Partners in Healing

Education:
B.S. in Radio-Television-Film, University of Texas at Austin
M.F.A. in Film, Tisch School of the Arts Graduate Film School, New York University

Work History:
Freelance Producer, Director and Writer primarily for nonprofit organization Affinityfilms, Inc. with support from: VisionMaker Media; A&E IndieFilms, Lifetime Television for Women, Paraview Productions, Chicken and Egg Pictures, The Fledgling
Fund, Rasmuson Foundation, Bristol Bay Native Corporation, United Way/Best Beginnings, and ABC, and many local commissions. !982- present.

Lead for the Alaska TV Pilot Project, a state-granted initiative in 2012.

Adjunct Professor at UAA- PreViz Class, 2015

Documentary Filmography:

2017: Partners in Healing: a beginner’s guide to integrative medicine

2017: In a Nanosecond: brain injury awareness

2017: Unforgettable: (a work in progress) about Alaska natives rising up from historical trauma

2016: Fourteen: the fourth film in the Alaska Kids Series (Two by Two, More at Four, Tricks at Six)

2015: Speaking from the Heart: documentary short about Ramond Severence, artist who experiences a disability, Winner Best Documentary Short, Silicon Valley Film Festival 2015

2014: Backing Out of Time: one hour documentary about five family caregivers helping parents face Alzheimer’s filmed over 3 1/2 years. www.backingoutoftime.org

2013: World School: one hour personal documentary, a year of global travel with son. www.worldschoolfilm.org

2012: Her Story: promotional video for Alaska Girl Scouts; Loving Keiton: Arc of Anchorage

2011: Day in Our Bay: crowd-sourced video with 72 cameras shooting on one day across Bristol Bay Native Corporation’s region-dozens of film festivals including Nat. Geographic and United Nations /www.dayinourbay.org

2011: Babies on Track: infant and toddler literacy readiness educational video and board book set-distributed statewide

2010: Survive & Thrive: Hope, Love and Laughter (television hour with 2nd comprehensive resource DVD included in package)

2009: About Face: The Story of Gwendellin Bradshaw: feature documentary with comprehensive outreach tools and distribution) and study guide for mental health professionals www.aboutfacefilm.org

2008: Read with Me: importance of learning to love to read by involving the kids in imaginative play; Sponsored in part by the Mattel Foundation

2007: The Quiet War: Profiles of Women Fighting Advanced Breast Cancer- comprehensive DVD with expert information and produced with grants from Breast Cancer Focus Inc, production funding from Susan G. Komen Foundation

2006: The Gift: a 10-minute narrative film intergenerational story about life when we “unplug to connect.”
2005-2015: Series for The Arc of Anchorage: Autism, Children with Complex Medical Needs, Special needs adults, employment, hospice, foster parenting

2003: Beyond Flowers- 2003 (what to say/do when someone is diagnosed with cancer)
Funded by the Susan G. Komen Foundation; Beat the Odds- Early Warning Signs of Heart Disease in Women

2002: Alaska Children’s Series- at “Two” “Four” and “Six” and “Fourteen”

Prior to 2002: Sea of Oil: Exxon Valdez oil spill’s impact on small community in
Alaska; The Power of Intuition- local PBS series on science and use in
medicine, business, and education); Precious Cargo: Lifetime Television
(surrogacy story) Between Us: Girlfriends’ Inside Guide to Breast Cancer.

Narrative Films Written, Produced and Directed

Pen Pals: 35 mm, 88 minutes, Drama, NYU Thesis Film
Funded with proceeds from writing competition

Tuesday Morning Coffee: mini DV, 75 minutes, Drama, with local actors,
Funded in part by McKnight Foundation

Career Highlights:
• American Film Institute Grant for “Crescendo” a film about domestic violence, 1986
• Jessica Savage Award in film school, 1990
• Sundance Film Festival with documentary, “Sea of Oil” about the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska
• Silver Apple Award/National Educational Film and Video Festival/ ”Sea of Oil”
• Museum of Modern Art Showcase/Sea of Oil
• PBS’ POV, with “Sea of Oil”
• Docker’s Khaki’s for Women Independent Vision Award/Between Us
• Rasmuson Fellowship 2004-05 (to work on Gwen’s Story)
• Nominated to the Athena Society in 2005
• Valdez Theatre Conference Selectee, “Dance of the Hunter” in play format
• Winner, A & E IndieFilms/IDA Finishing Grant, 2005
• Best Documentary, The Quiet War; Reel Women Film Festival, Los Angeles, March 2007
• Winner, National Women’s Press, Photography for Women’s Health Campaign 2008
• Finalist for Jury Prize, HotDocs, 2009, About Face
• Honorable Mention, Korean EIDF Festival, 2009, About Face
• Accolade Award, About Face, 2010

Writing Awards:
Winner, Tokuma Japan International Screenwriting Competition, 1990- “Pen Pals”
Winner, Minnesota Blockbuster McKnight Film Fund- “Tuesday Morning Coffee”
Winner, WinFemme Screenwriting Festival- 2002- “Legacy”
Finalist, Quantum Screenwriting Competition- 2002- “Legacy”
Winner, Adult Fiction, Anchorage Daily News Writing Competition: Fish Story, 2003
Honorable Mention, Adult Nonfiction, Anchorage Daily News : Letting One Go, 2004

Publications:
A Monkey’s Tale: a novel memoir-co-authored with Thillman Wallace-2015
Beyond Flowers Handbook for Supporters- 2004
How Quietly We Fall- published essay in MAMM, April 2005
Affirmation- contracted for publication in MAMM, December 2005
About Face Discussion Guide- 2010
World School: Discussion Guide-2014
Backing Out of Time Website content- 2015

Adaptations:
The Seal Wife- book optioned from Kathryn Harrison for adaptation to screenplay
Robinson Crusoe: for Italian Television mini-series