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Board of Directors
Board of Directors 2010/2011
Alexandra Levi - President
Alexandra Levi launched her first consulting practice when she was 21, developing financial and tax strategies for individuals and small businesses in entertainment and media. Eight years later, a client convinced her to join his company, where she became CFO of a premier modeling agency headquartered in New York. She expanded the business to London, South Beach and Cape Town growing income tenfold to $20 million. Levi also developed the company's commercial, television and film divisions, negotiating some of the largest and most innovative contracts in the industry. In 1999, she became vice president of entertainment at a communications firm, leading both its creative and management teams. In addition to producing content for film and television, Levi spearheaded licensing, branding and distribution programs. After six years, she decided to return to her own practice, driven by her entrepreneurial instinct and desire to help individuals and businesses develop strategies for growing their businesses and creating and preserving wealth.
Esmee - VP/Communications
Esmée is the digital media and content producer for J.P. Morgan Funds. She's managed the social media, video and podcast strategies for Deloitte LLP; creating and producing the Deloitte Insights and Statements podcasts, producing recruiting videos, and conceptualizing and producing online conference experiences. She's worked in TV, film, and commercial production for HBO, Studios USA, Hallmark Entertainment and others. Esmée co-founded Stage Shadows, Inc., an audio theatre company which produced and recorded radio drama, live at The Museum of Television & Radio and broadcast over NYC's WFUV (90.7 FM). She redesigned the nywift.org Web site and is developing measurable, brand building online marketing plans to increase reach and build eminence.
Marlene Braga - VP/Development
Marlene Braga is a producer with over a decade of experience crafting entertainment and news. Most recently, she served as director of programming for History USA, History En Espanol, and History International. Also, Marlene worked for ABC News, participated in story development for PBS's Emmy Award-winning national arts program EGG, and worked in production for Bill Moyers’ Public Affairs Television. Marlene was born in Miami, Florida to a Cuban family and raised in the United States. She earned her master's degree in journalism from Columbia University and graduated from The George Washington University with a degree in political science.
Anna Gerb - VP/Membership
Anna Gerb is Executive Producer/Head of Production at Washington Square Films where she oversees corporate operations, production finance, and all commercial, film, television & documentary productions. Independently, she is developing a romantic comedy with fellow NYWIFT member Kate Bernstein. Prior to WSF, Anna was Partner and Executive Producer at Spank Films, an award winning commercial production company based out of Toronto, Canada. There, Anna produced the DGC & Genie nominated feature film Blood with acclaimed Canadian director Jerry Ciccoritti that premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. In addition to award winning commercials including a Cannes Gold Lion campaign, Anna has produced short films and documentaries for the CBC and the Movie Network that have been honored at festivals worldwide. Anna has been producing for 15 years. She is a member of NYWIFT, The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, and the New York Production Alliance & The Producers Guild of America.
Iri Greco - VP/Programming
Iri works as an independent video producer for television and new media. She is the founder of Panforte Productions LLC, a visual media company specializing in life-style content, video production, and consulting services since 2006. She has worked with media celebrity chefs Bobby Flay, Sara Moulton, Rachael Ray, Martha Stewart, Lidia Bastianich, Dave Lieberman, and Mario Batali. Iri has created and produced web video series for FoodNetwork.com and several Hearst web platforms. Her television work has appeared on FoodNetwork, ABC, CBS, NBC, Fine Living, HGTV, and PBS. She has appeared on screen in two episodes of Throwdown with Bobby Flay. Current Panforte Productions projects include a social media web series, two television pilots, and a feature length documentary.
Janet Stilson - VP/Special Events
Janet Stilson is a film writer and journalist. She has been an artist-in-residence at the Julia and David White Artists Colony in Costa Rica on five occasions, and also was in residence at La Muse artist retreat in Southern France during 2008. Her film scripts have been semi-finalists in several award competitions, including Filmmakers, American Accolades and the Austin Film Festival. Two have been optioned. As a journalist, Janet's writing has ranged from a look at fun things to do in Spanish Harlem to think pieces about digital media. Her articles have appeared in many publications, including Variety, The Los Angeles Times and Advertising Age. For the last three years, she has served as VP of Programs on NYWIFT’s board, and has vast experience producing and moderating events for the organization and is a member of its Writers Group. She also is a former board member of Women in Cable and Telecommunications. Her journalism blog can be found at www.stilsonwrites.typepad.com. />
Susan Steiger - Secretary
Susan Steiger has over twenty years experience as a corporate and an entertainment lawyer with clients in the worlds of theatre, publishing, film and music. Before law school, she was an associate producer at ABC News Special Events where she worked on political conventions, elections, the space program and science documentaries and then at 20/20. She is currently on the board of the Irish Repertory Theatre and a co-producer of "Menopause, The Musical."
