Julia Hunter
Julia Hunter is a Chicago-based documentary director and cinematographer who has worked on shows for Apple TV+, AMC, VH1, Discovery+ and countless independent projects. Julia joined Kindling Group in 2020 as an Associate Producer on The Future of Normal. She is currently directing This is Me Loving You, a personal documentary revealing the intersection of domestic violence and addiction at a Chicago recovery home, a co-production of Kindling Group and Produced by Danny Alpert. Julia is also directing Gertrude, a short documentary chronicling the life of surrealist painter Gertrude Abercrombie, produced by Christina Shaver with Big C Creative.
Greg Jacobs and Jon Siskel
Greg Jacobs and Jon Siskel are the co-founders of Siskel/Jacobs Productions, a Chicago-based documentary production company specializing in making entertaining, accessible films that tackle urgent stories with integrity, complexity, emotion, and humor. Their work includes the Emmy-winning TV documentaries 102 Minutes That Changed America (History) and Witness: Katrina (National Geographic Channel), as well as the award-winning feature docs Louder Than a Bomb and The Road Up. Greg and Jon co-directed No Small Matter with Danny Alpert, and partnered with Kindling Group on The School Project.
Sam French
An Oscar-nominated filmmaker and founding director of the documentary production company Development Pictures, Sam’s work has appeared on HBO, BBC, CNN, Channel 4 News, Al Jazeera, National Geographic, and other broadcast outlets.
In addition to directing multiple award-winning documentaries, Sam wrote and directed the Academy Award nominated short film “Buzkashi Boys,” which was the first narrative film since 2001 to be filmed entirely on location in Afghanistan. Sam believes in the power of storytelling to connect people across different cultures, and that if we share our stories, we can change the world.
Michael Bloom
Michael Bloom is a B2B SaaS executive with over 25 years of progressive marketing, corporate strategy and product management experience.
Bloom holds a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and Sociology from Albion College, a certificate in Integrated Marketing Communications from the University of Chicago and a Master’s of Science degree in Product Design and Development from Northwestern University’s McCormick School of Engineering.
Bloom began his marketing career at full-service agencies ultimately becoming a partner at one of Chicago’s premier full-service B2B marketing agencies. After almost 12 years working in agencies, Bloom accepted a position at a telematics start-up to lead marketing where he established a marketing strategy, developed the global brand, generated demand, supported channel needs and implemented go-to-market product launches.
After 12 years in telematics, Bloom accepted an executive role leading Marketing and Product Management at a video telematics start-up which in 2021 was successfully acquired by Sensata Technologies (NYSE:ST) where today, he leads marketing for one of the company’s major business
units.
Jane Feinberg
Jane is the Founder and Executive Director of the Power of Place (POP), a non-profit that builds regional networks for educators to develop the cultures, mindsets, and practices needed to champion all students. Her work to support marginalized and minoritized learners led to the 2018 launch of the Essex County Learning Community, POP’s flagship. Jane has served in senior leadership, communications, and consulting roles for Frameworks Institute, the Boston Public Schools, and many other social sector organizations. She got her start in public television, where she designed PBS college telecourses and produced for award-winning shows, including NewsHour, The American Experience, Frontline, and ABC’s Chronicle. Feinberg earned master’s degrees from BU and Antioch and a Ph.D. from Antioch. Her research focuses on the relational dimensions of teaching and learning, with an emphasis on white teachers and students of color. Jane was born in Minneapolis, lives in Boston, and is the mother of a child of color with learning differences.
Rachel Pikelny
Named to DOC NYC and Topic Studios’ inaugural “40 Under 40” List, Rachel Pikelny is an acclaimed documentary producer. Her most recent films include: The Road Up, which won the Audience Award at the Chicago International Film Festival; Represent, which received 1.2 million views during its Independent Lens broadcast premiere; and No Small Matter, an early-education impact film shown in all 50 states and on Capitol Hill.
With Kartemquin Films, she produced The Trials of Muhammad Ali (Independent Lens, 2014), which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and won a national Emmy for Best Historical Long-Form Program. She also served as associate producer on A Good Man (American Masters, 2011) about renowned choreographer Bill T. Jones. With Siskel/Jacobs Productions, she directed and produced the short film GRACE (Condé Nast Entertainment, 2018), which was digitally released by SELF and won the award for Best Short Film at the Midwest Independent Film Festival.
