BOARD OF DIRECTOR'S BIOS
Would you like to know more about the fine people who volunteer each year to bring you an outstanding Ellensburg Film Festival? Let us introduce you to them now...
Sarah Haven (President/Festival Coordinator)
Sarah Haven, Ellensburg Film Festival vice president and film trafficker, is an artist and head ceramics lecturer at Central Washington University. She was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, and earned her bachelor of fine arts from Ohio State University. She moved to Ellensburg in 2003 to pursue a master of fine arts, which she received from Central Washington University in 2006.
Inti Valverde (Vice-President/Film Trafficking)
Once upon a time, film festival board member Inti Valverde was an anthropology major at the University of Washington. But life as a Husky did not suit him, so he transferred to the school with the best mascot ever—The Evergreen State College.
Reborn a Geoduck, he pursued a variety of independent study contracts, including TV/video production and creative writing. Eventually, he put all his credits in a bucket and called it a BA in communications.
After many years of traveling and working odd jobs, Inti made his way to Ellensburg in the fall of 2007. He currently earns his crust as a financial aid counselor at Central Washington University and shares a house with his lovely and talented wife, two rambunctious daughters, cat, and height-challenged dog. When not working, sleeping, or going to film festival meetings, he can be found teasing his kids, reading, playing soccer, and thinking about maybe gardening someday.
TBA (PR & Marketing/Graphic Design/Webmaster)
Amy Davison (Festival Volunteer Coordinator)
Amy Davison, EFF Secretary, is also an Independent Beauty Consultant with Mary Kay. "Enriching women's lives", is a company goal that she strives to meet. After working a regular retail job while attending college, she decided it was time to find a career that offered a more flexible schedule, made people happy, and would compliment her love of making beautiful things. She studied Graphic Design and graduated from Central Washington University with a BA in Art.
When not working, Amy enjoys creating art, gardening, baking, reading and spending time with her husband, Dustin. She is currently involved with the CWU's Flute Choir and enjoys the opportunity to perform music again.
Trish Dempsey (Treasurer)
Karen Bicchieri (Secretary)
Ellensburg Film Festival Volunteer Coordinator Karen Bicchieri is also the sustainability coordinator and lecturer for Central Washington University. In this position she is involved with a wide range of issues, from energy conservation to water quality and climate change.
She also owns Wellspring Gardens, a business dedicated to native and feng shui landscaping. Karen came to Ellensburg in 2002 after receiving her master's in environmental geography from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.
Community building is an important element of a sustainable society, and she is proud to be involved with several groups enriching Ellensburg's tapestry of people and ecosystems. In her small doses of down time, she enjoys green home remodeling and gardening with her husband and friends.
Jeff Shaw (Video & Sound/Technicial Supervisor)
Film festival board member Jeff Shaw is new to the Ellensburg area after recently relocating from Bremerton, Washington, to be on staff at the River Church of the Nazarene, where he is the pastor of worship and all things creative.
He graduated from Northwest Nazarene University with a BA in missions with an emphasis in media (theology and film). He works for Shirtworks in Ellensburg as a designer, as an assistant coach for Ellensburg High School baseball, and as a freelance designer and photographer.
When not working, Jeff enjoys spending time outdoors as expressing creativity through art and helping within the community. He's entered his work in a handful of film festivals, enjoys telling a story with light and film, and hopes to continue to push the boundaries of film for a long time.
Theresa Barlen (Board Member)
Pedro Bicchieri (Board Member)
Pedro Bicchieri, Ellensburg Film Festival's board president, has worked mostly in the field of education, teaching at the secondary and post-secondary levels, including teaching future teachers in Central Washington University's Department of Education.
Pedro enjoys independently producing films and television programs, as well as hosting the public television program, Apple Bowl.
This is his third year as board president. Two teenage boys, a terrific wife, a most excellent dog, two cats, reading, remodeling, cooking for and visiting with friends, and traveling as often as possible round out his weeks.
Shannon Bright (Board Member)
Ellensburg Film festival board member Shannon Bright is a real estate sales associate with Coldwell Banker Kittitas Valley Realty. As a real estate sales associate, she is very involved in the development of Ellensburg's Downtown Historic District and the local arts community.
Shannon spent over fifteen years employed in the criminal justice system working in adolescent treatment, as a deputy sheriff, and as a legal investigator for a district attorney's office. During her public service career, she was involved in a number of committees to promote high standards of public service.
Gus Foster (Board Member)
Board member Gus Foster is the owner and operator of Central City Comics in Ellensburg, Washington. He came to Ellensburg to attend Central Washington University and received a BA in English studies in 2007.
He is a voracious reader and when not working, he tries his hand at writing fiction. He still hopes to someday write the great American novel.
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