Staff

Cynthia López, Chief Executive Officer

Cynthia López is an award-winning media strategist, and former Commissioner of the New York City Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, where she implemented strategies to support film and TV production throughout the five boroughs. López is the recipient of many coveted industry awards including: 11 News and Documentary Emmy Awards, a Special Emmy Award for Excellence in Documentary Filmmaking, three Peabody Awards, and two duPont-Columbia Awards. In addition, she received the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) Award for Commitment to Corporate Diversity. Prior to working as Commissioner, López was Executive Vice President and co-Executive Producer of the award-winning PBS documentary series American Documentary | POV, and was involved in the organization’s strategic growth and creative development for 14 years. Her ability to forge strategic partnerships among corporate and public interest media has been a signature of her work. Notable partnerships include: New York Times, Reuters, Al-Jazeera Network, Discovery Communications, The Moth, Story Corps, Harpo Studios and ABC News, NIGHTLINE with Ted Koppel. López is a founding member of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP), and is proud to have spent her career collaborating with independent filmmakers across all portions of the film and television industry. She served on the Board of Trustees for the Paley Center, NYC & Company, Museum of the Moving Image and the Tribeca Film Institute Latin America Fund Advisory Board. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Latino Public Broadcasting, Manhattan Neighborhood Network and Hunter College IMA Program.

Browse the archive of Cynthia’s Letters from the CEO.

Katie Chambers, Senior Director, Community & Public Relations

Katie Chambers manages both Communications and Membership. Katie guides and manages NYWIFT’s presence both online and off; institutes membership drives; programs monthly screenings and networking parties; builds partnerships with like-minded organizations; co-produces the Muse Awards and Designing Women; and implements strategic communications initiatives for special projects. She received national recognition for her work at NYWIFT as one of Association Trends’ top “Young and Aspiring Executives” at their Salute to Excellence in Washington, DC, in 2021, and was recognized by New York Society of Association Executives with their “Rising Star” award at the Synergy Awards in 2020. She was named Communications Chair on the Board of Directors of one of New Jersey’s leading volunteer organizations, the New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Club, in Spring of 2022. Prior to joining the NYWIFT team, Katie was a talent agent in the Youth & Young Adult Theatrical division at Abrams Artists Agency in New York City, representing young actors in theatre, film, and television, and worked for leading entertainment companies including Buchwald, Manhattan Theatre Club, and Scott Rudin Productions. She has served on the Next Generation Committee of the NY Television Festival, produced a critically acclaimed play at the NY Fringe Festival, and her writing has appeared in Huff Post, Honeysuckle Magazine and several printed essay collections. Katie graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude from Drew University with a double major in English and Theatre Arts. Contact her at kchambers@nywift.org.

Easmanie Michel, Director, Artists Programs and Finance

Easmanie Michel has worked continuously in the film and television industry since 2004. Easmanie’s work on films includes Transporter, Hoot and Miami Vice. Television projects include Miami Ink and Burn Notice. Easmanie is currently producing the feature Caroline’s Wedding, which she co-wrote, which was a finalist for the New York University Fusion Film Festival and it was also one of the scripts selected to participate in the Women at Sundance Financing and Strategy Intensive in 2016. In February of 2018 the script was the Grand Prize Winner of the American Zoetrope Screenplay Contest. Easmanie received the New York Council on the Arts Individual Artist grant for Caroline’s Wedding in FY2020 and she is currently completing Certificate in Financial Accounting at NYU. She has Master’s Degree in Cinema Studies from New York University.

Rashiek Smart, Manager of Operations and Special Projects

Rashiek Smart works closely with NYWIFT’s CEO and the Board of Directors to provide administrative and IT support. She serves as the primary contact managing board meetings and elections; serves as office manager coordinating closely with communications and programming groups; recruits, trains, and supervises interns and work-study students; coordinates NYWIFT’s grants and scholarship programs; and provides logistical support for special events and projects.
Prior to NYWIFT, Rashiek worked in production for the Emmy nominated show Here & Now hosted by Eyewitness News Anchor, Sandra Bookman. She also was an award-winning video journalist for the Verizon Fios 1 show, My Long Island TV, covering news worthy stories all across Long Island. Rashiek graduated from SUNY College at Old Westbury with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications in Mass Media.

Sara Tandoi, Membership Coordinator

Sara Tandoi currently serves as the Membership Coordinator at NYWIFT. She handles day-to-day membership tasks, such as preparing membership applications, keeping up-to-date with membership renewals and event registration, and providing administrative support to the Community Engagement Director. She also assists members with questions and concerns regarding their membership benefits, events, and resources. Outside of NYWIFT Sara is a Filmmaker, Production Assistant, and aspiring TV Writer. She has an extensive background in production, having worked on shows like Manifest (NBC), Gotham (Fox), and Dietland (AMC). Sara graduated from Brooklyn College with a B.A. in Film Production. She previously interned for The Chris Gethard Show, The Onion, and Nine Stories Productions.

Questions about membership or looking to renew? Email membership@nywift.org.

Maud Kersnowsi-Sachs, Senior Content & Development Consultant

Maud Kersnowski-Sachs leads fundraising efforts and strategies for NYWIFT. Working closely with the Development Committee and the CEO, she directs corporate, philanthropic, and government partnerships. Maud also manages publications projects for the organization. Maud has led publications for the Sundance Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, and the Association on Independent Video and Filmmakers (AIVF) and the editor-in-chief of The Independent Film & Video Monthly. She has covered arts, entertainment, and media for publications from Metropolis Magazine to IndieWIRE, where she also held the post of West Coast Editor. She consults on editorial and development projects for a variety of arts and culture organizations. Maud founded and manages a scholarship and engagement program at Bard College’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts and is a member of the Bard College Board of Governors. She holds a BA in Women’s Studies from Bard College and an MA in Cultural Reporting and Criticism from the NYU School of Journalism.