Bloomberg Radio. Greg has also been interviewed by the following print and electronic magazines: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Forbes, Business Week, Screen International, Scr(I)pt, International Documentary, Film Festival Today, Film Threat and Film Festivals.com.

Prior to filmBUZZ, Greg served as Vice President of Business Development for Global Film School -- a virtual film school backed by UCLA’s School of Theater Film and Television, the Australian Film Television and Radio School, and the National Film and Television School of Great Britain. Greg’s experience also includes several years at Showtime Networks, YouthStream Media, and Kwasha Lipton.

Greg holds a BA in Economics and French from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from the Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA.

Steve Keller

Steve Keller is Vice President, Live Action Development and Production for Nickelodeon. A 12-year veteran of the kid channel, Keller rose through the ranks and is currently responsible for supervising the development and production of all live-action properties for Nickelodeon which include the current series Romeo!, Drake and Josh, All That, Unfabulous, Ned’s Declassified and Zoey 101. He also manages production of series from Nickelodeon's animation partners Klasky-Csupo, Inc.

Keller initially joined Nickelodeon’s development department in New York, working on such shows as The Secret World of Alex Mack, The Tomorrow People and Pete and Pete. Segueing to current series, he lent a guiding hand to the likes of the Nick News Special Editions: When Bad Things Happen and What Are You Staring At? and The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo. Moving to Los Angeles in '98, he continued as an EIC (Executive in Charge) on The Journey of Allen Strange, 100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd, Caitlin's Way and The Brothers Garcia, later assuming responsibility for Klasky-Csupo’s As Told by Ginger, Rugrats and Rocket Power. In 2001, he was promoted to Executive Director, Live-Action Production, once again taking on a role in development while continuing to oversee individual series and adding administrative and management duties with the West Coast Production/Development group.

Keller is currently a resident of Hollywood, California. He was born in Anchorage, Alaska and raised in Galway, NY. He received an AAS degree in business management from S.U.N.Y. Cobleskill. He is also the co-owner of Keller and Green – an art gallery located in Los Angeles.

Dennis Kim

Dennis Kim was born and raised in the sleepy suburbs of Detroit, Michigan. He attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and graduated with a BA in Political Science. Unable to procure work as a political scientist, Dennis attended the Detroit College of Law and earned his JD in 1992. Putting that Michigan BA and law degree to good use, he became an assistant at a small talent agency in Los Angeles. He was a low paid assistant at several talent agencies before being promoted to low paid agent at United Talent Agency. He then was hired by the Rothman Brecher Agency where he is currently a senior literary agent who represents top-tier writers and directors for television. His clients include prominent directors and writers on a wide variety of shows including SCRUBS, THE OC, THE SIMPSONS, MONK, THE SHIELD and CSI.

Josh Kirschenbaum

Josh Kirschenbaum has over 12 years experience in the Visual Effects field. He started in 1991 working on promotional titles and graphics for Walt Disney Pictures, including designs for "The Rocketeer" and "Beauty & The Beast". Moving into feature film visual effects at Banned From The Ranch Entertainment, he worked on such projects as "Twister", "Dante's Peak", "Jerry Maguire" and the Academy Award winning "Titanic". After 12 feature films, he transitioned into the commercial world, with clients including Mattel, Mercedes-Benz, Cox Communications, Yamaha, Kawasaki, and DirecTV. Currently Visual Effects/Design Supervisor at Cake in Santa Monica, Josh is developing a highly creative and flexible FX team for commercial and music videos.

David Koga

David Koga is the Director of Development for original programming at Comedy Central. He was previously the head of late night for the Fox Broadcasting Company after starting there in comedy development. Before segueing into television through Regency Productions at MTV, David worked in the feature world at Paramount Picture and Disney at Sand Dollar productions. He is a graduate of the University of California – Los Angeles with a dual major in History and Art History.

Gina Kwon

Gina Kwon is an independent film producer based in Los Angeles. She recently produced "Me and You and Everyone We Know", a feature film written & directed by Miranda July for IFC Films & Film Four. A 2003 Sundance lab project and winner of the 2004 Sundance/NHK International Filmmaker's Award, "Me and You" premiered in the Dramatic Competition at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival, winning a special jury prize for Originality of Vision, and will be released theatrically by IFC Films in the summer of 2005. Kwon, co-producer of “The Good Girl”, associate producer of "Chuck & Buck", works closely with director Miguel Arteta and producer Matthew Greenfield. In 2003, they produced the independent feature "The Motel" for writer/director Michael Kang (2002 Sundance labs, 2003 Sundance/NHK award winner). “The Motel” also premiered at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival in the American Spectrum. Kwon is a recipient of the 2004 Mark Silverman/Sundance Fellowship for New Producers, and has recently been nominated for the Bravo/American Express Producers Award at the 2005 IFP Independent Spirit Awards.

Kwon has also produced documentaries for television, working with R.J. Cutler on the series "The Residents" (Co-Producer) and "American High" (Associate Producer), winner of the 2001 Emmy Award for Best Non-Fiction series. Kwon started out in international film distribution, working as Vice President of Myriad Pictures which distributed a library of arthouse & documentary films.

Edward R. Leon
Senior Vice President of Production, Sí TV

As Senior Vice President of Production for the Sí TV Network, Ed Leon is the driving force behind Sí TV’s Original Programming. A creative and experienced producer for established networks like FOX, NBC, and ABC, Ed’s show credits include Creator/Executive Producer of “That’s Life”(FOX) and “IQ Kitties” for WB; Supervising Producer of “The Other Half” starring Mario Lopez, Dick Clark and Danny Bonaduce (NBC); “Gabrielle” starring Gabrielle Carteris(FOX); “George & Alana” with George Hamilton; “MTV’s Truth;” Producer of “Jones & Jury” with Star Jones, “The Montel Williams Show,” and “Good Day L.A.” His network directing credits include “Disney’s One Saturday Morning” and “The Mommies: Caryl & Marilyn.”

A member of the original management team at Sí TV, Ed is an Executive Producer of all the original programs including the music variety series “The Drop;” edgy talk shows “The Rub” and “Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner;” reality series “Urban Jungle;” comedy shows “Inside Joke” and “Latino Laugh Festival;” and the sitcom/reality hybrid “Across The Hall.”

Ed is a member of the Director’s Guild of America, a recipient of an LA “Emmy Award,” the “Golden Mike Award” for News Excellence, and four Cable Ace Awards for producing and directing.

Deborah Leoni

Deborah Leoni is a writer and producer, and partner in Flagstaff Picturesque has developed countless pilot and movie scripts with some of the top talent in television, overseeing the production and post production of scores of drama series, pilots and movies shot all over the world. She previously worked as a key executive for ABC and as a producer for Mirador Entertainment and Henerson-Hirsch Productions. Mrs. Leoni was born in Portland, Oregon and attended Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona and the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona.

Dennis Leoni

Dennis E. Leoni is a writer/producer/director and the head of Patagonia House, the production company that developed and produced “Resurrection Blvd.” for Showtime Networks, in conjunction with Viacom Productions and Paramount Television.

He was born in Tucson, Arizona, attended the University of Arizona and began his career in the entertainment industry as an actor and stuntman at the famous Western movie location Old Tucson. He has appeared in such films as "Buffalo Soldiers" and "Johnny Mae Gibson, FBI" and the hit television series "Hawaii 5-O. He even robbed a bank on "Sixty Minutes" once. But it was during his time with "Hawaii 5-O" that he made the transition from in front of the camera to working primarily behind the camera. He learned production from the bottom up before writing his first screenplay, returning to the mainland and settling in Los Angeles.

In the years since, Dennis has written, produced and directed programming for the major networks and studios, including NBC, ABC, CBS, HBO, Showtime, Paramount, Disney and Columbia. His various credits include theatrical films, television movies and series such as “The Commish” with Michael Chiklis (“The Shield”) “McKenna” with Jennifer Love Hewitt (“I Know What You Did Last Summer” and “Heartbreakers”) “Raven”,“Covington Cross” and “Hull High”.

His recent work includes a pilot script titled "Black & White" about an interracial romantic relationship between police officers in Oakland, and “The Guard” a movie about the National Guard in the wake of September 11, both of which he wrote for Showtime; “Angel Of Mercy” an NBC pilot script about an international relief organization; “Almost A Woman” a PBS Masterpiece Theatre, a Peabody Award winner; and the critically acclaimed "Resurrection Blvd.” - the first and longest running drama series in the history of American television to be written, produced, directed and starring Latinos - which he created, executive produced, wrote and directed for three seasons, starring Elizabeth Pena (“Lone Star” and “Down And Out In Beverly Hills”) Tony Plana (“Primal Fear“, “J.F.K.”, “Salvador” and “The Three Amigos”) Lou Gossett, Jr. (“An Officer And A Gentleman”, “Roots” and “A Raisin In The Sun”) and Michael Delorenzo (“A Few Good Men” and “New York Undercover”). Patagonia House is now developing several projects, including a new drama series for Touchstone Television, a reality series for the Discovery Networks and a feature film titled "Pistolero."

Dennis has received the prestigious Norman Lear Writers’ Award from the Imagen Foundation. For his work on “Resurrection Blvd.” he has received several awards, including multiple Alma Awards, Imagen Awards, GLADD Awards, Golden Eagle Awards, Prism Award Commendations, aVision Award from LEMI, an Impact Award from the NHMC and the inaugural Legacy Award, which was specifically created by NAMIC to honor “Resurrection Blvd”. He has also been honored by U.S. Congressmen and women, the California Senate and State Assembly, and many private and civic organizations.

Diana Lesmez

Diana Lesmez has vast and diversified experience in most areas of the entertainment business, spanning production, development, acquisitions, distribution, physical production, film finance, and business and legal affairs. Currently, she is an independent producer and creative consultant, developing a number of film and television projects for her own company, as well as for a number of industry clients.

Most recently, Diana was the President of Production (which included Development and Acquisitions) at Arenas Entertainment, where she and Daniel Martinez (The Media Shop) produced the feature film, “Culture Clash in AmeriCCa”. She also served as post-production supervisor on “Nicotina”, “Imagining Argentina”, “The Three Wise Men”, and “Como El Gato y El Raton”. Furthermore, Diana created the English subtitles for “Nicotina” and “Como El Gato y El Raton”, as well as edited the dialogue and oversaw the English dubbing of the animated film, “The Three Wise Men.” In addition, she was also responsible for establishing and managing the development department, by organizing and developing the company’s slate of Latino-themed projects (“Macho!”, “Goal!”, and “Chupa Que Chupa”). Also, she pursued film acquisitions for theatrical and DVD/home video distribution.

Previously, Diana was a development, production, and financing consultant to industry clients, such as: Sprocketdyne (producer of the “Stuart Little” franchise), Valhalla Motion Pictures (producer of the “Terminator” franchise, as well as “Armageddon”, “Dick”, and “Hulk”), and Patriot Pictures (producer of “One Tough Cop” and financier—via Banque Paribas—of numerous films, such as “Air Force One”, “The Madness of King George”, “Killing Zoe”, and “Box of Moonlight”). Diana also produced television commercials for Adobe Entertainment and The AdMark Group, and an independent short DV, “A Song for Honest Abe”, now traveling the festival circuit.

In her tenure as Vice President of Creative Affairs at Atlantic Streamline (“The Thirteenth Floor” and “Igby Goes Down”), a self-financing film production company, Diana developed the slate of film projects. Moreover, she launched domestic distribution talks with Lions Gate for the film project, “Frailty”.

Formerly, Diana was head of development at Patriot Pictures and Banque Paribas. While these were two separate companies, she worked with Michael Mendelsohn, CEO of Patriot Pictures (a production company), and portfolio manager of the Entertainment Finance Group at Banque Paribas (a French bank that provided gap-financing for film production). Diana pursued new projects to be developed, produced, and financed by Patriot Pictures or gap-financed by Banque Paribas.

At Twentieth Century Fox, Diana worked in the legal affairs department, where she became well versed in the areas of music licensing, as well as the general language and process of theatrical and television contracts. She translated legal documents between English and Spanish and also served as interpreter in Licensing and Merchandising. Diana was promoted to Manager of Business Affairs at Canal Fox (Fox Latin American Channel), where she was responsible for all aspects of affiliate relations.

