UVA Vice Provost for the Arts & VAFF Executive Director
Jody joined the Virginia Film Festival in May of 2009 after a nationwide search for a new director. He came to us from Sarasota, Fla., where he served for 10 years as the founding executive director of the Sarasota Film Festival. Under his leadership, that festival became one of the top regional film festivals in the United States with more than 45,000 attendances in 2008. Jody was appointed vice provost for the arts at UVA in January 2013 where he has guided the launch of the President’s Speaker Series for the Arts, the Berlin Wall Symposium, The Arts magazine, and a newly designed University Arts Website.
As Managing Director of the Virginia Film Festival, Jenny supervises full-time and seasonal administrative staff; manages financial and strategic planning; and directs branding and marketing efforts. Since her hire in 2010, she has guided the Festival through a period of rapid growth in revenues, attendance, and staffing. Under her leadership, the Festival has overhauled its organizational chart; expanded its community outreach and engagement efforts; and refreshed its graphic and brand identity.
Jenny has worked for the University of Virginia in arts administration and management for over 20 years in a variety of roles including Strategic Advisor, General Manager, Operations Manager, and Assistant Business Manager. She has a B.A. in Media Studies from the University of Virginia and is a former Film Festival intern.
Ilya Tovbis joined the VAFF after 10 years as the Artistic and Managing Director of JxJ: The Washington Jewish Film and Music Festival. He became the Washington Jewish Film Festival (WJFF) Director in 2012, and took on managing the Music Festival (WJMF) in 2016; he was the founding director of JxJ, which merged the two festivals under one new brand.
Ilya has extensive programming experience, having previously worked with the Mill Valley Film Festival, The Picture House, the Carole Zabar Center for Film, the San Francisco IndieFest, and the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival.
Prior to JxJ, Ilya was the Director of Programming at The Picture House, a historic arthouse cinema located in Southern Westchester. The theater annually attracted over 25,000 people to a varied selection of programming with a focus on international, documentary, and independent film.
Erica manages VAFF year-round operations and fiscal needs, and oversees the planning and implementation of VAFF’s outreach programs and special events. Erica began working with the Festival in 2013 as the Digital Media Gallery Coordinator and most recently as Filmmakers and Sponsors Lounge Coordinator. She has substantial experience working with arts organizations, previously as Assistant Director at Second Street Gallery, Programming Director at KRUI, and served on the board of Student Broadcasters, Inc. She has a B.A. in Arts Management from the University of Iowa and moved to Charlottesville in 2012.
Robert oversees the production team and manages the festival operations including technical, venue, website, box office, and volunteer team. He has worked for the University of Virginia in arts management and administration for 4 years, and formerly worked as a Program Manager (Mind & Life Institute) and Account Manager (LiveNation). Born and raised in Charlottesville, Robert has a deep commitment to the local arts community and currently serves on the Live Arts Board. Robert has a Bachelors of Music from James Madison University and is a former Film Festival House Manager.
Sarah assists in coordinating all production elements for the festival, such as film tracking and delivery, while also lending her skills to the VAFF’s special events. She graduated from the University of Virginia in 2019 and earned her BA in Media Studies and Sociology. This is Sarah’s eighth season with the Virginia Film Festival.
Lizzy leads the fundraising efforts for VAFF and VTF and serves at the main point of contact for all corporate sponsors, individual donors, and foundation supporters. Since she started in this role in 2018, she has raised over $3 million to support both Festivals’ missions. She has also supported community outreach and targeted marketing efforts, which has served to expand audiences and build the fundraising pipeline for both organizations. Prior to her time at UVA, she worked at Meridian International Center in Washington, D.C. and as field organizer for a political campaign in Tidewater, VA. Lizzy also serves as the Development Chair for the Live Arts Board of Directors and has a B.A. in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia.
Kerry supports the fiscal and administrative needs of the VAFF, assisting with financial operations, staff onboarding, and general office organization. She graduated from the University of Virginia in 2017 with a BA in English and Arts Administration, and has previously been involved with the Festival as a student intern, Guest Services Coordinator, and long-time devoted fan.
Katie manages the VAFF & VTF’s communications and marketing strategy, including conceptualizing promotional content, advertising, targeted marketing, and PR. She also works with Festival leadership to strengthen relationships with sponsors and partners across the community. Katie has previously worked for Washingtonian Magazine, Americans Who Tell the Truth, and Charlottesville Radio Group and as a freelance writer for C-VILLE Weekly and District Fray.
She received her BA in Media Studies and English from UVA, and this is her first year working with both Festivals.
John Kelly is a Charlottesville-based freelance publicist and writer who has worked with VAFF since 2005. He plays a key role in a variety of messaging and marketing efforts throughout the year in addition to pitching local, regional and national media, handling all press inquiries and managing media relations during the Festival. He is also connected to the Virginia film industry through his work as Unit Publicist on Virginia-based productions including Killing Kennedy (Nat Geo Channel) and Mercy Street (PBS).