Eileen Newman - Treasurer
Eileen Newman is the Managing Director of the Tribeca Film Institute. Previously she was Executive Director of the National Board of Review, Senior Director of Programming at the Independent Feature Project and served as Executive Director of Film/Video Arts for many years. Ms. Newman is active in the New York film community, serving on the boards of the New York Production Alliance, Manhattan Neighborhood Network (Board Chair) and the advisory board of New York Women in Film and Television. She often speaks on panels about independent media and has been a juror and panel member for the Miami International Film Festival, the Jerome Foundation, and the Department of Cultural Affairs among others.
Geralyn Abinder - Communications
A film and video director and producer for 16 years, with a unique understanding and philosophy of communicating and entertaining through media, Geralyn Albinder has created films that strive to educate and entertain on several aspects of science and natural history. Using cutting-edge presentation technologies, she has designed and produced evocative space-defining media installations. Albinder worked with leading cultural institutions worldwide to interpret content and create engaging informational media, documentary productions, promotional programs and large-scale artistic installations.
Lynn Gardner - Communications
Lynn Gardner is Vice President of Public Relations for History. She oversees publicity, media relations, and viewer relations for the History brand and it’s programming, as well as for History International, History En Español, and Military History. She also serves as the network spokesperson. In this role, Gardner builds and implements integrated public relations campaigns that have consistently enhanced competitive market positioning, won favorable media and consumer recognition, and supported substantial ratings growth. Gardner has extensive experience in all aspects of television and corporate PR, having worked at PR agencies in NY and LA as well as NBC News and VitaminShoppe.com.
Alexis Alexanian - Development
Alexis Alexanian is an independent film producer and consultant. She started her career in production on studio films including Mississippi Burning, Bonfire of the Vanities, A League of Their
Own, and Striptease. In 1999 she partnered with Gary Winick to create InDigEnt (Independent Digital Entertainment), financed by IFC, and dedicated to producing low budget digital features. Chelsea Walls, Personal Velocity, Tadpole, Tape, and Pieces of April are among the films she produced at InDigEnt. Alexis and her brother, David, produced the international TV series Long Way Round. Most recently, Alexis produced Ethan Hawke’s The Hottest State released in 2007.
Barbara Alpert - Development
Barbara (Bobbi) Alpert built her expertise as a writer-producer and marketer in traditional media. Her early experience was gained in the advertising industry, where she specialized in new products. Much as she enjoyed it, she had other ideas to share, and moved from advertising to production. She created and produced long and short form television and video in genres including children's and informational programming. Bobbi combined her creative, production and marketing experience in Getting Down to Business, a successful TV series for and about entrepreneurs, of which she was a co-creator and Executive Producer. It served as a launch pad into interactive media. She is a principal and president of two sibling companies dedicated to making media more accessible and meaningful. Chilmark Digital develops software that fosters creativity and productivity in audio / video archive management, editing, TV and film testing and other research. The company's [n]LITEN software is integrated into TV City, the CBS research facility in Las Vegas. Chilmark Programs aggregates film and video, and packages the content for streaming applications; Bobbi is currently overseeing a licensing venture in the higher education market. More at: www.chilmarkcompanies.com.
Veronique N. Doumbe - Membership
Born in
France and raised in Cameroon, France and Ivory Coast, she studied Law
at the University of Paris-X, Nanterre in France where she obtained her
"License en Droit." She moved to New York City in 1981 where she soon
produced, directed and edited several documentary shorts including Portrait of an artist: Ray Grist (1982), Carnaval Foyal (1983), Solar Cars (1986). In 1989, Veronique N. Doumbe produced, directed
and edited: AVP: A Step Towards Peace commissioned by the
Alternatives to Violence Project, Inc. which was screened at community
centers across the country. Denis A. Charles: An Interrupted Conversation released in 2002 marked Veronique N. Doumbe's feature
film debut. Her most recent project, The Birthday Party, a short
story written by Sherry McGuinn, is currently making the festival circuit.