Diana Lesmez graduated with honors from Wheeling Jesuit University, in Wheeling, West Virginia, with a major in Professional Writing and a minor in Political Science. Continuing her education at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Diana earned her Master’s of Arts degree in Theater, Film, and Television.

Mitch Levine

Mitch is a film and stage director with credits the world over in theatre, film, opera and dance. He recently co-founded Festival Consulting Group after a stint as the Executive Director and CEO of the Palm Springs International Film Festivals. He served on the staff of the Juilliard School in New York following a fellowship there and received an MFA from the American Film Institute, where he was the recipient of the first James Cameron Fellowship in Directing. His last directorial effort, Shadows, was a multi-award winning exploration of love, family and the attraction of evil during the Holocaust. Levine has participated on many film festival panels and juries, produced the first annual Bahamas International Film Festival in December and continues to serve as Production Director of the IFP/Los Angeles Film Festival. He was the founding producer and host of Cinema’s Legacy: How Great Filmmakers Inspire Great Filmmakers for the AFI and has directed tributes to Jessica Lange, Leslie Caron, Rutger Hauer, Elmer Bernstein, Donald Sutherland, Tab Hunter, Philip Kaufman, Janet Leigh, Lynn Redgrave, Edward G. Robinson and Ang Lee and presented such filmmakers as Stephen Frears, George Clooney, Bruce Beresford, Christopher Nolan, Stephen Daldry, Edward Zwick, Roland Joffe, Franco Zeffirelli, Gregory Nava, Julie Taymor, Neil LaBute and many others. Festival Consulting Group offers consulting services and expertise to film festivals around the world, specializing in startup strategies, administration, sponsorship and marketing, film programming, special events (tributes, galas, seminars, symposia, etc.), outreach, industry relations, juries, new media and technical production. In addition to his directorial and film festival careers, Levine is a former Special Representative to the United Nations Disarmament Programmes.

Louise Levison

Louise Levison is President of Business Strategies (moviemoney.com) a consulting firm that specializes in writing business plans for film and other entertainment-related companies. She is the author of Filmmakers & Financing: Business Plans for Independents (Fourth Edition, Focal Press) and publisher/editor of The Film Entrepreneur: A Newsletter for the Independent Filmmaker and Investors. Some of her clients' films are The Blair Witch Project, the most profitable independent film in history, Hoover starring Ernest Borgnine, The First of May starring Julie Harris and Joe DiMaggio, Michael Winslow Live, Extreme Days, Dinner Rush, Baptists At Our Barbecue, High Roller: The Story of Stu ”The Kid” Ungar, The Secret and the European films Charles V and Olivetti 82. Among her corporate clients are Tokuma International Ltd, the Japanese conglomerate responsible for Shall We Dance and Princess Mononoke, The Ilya Salkind Company, Landmark Global, WhiteLight Entertainment (Academy Award-winner Gerald Molen), Gabriel Film Group and Gener8Xion Entertainment (The Omega Code). Levison is also an affiliate of the Berlin-based consulting company, Peacefulfish (peacefulfish.com).

Levison is an Adjunct Professor in the in the Entertainment Studies Dept. at UCLA Extension and in the Graduate Film Dept. of Chapman University (Orange, CA). She has presented seminars and/or been on panels for the Independent Feature Project (West), Sundance Film Festival, Producer's Guild of America, ShowBiz Expo, Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts, Florida Motion Picture and Television Association, Cincinnati Film Commission, Arizona Film Commission, Independent Cinema Expo, Women in Film, California Lawyers for the Arts, American Black Film Festival, National Association of Independent Latino Producers, Southwest Arts, Film and Television Conference, Hollywood Film Festival, Hollywood Black Film Festival, Nashville Film Festival, Brunico Creative Financing Conference, Malibu Film Festival, The Learning Annex, Los Angeles Venture Association, USC Entrepreneurial Program and the National Association of Women Business Owners.

Prior to working in the entertainment industry, Levison worked in corporations for 18 years. After several years of market and economic analyses in the raw materials field, Levison became an Economist at Stanford Research, where Mobil Oil and The Executive Office of the White House were among her clients. Next, she spent ten years in the highly regulated health care industry, first as Director of Planning and Budgets at Torrance Memorial Medical Center and then as Director of Corporate Strategy at the City of Hope, where she initiated planning for its five corporations and coordinated a $90 million revenue bond issue.

Levison also co-hosted a call-in radio show (heard on 100 stations in the United States, Canada and Mexico) on the Business Radio Network for three years and is a former stockbroker. She is on the Advisory Board for CineWomen and a member of the Independent Feature Project, Women in Film and The International Documentary Association. Her graduate education includes an M.A. in Asian Area Studies from New York University and an M.B.A. in Finance from California State University, Dominguez Hills.

John Lindsay
Executive Producer for Towers Productions, Inc.

John Lindsay joined Towers Productions in September, 2004. He oversees the company’s international production portfolio. Based in Chicago Towers Productions is one of America’s largest factual production companies. In 2004 Towers produced 100 hours of programming for a number of American cablecasters and broadcasters. The company is also becoming well known for it’s willingness to partner with other independent produers. As of December, 2004 the Towers portfolio contained thirteen partnerships with US-based independents and fifteen partners with internationally-based independents.

Lindsay managed Oregon Public Broadcasting’s national/international production unit from 1989-2002. During his 14 years at OPB Lindsay and his colleagues produced over 300 hours of programming for US public television and 45 hours of programming for US cablecasters including The Learning Channel, The Discovery Channel, CNN, and HBO.

While at OPB Lindsay also served as the Executive Producer of thirty international co-productions. Co-production partners included broadcasters and independent producers from France, Germany, Japan, Canada, The United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Australia.

From 2002-2004, immediately prior to joining Towers Productions, Inc., Lindsay served as Carlton Productions LLC’s Executive Vice President. Carlton, a large multi-media company based in London, hired Lindsay to manage their factual portfolio in the United States. During Lindsay’s tenure Carlton Productions LLC produced documentary programming for PBS, HBO, Court TV, The History Channel, and The Faith and Values Channel.

Programs produced or executive produced by Lindsay have received more than 40 national and international awards including seven national Emmys, three George Foster Peabody awards and two Alfred L. DuPont/Columbia University awards.

He is a past president of Investigative Reporters and Editors, an association of over 4,000 American journalists.

Samuel Linsky

Samuel S. Linsky is director of original programming for Turner Network Television (TNT). In this capacity, he is responsible for overseeing development of original films and limited series, from acquisition to development through production to air. He is based in Los Angeles and reports to Michael Wright, senior vice president of original programming for TNT.

Linsky joined TNT in 1997, first serving as assistant to the vice president of original programming, then working his way up to manager and then director of original programming. Linsky came to TNT from Castle Rock Entertainment, where he served as assistant to the vice president of production, providing story notes on projects in development and coordinating incoming and outgoing submissions.

Prior to Castle Rock, Linsky worked for Workers Comp Management, Inc., as director of New England operations. He holds an A.B. in government from Harvard College.

Turner Network Television (TNT), television’s destination for drama and one of cable’s top-rated networks, offers award-caliber original films, such as the Johnson & Johnson Spotlight PresentationSM 14 Hours; highly anticipated original series, including Into the West, an epic 12-hour series from DreamWorks Television and executive producer Steven Spielberg; powerful one-hour dramas, such as Law & Order, Without a Trace, ER, NYPD Blue, Charmed, Judging Amy and Angel; broadcast premiere movies; and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR and the NBA. TNT is also available in high-definition.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, is a major producer of news and entertainment product around the world and a leading provider of programming for the television industry.

Janice Rhoshalle Littlejohn

Janice Rhoshalle Littlejohn is an award-winning national journalist specializing in entertainment, lifestyle and culture issues. Having nearly two decades of expertise covering the film, television and music industries, the Los Angeles native has also recently included health, fitness and travel to her writing repertoire.

Her work appears on The Associated Press news wire service and in the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, TV Guide, Essence, Savoy and, the former Heart & Soul, where she secured the first exclusive interview in a decade with actress Robin Givens for the magazine's August 2003 cover story. She has also contributed to InStyle, Vibe, Multichannel News and Russell Simmons' One World magazine and other publications in both the U.S. and Canada.

As a full-time freelance writer, Janice served as the entertainment columnist for Black Voices.com and L.A. Focus newspaper. Janice contributed weekly pop culture commentaries on National Public Radio and is a regular guest on numerous regional radio shows throughout the country and is a sought-after speaker by national media organizations, universities and high schools.

Janice has worked in various media throughout her career that began as a student at Los Angeles Trade Technical College. There she served as editor-in-chief of the campus newspaper, Trade Winds. During that time, she also worked for Women’s Wear Daily, reporting on the fashion industry. She later joined L.A. Weekly, an alternative newspaper, covering lifestyle and entertainment. In her senior year at Loyola Marymount University (LMU), where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications, she served as assistant arts and entertainment editor for The Loyolan newspaper and was as freelance fashion contributor to The Black Collegian magazine.

Upon graduation, Janice secured a position as the assistant editor of RadioScope, an internationally syndicated urban radio magazine show. There she received several commendations, including an award of excellence from the National Association for Black Journalists (NABJ) for outstanding coverage of the African American condition. While juggling her staff position, Janice balanced numerous freelance assignments for the Orange County Register, The Wave Community Newspaper and Tribune’s TV Online (now Zap2It.com). Janice has also written for television, as a news writer for UPN-13 News.

As an avid supporter of young people, Janice mentors aspiring writers in high school and college. She is also a working member of the Television Critics Association (TCA), comprised of over 200 television critics and features journalists in the United States and Canada, as well as People in Publishing (PIP), a networking and support group representing freelance and staff writers, editors, reporters, copywriters, copyeditors, researchers and fact-checkers in Los Angeles.

Janice is actively involved with the Journalism and Women Symposium (JAWS), having served on the Board of Directors and as membership co-chairperson. JAWS boasts a membership of women journalists, journalism educators and researchers from the United States and around the world with the goal of supporting the personal growth and professional empowerment of women in newsrooms and working toward a more accurate portrayal of women in all of society.

Michael Lombardo
Executive Vice President, Business Affairs and Production, West Coast

Michael Lombardo is executive vice president, business affairs and production, west coast, for Home Box Office. He is responsible for overseeing the negotiation and administration of talent, production and license agreements for HBO original programming produced on the West Coast as well as overseeing the network’s West Coast production and legal departments. He was named to this position in January 2003.

Lombardo joined HBO’s legal department in New York City in June 1983 as associate counsel, responsible for the legal affairs of HBO’s East Coast original programming and HBO Sports. Two years later, he was named senior counsel, original programming and sports. In September 1986, he relocated to Los Angeles as director, business affairs, West Coast, becoming involved in negotiations for HBO Pictures as well as original programming produced through HBO’s Los Angeles office. He was named vice president of business affairs in June 1987 and became vice president, business affairs and production, West Coast original programming in October 1995. In May 1999, he was named senior vice president, business affairs and production, west coast.

Before joining HBO, he worked for three years as an associate in the New York law firm of Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen and Hamilton, where he was responsible for handling corporate securities and international financing.

Lombardo has an AB degree from Cornell University and JD from the University of California at Berkeley. He lives in Los Angeles.

Cynthia Lopez

Ms. López’s responsibilities for P.O.V. include marketing, branding, and strategic planning while contributing to the overall business development of the organization. In addition to her role as Vice President, Ms. López will maintain oversight of P.O.V.’s Communications and Marketing department. From 2000-2003, Cynthia López served as P.O.V.’s Director of Communications. Under her leadership, national coverage of P.O.V. documentaries in the media increased exponentially. Prior to joining P.O.V., Ms. López worked with Libraries for the Future as Advocacy Director from 1996 to 1999 and developed innovative strategies to serve some of the nations poorest libraries. Other work in the public telecommunications arena includes Acting Executive Director of Deep Dish TV Network and Executive Producer of Satellite University Network; both projects used satellite technology to distribute community and educational programming to national public, municipal and governmental access channels. Her production credits include Associate Producer of Labor at the Crossroads, an American Social History Project Production and Associate Producer of a 12-part series on Televisión Española, Madrid, Spain.

