BOARD OF ADVISORS

INTRODUCING OUR BOARD OF ADVISORS

MEET OUR BOARD OF ADVISORS

Comprised of film industry veterans, philanthropists, artists and other creative types, the LUNAFEST Board of Advisors donate their time and considerable talents to choosing the “best of the best” from among more than 850 film submissions.

  • Carpenter Maïa Cybelle Carpenter

    Maïa Cybelle Carpenter

    A moving-image artist and curator. Her films and videos have been exhibited at numerous international venues, and she has curated programs for San Francisco Cinematheque and San Francisco International Film Festival, among others. She is currently the president of the Board of Directors of Canyon Cinema, Inc., a pre-screener for the San Francisco International Film Festival and works for Elevation Partners in Menlo Park.at.

  • Cavagnaro Paula Cavagnaro

    Paula Cavagnaro

    A committed contributor-as a supporter and consultant-to independent film festivals and international film projects. She has worked with the San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Jackson Hole and Sonoma International Film Festivals.

  • Doe Emily Doe

    Emily Doe

    A Shorts Programmer for the Sundance Film Festival and an Editor-at-Large for Wholphin, a DVD magazine of unseen and rare short films published by McSweeney’s. She frequently travels to other short film festivals across the nation and world, looking for cinematic treasures. She has also jurored SXSW’s Click competition.

  • Fischer Cathy R. Fischer

    Cathy R. Fischer

    With a varied background in independent film, non-commercial television and new media, and as senior producer for the Independent Television Service’s interactive division, she oversees ITVS.org as well as companion sites for the PBS film anthology Independent Lens. She also edits the online magazine Inside Indies and oversees the Independent Lens Online Shorts Festival.

  • Fitch Anna Fitch

    Anna Fitch

    An award-winning director and entomologist whose work has aired on National Geographic, Channel Four UK, and PBS. She won an Emmy for Best Documentary Directing in 2003 for “BugWorld: War of Two Worlds” and has been recognized with numerous other accolades for her films exploring the natural world.

  • Goodman Bridget Goodman

    Bridget Goodman

    A senior viewpainter (3D Texture Artist) with George Lucas’ Industrial Light & Magic in San Francisco where she has contributed to numerous films. She is also an accomplished painter and photographer with work published in Cinefex, TV Guide, Fast Company, Breakthrough, and German Art Zines.

  • Jacob Justine Jacob

    Justine Jacob

    An independent filmmaker and former attorney who changed careers to fulfill her creative passion through film. She produced and co-directed “Paper of Plastic?,” which premiered at the 2008 Los Angeles Film Festival and “Runners High,” shown at the San Francisco International Film Festival and other venues in 2006. She has participated in the Sundance Producers Conference and recently served as president of Bay Area Women in Film and Television.

  • Parsont Joanne Parsont

    Joanne Parsont

    Currently the director of education for the San Francisco Film Society. She has worked in the Bay Area film community for 15 years as a film programmer, writer, editor, consultant, project manager and media educator, specializing in outreach, education, youth media, children’s and documentary programming. She has also worked for the Public Broadcasting Service and the Learning Channel in Washington, D.C.

  • Priggen Erica Priggen

    Erica Priggen

    An executive producer at Free Range Studios, where she heads the video and entertainment department, overseeing the creative and strategic development of all of the company’s video campaigns.

  • Sadler Nioma Narissa Sadler

    Nioma Narissa Sadler

    A social advocate, artist and mother. She is also founder of the WomenServe organization, which provides an empowered voice and services for impoverished and abused women worldwide. For five years, WomenServe has co-hosted the LUNAFEST fundraiser in Sonoma County, California in support of Breast Cancer awareness and the Sloan House battered women’s shelter.

  • Sobieralski Casondra Sobieralski

    Casondra Sobieralski

    An artist and storyteller via video, web and performance. Her creations have appeared in galleries and other sites nationwide, she has worked with CNRS/the Louvre doing digital reconstruction for French archeologists in Egypt, and she has taught at numerous organizations including the San Francisco Art Institute, UC Berkeley, and the Carnegie Museum of Art.

  • Strachan Beth Strachan

    Beth Strachan

    Beth Strachen has nearly 20 years’ experience in marketing communications and fund development within the world of nonprofits and socially responsible businesses. Currently, she is vice president with the Metropolitan Group, a full-service agency that crafts and integrates strategic communication, creative and resource development services that empower social purpose organizations to build a just and sustainable world.