Lights Camera Money

Over the course of her extensive 20 years of career, Diana Luna has prioritized creating opportunities that support the professional advancement of individuals in a variety of creative fields, in particular those from underrepresented communities. Born and raised in Mexico City, she holds a BA in Communications from Tec de Monterrey and a MS in Business Administration from Saint Michael’s College. She began her career in Mexico City in public relations, relocated to Vermont and worked in college admissions developing diversity initiatives. Attracted by the California sun she arrived at Claremont Graduate University to launch the masters degrees in Arts Management and Art Business. At CGU she impulsed and oversaw the Latino Arts Leaders Fellowship with the goal of increasing and positioning Latino executives in the arts nonprofit sector in Los Angeles. As the director of LMU Extension at Loyola Marymount University, she managed more than 160 job training certificate programs focusing on providing job placement for underserved populations (veterans, persons with disabilities, at-risk youth, homeless, etc.) through industry partnerships, scholarships and awarded federal grants. Continuing fostering her passion for the arts, for the past 7 years, Diana led the nonprofit organization Tomorrow’s Filmmakers Today (TFT) with the goal of highlighting and advancing the careers of emerging Latino filmmakers. In partnership with Hola Mexico Film Festival, TFT is today a tight community of more than a hundred talented creators that together promote professional growth, access to unique projects and collaborations. Diana has a kid in college and currently lives in Los Angeles Arts District with her old dog Moka.

Ilyse McKimmie is the Deputy Director for Sundance Institute‘s Feature Film Program. She oversees the Directors and Screenwriters Labs and the Screenwriters Intensive, provides year-round creative and strategic support to alumni filmmakers, and plays a key role in the Producers and Episodic Programs. Films developed at the Labs during her tenure include Dìdi (弟弟), A Thousand and One, Aftersun, Nanny, The 40-Year-Old Version, The Last Black Man in San Francisco, The Farewell, Sorry to Bother You, We the Animals, Beach Rats, Swiss Army Man, Diary of a Teenage Girl, Fruitvale Station, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Pariah, Sin Nombre, Red Road, Me and You and Everyone We Know, Paradise Now, and Maria Full of Grace, among many others. Before joining Sundance 25 years ago, she held positions at ICM and Red Wagon Entertainment. Her roots lie in the theater; her first job after graduating from UCLA was as a production stage manager in the Los Angeles theater scene.

Michelle Hamada has dedicated nearly a decade to filmmaker development initiatives across multiple organizations. Currently, she serves as the Manager of Production and Development at Tribeca Studios, where she manages artist development programs such as Queen Collective, Through Her Lens, AT&T Untold Stories, and the Future Gold Film Fellowship. Additionally, she collaborates on the department’s branded entertainment initiatives. Previously, Michelle held the role of Director of Industry & Filmmaker Relations at Syrn Media Ventures, where she represented the company to artist support institutions and filmmakers. She played a crucial role in shaping SMV’s community-driven strategies and year-round filmmaker engagement. Before her time at Syrn, Michelle was the Manager of Documentary and Scripted programs at Tribeca Film Institute (TFI), a nonprofit artist support organization affiliated with Tribeca Film Festival. During her tenure at TFI, Michelle was instrumental in selecting over 300 projects and supporting filmmakers through grants, workshops, and program development. She spearheaded TFI’s alumni support programs, including the TFI Pond5 Program, which provided funding and networking opportunities for TFI alumni. Prior to joining TFI, Michelle contributed to SnagFilms by programming and marketing the company’s platforms and played a key role in developing Indiewire‘s video presence. Michelle holds degrees from Soka University of America and NYU’s Cinema Studies Program, bringing a wealth of experience and expertise in supporting emerging filmmakers and advancing community-driven film initiatives.

Jennica Carmona is a New York City based Puerto Rican filmmaker, actor, and activist. Born in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico and raised in Rochester, NY, she is a graduate of the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. She is a proud co-founder of Si Se Puede Productions, a theater and film production company that creates material with social justice themes. (www.sisepuedeproductions.org) Jennica’s first feature film, Millie and the Lords, won several awards on the film festival circuit and was sold to HBO/Cinemax shortly after its release. The film, which was inspired by the revolutionary Puerto Rican civil rights group, The Young Lords, has been screened at numerous colleges and universities throughout the country. Jennica currently works as the Documentary Film Programmer at the Atlanta Film Festival, and as an Adjunct Professor in the School of Film at the University of the Arts. Previously, she has worked as an Educator for various organizations, including Montclair Film and the Philadelphia Latino Film Festival. She has also worked as a Programmer for film festivals such as Reel World Film Festival and the New Jersey Jewish Film Festival. When not working on her films or plays, Jennica enjoys spending time with her son Benjamin (9) and her husband Joel.