Ms. López is currently an active board member of Reel NY (a series on Thirteen/WNET of works by independent New York-based film and video artists), and the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP). She was Chair of NALIP’s Board of Directors from 2001-2003 and is credited with providing the leadership for the organization’s development in critical areas, such as organizational infrastructure, operating procedures, expanded membership, national visibility and an increase in fundraising.

Past board of directors memberships include the Association of Independent Video and Filmmakers (AIVF), Third World Newsreel, The Latino Collaborative, United Nations, NGO Organizing Committee for the 1996 International Women’s Conference in Beijing, and Videazimut, an international organization dedicated to uniting progressive media alliances.

A respected voice in the field, Ms. López has been invited to speak at major conferences and institutions, such as the 1997 White House Conference on Library and Information Services Taskforce, (Little Rock, Arkansas); the 1993 Advocacy Media Conference, Benton Foundation (Washington, D.C.); the 1994 Channels for Change Conference, (Edinburgh, Scotland); and, Community Media 2000, (Cape Town, South Africa). Educational speaking engagements include Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Graduate School seminar, MIT Technology and Policy Program; Women and the Art of Multimedia at the National Museum for Women, Washington, D.C.; and, the National Association of College Broadcasters at Brown University.

Ms. López has been an advisor to the Paul Robeson Fund, the Ford Foundation’s Americans for the Arts initiative, the Rockefeller Foundation and Latino Public Broadcasting. Additionally, Ms. López is currently working on her first novel, The Glass Horse.

Claudio Ludovisi
Consultant, Warner Independent Pictures

Claudio Ludovisi is a specialist in Latin Cinema for Warner Independent Pictures. His primary responsibility is to identify, develop and manage Latino-themed, English Language film projects. He is also responsible for managing Hispanic/Latino joint ventures, securing co-financing approved projects and evaluating production capabilities in Mexico and other Latin American countries.

Before Warner Independent Pictures, Ludovisi served as Vice President of Corporate Marketing for Warner Bros. Studios, where he worked in partnership with each the Warner Bros. Divisions to identify and develop new revenue streams. As part of this scope, he founded the “US Hispanic Council,” and chaired various US Hispanic market conferences. Most recently he co-chaired the June 2004 SRI US Hispanic Conference in Los Angeles and was featured as a speaker at the HBO Black Film Maker’s Conference on reaching Hispanic youth.

Prior to that, Ludovisi served as Vice President and Managing Director of Warner Bros. Consumer Products Latin America, where he managed all aspects of consumer product licensing in the region. During his tenure he opened offices in Mexico, Argentina and Brazil.

Before that, Mr. Ludovisi worked for Booz Allen & Hamilton strategic management consulting in the Media and Entertainment practice. He holds a BA from UCLA in Economics and an MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management.

Elmo R. Lugo

Elmo R. Lugo is Vice President of Astrid Creative Endeavors, Inc. For more than a decade, Mr. Lugo has pursued a career in the fields of television, radio and print. Currently, Mr. Lugo is the Director of the direct-to-DVD Christian children's show Ethan's Parables. Mr. Lugo has also worked as Director, Producer and Writer for several other television projects. He worked on the documentary "Y Los Quiero Conocer", based on the Cuban experience before Fidel Castro, and as a producer for CBS News. On the radio, Mr. Lugo began as a producer and then became a morning show host in Miami, climbing the ladder into a management position at Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation (now Univision Radio). There, Mr. Lugo was responsible for developing and executing programming concepts for New York, Miami and Chicago. Part of his duties included research, targeting Hispanic groups and coming up with programming ideas. Later, Mr. Lugo was promoted to the position of Creative Services and Research Director at HBC-New York. At the same time, he was also Program Director in charge of developing from scratch the first Tropical music channel for XM Satellite Radio. For his work in radio, Mr. Lugo has received several awards. As for print, Mr. Lugo has written close to 200 articles in well-known newspapers like El Nuevo Herald in Miami and La Raza in Chicago.

Chico MacMurtrie

Chico MacMurtrie has been an established artist in the United States since 1989, and has exhibited in 16 countries worldwide, receiving support from more than 10 granting agencies and 20 corporate sponsors. 2004 saw the mounting of a enormous retrospective exhibition titled the Amorphic Evolution, and the completion of his most recent permanent commission Fetus to Man in Lille, France. Other permanent kinetic works include Urge at the Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco, and The Growing and Raining Tree, at the CAC in Cincinnati Ohio. He also acts as the Artistic Director of Amorphic Robot Works (ARW), a group of artists and engineers who help in the realization of his work. Chico and all Amorphic Robot Works endeavors are currently based in his studio in Red Hook, Brooklyn. In 2005 Chico and Amorphic Robot Works will do solo exhibitions at the Wood Street Gallery in Pittsburg, the Indianapolis Museum and will Build a new permanent Mechanical Mural in Dublin Ireland.

Sonia Malfa
AIVF Program Director

Sonia is the Program Director at the Association of Independent Video and Filmmakers (AIVF), where she is responsible for their national programming. She began in film working as an assistant to Charlene Gilbert on the ITVS/NBPC documentary “HOMECOMING.” She went on to work for several years in freelance film and video production on commercials, documentaries and narrative films.

She is currently producing the documentary feature VOICE OF THE VOICELESS and is development the narrative feature “OUTSIDE THE WALL.” Sonia was awarded a fellowship to the Latino Producers Academy where she received a scholarship attend the Professional Program in Producing at UCLA’s, School of Film and Television.

Sonia has produced and directing several shorts, including LA SANGRE LLAMA, and ON WOMEN'S RECIPIES. She received her B.A. in American Studies from the University of California at Santa Cruz and a M.A. in American Studies from the University of Buffalo.

Pancho Mansfield
Senior Vice President of Development, Original Programming
Showtime Networks Inc.

Pancho Mansfield is responsible for the supervision of series and films from the development stage to production.

During his tenure at Showtime, Mansfield has been responsible for overseeing numerous award-winning and critically acclaimed miniseries and films. They include the Emmy nominated ARMISTEAD MAUPIN’S MORE TALES OF THE CITY and FURTHER TALES OF THE CITY, the Emmy nominated, Gemini winning and Humanitas winning mini-series HIROSHIMA, as well as NORIEGA: GOD’S FAVORITE, starring Bob Hoskins, Tony Plana, Rosa Blasi and Nestor Carbonel.

On the series front, Mansfield has developed the Alma Award winning family drama series, RESURRECTION BLVD., starring Elizabeth Pena, Tony Plana and Michael DeLorenzo, the Emmy winning series THE OUTER LIMITS, the Emmy winning sci-fi series STARGATE SG-1; the drama STREETIME, starring Rob Morrow as well as ZALMAN KING’S RED SHOE DIARIES.

Current projects include QUEER AS FOLK, starring Gale Harold, Hal Sparks and Sharon Gless and PENN & TELLER: BULLSHIT!

Mansfield attended New York University Film School and prior to joining Showtime, was involved in directing and producing documentaries.

Maria Marin

As an author, columnist and public speaker, passion and energy are the driving force behind all aspects of María Marín’s life.

For the last five years Marín has been internationally known as an expert in the “Art of Negotiation”. She has taught thousands of executives to develop and improve their negotiating skills in Fortune 500 companies throughout the United States and other countries such as Spain, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Latin America.

Her wealth of knowledge and experience in field of negotiation has led her to become the only Latina that teaches negotiation worldwide. Recently, she was awarded the “Latina Entrepreneur of the Year 2004” by the Latin Business Association (LBA).

María is a source of inspiration, her mother died of cancer when she was only 8 years old, and as a young girl, she struggled with being overweight and feeling unattractive. At the age of 15, she discovered that a new battle awaited her when she became an insulin dependent diabetic. “My adversities as a child helped me recognize that no matter what hardships come your way, you can still fulfill your dreams,” states María.

Today, besides her work in the corporate world, her mission is to motivate women to believe in themselves so that they can be successful in their personal and professional lives. This inspired her to launch her audio book entitled “Secretos de la Mujer Segura” (Secrets of a Confident Woman), which empowers women to take the steps towards finding true confidence and improving every aspect of their lives. “My passion in life is to be able to help others achieve their dreams,” comments María.

Since the release of her audio book, Maria’s message has been embraced by women across the nation and she continues her work through an inspiring and educational weekly column entitled “Mujer Sin Límite”, published in 17 Hispanic newspapers throughout the United States.

María also writes for “Mujer” channel and hosts her own radio show in KDIF in Southern California, advising women on achieving personal growth.

Born in Puerto Rico, Marín majored in Business Administration at the University of Puerto Rico. After obtaining a degree in Business Administration, she moved to Los Angeles, California, where she still resides. Here she opened her own two restaurants and managed them for seven years. Her life undoubtedly changed when she sold her restaurants and became a public speaker.

Currently, she owns the company Voice of Empowerment and continues conducting seminars on negotiation and personal growth all over the world. For more information on María Marín please visit her web site at www.MariaMarin.com.

Sam Martin
VP, HBO Films

Sam Martin is a member of the HBO Films development team, headed by Colin Callender, president, HBO Films, and is responsible for the development of feature-length films for HBO, a division of Time Warner.

Sam recently returned from Rwanda where she screened SOMETIMES IN APRIL for more than 22,000 people at Amahoro Stadium in Kigali. Attendees included Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda. Sam was Executive-in-Charge of Production on SOMETIMES IN APRIL, a film about the 1994 Rwandan genocide, written and directed by acclaimed Haitian director Raoul Peck (LUMUMBA, MAN ON THE SHORE). Film has been selected to compete at the 2005 Berlin Film Festival and to open the Human Rights Watch Film Festival in London in March. Film premieres on HBO March 19.

After Rwanda, Sam went directly to Park City, UT where LACKAWANNA BLUES premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. LACKAWANNA BLUES, the directorial debut of Tony-winning theater director George C. Wolfe (CAROLINE OR CHANGE, ANGELS IN AMERICA, JELLY'S LAST JAM) is based on the one-man show by Ruben Santiago Hudson which Sam brought to HBO Films in 2002. LACKAWANNA BLUES premieres on HBO February 12.

Sam worked on the upcoming EMPIRE FALLS, based on Richard Russo's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, directed by Fred Schepisi and starring Paul Newman, Ed Harris and Helen Hunt. Film premieres on HBO late May 2005. Sam also worked on the upcoming MY LIFE IN IDYLWILD, a musical starring Outkast, directed by music video director Bryan Barber.

Since joining HBO Films in 2000, Sam has spearheaded a number of exciting and unconventional projects, including the NAACP Image-Award winning BOYCOTT, starring Jeffrey Wright; the English-language version of Raoul Peck's LUMUMBA; the English-language version of THE MIDDLE PASSAGE, adapted by Walter Mosley (DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS) and voiced by Academy-Award nominee Djimon Hounsou (IN AMERICA, AMISTAD); and Reggie Bythewood's DANCING IN SEPTEMBER. She also worked on Agnieszka Holland's SHOT IN THE HEART and John Leguizamo's directorial debut UNDEFEATED. She had the privilege of working with the late John Frankenheimer on his last film, PATH TO WAR as well as on the multiple-Emmy Award winner THE GATHERING STORM.

More recently, Sam initiated EVERYDAY PEOPLE, written and directed by Jim McKay (OUR SONG, GIRLSTOWN), which premiered at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival, opened the 2004 New Directors/New Films festival in New York and aired on HBO last June. Other recent projects include IRON JAWED ANGELS, starring Hilary Swank and directed by Katja von Garnier (BANDITS) which also premiered at Sundance and aired on HBO in February 2004.

Sam is a native New Yorker and began her career there as a writer and music video director. She holds an AB in English and Comparative Literature/German from Columbia College, Columbia University and attended The Brearley School. She moved to Los Angeles in 1996 with an eye towards directing features and has been represented by The William Morris Agency and The Gersh Agency for screenwriting and directing. She lives in Silverlake (Eastside!) with her boyfriend, writer/producer Jan-Bodo Bruhns. She was recently featured in Essence Magazine's profile of forty women under forty who are making their mark on the world.

