Staff
Over the course of her extensive 20 years of career, Diana Luna has prioritized creating opportunities that support the professional advancement of individuals in a variety of creative fields, in particular those from underrepresented communities.
Born and raised in Mexico City, she holds a BA in Communications from Tec de Monterrey and a MS in Business Administration from Saint Michael’s College. She began her career in Mexico City in public relations, relocated to Vermont and worked in college admissions developing diversity initiatives.
Attracted by the California sun she arrived at Claremont Graduate University to launch the masters degrees in Arts Management and Art Business. At CGU she impulsed and oversaw the Latino Arts Leaders Fellowship with the goal of increasing and positioning Latino executives in the arts nonprofit sector in Los Angeles.
As the director of LMU Extension at Loyola Marymount University, she managed more than 160 job training certificate programs focusing on providing job placement for underserved populations (veterans, persons with disabilities, at-risk youth, homeless, etc.) through industry partnerships, scholarships and awarded federal grants.
Continuing fostering her passion for the arts, for the past 7 years, Diana led the nonprofit organization Tomorrow's Filmmakers Today (TFT) with the goal of highlighting and advancing the careers of emerging Latino filmmakers. In partnership with Hola Mexico Film Festival, TFT is today a tight community of more than a hundred talented creators that together promote professional growth, access to unique projects and collaborations.
Diana has a kid in college and currently lives in Los Angeles Arts District with her old dog Moka.
Vannessa is an experienced marketing, communications & events professional from Los Angeles. She currently oversees NALIP's tentpole events and programs as the Program Director. Also a skillful & dynamic photographer, Vannessa's passion lies in her ability to tell stories and bring ideas to life through any avenue. Vannessa has a knack for seeing the bigger picture and can easily piece together various elements. With careful planning and the overall vision in mind, she ensures that each event or digital campaign is memorable and executed smoothly. In 2019, Vannessa founded Virago Creative, a Latina-led creative agency dedicated to authentic storytelling and creative design. And in 2022, Vannessa co-launched Virago Rising, a Latine-powered media platform utilizing innovative forms of storytelling and resource offerings to uplift nuestra comunidad.
Vannessa has a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Emory University, Goizueta Business School and a double bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California (USC).
Marilyn Mijares (they/them, she/hers) is a Program Coordinator at the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) who oversees sponsor and partner relationships, year-round programs and events, and internal team structure. A graduate from UCLA with a degree in Gender and Film, they have an enthusiasm for inclusive media that thoughtfully explores the intersection of race, gender, and other overlapping identities. Marilyn believes in the power of visual media as a vehicle for social change and is thrilled to strive for a more equitable and inclusive entertainment industry at an organization like NALIP. She looks forward to the future of the industry and the rising opportunities for diverse creatives that will flourish more than ever in the years to come.
Vero Kompalic is a Venezuelan filmmaker, programmer and painter. She focuses her scholarship work on postcolonial feminist discourse, with publications on the sexual transgression of Breillat’s work and the radical cinema of Mariana Rondon. She served as an AP and writer on SUMMERTIME, which premiered at SUNDANCE and was theatrically released in 2021. In 2020 she founded DISCORDIA, an independent production company, with her longtime collaborators.
Jose Medina Rodriguez is a multifaceted Mexican, writer, director and producer. Originally from Mexico City, he was introduced to the world of television through the lens of telenovelas, while sneaking into his fathers job as a camera operator. This coalesced working backstage on local theater productions, and soon after fell in love with screenwriting. All leading to writing and producing a four episode web series “Chef’s Kiss”. Jose focuses on narratives exploring intimate themes such as homelessness, LGBTQ+ struggles, domestic violence, and social justice from underrepresented perspectives. Jose joined the NALIP team in 2020 to be a part of the push for inclusion of diversity in the entertainment industry. He has worked on signature programs like, Latino Media Fest, Diverse Women in Media Forum, NALIP Media Summit, The Emerging Content Creators Inclusion Initiative, and most recently the Latino Media Market. Jose is Los Angeles-based working on the pilot for his next series. Jose holds a Bachelor of Arts in Film & Television Production from California State University, Northridge.
Ian Cabalo graduated from California State University, Northridge in 2021 with a B.A. in Cinema Television Arts with an emphasis in Television Production (producing) and a minor in Interactive Marketing.
Martha Delgado is a Digital Communications Coordinator at NALIP. She graduated from UC Riverside with a B.A. in Creative Writing and her background is in journalism and nonfiction writing.