In addition to her documentary work, Rachel has directed and produced branded content for companies such as Uber, Manduka, Pepsi, and USAA, and large nonprofits like the MacArthur Foundation and the Chicago Federation of Labor.
From 2016-2020, she co-chaired the Documentary Producers Alliance (DPA). She was a 2017-2018 Impact Partners Producing Fellow and a 2021 CNN/Film Independent Doc Series Intensive Fellow.
Josie Davis
Josie Davis is the executive creative producer and founder of Curmudgeon Group, the leading creative production agency for brands investing in a climate-resilient future. She has spent over 20 years living and working across the U.S. and Latin America as a producer, director, and conceptual artist, and is driven to help brands tell their story and execute the big ideas that speak to shared purpose. Josie serves on the National Council of the World Wildlife Fund, and holds an M.A. in Performance Studies from the Tisch School at NYU and a B.A. in Music from the Colorado College. Josie currently resides in Chicago, IL and enjoys kayaking, gardening, and trail runs with her adventurous pup.
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Daniel AlpertDanny Alpert is an award-winning producer, director, and leader in using media for change. As Executive Director of Kindling Group, his documentaries (@home, The Calling, Do No Harm, A Doula Story) have aired on HBO, PBS, and around the world, sparking engagement campaigns with enduring impact. As co-founder of See3 Communications, Alpert’s online media and campaigns for social causes have advanced the work of organizations like UNICEF, World Wildlife Fund, Planned Parenthood, American Cancer Society, and the Kellogg Foundation. The cross-pollination of Danny’s documentary and interactive work fuels innovation and his belief in the power media as a tool for change.
Laura FallsgraffLaura Fallsgraff leads strategy and impact for Kindling’s feature films and digital campaigns. Laura studied international development at Georgetown University (B.S.) and George Washington University (M.A.), and first dipped her toe into documentary at GWU’s Institute for Documentary Film. After writing for video and digital content for President Obama’s re-election campaign, she joined Kindling Group as a producer and impact producer. She has led campaigns for Kindling’s films @home and Radical Grace, and just premiered her directorial debut, The 39th, a short about a grassroots political campaign in her Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago. She loves nothing more than bringing online organizing and compelling storytelling together to inspire change.
Mara ShebanMara Sheban is the Impact Coordinator for No Small Matter, answering all inquiries about the film, maintaining partnerships, and guiding host organizations step-by-step through the screening process. Mara aims to greet everyone with support and enthusiasm to ensure that they meet their goals for an impactful community screening event.
In addition to her role with No Small Matter, Mara assists Kindling Group’s Executive Director, Danny Alpert, in managing the company’s digital projects. In this role she assists the operations team, coordinates efforts between team members, works closely with the internship program, and assists in impact producing for digital projects. Outside of Kindling Group, Mara is a freelance photographer and videographer with a passion for issues related to the climate. She is pursuing a career in science communication through documentary and media production.
Ingrid RoettgenIngrid Roettgen is a documentary filmmaker and editor based in Chicago, IL. She joined the Kindling team in Spring of 2020 as the Post-Production Manager. Her work has appeared on Hulu, Netflix, PBS, STARZ, and ESPN. Ingrid began her career as a post-production assistant on the Oscar-nominated film Abacus: Small Enough to Jail, and went on to work on many award winning documentary films, including the Peabody award winning Minding the Gap. Most recently, she worked as an assistant editor and associate producer for the Marshall Project’s We Are Witnesses: Chicago, and coordinated the Premiere-to-Avid workflow for Netflix’s My Love – USA Episode. Ingrid is currently editing Max Asaf’s debut film, Within the Box. Ingrid has previously worked with Kartemquin Films and 371 Productions. She studied public communication and journalism at Truman State University in Missouri. Her background in journalism and love of storytelling inspired her to pursue a career in social justice documentary filmmaking.
