THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE FESTIVAL
FESTIVAL LEADERSHIP
The Team. The Vision. The Experience.
LightReel is brought to life by a team of creative professionals, cultural leaders, and dedicated collaborators who share a commitment to independent cinema and meaningful community engagement.
From festival programming and production to publicity, operations, and audience experiences, our leadership team works together to create a welcoming space for filmmakers and film lovers.
Leadership Team
Timothy E. Gordon
Festival Founder & Festival Director
READ BIO
Heather Turner
Chief Operating Officer
Taunja Pegues
Managing Director
Sherin Nicole
Creative Direction & Strategist
Soni Ede Williams
Director, Publicity
Kindra Parker
Director, Programming and Strategic Development
Virginia Brick
Operations Direction
Jeryl Payne
Volunteer Manager
Courtina McNeil
Theater Manager
Sheryl Brannon-El
Compliance Officer
Programming Team
Our programming collaborators help shape the festival experience by bringing distinctive perspectives and a shared appreciation for independent storytelling.
Charles Kirkland, Jr.
Senior Programmer
Kevin Fleishmann
Programmer
Marcelina Robledo
Programmer
Beau Alquizola
Programmer