Zola B. Mashariki

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Zola B. Mashariki is currently a Director of Production at Fox Searchlight Pictures in Los Angeles. She is a graduate of Dartmouth College and Harvard Law School and a former corporate attorney at Proskauer Rose LLP in New York and Manatt, Phelps and Phillips LLP in Los Angeles. Ms. Mashariki has worked on a number of feature films, including ANTWONE FISHER, IN AMERICA, LE DIVORCE, NEVER DIE ALONE, KINSEY and THE CLEARING. She was recently featured on the cover of BLACK ENTERPRISE magazine and has also been profiled in the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine and SAVOY.

Edy Mendoza
Director, Comedy Series Development, CBS Entertainment

Edy Mendoza was named Director, Comedy Series Development, CBS Entertainment, in September 2001. She reports to Wendi Trilling, Executive Vice President, Comedy, CBS Entertainment.

In her position, Mendoza is part of the team responsible for developing new CBS comedies, which have recently included TWO AND A HALF MEN, LISTEN UP, STILL STANDING and YES, DEAR.

Mendoza had been manager, comedy development from June 2000-Sept, 2001. She was supervisor, comedy development, from June 1998-June 2000. Mendoza joined the CBS comedy development department in September 1996 as an assistant to Trilling.

As a student at UCLA, Mendoza interned in the CBS Media Relations department from 1994-96 while earning her bachelors degree in communications.

Cara Mertes

Cara Mertes has served as Executive Director of POV and VP of American Documentary, Inc., since 1999. During her tenure, POV films have been nominated for eight national Emmys and received five, as well as two duPont-Columbia Awards and an Academy Award nomination. Ms. Mertes has been in the independent media field since 1988 as a producer/director, programmer, writer, consultant, and presenter. She graduated with honors with a BA in English and Film from Vassar College, and is currently pursuing a MA in Film and Media Studies.

Omar Meza

Omar received a Bachelor of Science degree in the Music Business from the University of Southern California. While at USC, he served as Chairman of the Entertainment Industry Students Associated and booked guests such as Suge Knight, Big Boy, McG, Dennis Leoni and Robert Luketic.

He began his entertainment career promoting artists such as Shaggy, Mya and Ludacris to radio at an independent promotion company and at MP3.com.

Omar expanded his career into television and film. He helped cast a season of FX’s The Shield before entering the William Morris trainee program.

At William Morris, he worked with extraordinary writers, directors and actors such as Jonathan Silverman (Single Guy), Tim Story (Fantastic 4), David Hayter (X-Men, Iron Man).

Omar left the William Morris Agency to manage and produce. He currently works with talent such as director Franc. Reyes, writer Umberto Gonzalez, Latino Review, and rapper Pitbull.

He is producing GET TITO the directorial debut of Umberto Gonzalez in New York and is the co-creator of MONEY SHOT, a television pilot based on the real-life experiences of a paparazzi.

Sergio Molina

He has worked during more than 30 years for Cinema, Television and Theater as actor, script writer and film producer.

In 1970 attends drama studies at the “Herbert Bergoff & Utha Hagen Studio” in New York, working on several plays for the “Martha’s Vineyard Company”, as well as on various performances in Off Broadway.

In 1973 he becomes part of the National Polytechnic Institute Repertory Company working at the same tie for the Child Theater CdØcompany of the National Fine Arts Institute. In those days he travels around the Country teaching drama workshops.

As script writer for Cinema his first adaptations from Salgari´s novels “The Shipwrecked from Liguria” and “Pirates”, both directed by Gabriel Retes were awarded with the Special Jury Prize at the Tashkent Festival in Russia.

In 1987 and 1989 his scripts “The Divine Providence Horseman”, “Dolls”, and “Circulation not Allowed Today” were also awarded by the Script Bank founded by the Mexican Writers Society and the Authors and Directors Departments of the Cinematographic Production Union.

In 1992 he obtains a fund from the National Council for Culture and Arts for the production of the film “Bartolome de Las Casas”.

Among his publications there are four volumes containing a method for collective theater creation and dramatic structure, the play adaptation of the film “Red Dawn” and the Children’s Play “The Naked Snail”.

In 1996 he was Executive Producer of the Mexican Unit of the U.S. Film “My Family”, directed by Gregory Nava.

His latest film script “In the Moon Chiaroscuro” directed by Sergio Olhovich has also received national and international awards.

Since 1989 he has occupied several positions such as President of the Jose Revueltas Film Cooperative, Secretary of the Mexican Federation of Film Cooperatives, Coordinator of the Film Department of the Mexican Writers Society, secretary of Financial Affairs for the Authors and Directors Departments of the Cinematographic Production Union and Location Coordinator for the National Film Commission Mexico.

In May 2001 he became the President of the National Film Commission - Mexico.

Dolores Morris
Vice President, HBO Family and Documentary Programming

Dolores Morris is vice president, HBO Family and Documentary Programming, for Home Box Office, responsible for the development of original programming as well as program acquisitions for the network’s family-oriented multiplex channel, HBO Family. She was named to this position in January 1998.

Most recently, Morris, as supervising producer, won two Emmy® Awards for “Through a Child’s Eyes: September 11, 2001” and “Happy to be Nappy.” Morris was also producer of this year’s Oscar® nominated “Mighty Times: The Children’s March.”

Morris came to HBO from The Children's Television Workshop (CTW), where she was vice president, program development from 1994 to 1998. While there, she supervised the development of television concepts for 6 to 12-year olds, family and preschool series, and parenting projects.

Before joining CTW, she served as an executive development consultant for DIC Entertainment where she assisted the senior vice president of development in identifying and developing new live-action and animated series and specials. In 1991, Morris was vice president of Walt Disney Television Animation, winning the Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Special with "The Mary Thomas Story." In 1990, she worked as a producer at Churchill Entertainment, where she developed and produced family-oriented programming including the award-winning CBS Schoolbreak Special, "Please God, I'm Only 17."

Morris first joined Disney in 1987 as the executive director of the Disney Sunday Movie, a two-hour series that aired on ABC, and later became vice president of the Magical World of Disney, responsible for supervising all aspects of development, production, post-production and promotion for NBC’s anthology series. Prior to that, beginning in 1983, she was director of the ABC After School Specials, for which she received twenty-five Emmy Awards, four ACT Awards, ten Christopher Awards, and one George Foster Peabody Award.

Morris began her career as an educator, specializing in alternative learning programs for dysfunctional students, before entering children’s television.

She is a member of the NAACP, the Hunter College alumni board, the American Film Institute and the Academy of Radio and Television.

Morris holds a BA in Physical Anthropology from Hunter College. She lives in Staten Island, NY.

Frances Negron-Muntaner

Frances Negron-Muntaner is an award-winning filmmaker, writer, and scholar. She is the recipient of Ford, Truman, Scripps Howard, Rockefeller and Pew fellowships. Her latest book is Boricua Pop: Puerto Ricans and the Latinization of American Culture. She is currently completing two documentaries, For the Record: Guam and World War II and Regarding Vieques.

Negron-Muntaner is also a founding board member and chair of the National Association of Latino Independent Producers. She teaches Caribbean/Latino cultures and literature at Columbia University.

David Ortiz

David is a creative executive in the feature film division of Warner Bros. He has worked on films such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Chronicles of Riddick, Honey, Blue Crush and Syriana. Born and raised in the Bronx, New York, David graduated in 1998 from the University of Chicago with a B.A. in Public Policy. He began his career in advertising, working with Leo Burnett in Chicago. He relocated to Los Angeles in order to become a trainee in the William Morris Agency mailroom, where he quickly joined and worked in the motion picture department for two years. Prior to joining Warner Bros., David worked for Universal Pictures with Donna Langley, an Exec. Vice-President of Production.

Luis Ortiz

As Program Manager, Ortiz oversees LPB's annual Open Call process that consists of selecting a group of readers and panelists that make the final selections of projects that are awarded grants. He also administers and executes contracts between awarded producers and LPB. Mr. Ortiz's other responsibilities include coordinating nationwide workshops offered in selected cities, theatrical screenings of LPB programs and other special events. Ortiz also oversees the production and management of LPB's bi-annual newsletter Voz and website.

George Ozuna

A graduate of The University of Texas at Austin with a certificate in Film Production from New York University, he has produced over 480 award-winning student productions as well as short documentaries and features. He has produced work screened at the Chicago Independent film festival, the American Film Institute Film Festival, Cine Para Los Ninos (Puerto Rico), San Antonio CineFestival, Toronto International Film Festival, SXSW, HBO Family, The Austin Film Festival, and the National Portrait Gallery of the Smithsonian Institute. George is presently the Director of The Film School of San Antonio.

Edwin Pagan

Edwin Pagan is a New York-based filmmaker, cinematographer, screenwriter and cultural activist with over 16 years administrative experience in the non-profit and commercial sectors. He has worked in communications at the Bronx Council on the Arts and the Association of Hispanic Arts.

In 1990, Mr. Pagan co-founded the Latino arts collective PAX Theatre Community and today serves as the organization’s Executive Director. In 1998, Comite Noviembre and the office of Governor Pataki recognized him in the state of New York for his cultural work in the Puerto Rican and Latino community.

He received the 2000 BRIO Award in screenwriting for Angelito Negro (The Black Angel). Among his other screenplays include: The Green Mountain Boys, The Missing Shoe and Anthology, a short film that is scheduled to go into production in the fall of 2004. He recently served as Line-producer for two short films: Andres Nicolini’s “Rendezvous”, adapted from Jeffrey Whitmore’s poem, “Bedtime Story, and “Beauty” written by Franc. Reyes and directed by Pepper Negron. He is currently completing his work on Two Guns and a Bag of Sandwiches as Director of Photography. His latest signature project, Bronx Burning, is a feature-length documentary that chronicles the rise, fall and resurrection of the South Bronx.

Edwin Pagan is also serves as a Board member of the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) and chairs it Communications and Chapter Development Committees, as well as acts as the lead organizer for its Media Lab and Technology Exhibit Hall as part of the organization’s annual national producer’s conference. Pagan also curates the NewLatino Filmmakers screening series at the renowned independent film arthouse, Anthology Film Archives. He is the principal in PaganImages, a visual production company specializing in creating digital-based imagery for film and video productions.

Angie Palmer

As Manager of TV Program Development and Producer Relations, Angie Palmer is responsible for advancing the priorities of CPB’s TV Programming Department and building relationships in and outside of public broadcasting. Ms Palmer serves as primary liaison to the National Minority Consortia, ITVS, various industry groups and works to enhance the inclusion of diverse perspectives in the programming and production process. She is also Program Officer for several CPB funding initiatives.

Prior to joining CPB this past July, Angie was employed as Director of Partnership Development for an independent production company in Washington, DC. A cable television veteran of 18 years, Angie was part of the ground floor operations team for the cable system in Washington, DC and was employed for ten years at C-SPAN in various marketing, sales and business capacities. Immediately before her transition to public television, she served as Director of Affiliate and Community Relations/Business Development for New Urban Entertainment Television, (NUE-TV) a start-up cable venture.

Angie holds a graduate degree in Organizational Development from George Washington University in Washington, DC and an undergraduate degree in Marketing from The University of Dayton in Ohio.In her spare time, she is a freelance writer and President of an amateur performing Arts troupe in Washington, DC.

Louis E. Perego Moreno

Louis E. Perego is an Interactive Content Producer and Educator. For the past 24 years Louis has been the President of SKYLINE FEATURES, an English and Spanish-language multimedia production and educational company focusing on cross-cultural, multicultural and youth edutainment projects. His specialty is developing documentaries for television and national distribution in schools that feature Blacks, Latinos, Urban Youth, Women, Gay & Lesbian Youth and Children with Disabilities. Louis custom tailors his content to a variety of media: television, Internet, print, radio and public venues.

