The Team that 'Makes this so'
Janette Force, Executive Director
Janette Force has been passionate about art since she organized her neighborhood circus at age 6. Following her study at WSU she settled in Port Townsend in 1977. Force has worked in small business management for nearly 30 yrs, as well as creating theatrical experiences for schools and community. She brought her skills in event planning to Port Townsend Film Festival in 2003, managing Special Events until the Board of Directors tapped her for Executive Director in 2009.
Cherel Lopez, Festival Administrator
Just four years ago, Cherel Lopez retired from a short career as a 4th grade teacher and moved to Port Townsend with her husband Jim. Her film festival experience began as a volunteer in the merchandise booth on Taylor. After seeing 13 films that first weekend, she was hooked. That led to Guest Services Coordinator for two years and now Festival Administrator. She looks forward to being more involved with the passionate effort it takes to put this festival on each year.
Monica Mick'Hager, Operations Manager
In 1985, Monica chose Port Townsend as the community to raise her young family and start up her landscaping business. She signed on to be one of our festival volunteers ten years ago and was an usher in the Rosebud. After two years she became our Movie Venue Operations Manager and for the last 5 years our Festival Manager.
Jane Julian, Programmer
After moving to Durango, Colorado in 1991, I discovered that the ONLY movie theater in town was playing TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES all summer (totally true)! After being coaxed back from the ledge I joined a small non-profit called the Durango Film Society to bring foreign and independent films to Durango once a month.
In 2000 this same organization founded the Durango Film Festival, which since morphed into the Durango Independent Film Festival where I’ve served as a board member, programmer, fundraiser, event planner and jack of all trades. I started attending other film festivals to find films and learn more about this fascinating world. I met Port Townsendites, Rocky Friedman and Linda Yakush at the Telluride Film Fest, which, I understand is where the idea for PTFF was germinated. I was like a kid in a candy store and have not missed this fest in over 12 years.
I was excited and nervous to be asked to program the Port Townsend Film Fest last year and was delighted to be asked back for another go for 2010. I’ve had the incredible opportunity to spend the past several months traveling to other festivals from Sundance to Nashville looking for gems for the PTFF. I hope you will be happy with the selections we’ve chosen for 2011! 
Liz Quayle
Darlene Quayle has been volunteering in the Port Townsend Film Festival since its inception in 2000. She began as a venue Volunteer, became an Assistant Manager at the Rose Theatre, Manager of the Rosebud, and Manager of the Broughton Theatre at Port Townsend High School. She has been Volunteer Coordinator and Database “Ace”, cleaning up the PTFF’s computerized files, and continues to assist Monica during the festival as Assistant Festival Manager. This year, Darlene chairs the Film Review Committee, coordinating film selection for the 2011 Film Festival, and will continue to be actively on the headset during the Festival.
Matt Rowe, Film Wrangler
Matt makes sure all the films in our program arrive as promised, get to their venues in good shape, and get back to their filmmakers on time. He's also helped coordinate the PTFI library and tackled other ornery tracking tasks since he joined the team in 2009. Besides his obsessive love of film, he brings a variety of relevant experience, such as teaching undergraduate writing, translating Brazilian fiction, and engineering digital fonts. (No, really—you'd be surprised how relevant it can be.)
Deborah Pedersen
Not yet a local, Deborah has been a Port Townsendite for almost thirty years. Semi-retirement has brought her the revelation that she should have gotten involved in the cultural, civic, and political life of her town and county a long time ago! She has a lot of fun and learns stuff every day doing several part-time jobs and lots of volunteer work. Hanging out in the Baker Block with the Crew is a blast, and she gets teased only occasionally for asking for More Detail about PTFI's revenue and expenditures.
Board of Directors 2011
Jane Champion, President
Jane Champion pursued a degree in Film Studies and Production, launching a lifelong career in film and video. From TV News Videographer and Editor for an ABC affiliate to Chief Producer in the corporate world, Jane has produced hundreds of promotional, educational and documentary programs. She is owner of Champion Video Productions in Port Townsend, Washington where she serves as Chief Producer, Videographer and Editor.
Rocky Friedman, Vice President
Rocky Friedman graduated from the University of Southern California's Department of Cinema in 1976. In 1992 he helped to restore and re-open the Rose Theatre in Port Townsend's National Historic District. The Rose had closed its doors in 1958. At the time of its restoration, the theatre was recognized by the Department Archaeology and Historic Preservation as the last surviving nickelodeon in Washington state. Friedman helped to launch the Port Townsend Film Festival, and is a co-founder of the School of Athens Lecture Series.
Pam Dionne, Secretary
Pamela Moore Dionne has taught writing, critical thinking, and communications. She was the force behind the nonprofit online arts journal Literary Salt and the original founder of Discovery Bay Games. Her products are now distributed in 10 languages and 40 countries. She remains on the board of Discovery Bay Games but has retired from being actively involved in its day-to-day business. She has also served on the Development Committee for Jefferson Land Trust and is one of the founders of Gifting The Future, a giving circle focused on donating locally to make a sustainable difference within the community. She has been a member of the AAUW scholarship committee for the past two years. Port Townsend has been her home since 2000.
Tina Flores McCleese, Treasurer
Tina Flores-McCleese is the founder & Principal of Clarity Enterprises, Inc. a firm specializing in non-profit management and accounting. Her other community activities include:
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PTFI Treasurer - Jan 2011 - present
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AAUW - WA Treasurer (American Association of University Women State of WA)
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Breaking through barriers for Women and Girls; July 2010 - present
Sara Hadlock
Sarah Hadlock is the Financial Projects Officer for Kitsap Bank. Prior to joining the banking world, she spent eight years in fundraising for a number of nonprofits, including the Northwest Maritime Center in Port Townsend and the Seattle Public Library Foundation. She was the Treasurer of the Northwind Arts Alliance from 2006-2007, and currently serves on the Development Committee of the Jefferson Land Trust and the board of the Port Townsend Film Institute.
Brad Mace
A native of Washington state, Brad, his wife Christina and their dog Simon have been in Port Townsend for six years. Brad has over 22 years' experience in all aspects of art, design, building, technical logistics, producing, directing and production/technical management for film and broadcast television ranging from PBS, TBS, MTV, Nickelodeon and a host of other clients on projects ranging from independent films to Hollywood movies as well as live events and tours ranging in size from 100 to 12,000 attendees for theatre, music, corporate and non-profit events. Brad is Creative Director and a partner at Touch Worldwide, an international creative services and strategy firm serving Fortune 500 clients globally as well as supporting an entertainment division with two films currently in pre-production.
Jim Ewing
Jim actually was a rocket scientist long ago. Then through hundreds of coaching engagements at TRW, Apple Computer, BP and others, Jim evolved another science and technology for transformative leadership, which the Festival now enjoys. Jim was one of the original four who began the Festival. But forget the day jobs. Jim's techy, media side got started with an 8mm spoof of Dragnet, made with pals in 1955. He did documentary film studies at Cornell and mock-umentaries of fraternity life, made the film '24 Minutes of Lemons' with the Porsche Club of Los Angeles and founded and taught community storytelling with the NorthWest School of Documentary Vision. Jim's While I Can, a touching portrait of community artist John Craig, has been shown at our festival.
Keven Elliff
Keven Elliff is the founder of Windridge Solutions, a marketing and business development firm based in Chimacum, WA. He served as Managing Director of Centrum, the nonprofit arts foundation at Fort Worden State Park, and was Director of Business Development for Signal Consulting, Inc. He holds a degree in East Asian Studies from Hamline University, and plays a mean ukelele.