Adam JoelAdam’s goal as a filmmaker is to shed light on difficult social issues by drawing viewers in with a mix of humor and surreal metaphors. As the Impact Associate for No Small Matter, Adam proudly juggles hundreds of conversations with schools, nonprofits, and government officials as he helps each individual share No Small Matter in the most impactful way possible
Adam WisneskiAdam Wisneski got his start in journalism, winning both statewide and national multimedia awards for his documentary work. He joined the Obama campaign in 2011 as a cinematographer, and spent 15 months on the road and on Air Force One telling stories about supporters and filming President Obama. As a part of Obama’s inner circle, he documented every campaign stop at union halls, doughnut shops, firehouses and campaign rallies across America, capturing iconic moments that helped lead to Obama’s victory in 2012. Adam Wisneski is now the Creative Director of HardPin, a video production company he co-founded with other members of Obama’s 2012 campaign video team. HardPin consults and completes projects for companies and organizations like The One Campaign, Microsoft, Legendary Entertainment and the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Ines SommerInes is an independent filmmaker and cinematographer based in Chicago. Her work as a cinematographer ranges from independent narrative films and educational programs to long format documentaries. She was the DP for Sharon Zurek’s award-winning, narrative HIV education programs Kevin’s Room and Kevin’s Room II and served as one of the main cinematographers on Emmy award-winning Director Marian Marzynski’s documentary A Jew Among the Germans (PBS Frontline). She also contributed camera work to Amy Siegel’s theatrical release Empathy and Susan Stern’s documentary The Self-Made Man (POV). Ines has shot for a number of Kindling Group films including A Doula Story and The Calling. She has also received several grants and awards for her own films, which have screened internationally.
Nicole Bernardi-Reis
Nicole Bernardi-Reis has produced television series and films for a wide range of broadcast outlets including A&E, E!/Style, HGTV and the Science Channel. With Montrose Pictures she has produced Algren, a feature length documentary that received its world premiere at the 2014 Chicago International Film Festival. She credits her passion for storytelling to the nuns at her Adrian Dominican high school, who taught her to always seek the truth and broadcast it as far as you can.
Rebecca Parrish
Rebecca Parrish is director, producer and camera person for Radical Grace. She is an award-winning filmmaker who has worked with Judith Helfand, winner of Peabody and Sundance awards; The Kindling Group, producer of The Calling, a groundbreaking PBS series about Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and Muslim Americans who are training for religious leadership; and Kartemquin Films, the producer of legendary documentary films such as Hoop Dreams and The Interrupters. Rebecca is based in Chicago, IL, where since 2007 she has run her own film company, Interchange Productions.
Sierra Council
Sierra Council is a community-driven digital strategist with a passion for multimedia creativity. Originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she has recently joined the Kindling team as a Digital Producer and will be managing the company’s online content and social media platforms. Her diverse background includes documentary production, international reporting and social media development, in which she has integrated her multifaceted understanding to assist journalists, filmmakers and nonprofits achieve their engagement goals. Also a story producer, Sierra focuses on innovative ways to utilize digital storytelling to highlight marginalized narratives, encourage community action and promote sustainable change.
Susanne Suffredin
Susanne Suffredin has distinguished herself in the fields of both production and post-production for numerous award-winning feature length dramatic and documentary films. Drawn to the power of documentary story telling, Susanne worked at Kartemquin Films on a number of projects, most notably 5 Girls as Contributing Producer and Editor, on the Academy Award nominated Hoop Dreams as Post-Production Supervisor, and Co-Editor for the Emmy nominated companion piece Higher Goals. Her recent producing and editing credits for Kindling Group include Do No Harm and A Doula Story, as well as Series Editor and Co-Producer for The Calling. Dramatic editing credits include The Rest of Your Life (Possessed Pictures) and Prefontaine (Hollywood Pictures). Susanne just finished directing Kindling Group’s newest feature, @home.
Max Asaf
Born and raised in Las Vegas, Max graduated from the University of Chicago in 2016 with degrees in both English and Cinema Studies. He joined Kindling Group at the end of 2019 as an associate producer focusing on The Last Strike as well as other upcoming projects. Previously, Max worked as the development coordinator at Kartemquin Films for three years, helping raise over $3.5 million for the organization and its films. In addition to his work at Kindling, he is working on the upcoming Story & Pictures from Emmy-winning director Joanna Rudnick and is co-producing the upcoming short documentary The Sebastopol Siege directed by Mimi Wilcox. Max is currently directing his first feature documentary, Within the Box, a personal story about the continued effects of the Holocaust on the descendants of survivors.
Hannah Farris
Hannah is a journalist and nonfiction filmmaker serving as the Outreach Coordinator for No Small Matter. Joining Kindling Group in the summer of 2019, she is responsible for building community partnerships and bringing the film to audiences throughout the country. Originally from rural Wisconsin, Hannah moved to Chicago to study documentary and journalism, with the goal of using her education to support nonprofit and activist organizations in her communities. In addition to No Small Matter, Hannah co-runs communications for a Muslim civil rights group, is a Kartemquin intern alum and has a passion for community journalism, working with publications such as South Side Weekly, City Bureau and Chicago Talks. She also likes watching movies.