In 1993 Louis founded SKYLINE COMMUNITY; a non-profit organization devoted to the issues of Black and Latino Youth and Women. In seven years as the Executive Director, he produced 70 social documentary shorts by training 1,500 youth in New York City, Newark and New Brunswick, NJ. Many of these award-winning documentary shorts counter the negative portrayals of ethnic communities and offer solutions to social, public and mental health issues. Nine documentaries are currently airing on HBO Family.

Skyline Community's video production course, Skyline Charter Scholarship (SCS) has been lauded for its innovativeness as an alternative educational methodology that motivates inner city youth to produce positive, tangible results: an award-winning documentary short for national television. The uniqueness behind SCS lies in the fact that it incorporates a combined curricula of Media Literacy and Guidance through a Comprehensive Public Health approach that advocates prevention and intervention.

In the field of education Louis is recognized for his School Reform initiatives in which he conducts organizational retreats where key issues are identified and subsequently guides school communities in the implementation of innovative strategies and solutions. Louis is also active in Educational Reform where he conducts Staff Development sessions training educators on how to motivate and increase inner city youth productivity. He has addressed through Speaking Engagements & Workshops over 25,000 college, secondary and junior high school students nationally from New Mexico to Vermont.

Louis created and produced a 30-minute documentary on incarcerated adolescents in Rikers Island with Edward James Olmos for WPIX-TV (WB11-NY). The Rikers documentary received awards from the National Association of Black Journalists for Best Reporting, the Angels Award for Community Service and the National Education Association's Parents' Choice Award.

Fluently bilingual and bicultural, Louis was born and raised in the South Bronx of Cuban-Argentine parentage and raised within the Puerto Rican community. He has previously served on the Board of Directors of Northern Lights Alternatives (HIV/AIDS-infected children and their families), Women in Cable & Telecommunications, National Association of Minorities in Communications and Young Professional Latinos for Community Empowerment. He is a member of La Raza, the Wellesley Centers for Women, the National Association of Latino Independent Producers, and the Association of Independent Video and Filmmakers.

Alberto Perez de la Mesa
Director Latin Product, Maverick Entertainment
Maverick Latino

Alberto Perez de la Mesa serves as Director of Latin Product for Maverick Entertainment’s niche label Maverick Latino. His primary responsibilities are securing video agreements with domestic and international providers of Spanish programming, especially from Latin America and Spain and Latin home video sales to the U.S. domestic marketplace.

Perez de la Mesa has been 19 years in the distribution and acquisition of television programming in Latin America and the U.S. with primary focus on full-length feature films targeted to the Hispanic market.

Perez de la Mesa’s most recent roles include his own corporation where he distributed movies and special events to PPV services and channels in Latin America and the U.S. and at DIRECTV, Latin America where he managed all of the PPV programming through the acquisition of movies and special events, and developed and maintained relationships with the “majors” and domestic and international independent studios, and completed monthly schedules for up to 59 channels.

Perez de la Mesa acquired all of the programming to launch the first Spanish PPV service in the U.S. in January 1997, Request en Espanol, and he spent 8 years at HBO in Affiliate Relations where he was instrumental in the launch of HBO en Espanol.

Mr. Perez de la Mesa holds an MBA from Nova University in Davie, Florida and a BBA degree from FIU in Miami.

José R. Pérez

J.R. Pérez is the Senior Vice President of Daytime Programming at Telemundo Network. During his first year, he created an aggressive strategy for the Daytime block which included the re-launch of the successful shows "Laura" and "Caso Cerrado" and the development of two new programs "Rocio" and "Voces de América." This 15 year Spanish Television veteran started his career at Univision Network Communications where he created some of the highest rated Spanish language TV shows such as "Despierta América", "Control", "Fuera de Serie", "El Super Blabazo", "Los Metiches" and many others. Before he began at Telemundo, this award-winning producer was hired by Estefan Enterprises Inc. to develop the company's TV Production business where he developed the series: "Al Filo de la Ley" (Prisa/Estefan) and "San Angel." Mr. Pérez is an alumnus of UPR where he majored in Sociology Studies. José is native of San Juan, Puerto Rico and currently resides in Miami Beach, Florida.

Lourdes Portillo

Mexico-born and Chicana identified, Portillo's films have focused on the search for Latino identity. She has worked in a richly varied range of forms, from television documentary to satirical video-film collage.

Portillo got her first filmmaking experience at the age of twenty-one when a friend in Hollywood asked her to help out on a documentary. Portillo says: "I knew from that moment what I was going to do for the rest of my life. That never changed. It was just a matter of when I was going to do it." Her formal training began several years later. An apprenticeship at the San Francisco NABET (National Association of Broadcast Engineers and Technicians) led to a job as Stephen Lighthill's first camera assistant on Cine Manifest's feature Over, Under, Sideways, Down. In 1978, after graduating from The San Francisco Art Institute, Portillo used American Film Institute Independent Filmmaker Award monies to create her internationally praised narrative film After the Earthquake/Despues del Terremoto, about a Nicaraguan refugee living in San Francisco.

The Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, the result of a three year collaboration with writer/director Susana Munoz, was a pivotal film in Portillo's career. Its nomination for the Academy's Best Documentary in 1985, and the twenty other awards it received internationally earned Portillo the PBS funding she needed for her next film, La Ofrenda :The Days of the Dead. Completed in 1989 and greeted with widespread critical acclaim, La Ofrenda was Portillo's most serious attempt to date to challenge the notion that as she says "documentary is always associated with injustice." In it she portrays in loving color a Mexican and Chicano holiday - the celebration of "the days of the dead" - and initiates the dream-like structure that has become a hallmark of her recent work.

A grant from the NEA Inter-Arts program allowed Portillo to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's "discovery" of America in her own ironic fashion. Her 1993 film, Columbus on Trial showed at the London and Sundance Film festivals as well and was selected for the 1993 Whitney Museum Biennial. In 1994 she was awarded a Guggenheim fellowship in recognition of her contributions to filmmaking. All of her work is widely shown in classrooms and academic circles and integrated into curriculum studies.

Portillo has collaborated extensively with noted directors Susana Muñoz and Nina Serrano and with Academy Award-winning editor Vivien Hillgrove. Working with other women artists has helped Portillo break down the proscriptions of traditional documentary making because "women, and women of color in particular, often come into filmmaking with a different set of objectives than their male counterparts." Portillo's films have received high praise at more than ten international women's film festivals.

In The Devil Never Sleeps, Portillo continues her effort to explore the Mexican psyche, and broaden the spectrum of screen representation of Latinos and Chicanos. Her tireless creative impulses are meanwhile driving her in new directions.

Currently in production is a narrative feature about a modern day Don Quixote: a filmmaker whose life and art become a beautiful hallucination and in her quest for the perfect film she gets lost along the way. The journey itself becomes her redemption and eventually her transformation. Ms. Portillo is also the executive producer for a low-budget comedy set in the urban underworld of cockfighting.

Mario Proenza

Mario Proenza is President and Executive Producer for various productions at EL CIELO ENTERTAINMENT in Los Angeles. He started off with ABC Sports at the local LA television station, moving on to Telemundo in LA where he was a Senior Producer and Director of Operations, when he made a transition back into sports through USA Sports Network in New York. He then seized an opportunity at Univision’s flagship station in Los Angeles where he quickly climbed the ranks to Director of Special Events and Promotions, Senior Producer and Executive Producer. He went on to All Access Entertainment in LA as Vice President of Operations and Executive Producer when he then went to Telemundo’s flagship station in LA as Executive Producer and Producer for several specials ranging from the Grammys to Cinco de Mayo, and producing three full-fledged series “La Hora Lunática,” “Padrísimo,” and “Qué Lunáticos.” At El Cielo Entertainment he is currently producing the following series and projects: “Cuanto Cuesta el Show?” [“How much is the show?”], a one-hour daily music and variety program; “¿Quién Tiene la Razón?” [“Who has the Right?”], a one-hour talk show; “La Corte del Pueblo” [“People’s Court”], a half-hour legal/court show; “La Corte de Familia” [“Family Court”] a half-hour family legal/court series; and “El Chiqui Show” [“The Kiddy Show”], a one-hour weekly kid’s variety and music program.

Anna Proulx

Anna Proulx is senior coordinator of the Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program, which promotes independent artistic voice, creates partnerships and trainings to enhance documentary filmmaking, and promotes the exposure of international artistic expression. The Sundance Documentary Film Program supports independent artists both domestically and internationally through the Sundance Documentary Fund, the House of Docs at the Sundance Film Festival, documentary labs and workshops and a variety of collaborative international documentary initiatives. The Sundance Documentary Fund supports documentaries focused on contemporary stories dealing with human rights, social justice, civil liberties and freedom of expression. She also created and managed the Waterfront Lodge at the 2004 Waterfront Film Festival. Prior to Sundance, Anna spent a year in Taiwan as the Rotary Cultural Ambassador. She graduated from Loyola University Chicago with a dual degree in anthropology and history and has Development experience in various social service organizations in Chicago.

Leslie Rabb

After many years working in production and producing Film, TV and Music Videos, Leslie started her own Management/Production Co, RPM international, 6 years ago, with the aim of focusing on the International marketplace. Presently, her roster of clients not only includes Americans, but also filmmakers from Australia, Mexico, South America, Belgium and Croatia.

Faith Radle

Faith Radle is an independent producer and editor of narrative, documentary and video art projects.

As a founding board member of San Anto Cultural Arts in her Texas hometown, Ms. Radle was involved in the development of the non-profit community arts organization’s media program. She went on to work with ArtPace and with numerous individual artists to produce fine art videos, animation pieces and installations that have been exhibited at galleries and museums across the United States as well as in Mexico, Canada and Europe.

Ms. Radle began her work with traditional narratives when she served as associate producer and post production supervisor for the one-hour TV movie COME AND TAKE IT DAY, (written and directed by Jim Mendiola, PBS national broadcast 2002). She then partnered with the movie’s writer/director to open up an independent production company, Badass Pictures, where Ms. Radle would produce the feature length movie, SPEEDER KILLS. After a successful run on the festival circuit, the movie is now slated for national cable broadcast on SíTV in spring 2005. The team is currently developing several projects including the feature script ALL THE YOUNG DUDES. In addition to developing their creative projects, the team also produces videos for clients including the USDA, the Hispanic Research Center, ArtPace, and the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

Ms. Radle has served as an associate producer and editor on many documentaries including the ITVS funded VOICES FROM TEXAS by director Ray Santisteban (associate producer); VISIONES: LATINO ART AND CULTURE, a 6-part series for PBS by director Hector Galán (editor); and CINCO DE MAYO for the History Channel (associate producer and editor). She is currently producing WILLIAM EGGLESTON: HEART OF THE ORDINARY with Muse Films and serves as the production manager on the documentary BREAKING THE MAYA CODE, which is currently being filmed on location in nine different countries.

Fernando Ramirez, ESQ.

Mr. Ramirez is an Attorney in private practice. His work includes transactional entertainment law for individual talent and business clients. Mr. Ramirez drafts, reviews, and/or negotiates industry agreements, and advises clients on Copyright, Trademark, Contracts, Privacy, and Business Formation matters. His clients include independent filmmakers (American Film Institute, Human Rights Watch, IFP Berlin, Sundance, and Urban World Film Festivals, IFFM Gordon Parks Finalist), Executive Producer-Film including projects acquired for distribution (Artisan, CAVU Pictures, Delta Entertainment, Maverick Entertainment), Media Personalities (ESPN, Univision), Executive Producer-Television (Def Poetry Jam), screenwriters (RKO Pictures), Off-Broadway theatre companies (Obie Award), music producers (Latin Billboard Music Awards), Personal Managers, independent labels, and artist signed to independent and major labels (Blue Jackal Entertainment, Luaka Bop, Maverick Records, Nuevo Mundo, Premium Latin Music, Shanachie Entertainment, Sowa Entertainment, Universal Music Group, Warner Brothers Records, Uprising Records), and a music festival (The Miami Beach Latin Funk Music Festival). Mr. Ramirez has provided legal services for non-profit film organizations and/or their constituents including African-American Women In Cinema Film Festival, Black Documentary Collective, Latino Educational Media Center, and the National Black Programming Consortium.

