PRODUCING
HILLARY CUTTER
Founder/EP, Cutter
Cutter formed her own video production company, Cutter Productions, in 2005, to create an environment where the storytellers’ backgrounds would match the diversity of the stories they tell.
In 2015, Cutter created her own women’s mentorship program, Cutter Connections, to fill the industry gap and provide specialized networking resources to women at all stages of their career.
Since its founding, Cutter Connections has hosted more than 700 women through its mentorship program at events around New York City. These get-togethers help young women hone their interviewing skills while cultivating their personal network. They have led to countless mentor-mentee relationships, as well as professional collaborations between the mentors themselves.
NIKA OFFENBAC
Director & Executive Producer
Nika Offenbac is an award-winning director, producer and collaborator whose heart lives in the world and whose stuff lives in Brooklyn NY.
Commercially she has directed brand campaigns for Evian, Airbnb, Ubisoft, Nestle & TBS, among others. Her visual style and onset approach is based on 10+ years of experience in post-production, animation and visual effects leading tour visuals for Skrillex, Tiesto & Zedd, and branded content for Nordstroms, Macy's. Toshiba, & Sprint.
In the realm of network television, she has executive produced rebrands, show packages, promos, series and network campaigns for the likes of truTV, Amazon, Netflix, FX, MTV & HBO, including co-executive producing a 5 part documentary series for MTV World, “Until the Sun Comes Up,” about the global evolution of dance music.
When not on set, in meetings or a windowless editing bay, you can usually find her in the boxing ring taking a refresher course on some of life’s deeper lessons which can be boiled down to the following. Be fearless. Be kind. Never ask how many.
NIKI JANOWSKI
Producer, Production Manager and 1st AD
Niki Janowski (Producer) has more than a decade of experience as a producer, production manager, production coordinator, and 1st and 2nd assistant director on features, documentaries, shorts, television, commercials, promos, music videos and corporate videos. She has also spent time as an art coordinator for an elite design studio. Though based in New York, she has had the opportunity to film in several locations all over the United States and internationally.
LAUREN MAGURA
Founder, CEO Cinemather
Business Ventures - SpectreVision / Company X
Lauren's background began in the media operations center at NBCUniversal supporting multiple networks and the 2012 London Olympics. She transitioned into publicity and marketing for Universal Pictures, where she implemented and worked red carpet premieres, press junkets, celebrity public appearance tours, screening programs, radio interview tours, guerrilla, word of mouth, experiential marketing campaigns and more. Lauren’s love for film enabled her to gain years of experience in film production which led her to found her own company Cinematcher: a digital platform streamlining hiring, onboarding and payroll for film productions.
Lauren has experience with business ventures for Elijah Wood's Film, TV and Video Game production house Company X / SpectreVision and is the onset producer for the Shudder original podcast Visitations, hosted by Daniel Noah and Elijah Wood. Lauren also helped lead business strategy for Company X Marketing: an experiential agency owned by Company X / SpectreVision.
Lauren produces and develops p assion projects across film and Television implementing financing, casting, legal, script sourcing, packaging and distribution.
NICOLE COSGROVE
Producer/Director
Nicole started her career as a local 600 camera woman on a variety of projects ranging from film, television and commercial.
She transitioned away from the camera department and into producing with short film GUN (2013 Sundance Film Festival) followed by Ludovic Littee’s White Horse (San Diego FF 2017) and SWEEP (2015 Aspen Shortsfest, LA Film Festival).
Since, she has produced dozens of short films, commercials and documentaries. Including feature length film Lingua Franca, (Venice Film Festival Premier 2019, Dir. Isabel Sandoval) and Donal Ward’s We Only Know So Much (Nantucket 2018, Amazon).
Nicole marked her directorial debut in 2014 with narrative short film GLINDA premiering at the Palm Springs International Shortfest and winning Best of Fest.
Nicole currently serves as Head of Production for Vice overseeing long form and short form scripted and unscripted branded content in conjunction, she has two narrative feature films in development with her creative partners.