Marie-Therese Garvey
Currently based in Chicago, Marie-Therese Garvey is an award-winning Irish documentary producer and production manager with extensive experience overseeing all aspects of production and post-production. Her work has taken her everywhere from the Saharan Desert to the Norwegian Arctic. In 2015 Marie-Therese set up Greater Than Ten Miles, an independent production company, as an outlet to tell stories in innovative and creative ways, through film, audio and photography.
Jenni Holt
Currently based in Chicago, Marie-Therese Garvey is an award-winning Irish documentary producer and production manager with extensive experience overseeing all aspects of production and post-production. Her work has taken her everywhere from the Saharan Desert to the Norwegian Arctic. In 2015 Marie-Therese set up Greater Than Ten Miles, an independent production company, as an outlet to tell stories in innovative and creative ways, through film, audio and photography.
Navi Sandhu
Navi Sandhu has been practicing & performing Bhangra for over 10 years, which is a folk dance form from NorthWest India. Her passion for the dance is not only influenced by her Punjabi heritage, but also by her love for being on stage and sharing the energy with fellow dancers. She has been the captain of multiple New York City based Bhangra teams, such as Shaan Mutiyraan Di, an all female independent dance troupe and BX Bhangra, a coed college dance troupe from Fordham University. She’s also performed extensively with award winning teams like Anakh E Gabroo, East Side Alliance and Columbia Bhangra. Navi is extremely excited to share this energetic and unique dance form in Chicago and believes that Bhangra is not simply a dance form, but a culture. Most recently, she taught Bhangra fitness classes at Akemi Dance Studio in Evanston. She also choreographed multiple dance performances while at the Kellogg School of Management for her MBA, which were all very well received and truly created awareness about the Indian culture. Navi Sandhu has also been involved in youth media literacy and was a former board member of People’s Production House in New York City. As part of the organization, she completed two radio documentaries and multiple radio news pieces, which were aired on the Pacifica radio network.
Michael Hoffman
Michael Hoffman is the CEO of Gather Voices and an expert in the use of video in marketing and digital engagement. He teaches marketing at the University of Chicago and is a long-time consultant to business leaders on constituent engagement strategies. In 2005, Hoffman co-founded See3 Communications, a digital marketing agency for social good. In 2017, Hoffman founded Gather Voices to revolutionize how organizations create and use video.
Andy Friedman
Andrew Friedman is a graduate of Tulane University in New Orleans (B.A.), University of Texas at Austin (J.D.) and London Business School (M.B.A.). He spent most of his career as a labor attorney but also ran a professional basketball team in Mexico City, worked in headhunting firms in London and Chicago and for the Anti-Defamation League in the Pacific Northwest Part-time resident of Marfa, Texas
Eboni H.
Joining Kindling Group’s leadership team as the F&O Project Manager, Eboni H. oversees the day-to-day functions of the Finance, HR, & Operations departments. Eboni has over a decade of combined professional experience. Her passion for impactful and community-based outreach has led the opportunity to merge her operations background with her creative side.
Merove Heifetz
Merove has 20 years of diverse digital marketing strategy, operations and management experience and has worked with digital marketing agencies including See3 Communications; nonprofits such as Wildscreen, Shedd Aquarium and Earthwatch Institute; Fortune 5+ clients and everything in between. She manages digital impact campaigns for the Smart Power Illinois project raising awareness about green energy, sustainability & the green economy for Illinois’ consumers. She has a BA in Biology from Boston University and an MBA in International Business & Sustainability from George Washington University.
Mimi Wilcox
Mimi Wilcox is a documentary editor and filmmaker. She most recently edited the feature documentary Head to Head (dir. Andrea Alberti, Heartland Film Festival 2020), which follows the stories of five women with hair loss. She co-edited Kartemquin Films’ upcoming feature documentary The Dilemma of Desire (dir. Maria Finitzo), which was slated to premiere at SXSW 2020. Other credits include MR. GELE (Cleveland International Film Festival), Alpha Mare (Woods Hole Film Festival), Concrete Dreams (RIDE Channel), and Uninsurable (Upworthy). Mimi was a resident of the 2019 Points North Institute Shortform Editing Residency with her film The Sebastopol Siege. She has shot for National Geographic, Jigsaw and feature documentaries around the world.