Jenny Gardiner is an award-winning #1 Kindle bestselling author who has published nine novels, a memoir, and a collection of essays. Her work has been found in Ladies Home Journal, The Washington Post, and on National Public Radio, and she is a regular columnist for Charlottesville’s The Daily Progress, as well as an occasional essayist on regional NPR affiliate WVTF-FM. She has worked as a publicist for a United States senator, and as a freelance photographer, photographing such notable public figures as Prince Charles, Elizabeth Taylor, and the President of Uganda.
Ty Cooper, Award Winning Filmmaker and founder of Lifeview Marketing and Visuals, has provided effective branding services for nonprofits, municipalities, political candidates and private entities since 1993. From branding videos and television commercials to web design and consultation, his company covers marketing services with the goal to increase his clients’ visibility for future growth. He has also promoted over 1300 of his own events such as the United Nations of Comedy Tour and many others. This is his fifth year as the Virginia Film Festival’s Outreach and Promotions Consultant, with the key role in diversifying audience and connecting the festival to an inclusive community.
Isabel assists in the box office with ticketing operations. She graduated from the University of Richmond with a BA in English and is excited to join the VAFF for the 2024 season.
Lydia is thrilled to be back for her third season with the Virginia Film Festival, where she previously worked as the Communications Coordinator and as a Promotions & Social Media Intern. Additionally, she has worked as a Social Media Manager for the Virginia Theatre Festival. She graduated from the University of Virginia in 2023 with a BA in Media Studies and Drama.
Atlee coordinates services for VAFF’s filmmaker and industry guests. This will be her second season with the festival. Atlee has also worked for the San Francisco International Film Festival and the Austin Film Festival. She has a BA in Global Studies and Spanish from UVA and a Masters from SOAS, University of London.
Returning for her second season with the Festival, Caroline assists the Programming Team with curating the Festival program and guest coordination. In 2023, she served as a Marketing and Publicity Intern, focusing on community outreach and engagement. Currently, she is a fourth-year student at the University of Virginia, majoring in Media Studies and French.
Delores Cyrus is a fourth-year Media Studies major and English minor at the University of Virginia. A long-time fan of the Festival, Delores is excited to ensure the success of this year’s program as a Production and Events Intern.
Arianna Jobst is a fourth-year English Creative Writing and Media Studies major at the University of Virginia. She is working this Festival season as an intern with Production & Events, and is excited to experience the Virginia Film Festival on the other side, but still watching as many films as possible.
Ashleigh-Paige McDonald is a fourth-year Media Studies major with a minor in Sociology the University of Virginia. As a Publicity & Marketing Intern for the Virginia Film Festival, she leverages her academic background and digital marketing skills to enhance audience engagement and broaden the Festival’s reach.
Jordan is a second-year graduate student in the Media, Culture, and Society Master’s Program at the University of Virginia. She completed her BA in Media Studies at the University of Virginia in Spring of 2024. She is excited to be working as a Publicity & Marketing Intern for the Virginia Film Festival this year, using her background in digital marketing and design to help the festival reach new community members.
Olivia Branch has been fundraising and marketing in the Charlottesville community for over 25 years. She has worked in media relations for 20+ years, assisting organizations and companies with branding and creating their public awareness. Serves(ed) on Board of Directors with Albemarle County Police Foundation Board, Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce, Paramount Theater of Charlottesville, Music Resource Center, Piedmont Virginia Community College Foundation Board, Light House Studio, Albemarle County Rotary Club, Farmville Chamber of Commerce, various nonprofit committees and civic task-forces, member of Pantops Community Advisory Council, UVA Health Systems Patient Advisory Forum. Appointed by Governor Terry McAuliffe to the State of Virginia Board of Directors for Recreational Facilities
Andrea, a native of Charlottesville, Virginia, has been active in her community for many years, serving on a number of boards and committees. She has been employed with the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce since 2012. Through her work with Positive Channels, she produces programs for the local community in partnership with the Charlottesville Community Media Center. Andrea is a graduate of Piedmont Virginia Community College and Old Dominion University. A lifelong learner, she is now enrolled in the CNE Emerging Leaders Circle (class of 2021).
Marc Paulo Guzman (MPG) coaches and mentors consultants and interns for McKinsey & Company, staffs them to internal and client teams/engagements, and supports Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives within the Washington DC office. MPG formally served as part of the Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Center of Excellence team (CoE) where they supported the North American efforts serving the Latinx at Bain (LATBA) and Asians at Bain (AAB) affinity groups. MPG also formerly served on the Full-time MBA Admissions committee and focused heavily on diversity and underrepresented community pipelines at University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. This included underrepresented racial/cultural communities and LGBTQ+ MBA candidates. They managed the school’s first ever Diversity Admissions Conference Weekend and liaised with MLT to host their Kick-Off Seminar. They liaised with diversity-related groups including: Consortium for Graduate Students in Management (CGSM), Management Leaders for Tomorrow (MLT), Reaching OUT for MBA (ROMBA), Jump Start Advisory Group (JSAG), Ten Schools Diversity Alliance (TSDA), Riordan Fellows, and the Toigo Foundation.