Click Here to learn more about her films and WATCH “Glinda” on Vimeo Here
ROZZ THERRIEN
Producer
Rozz Therrien is a producer and director who has worked in both the commercial and TV/Film world. Most recently, Therrien has worked on series for Facebook Watch and Disney+ in both development and production. Therrien co-founded 2325 Blossom Street in 2017, a company that focuses on lifestyle videos and social justice documentaries in the U.S. and France. In her spare time, Therrien co-hosts a podcast called “We Forgive You” that is all about “self care through celebrity” exploring what our likes and dislikes say about us—and our society—through the lens of celebrity culture
VANESSA HUDSON
Director/Producer, VICE Media
Vanessa Hudson is a director and producer with VICE Media. In her current role, Vanessa spearheads creative direction of programming for The Olympic Channel - a collection of documentary series’ that illustrate sport’s impact on society worldwide.
Vanessa started her career as a production manager at MTV World. With a strong desire to be in the field and a passion for storytelling, Vanessa joined VICE in 2014. She made her directorial debut in 2016 with Dutee, a short documentary which premiered at multiple film festivals worldwide. Her series, Identify, won the Webby for best online video in the sports category in 2018. She is currently working on her first docu-series,Taking Refuge, which chronicles three refugee athletes as they train with a 3-time Olympic Gold medalist for a chance to qualify for the 2020 games. The series will be edited into Vanessa's first feature length documentary.
Her latest short film, Inspired by Sport: Pal-O-Mine Equestrian, represents the intersection of Vanessa's two greatest passions - horses and film, and is the manifestation of Vanessa's longtime goal - to visually represent the beautiful connection between horse and human. The piece will premiere at The American Documentary Film Festival later this month.
Vanessa has created content in 20+ countries and is driven by the impassioned stories told through her films.
PATRICE FRANCOIS
Co-Founder and Director at Imagine This
Women’s International Film Festival
Patrice Francois is a Haitian-American actor, writer, and filmmaker. She is the co-founder, and program director of Imagine This Women’s International Film Festival, a Brooklyn-based film festival that aims to celebrate and empower independent and aspiring women filmmakers from around the world. Continuing with her mission, she launched Girl Power Film + Media Summit and recently curated Ladies Rocking the Lens, a film series celebrating local cinema.
SUSIE FRANCOIS
Co-Founder and Director at Imagine This
Women’s International Film Festival
Susie Francois is the co-founder and director of development of Imagine This Women’s International Film Festival. Her passion is to help develop people in ways that improve their working and personal lives and to promote cultural change. Together with her daughter, Patrice, they launched Girl Power Film + Media Summit and Ladies Rocking the lens to continue their support of women storytellers.
REBECCA ESKREIS
Writer, Director & Producer
Rebecca Eskreis, whose work has screened at major film festivals around the world, is a recipient of the Sandra Adair/Empowering a Billion Women Grant for promising female filmmakers from the Austin Film Society, and a selected member of the Austin Film Society’s Artist Intensive in 2017. With select credits that include: WHAT BREAKS THE ICE (director, writer, producer), CLEARMIND, (director, set to premiere in 2024), as well as the SXSW-premiered INFINITY BABY (producer), Eskreis is also set to direct CLEO 2.0, a romantic comedy, in spring 2024. Mentored by the late Jonathan Demme, Eskreis previously worked as a producer at his company, Clinica Estetico, following stints at 72 Productions, Red Hour Films, and Di Novi Pictures (as the Creative Executive). Currently an Assistant Professor at the Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema at Brooklyn College, Eskreis holds a BA, Magna Cum Laude, from Barnard College at Columbia University, and an MFA from the USC School of Cinematic Arts.
JUSTINE SIMONSON
Producer, Writer, Director of Non-Fiction media
Justine Simonson is a producer and writer of documentary media and the owner of Co Lab Productions in New York City. She’s worked in various genres from investigative journalism to arts and entertainment, and her work has appeared on PBS, ABC, NBC, National Geographic, and Showtime among other outlets. Her favorite topics to cover include travel and social issues.
LISA CORTÉS
Producer/Director (Precious, The Apollo, The Remix)
Lisa Cortés is an Academy Award®–nominated Producer whose credits include PRECIOUS; and THE APOLLO. Her work with trailblazing companies such as Def Jam Records, Lee Daniels Entertainment and Cortés Films has defined a career that has been distinguished by her commitment to empowering inclusive voices in front of and behind the camera. Her productions have received over 70 awards and nominations including the Academy Award®, the Golden Globe, the Berlinale Golden Bear, and the Sundance Film Festival's Grand Jury Prize among others.