He has been a guest lecturer on legal matters concerning filmmakers and individuals in the film and television industries at Brooklyn College and City College at the City University of New York, and The New School University. He has been a panelist or has conducted legal workshops for the IFP Filmmakers’ Roundtable, La CinemaFe Latin American Cinema Festival of New York, the Miami International Film Festival, the National Association of Latino Independent Producers, New York International Latino Film Festival, and Women Make Movies.

Mr. Ramirez graduated from Fordham University, and earned his law degree from Brooklyn Law School. During law school, he interned with civil rights and legal environmental organizations including the Environmental Defense Fund and the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund. After law school he worked on Federal Criminal Appeals and transactional Entertainment Law for a law firm, and he volunteered and served as a consultant for several non-profit arts and media organizations. He has volunteered as of-counsel for the civil/human rights legal organization the Center for Constitutional Rights. In November of 2003, Mr. Ramirez formed his law practice. He resides in New York City with his wife and son (a 12 year-old aspiring documentary filmmaker).

Gabriel Reyes

As President of Reyes Entertainment, a leading communications firm specializing in public relations, marketing and event production for the booming Latino media markets, Gabriel Reyes is a nationally-renowned figure in the areas of entertainment publicity, promotions and special events. A leading Hispanic market expert, Reyes specializes in bilingual campaigns across the Spanish and English-language markets. His mission: To transcend cultural and language barriers and achieve maximum visibility for his clients and their projects.

Reyes has been honored with an Award of Excellence and a PRism Award presented for outstanding work in the field of public relations by the Public Relations Society of America Los Angeles Chapter (PRSA-LA). Reyes won the awards in the category of Ethnic/Multicultural Programs for public relations campaigns on behalf of ABC’s George Lopez (PRism Award) and PBS’s American Family (Award of Excellence). Reyes has also been recognized by Hispanic Business Magazine as one of the 100 Influential Hispanics in the U.S. He was also named one of 100 Latinos on the Move by Latino Impact Magazine and one of the Ten to Watch in Hispanic Magazine's Hollywood Issue. After years of hands-on training as Marketing Director for TV production company GaLAn Entertainment at HBO and Fox Television, Reyes went on to establish the Latino Division at The Lee Solters Company, a top Hollywood public relations firm. In 1997, Reyes launched his own company, Reyes Entertainment. Reyes has established a firm reputation for excellence in publicity and marketing campaigns with strong results in both English and Spanish. The firm’s clients systematically gain prestige, visibility and awareness as a result of Reyes’ professional guidance and efforts.

Angel Rivera

Angel Rivera is currently the National Director of the Affirmative Action and Diversity Department at the Screen Actors Guild. The Department has offices and staff in New York City and in the Hollywood Headquarters.

Mr. Rivera and his Department develops, supports, and promotes programs and services design to enhance (1) career opportunities for SAG actors, stunt performers, singers, dancers, peppeteers, and voice-over performers who are in any of the federally protected groups (minority, women, performer with disabilities and performers who are 40 years of age and higher) working in primetime television, film and national commercials; (2) industry and community awareness regarding the need for more inclusiveness and diversity in the industry; (3) compliance with municipal, state and federal anti-discrimination and sexual harassment laws, the American with Disability Act, and all SAG non-discrimination and diversity contract agreements; and (4) the goals and objectives of the Guild’s National Ethnic Employment Opportunity, National Women’s, National Seniors and National Performers with Disabilities Committees.

Under Mr. Rivera guidance, SAG has implemented programs to increase casting calls to the Department’s Diversity Special Skills and Talent Bank; has increased the number of network and studio talent showcases including the first performers with disabilities talent showcase with CBS; and has created a series of panel discussions entitled - “Women In Hollywood”, “Reel Diversity for Dummies” and “The Invisible American”. Rivera was successful in getting grants totaling over $250,000 from the SAG/Producer Industry Advancement Cooperative Fund to hold a series of free screening around the country of films that exemplified excellent examples of non-traditional casting, writing, directing and/or producing; and commissioned a research study on performers with Disabilities. In 2003, the department reported in its annual Casting Data Report that 24.2% of all roles in 2002 went to African-American, Latino, Asian/Pacific Islanders and Native American performers. This represents the largest annual share of roles by these performers in the history of the Guild and an increase from the 2001 figure of 22.1%.

Angel Rivera has an extensive employment history in public, non-profit, education and the private sector. Before he joined the Screen Actors Guild, Mr. Rivera was the Director of Corporate Global Diversity at the global advertising and marketing communication holding company - Interpublic Group of Companies (IPG) where he was responsible for incorporating diversity initiatives into the strategic business plan of advertising agencies such as Foote, Cone and Belding Worldwide and public relations company Weber Shandwick. Before IPG, Rivera was the Manager of Global Diversity at True North Communications, Inc. where he worked with Bozell Advertising and TN Media (now Initiative).

Mr. Rivera is a member of the NAACP Image Awards Nomination Committee and the Association of American Association of Advertising Agencies' Diversity Advisory Board. He is also a member of the Arts Advisory Council of the Puerto Rican Federal Affairs Administration and Board of Advisors of the TORCH program for inner-city high school students interested in advertising and media. He has served as Chairman of the American Association of Advertising Agencies' Diversity/Equal Employment Opportunity Committee, Chairman of the Ad Club of New York's Changing Face of Advertising Committee and as a member of the American Advertising Federation's Multicultural Business Practice Leadership Council.

After graduating from Fordham University, Mr. Rivera served three New York Mayors as a Mayor’s Office Audit Analyst under Mayor Koch, a Labor/Management Facilitator and Project Planner under Dinkins, and as Special Assistant to the Fire Commissioner and Director of Employment Initiatives at the New York City Fire Department (under Giuliani) where he started the first Fire Cadet Corps program. In 1995, Mr. Rivera helped inner city students prepare for college as a Program Director at the Edwin Gould Foundation for Children’s Sponsor for Educational Opportunities (SEO) program. Later, Mr. Rivera became employed by the City University of New York where he created the first CUNY / NYPD Police Cadet Corps.

Mr. Rivera resides in Beverly Hills, CA. and NYC and has two children (Kaelin 9 and Sean 8).

Isabel Rivera
President, RiverFish Productions Inc.

Isabel Rivera is the creative force behind RiverFish Productions Inc., a New York City based television production company.

In 2004, RiverFish produced a series of Specials for WNBC: “Celebrating the Subway: Everyone has a Story,” featured the stories of everyday New Yorkers for the 100th anniversary of the subway system, “The July 4th Extravaganza” took the viewer on an exclusive tour of the world famous New York City fireworks show and “Macy’s Big Balloon Bash,” a live Special which went behind the scenes of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Rivera’s most recent projects also include a half-hour MTV Special, “From the Church to the Charts” which was re-purposed on VH-1 and BET; a one-hour WCBS-TV Documentary Special, “El Diario/ La Prensa: On the Record,” a history of Latinos in New York; a one-hour WCBS-TV Music Special, “The Sounds of Harlem.”

In 2001, Rivera and a production partner successfully launched “Latin Access”, a half-hour English-language weekly show that highlighted the best of Latin entertainment and culture, featuring stars like Marc Anthony, Jennifer Lopez, Alex Rodriguez and many others. It was syndicated in 85 television markets.

Rivera began her career at ABC News in New York City, working for “PrimeTime Live” and “Good Morning America.” She quickly moved to “Live with Regis and Kathie Lee” for four years. During that same period, she was a producer on several award winning shows for ABC-TV New York including the Emmy-Award winning “Starting Line” coverage of the New York City marathon, “Tiempo” a Latin community affairs program and “Making It” a one-hour monthly special featuring teen issues.

In 1995, Rivera joined FOX 5’s highly rated “Good Day New York.” She produced segments on lifestyle, pop culture and news. In 1998, she produced the station’s coverage of Pope John Paul II’s historic visit to Cuba. Many of her segments aired nationally on the FOX Network.

Independently, she has produced projects for clients that include SONY Music, Cartier, GOYA Foods, Latina Magazine, EMI Music and Tommy Hilfiger.

While Rivera has extensive general market experience, in recent years, she has focused on programming targeted to the growing U.S. Hispanic market.

That commitment to quality programming is exemplified by her projects which include “Latin Access” and her work as a consultant on Nickelodeon’s “Taina,” the history making television sit-com to feature a Latin teenager as the main character. She also produced “Hispanics Today,” a Hispanic business program for NBC News and various specials such as the “Tito Puente Special Tribute.”

“The true test of a media specialist measures their performance in demanding situations. “ said Mario Bosquez, Anchor, CBS 2 News New York.“ I worked with Isabel Rivera when she produced an intense, detail-oriented trip to Cuba when we covered the Pope's visit. In New York, she produced high-quality, comprehensive stories that benefited from her extensive knowledge of the Latino community. Isabel Rivera has all the elements necessary to make a project a complete success: top notch producer skills, skillful, creative writing ability and a keen insight into all aspects of Latino-related stories and issues.”

Over the years, Isabel Rivera’s insight and recommendations are sought after by editors and producers across programs and networks to ensure that coverage of Latinos is relevant, noteworthy and newsworthy.

Danny Rodriguez

Growing up in Burbank during the 80’s it seemed inevitable that Danny Rodriguez would somehow be involved in the Entertainment industry. Once graduated with a film studies B.A. from U.C.S.B. where he was mentored by Tom Pollock, former head of Universal, he produced his first feature length film “Misery Loves Company”, which was quickly sold to York Home Video. Even when this was a low budget independent film, it sold over 40k units during the urban rental explosion of the late 90’s. With the revenue of the sale and foreseeing the digital movement Rodriguez bought digital editing equipment and camera packages and opened up Digiland 2000, a rental and production company. Soon after, in 2001 he co-produced with Ground-Zero Entertainment the feature “The Blues”, a urban comedy starring Deon Richmond (Scream 3, Van Wilder) Merlin Santana (Steve Harvey Show, Showtime). At the same time he was offered a full-time position as V.P. of distribution for Diamante Films, the largest distributor of Spanish film in the U.S. Having implemented an aggressive modernization program for the company he was able to open up several nationwide retail accounts; licensing its films also to foreign distributors and sold their television rights domestically. Rodriguez took the company within 18 months from doing 700k to 1.6m yearly revenue.

Later, in 2001, Rodriguez was approached by Ground-Zero Entertainment to enter into an agreement for them to handle all of Diamante’s titles in their mainstream nationwide market which they had access to via Ventura Distribution. The deal was a big hit at VSDA once it was announced at the same time that the Latino market was about to explode.

Thanks to his extensive experience in the Latino Market, in 2002 Rodriguez resigned from his position at Diamante Films in order to launch a new division for Ground-Zero. Ground-Zero Latino is launched in 2002 appointing Rodriguez as it V.P. He educated the retailer consumer as well as the major accounts, Blockbuster, Tower, Hollywood Video, Andersons, Ingram, Musicland, on the large profitable potential of the Latino Market, gaining from them high respect and credibility when they proved successfully his strategies.

Also, besides creating an extensive portfolio of clients, Rodriguez was instrumental on acquiring great programming deals for Ground Zero. Between many other, these included a twenty picture deal with BRB International (the Disney of Europe) for animation, five picture deal with Aurum Productions (top of the line festival winners), five picture deal with Patagonik Films (co-owned by Buena Vista) for family programming. His success in this endeavor granted him coverage on Video Business and Video Store, the two most important trade publications.

In late 2003 Rodriguez decided to depart Ground-Zero in order to open up his own company. As an independent, he brokered several deals like selling ten animated television series from BRB International to Sorpresa TV (a new Spanish kids station), fifteen films from Diamante Films to Telemundo and also become the exclusive agent for Icon Animation in the U.S.

In mid 2004, in partnership with Mr. Geno Taylor, he established BellaVic Entertainment, a production and distribution company, positioning it to acquire, distribute and produce films in the U.S. A three year output deal has been executed with Lightyear/Warner Home video. Also Rodriguez and Taylor have finished in November of 2004 the principal photography of “The Devil Inside” begins starring Danny Trejo(Spy Kids, Desperado), B-Real (Platinum Hip-Hop lead rapper of Cypress Hill), that now is in advanced stages of post-production.