Thea Kerman, Esq. - Membership
Thea Kerman has over 25 years of legal experience and is an expert in the entertainment, publishing, merchandising, toy and licensing industries. Her broad range of experience in the entertainment industry includes theatrical films, live action and animated episodic television programs, broadcast and cable television movies of the week and documentaries. She has extensive experience
providing financial, production counsel and other legal services for films produced for major studios, broadcast and cable television networks as well as independently produced films and international co-productions. She has represented independent producers, writers, directors, performers, cinematographers, film editors, other below the line personnel, production executives, foreign sales agents and talent agencies. She is the author of several articles on protecting original ideas and on acquiring rights to properties to be made into motion pictures and television programs. Prior to establishing her own law firm in 1990, she was the Senior Production Counsel for Tri-Star Pictures in Los Angeles. Earlier she served as General Counsel for the Marvel Comics Group.
Meryl Joseph - Programming
Meryl Joseph's career as a producer and visual artist has spanned both sides of the Atlantic. Evolving from a strong foundation in photography, her work merged into filmmaking and theatre design. Her passion for the personal voice is found in her documentaries, City Farmers (Metro Channel) and Into the Mainstream (Nickelodeon and TLC). The films had special screenings at the Museum of Natural History, National Museum of Women in the Arts, and American Cinematheque. Into the Mainstream won the CineGolden Eagle and Best Educational Media Access Award and City Farmers premiered at Amerika Haus (Berlin), where it was chosen Best Documentary at the Black International Cinema Awards. Joseph will soon direct her first feature, Stolen Goods, and is currently creating an arts/communications center in the Berkshires of Massachusetts. She recently installed We Are They, a sculpture comprised of water, mirrored glass, and stone at the Cambridge School in Weston, MA.
Octavia T. Taylor - Programming
Octavia T. Taylor passed the New York State Bar in 2002 with a singular focus: to be an advocate for artists working in film and television. Her time working at companies like Uptown/MCA Records and FOX-TV convinced her that artists were in need of assistance in dealing with both legal matters and business endeavors. After passing the bar, Octavia worked for entertainment boutique law firms and corporations, including a stint at VH1. In 2008, Taylor began working at Disney/ABC Domestic Television as a production attorney where she is responsible for all legal and business matters for the production of a game and reality show. In addition to reviewing, drafting and negotiating agreements for the shows, Octavia advises producers and creative executives on the legal issues of their ideas and business ventures as well as protects the confidentiality and intellectual property rights of the productions. In her spare time, Taylor reviews and drafts agreements for actors, producers and writers and volunteers her services to local film and television productions. She received her BA in Communications from the University of Virginia and her JD from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law (Yeshiva University).
Tracy J. Grandstaff - Special Events
Tracy is Vice President, On Air Creative at Comedy Central. She oversees the promotion of new show launches (Important Things With Demetri Martin, Krod Mandoon, Chappelle's Show), show re-launches (Sara Silverman Program) and ongoing promotion for The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. She began promo writing and directing with MTV's On-Air Creative Department. This led to a variety of roles including head writer for MTV's Video Music Awards (1998-2001), VH1 Vogue Fashion Awards, Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards :writer Nick's Taina; writer/voice talent Beavis And Butt-Head. She voiced TV's Daria and is a member of the WGA East.
Lisa Hackett - Special Events
Lisa Hackett moved to New York in 1987 and became a NBC page giving tours at 30 Rock and working SNL. She is now a Viacom/MTV and NBCU veteran. In 1990 she landed a role at MTV Networks where she stayed for 15 years running two departments as Vice President in Business Affairs & Legal and as Senior Vice President MTV Networks International. Most recently she returned to NBC where she served as Vice President of Marketing for an NBCU channel called “mun2” (pronounced “moon dos”), a bilingual Latino youth channel headquartered in Los Angeles. She has a track record of growing businesses that thrive in creativity. She is especially known for expertise in targeting the hard to reach 12-34 youth market through pop culture programming, events, and promotions.
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