She has collaborated with directors including Ernest Dickerson and Gabourey Sidibe, producing innovative features, documentaries and short films that assert the centrality of diverse and untold stories while delighting audiences. She recently produced with Academy Award Award®-winning director, Roger Ross Williams, a feature-length documentary about the legendary Apollo Theater, THE APOLLO (HBO) and produced and co-directed the documentary, THE REMIX: HIP X FASHION. Both films opened at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival to great acclaim.
Cortés is a proud mentor to filmmakers affiliated with Sundance, Tribeca Film Institute and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Gold Mentorship program.
RAVEN IRABOR
Creative Producer
Raven Irabor is a first-generation Bronx-born Creative Producer, currently living in Los Angeles, where she works as a Senior Production Coordinator at Blavity as well as a Studio Coordinator at Edge Studios & Grip. Raven’s passions for connecting the worlds of fashion music, and culture as well as creating community and sharing the stories of the African Diaspora through editorialized photo and video production, has led her to a few side projects near and dear to her heart: Digital Producer for The Folklore (an online retail shop stocking high-end and emerging designer brands from Africa and the diaspora that serves as a cultural hub for contemporary brands, artists and creatives to showcase their personal stories) and Brand/Content Lead for The Roux (a IRL and digital platform that serves to provide community and safe spaces for black creatives).
She is currently in pre-production for her photobook and in pre-production for season 2 of “Lea the Late Bloomer” a web-series following Lea Watson after a failed attempt at “making it” in Los Angeles. Lea returns home to The Bronx to live with her parents, and is forced to face her old demons and self-sabotaging behavior.
You can watch all of season 1 here
HALEY BORDERS
Director of Production, Whistle
Haley Borders is a NYC-based Director of Production. She has worked in sports & media for over 10 years. She’s worked at MLB, MTV, New Wave Entertainment, A&E, and she currently works at Whistle where she has produced projects for YouTube Premium, Facebook Watch, The Olympic Channel, Topgolf, and the Premier League. She is currently working on 2 unscripted series for Quibi and a doc-series for VUDU. Haley is a huge sports fan: she watches every Yankee game and is a massive Auburn Tiger fan. War Eagle!
HALLE COOKE
APOC on Power Book II: Ghost
After graduating from Syracuse University, Halle moved to New York City to work in Commercial and TV production. She has since come up through the production office and is now an APOC on Power Book II: Ghost. She looks forward to continuing up the chain and eventually producing the sort of content that has always inspired her. Getting her start in the industry through Cutter Productions, Halle was lucky enough to be a part of primarily female crews and work for some amazing female producers. Empowering and supporting women in entertainment is incredibly important to her and she enjoys meeting young women entering the industry through organizations like Cutter Connections.
WHITNEY CUSACK
Executive Producer, Filmmaker
Whitney Cusack is a creative production consultant who inspires and empowers you to create content that your customers will love, igniting a connection with your audience and purpose. At the intersectionof creativity and strategic leadership, Whitney harnesses order and excellence while producing high-quality and compelling stories.
With over 10 years of experience in brand strategy, she has worked on multimedia projects with numerous leading consumer brands including: St. Ives, Caress, Axe, Suave, TRESemmé, Dove, Hellmann’s, Bank of America and Colgate.
In 2013, Whitney founded her company, Reelistic Media LLC, which produces creative content that delivers real impact. In collaboration with The Catch by Elyse, Reelistic Media executive produced fashion campaigns focused on the diversity and beauty of women.
Understanding the importance of the female voice in media, Whitney empowers women to persevere in the film and digital media industry. She mentors and trains the next generation of creative talent by conducting film workshops in academic arenas. Passionate about uplifting communities, Whitney wrote, directed and produced grassroots media projects ranging from a series of inspirational shorts for a faith-based organization to a video campaign raising funds to further education for children in Liberia.
Whitney currently works as an Executive Producer at an award-winning global communications agency in New York City. Leading a team of producers for mid to large-scale branded content shoots, she uses an integrated digital approach to bring clients’ stories to life. Cusack has also worked on awareness campaigns for healthcare brands resulting in increased sales and social engagement. Her goal is to remain at the forefront of content production, either through her continued work in the independent film space or creative directing projects for social justice. Her most recent project, "No More..." Hashtag Campaign, is an initiative that calls for an end to systemic racism, demanding action.
BRITTANY ROSTRON
Founder/Executive Director at Female Artistic & Commercial Entrepreneur Support(FACES)
After 15 years of diverse experience in feature film, TV, and digital content, Brittany decided to dedicate her life to helping women break into and develop their careers in this crazy industry she loves so much. She founded Female Artistic & Commercial Entrepreneur Support, Inc. (FACES), a nonprofit that offers women opportunities for real-world onset experience, job placement assistance and access to their own creative platform.
