Carole Dean – Roy W. Dean Grant, Executive Director

As president and CEO of From The Heart Productions, between 1994 to 1998, Carole produced over 100 television programs, including the popular cable program, HealthStyles, where she interviewed some of the biggest names in the industry including, Dr. Deepak Chopra, Dr. Weil and Dr. Caroline Myss. In 1992 Carole created the Roy W. Dean Grant Foundation in honor of her late father. To date Carole’s grant and mentorship programs have provided filmmakers with millions of dollars in goods and services and have played an instrumental role in establishing the careers of some of the industry’s most promising filmmakers. A sough-after international speaker, Carole has been touring the U. S. with her popular books, “The Art of Funding Your Film” and “The Art of Manifesting”.

Curran G. Engel – Executive Producer, Zephyr Films

Curran Engel has worked in the motion picture industry for more than fifteen years. His work includes more than 200 music videos, commercials, documentary, corporate and feature films for industry giants such as Walt Disney Co., Warner Bros., NBC Television, and others.  His screen credits include Line Producer, This Space Between Us, First Assistant Director, Cherish, First Assistant Director, Invisible Man, Line Producer/First Assistant Director, The Sculptress, First Assistant Director, Heartwood, Local Production Coordinator, The Net and Key Set Production Assistant, James and the Giant Peach.  Curran frequently serves as a consultant and guest lecturer on film industry topics. He is a faculty member at The Academy of Art College University in San Francisco, CA, instructing classes in film producing, directing and production management.

Diana Fuller – Director, Squaw Valley Screenwriting Workshop

Diana has been the program director of Squaw Valley Screenwriting Workshop for 20 years. She works as a freelance curator, producer, editor and arts activist. She is the producer and co-editor of Art/Women/California 1950-2000: Parallels and Intersections, which involved a book by the same name, published in 2002, by University of California Berkeley Press, and a major traveling exhibition, based on the book. She was the Development Chair of Film Arts Foundation.  Currently, she advises the Estate of Richard Pousette-Dart in New York.

Toney Merritt – Filmmaker, Diogi Productions

Toney has been an Independent Filmmaker for over 30 years. He was the Chair of the Film Arts Foundation Board of Directors. He has generated an extensive filmography including such works as Rest Stop:  What Goes Around…, Sarah From Roberts and Lonesome Cowboy. In addition, he directed 4 theatrical productions from 1991-92 and is currently a film and video instructor both at S.F. State and City College of San Francisco.

Gail Silva – Advisor and Curator

Gail was the primary force behind Film Arts Foundation for more than 25 years, first as co-director, then executive director and finally president. Now the veteran advocate for indies has become an indie herself, as advisor, curator and mentor to the field. Currently Ms. Silva serves as the President of the Board of California Newsreel, the leading nonprofit distributor of media on the African American experience and African cinema. For the last five years she has represented the interests of independents by serving on the nominating committee of the National Coalition of Independent Public Television Producers (NCIPTP) who select and seat the Board of Directors of the Independent Television Service (ITVS). She has been a panelist for CPB, NEH, NEA, California Arts Council, Rockefeller Foundation Intercultural Fellowships and many others.