Gary Nimax serves as the Assistant Vice President for Compliance at UVA, working with compliance managers across Grounds to develop and enhance university programs to comply with federal, state, and other regulatory requirements. He has worked at the university since 1989 in a variety of administrative roles, starting his career as a buyer in the medical center before being promoted to several other positions.
Since 2011, Gary has served as the chair of the LGBT Committee for faculty and staff, the first such committee to be officially recognized by the university. He also serves as a member of the UVA Diversity Council and on the planning committee for Festival of Cultures, a local community event celebrating international cultures, performance, and food. Gary is the President of the board of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), one of the university’s related foundations.
He earned his undergraduate degree from UVA and his Master of Business Administration from James Madison University.
Jung-Bum Shin was born in Korea and moved to Germany when he was 9 years old. He attended the University of Tuebingen, Germany, received a Ph.D in Biology at the Max-Delbrueck-Center for Molecular Medicine at Free University of Berlin, then completed Postdoc studies as a fellow at Oregon Health Science University & Vollum Institue, Portland, OR. Jung-Bum joined the Department of Neuroscience at UVA in 2010 and focuses his research on hearing and deafness.
Yaa Amoakohene is a 2024 graduate of the University of Virginia, where she earned a B.A. in Media Studies and African American Studies. Her academic focus centered on the representation of queer Black identities within media, television, and entertainment.
As a proud alum of the Virginia Film Festival, Yaa previously served as both an Events & Outreach Intern and a Programming Intern during the 35th and 36th festival seasons. She is thrilled to return to VAFF this year as a guest programmer, where she looks forward to showcasing diverse narratives and amplifying underrepresented voices in film.
Adriana Greci Green, PhD, is curator of Indigenous Arts of the Americas at The Fralin Museum of Art at the University of Virginia, where she endeavors to reconnect artworks in the collection with their communities of origin and to uncover the Indigenous histories and experiences they reflect. A specialist in historic and contemporary Native American/First Nations arts, particularly of the Plains and Great Lakes regions, her own research examines the material expressions of sovereignty and treaties; women’s art production (quillwork, basketry, beadwork); and the contexts in which material culture, art, dress, and cultural performance are produced and circulated. She has been privileged to serve as an Advisor Board member for the acclaimed exhibition Hearts of Our People: Native Women Artists, and was the lead curator for Native Artists of North America, the permanent reinstallation of the Native American collection at the Newark Museum of Art.
Hyeyon Moon is currently teaching film courses at the School of Continuing and Professional Studies at the University of Virginia. She is the independent filmmaker. She earned her MFA in Media Arts from the University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP), with a focus on Film, Video and Photography. Her narrative films and documentary videos were screened at numerous film festivals and galleries including Mill Valley International Film Festival, Lausanne Underground Film & Music Festival, Ohio Independent Film Festival, and Cincinnati Art Museum. Prior to her study, she worked as the first assistant director and art director for several feature films in South Korea.
She has taught at several places, including Media Bridges Cincinnati, University of Cincinnati, College of Mount St. Joseph and the Bechtel International Center, Stanford University, offering courses such as Film History, Video Production, and Digital Photography.
Hyeyon is the guest programmer for the Korean Cinema series.
Igor Shteyrenberg is the Executive Director of the Miami Jewish Film Festival (MJFF) and the Founder & Director of Popcorn Frights. Over his 12-year tenure, MJFF has grown from 4,000 attendees in 2014 to over 47,500 in 2024, becoming the largest Jewish film festival in the world. His leadership of Popcorn Frights, the largest genre film festival in the Southeastern U.S., has garnered significant acclaim, with the festival attracting over 10,000 attendees annually and earning recognition from MovieMaker Magazine as one of the “50 Best Genre Festivals in the World” and Dread Central as one of the “Best Horror Festivals in the World.”
In recognition of his contributions to cultural arts, he has received a proclamation declaring August 23, 2023, as “Igor Shteyrenberg Day” in Miami Beach, along with the 2024 “Champion of the Arts Award” and the “Jewish Communal Professional of Excellence Award.” He has taught film at Florida International University and presented at leading institutions such as the Goethe-Institut, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Jerusalem Film Workshop. He holds a degree from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts.
Samhita Sunya is an Assistant Professor of Cinema in the University of Virginia’s Department of Middle Eastern & South Asian Languages & Cultures. Her research, teaching, and curatorial interests span world film history, global genres, feminist historiography, and informal practices of distribution across South/West Asia and the Indian Ocean. Supported by a 2018 residence at Yale University and a 2018-2019 Mellon Humanities Fellowship, her first monograph was released in 2022. Titled Sirens of Modernity: World Cinema via Bombay, the book historicizes the emergence of “world cinema” in the politics of the Cold War, and the manner in which popular Hindi film/songs negotiated their own worldly circuits through melodramatic arguments about gender and popular cinephilia over the 1960s.
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