MÓNICA-TEZLA SOLÍS VEGA-GÖRSÜN
Producer, Commercials, Branded Content, Features
Mónica-Tezla Solís Vega-Görsün is a Costa Rican camerawoman turned award-winning producer with experience in branded content, commercials, and features.
As a commercial producer Mónica has led national and digital campaigns for American Express, Maybelline, Samsung and Microsoft to name a few.
Her last feature, The Nymphets, starring Kip Pardue, world premiered at SXSW and her short film , Lily+Mara, starring
Oona Laurence had a successful festival run including Best Screenplay & Award of Merit from IMDB's Global Shorts Contest in 2017. Her film, “Better Than Somedays” won Best Overall Mobile Video for AT&T SHAPE Create-a-thon 2018.
Mónica is an active NYWIFT and IFP member. She’s also the co-founder of Sankara Pictures, a Brooklyn film production company specializing in developing short and long-form content.
STEPHANIE FEINMAN
Associate Producer
I have been working in documentary, non-scripted, natural history, and wildlife based television and filmmaking since graduating from The George Washington University in 2014. I am passionate about influential storytelling that educates, encourages reflection and inspires change. I currently work as an Associate Producer in Silver Springs, Maryland at Red Rock Films International producing an archival six part series for the Smithsonian Channel about Space Missions. Before making the transition to do the "freelance dance", I was working as a Production Coordinator at the National Geographic Channel in NYC. While at Geo, I had the privilege to work on an array of incredible projects such as 2019's Oscar winning Documentary Feature, Free Solo, as well as 2020's Oscar nominated Documentary Feature, The Cave by filmmaker Feras Fayyad (The Last Men in Aleppo). We also produced the breathtaking 10 part cinematic series, One Strange Rock, in collaboration with award winning filmmaker Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan, Requiem for a Dream) and legendary Discovery Producer Jane Root. I so honored to be associated with the other brilliant and inspiring female media titans that Cutter Connections has introduced me to.
Please feel free to reach out to me to connect further or even for any upcoming projects in need of an AP willing to get their hands dirty in the field and who is itching to flex their muscles behind the camera.
Onwards and upwards ladies!
ARNIESHA WILLIAMS
Post Producer, RadicalMedia
Arniesha has been immersed in post production, managing operations for feature films, episodic series, branded content and things of the like since joining RadicalMedia in 2015. She has become a rising post producer in the film industry, taking her talents from NYC to LA to continue the climb. She holds content highlighting social justice, women’s voices, and music dear to her heart.
TIFFANY JACKMAN
Film Producer/Director
Tiffany has had a love of storytelling from a young age starting while writing skits and plays for her classmates to perform during school assemblies. Playwriting evolved to filmmaking when she bought her first camera at 12 years old and has been a passion ever since. Through the years she has produced commercial campaigns for various fortune 500 companies while working as a producer at two major advertising agencies. She has produced three feature films. One of which premiered on HBO in the summer of 2017, and another other secured a distribution deal with Amazon. She has also directed or produced web series, music videos, commercials, and short films. She is currently working on an award winning TV pilot titled "The System". When not making films, Tiffany can be found teaching film to the next generation of filmmakers as a Adjunct Professor at The New York City College of Technology. Tiffany loves the thrill of filmmaking and is willing tackle any project no matter how challenging.
ELI ASH
Head of Production | Netflix Internal Studios
Eli joined the Netflix team in August 2020 in an effort to scale their internal creative agency. In her career, she has built creative and production teams and department workflows for end-to-end efficiencies across the globe for companies such as Mustache Agency, Complex Media and Dear World.
As a Head of Production, she has led numerous large-scale efforts for clients including Clinique, S'well, Under Armour, Sony Records, Everlane, AM Resorts, Grammarly, Nectar, Quibi, and Expedia.
With over 13 years in the industry, Eli has successfully worked across an array of verticals including broadcast TV, commercials, branded content, digital media, music videos, corporate marketing, films, VR, and experiential, accumulating expertise in each.
Prior to Netflix, she collaborated with world class brands and organizations including Warner Brothers, Vice, Sesame Workshop, Food Network, Travel Channel, Honda, General Motors, Nike, T-Brand Studios, OXFAM, The Nobel Peace Prize and Sony Music.