In 2005 Rodriguez is positioned to place BellaVic Entertainment as a major force in the mainstream entertainment market, with plans to acquire and distribute a minimum of 25 films, as well as to produce and distribute 3 feature length films besides “The Devil Inside”.

Select Filmography as Producer: Hustlas(1999) distributed by Maverick Entertainment, Misery Loves Company(2000) distributed by York Video, The Blues(2003) distributed by Sony Red, The Devil Inside(2005) in post-production

Affiliations: National Association of Latino Independent Producers, Nosotros, National Council, De La Raza, Independent Film Project, Los Angeles Latino Internacional Film Festival, New York Latino Film Festival, Urban Film Festival, Spanix.com, Totalaxis.com

Fernanda Rossi

Fernanda Rossi, writer, filmmaker and story consultant, helps filmmakers craft the narrative structure of their films in all stages of the filmmaking process. She has worked on over one hundred documentaries and fiction scripts, among them Boys to Men by Hoop Dreams' co-maker Frederick Marx and the PBS broadcast documentaries The Flute Player by Jocelyn Glatzer and the theatrically-released Unscrewed by Leslie Shearing.

Along with her private consultations, she gives lectures and seminars nationwide, such as Doctoring your Doc and Trailer Mechanics. She also pens the monthly column Ask the Doc Doctor for The Independent Film & Video Monthly and is the author of the book Trailer Mechanics: A Guide to Making Your Documentary Fundraising Trailer.

Ms. Rossi has been a grant panelist for New York State Council for the Arts two consecutive years and also for the Latino Public Broadcast. She has also been a Juror for the Chicago International Film Festival in the documentary category.

Her own projects include the documentary Inventing a Girl: An Experience in Homeschooling, premiered at the Contemporary Issues Film Festival and winner of the Women’s Vision Award at the Riverrun Film Festival. Her current feature film script Picture Me! was invited to the 2005 Latin American Sundance Screenwriters Laboratory.

Her work as a story consultant, workshop leader and filmmaker has been featured in Filmmaker Magazine, New York Times and other publications. She served as Vice President of the Board of Directors of CineWomen NY, a non-profit organization that supports women filmmakers, for three years. She has a degree in Film Production from the University of Buenos Aires.

Gustavo Sagastume

With 20 years of public television experience, Gustavo Sagastume oversees pledge/fundraising programming and PBS PLUS, our station syndication program service. In addition, he continues to develop projects and evaluate program proposals for the National Program Service from PBS's regional offices in the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area. Prior to his arrival at PBS, Gustavo was the general manager of PBS member station WLRN/Miami, South Florida's largest public media conglomerate, comprised of a television and radio station, two local cable channels and 20 ITFS interactive educational services channels. Before coming to WLRN, he served at WEDU/Tampa, first as vice president of operations and later as senior vice president of national programming. Gustavo worked in a variety of production and programming positions at WFYI/Indianapolis and WGBH/Boston. He was awarded the National Fulbright Journalism Award for his investigative and documentary work in Latin America.

Richard Saiz

Richard Saiz is programming manager for the Independent Television Service. He oversees Open Call, the organization's principle funding initiative. In that capacity, Saiz reads and evaluates about 800 program proposals a year.

Saiz has more than 30 years experience as a broadcast journalist, producer, director and writer. His documentaries have won numerous awards including the duPont-Columbia Silver Baton and "Best TV Documentary" from the San Francisco International Film Festival.

Carlos Sanchez
Marketing Director - Latin America, Warner Home Video

Carlos Sanchez serves as Marketing Director - Latin America for Warner Home Video. In his position, Carlos oversees marketing for new release and catalog DVD titles throughout Latin America. Major areas that fall under his responsibility include DVD business development initiatives, title by title marketing, promotions, pan-regional media buying, retail business development, and product development. Mr. Sanchez served in different capacities within Warner Bros. before assuming his current role as a Regional Marketing Director. In his previous function as Senior Marketing Analyst, Latin America (Int'l Theatrical Distribution), he oversaw media, publicity, and promotional planning for Warner Bros. theatrical releases in the region. Carlos has lived/worked in Caracas, Venezuela; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Lima, Peru; São Paulo, Brazil; Buenos Aires, Argentina and Santiago, Chile. Carlos holds an MPIA degree from the Graduate School of International Relations and Pacific Studies (University of California, San Diego) and a Bachelors degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles. Carlos is fluent in both Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese.

Olivia Smashum

Olivia Smashum is executive vice president, affiliate marketing for Home Box Office, responsible for directing HBO and Cinemax subscriber marketing efforts in support of cable, satellite and hotel distributors. She’s also responsible for market research as well as branding efforts for the HBO/Cinemax multiplex networks plus target marketing and new business opportunities created by HBO and Cinemax On Demand. She was named to this position in January 2004, promoted from senior vice president, subscriber marketing and business development, a title she has held since 1999.

Appointed vice president, sales operations in 1991, Smashum supervised a newly created sales force dedicated to educating and motivating cable system employees to increase HBO and Cinemax sales performance. She later took on responsibility for affiliate marketing, which is the basis of the company’s efforts to install millions of new subscribers annually.

Smashum joined HBO in 1980 as associate manager, marketing, and was responsible for managing preview campaigns. In her 20+ years at the company, she has been involved in virtually all areas of marketing.

Prior to joining HBO, Smashum was a copywriter for the Gerald Rafshoon Advertising Agency in Atlanta, where she worked on the Jimmy Carter presidential campaign.

In November 1993, she was inducted into the YWCA’s Academy of Women Achievers, one of the country’s most prestigious honors for professional women. She is also the 1991 recipient of the Black Achievers in Industry Award. Smashum is currently a board member of the Essence Communications Partnership.

Smashum holds a BA from Hampton University and an MBA in Marketing and Finance from the School of Business at Columbia University. Smashum lives in Harlem with her husband and daughter.

Ron Taylor

Ron Taylor is Vice President, Diversity Development for Fox Broadcasting Company and 20th Century Fox Television Studios. Ron has worked as a network and studio development executive, as well as a television series writer. Most recently, he was Vice President, Development and Current Programming at Columbia-TriStar where he developed series for cable television, including “Strong Medicine” on Lifetime and “Street Time” on Showtime.

Ron was one of the first executives hired at UPN and was instrumental in creating that network from 1994-97. Ron has also been a development executive at Warner Bros. and Disney, and a writer of episodes for such series as “Renegade,” “Forever Knight,” “Covington Cross” and “The Sentinel.” He recently wrote the short film, “Brothers of the Borderland,” which is presented daily at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. He began his career in television at ABC-TV in the 1970s under Fred Silverman.

In his current position, Ron spearheads efforts to guide more diverse writers, directors and actors into jobs on series broadcast for FBC, and/or on shows produced by 20th Century Fox Television.

Ron graduated from Yale University in 1973.

Miguel Tejada-Flores

Miguel Tejada-Flores was born in Pasadena, California. He graduated from the University of California at Santa Cruz in 1972 with a B.A. in French Literature. After spending a year in Paris where he took courses in French Literature at the Sorbonne, Miguel moved to London, and studied at the London Film School. Returning to the United States, Miguel spent several years working as a freelance photojournalist and documentary filmmaker. In 1976, he joined the Screen Story Analysts Guild and began analyzing screenplays, scripts, manuscripts and novels for different Studios, including Paramount, MGM and 20th Century Fox. In 1978, Miguel joined Lorimar Motion Pictures, where he spent the next five years, rising to serve as Vice-President Film Production, in charge of the company’s motion picture slate; in the 1980’s he spent several years as a writer/prodcuer/executive for Herb Jaffe’s indie Production Company, Vista Films. In the early 1980’s, Miguel began writing scripts. His first writing credit, in 1984, was on ‘Revenge of the Nerds’; the film has generated three sequels and become both a cult and commercial classic. Over the next 20 years, Miguel has continued to write in a variety of genres, from Horror (‘Fright Night Part II’, “Beyond Re-Animator”), to madcap adventure (‘Million Dollar Mystery’), to psychological suspense (“The Unsaid”), and science fiction (“Screamers”). Miguel has created for the small screen as well as the big; he has written mysteries, thrillers, dramas and science-fiction for U.S.A. Networks, Showtime, and the Sci-Fi Channel. He currently lives in a 100 year old farmhouse in rural Oregon, but spends a good deal of time commuting, both to Hollywood and Europe, where he has done two films in Barcelona and is presently preparing a new project with a Dutch horror director.

WRITING CREDITS:
1984: "Revenge of the Nerds" (shared credit)
1986: "Three for the Road" (shared credit)
1987: "Million Dollar Mystery" (shared credit)
1988: "Fright Night II" (shared credit)
1990: “Psychic” (shared credit)
1991: “Blackmail”, USA Network
1992: “House in the Hills” (independent feature)
1993: “Almost Dead”, “The Edge of Deception” (independent)
1994: “Past Tense” (shared credit), Showtime Network
1995: “Tails You Win, Heads You’re Dead”, USA Network
1996: “Screamers” (shared credit), Sony
1997: “Atomic Dog”, USA Network
1998: Staff Writer/Producer on “Welcome to Paradox”, series for Sci-Fi Channel
2000: “The Unsaid” (shared credit)
2001: “Border Patrol”, UPN Network
2002: “Beyond Re-Animator”, Filmax/Lion’s Gate
2004: “Rottweiler”, Filmax/Lion’s Gate
2005: “Swarmed”, Sci-Fi Channel (Post-Production)
2005: “Worst Case Scenario” (Pre-Production)

Raymond Telles

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 PBS, Turning Point and Nightline-ABC, Dateline-NBC. His independent productions include films for the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, 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. In Search of Law and Order, a three hour series on Juvenile Justice for PBS and Channel 4(UK). Recent documentaries include: ìEye on the Universeî for Discovery Networks International; ìMemorialsî for Nightline-ABC; ìMiracle Babiesî and ìTough Choicesî for MSNBC and several segments for the PBS series Life 360. Telles is currently developing ìThe Storm that Swept Mexico, a three hour series and just completed production on ìRace is the Placeî for PBS.

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. He is bilingual-Spanish/English and lives with his family in Oakland, California. MFA-Film -UCLA. Member of WGA and NATAS. Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Ethnic Studies, University of California, Berkeley.

Jessy Terrero

Jessy Terrero (Director) marks his feature film directorial debut with Soul Plane. Terrero’s short film, The Clinic, was chosen to screen at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival and has been screened at the New York International Latino Film Festival, Urbanworld and the Los Angeles Short Film Festival. Terrero is currently in talks to develop The Clinic into a feature film. He was selected to be a participant in Fox Searchlight Pictures’ new digital production unit, Fox Searchlab, which recognizes and mentors emerging filmmakers with exciting new cinematic voices.

With his third music video, Terrero had already garnered critical acclaim and music video award nominations from MTV and Billboard Magazine for Gettin’ In The Way for Jill Scott, which Terrero followed up with the MTV buzz-worthy follow-up Long Walk.

Terrero shot his first student film on Super 8, which helped him earn an associate producer internship with the romantic comedy I Like It Like That. In 1996, he teamed up with his brother and formed T&T Casting, supervising extras casting for low-budget films.

While working as a casting agent, Terrero spent months juggling auditions between casting sessions. Terrero’s acting credits include speaking roles in Law & Order, Brooklyn South, The Sopranos as well as the first Spanish-language S.A.G. film, In Search of a Dream. In addition to all of this, Terrero made his first music video for Ghetto Concept, which was nominated for a Much Music Award in Canada.

To date, Terrero has worked with 50 Cent on Wanksta and Many Men, Nick Cannon on Your Pop Don’t Like Me, Snoop Dogg on Tell It Like It Is, Musiq Soulchild on Half Crazy Remix, The Roots on Break U Off, Mystikal on Bouncin’ Back, G Unit on Smile and I Wanna Get to Know You, Jonell featuring Method Man on Around & Around, and Syleena Johnson on I Am Your Woman, which was nominated for Billboard Magazine’s Video Music Awards Best New Adult Contemporary New Artist Clip of the Year 2001.

Terrero is managed by Robin Frank and Jalina Stewart of RFM and represented by Charles King of the William Morris Agency.

Mike Tolleson

Mike Tolleson, past chair of the State Bar of Texas Entertainment and Sports Law Section and Director of the Entertainment Law Institute is widely recognized as a leader in the field of entertainment. He has been involved in much of the development of the music and film industries in Texas over a thirty-five year period and works closely with many clients and organizations throughout the entertainment industry. Clients currently include independent producers, writers, recording artists, record companies, music publishers and producers of all types of entertainment properties.

Jeff Valdez
Sí TV Co-Founder / Chairman

One of the first to recognize that Latinos wanted to see themselves on English-language TV, Valdez 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 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.

Following an executive post at Tri-Star Television, Valdez founded Sí TV in 1997 as a production company, producing shows such as “Cafe Olé with Giselle Fernandez,” “Funny is Funny!” and “The Brothers Garcia,” a hit Nickelodeon hit series co-created and executive produced by Valdez.

In February 2004 Valdez realized his vision by launching Sí TV 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” and “Resurrection Blvd.”

Larry E. Verbit

Larry Verbit has over twenty-five years combined management and legal experience in the entertainment industry. His background ranges from that of a producer of live entertainment and manager of multi-million dollar non-profit performing arts entities to prouduction counsel for theatrical films and television programming. His diverse background contributes significantly to his ability to service the legal and related operational needs of individuals and small to medium sized entities in the entertainment industry.

In August 2003, Mr. Verbit opened his own firm where he represents individuals, production companies and businesses involved in the entertainement and media related industries. Since its opening, the Firm has worked with numerous companies and has been involved in television programs and specials scheduled for telecast on a variety of broadcast outlets, including the Sci Fi Channel, USA Network, Fox Broadcasting, the PAX Network, NBC and the WB. Recently, the Firm has worked on six reality series. Since the inception of his Firm, Mr. Verbit has served as "Of Counsel" to Donaldson & Hart, and works with Michael Donaldson on independent features. Mr. Donaldson serves as General Counsel of the Independent Feature Project/West (IFP/W) and the International Documentary Association (IDA) and is the author of Clearance & Copyright: Everything the Filmmaker Needs to Know and Negotiating For Dummies.

Prior to earning his law degree, Mr. Verbit, who also has a Master of Fine Arts degree in Arts and Theatre Administration, worked as a professional stage manager and served as the chief administrative officer of several nationally recognized performing arts centers and theatre companies. He has first hand knowledge, as a producer, of the requirements of production and the type of exigent issues that arise during production.

In 1987, Mr. Verbit began an eleven year career as an in-house attorney for entertainment companies. For more than siz years, he was the number two lawyer for publicly held Westwood One, Inc., where he advised the vertically integrated media corporation on everything from talent agreements to construction, leases, FCC matters, labor relations, programming and distribution. While at Westwood One, he served as the corporation's representative to, and was instrumental in the establishment of, RADIO MAXIMUM, the first Americanized commerical radio station in the Soviet Union.

In July 1994, Mr. Verbit joined Landmark Entertainment Group as its General Counsel. Landmark, a diverse privately held entertainment company was involved in theme park and attraction design and development, live theatre, animated television programming, merchandising, program distribution and various other activities throughout the world.

For five and a half years following his in-house career, Mr. Verbit was an attorney with the firm Heenan Blaikie and its successor firms, Berkowitz Black & Zolke and Berkowitz & Black. At the law firm, Mr. Verbit developed further expertise as production counsel for both Canadian and U.S. productions where he worked on more than 45 movies, television series, specials and presentations.

Mr. Verbit is the author of articles that have appeared in Broadcast Law Reporter, Entertainment Law and Finance and Comm/Ent, Hastings Journal of Communications and Entertainment Law. He received the prestigious Ladas Award given by the United States Trademark Association for his article on Moral Rights. He is a former chairman of the Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and currently serves on the advisory committee of The Donald E. Biederman National Entertainment and Media Law Institute.

Meg Villarreal

Meg Villarreal is co-founder and director of US Independents, Inc. which provides independent producers and distributors cost-effective access to international TV/video markets, festivals, and seminars. US Independents takes a hands on approach that tailors advice, guidance and networking opportunities to the individual needs of participants to the markets and meetings

Ms. Villarreal currently serves Board of Directors of the World Congress of History Producers. She has also been a board member to the DC chapter of Women in Film and Video and served for three years on the international board of Women in Film and Television International.

Prior to the establishment of US Independents in 1996, Ms. Villarreal was Associate Director of International Activities at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. And was also in the Programming Department at CPB. She developed and coordinated with producing/broadcasting representatives from France, Germany and Canada the documentary-based workshops ARTS IN A NEW MATRIX and DOCS IN A NEW MATRIX. A similar series of seminars was also developed with NHK. In 2002/3 she was production liaison and marketing advisor to two UK indie productions from Atlantic Celtic Films (now ProbeTV). She has been an international consultant to broadcasting organizations in Western and Eastern Europe, Scandanavia, Canada and Brazil.

Kirk Whisler

Kirk Whisler is the president of Western Publication Research, Inc., a corporation that includes WPR Publishing, a book publishing company; Western Publication Research that does Hispanic readership studies and other research; and Latino Print Network, an advertising sales program representing over 370 Hispanic publications. From 1992 till 1996 Whisler served as publisher of MEXICO Events & Destinations Magazine. Between 1986 and 1992 Kirk was publisher of NEVADA Magazine and from 1977 to 1986 Kirk was publisher of SOMOS and CAMINOS Magazines.

Since its founding in 1983, WPR Publishing has been the leading publisher of Latino directories, publishing on an annual basis books like The Hispanic Scholarship Directory, The National Hispanic Media Directory and The NAHP Media Kit & Resource Book. Western Publication Research has completed more than 330 readership studies on Hispanic publications over the past 26 years. The publications that Latino Print Network represents total over 17 million circulation and reach 52% of the Latino households in the U.S. on a weekly basis.

In 1982 Kirk was honored as the founding president of the National Association of Hispanic Publications (NAHP), the largest trade association of its kind with over 220 member publications and a combined circulation of more than 14 million. Kirk also serves on a variety of national and local boards including Latino Literacy Now, the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival, the National Latino Media Council and the Verified Audit Circulation’s Board of Governors. Kirk is also a member of the Advertising Research Foundation, National Association of Hispanic Journalists (founding member), National Association of Latino Independent Producers, and National Press Club, amongst other organizations.

The Latino Literacy Now organization, of which Edward James Olmos is Chair and Kirk is President, operates The Latino Book & Family Festivals, the largest Latino consumer trade show in the U.S. The Latino Book & Family Festival is now held annually in six cities: Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, San Diego and San Bernardino.

Kirk is an Eagle Scout from San Bernardino who is active with his sons in Troop 748 in Carlsbad. Kirk is married to Magdalena González Whisler, a first grade bilingual teacher with the Vista Unified School District in San Diego County, and together they are the proud parents of Spencer Diego (born 1987), Tito Andrés (born 1989), and Zeke Emilio (born 1990).

Thomas White

Thomas White is editor of International Documentary magazine, the publication of the International Documentary Association. He has been affiliated with the magazine since 1996, when he was named assistant editor. After serving as acting editor for five issues, he was appointed editor in January 2001. In addition to his articles in International Documentary, his work has appeared in The Independent Film & Video Monthly, The Hollywood Reporter, Variety International Film Guide, indieWIRE and Release Print. White served on the Documentary Jury of the 2003 AFI Film Festival and was a Delegate to the 2004 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Film Festival. He has also worked with Vulcan Productions as a research consultant and with independent documentary filmmakers as a resource development consultant and grantwriter. White received his MBA from The Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA in 1989, and he graduated from Yale University in 1982 with a BA in English.

Raul Yzaguirre

Raul Yzaguirre is one of the most widely recognized leaders in the Hispanic community. His involvement in many of the most critical legislative and public policy issues of the last three decades has made him a key national player on behalf of Hispanic Americans. Today, as President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) the largest constituency-based national Hispanic organization and a leading Hispanic "think tank" in Washington, D.C., he continues his lifelong mission to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans.

Since joining NCLR in 1974, Mr.Yzaguirre has spearheaded its emergence as the most influential and respected Hispanic organization in the country. The Albuquerque Tribune has called NCLR "the leading Hispanic think tank in the country." In its review of the influence of Latino advocates in Washington, Hispanic Business magazine concluded that NCLR is, "by all accounts the most effective Hispanic organization."

Mr. Yzaguirre has been honored on many occasions for his work. In 1979, he was the first Hispanic to receive a Rockefeller Public Service Award for Outstanding Public Service from the Trustees of Princeton University. From 1989 to 1990, he served as one of the first Hispanic Fellows of the Institute of Politics at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. In 1993, Mr. Yzaguirre received the Order of the Aztec Eagle, the highest honor given by the government of Mexico to noncitizens. Also that year, he was the recipient of the Hubert H. Humphrey Civil Rights Award from the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights. In 1998, he was honored with the Charles Evan Hughes Gold Medal Award for courageous leadership in civic and humanitarian affairs by the National Conference for Community and Justice. Mr. Yzaguirre has also been awarded five honorary degrees, including honorary PhDs from the University of Massachusetts and Arizona State University. He was first listed in Who's Who in America in 1980.

Mr.Yzaguirre is a past Chairperson of the Independent Sector, a nonprofit coalition of over 850 corporate, foundation and voluntary organizations. He serves on the Board of Directors of numerous organizations, including Sears, Roebuck and Co., United Way of America, AARP Services, Inc. (ASI), National Hispanic Leadership Agenda and the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights. He was recently elected to the National Boards of the Salvation Army and the 4-H Club. He was the first Hispanic to serve on the Executive Committee of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights and was Chairperson of President Clinton's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans. Mr. Yzaguirre also serves on the Visiting Committee for the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

In a 1992 profile, Hispanic magazine described him as being "at the center of the Hispanic leadership stage." He is a frequent commentator on Latino issues; he has appeared on NBC Nightly News, ABC World News Tonight, CBS Evening News, The Today Show, CNN and National Public Radio and in The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The Chicago Tribune, Time, Newsweek and The National Journal.

A lifelong community activist, Mr. Yzaguirre was born in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas. He began his civil rights career at the age of 15 when he organized the American G.I. Forum Juniors, an auxiliary of the American G.I. Forum, an Hispanic veterans organization. After graduating from high school, Mr. Yzaguirre served four years in the U.S. Air Force Medical Corps. In 1964, he founded NOMAS, the National Organization for Mexican American Services. A proposal he wrote for NOMAS led to the creation of what is now NCLR. After receiving his B.S. from George Washington University, Mr. Yzaguirre became a program analyst at the Migrant Division of the U.S. Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO). In 1969, Mr.Yzaguirre founded Interstate Research Associates (IRA), the first Mexican American research association, which he built into a multimillion-dollar nonprofit consulting firm.

Debbie Zimmerman

Debra Zimmerman has been the Executive Director of Women Make Movies, a non-profit feminist media organization since 1983. During her tenure the organization has grown into the largest distributor of films and videotapes by and about women in the world. Women Make Movies is known for discovering and distributing the films of new and innovative filmmakers, including Sally Potter, Jane Campion, Gurindha Chadha and Julie Dash. Its Production Assistance Program has assisted such features as Boys Don't Cry and Love & Diane, a recent WMM theatrical release. Zimmerman is in great demand as a lecturer on women's media and media distribution and fundraising throughout the world, has been a grants panelist for government and private foundations and served as a jury member for numerous festivals. She is a former President and Chair of the Association of Independent Video and Filmmakers. She currently sits on New York State Council for the Arts Electronic Media and Film Funding Panel and is a member of the Advisory Boards of DocuClub, NY; Frameline, San Francisco; Asian Cine-Vision, NY; the Center for Social Media at American University; the Boston Women's Film and Video Festival and the Florida Room Documentary Film Festival.