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Anna Lee Ackermann is an award-winning filmmaker based in Chicago. Her debut short documentary, “As We Are Planted,” explores the issue of food insecurity in Chicago and was CineYouth's 2021 Chicago Award winner, as well as a 2021 One Earth Young Filmmakers Contest Honorable Mention. Today she runs the social media channels for Broadway In Chicago, edits a podcast, shoots the occasional wedding, and continues her filmmaking as a freelancer.

Deborah Adelman taught film studies and writing courses at College of DuPage until her recent retirement. She is the co-founder of the COD Community Farm (since 2002) and Food Security Initiative, a sustainable agriculture and educational project that provides organic food for the college community. She co-taught interdisciplinary seminars combining the Environmental Humanities and Environmental Biology for 25 years, and has written and presented at conferences advocating for integrated and experiential approaches to college curriculum.

Felice Bassuk has co-written three award-winning screenplays, one of which is an anti-smoking film she produced that was screened in festivals nationally and distributed to middle schools in the US and Cuba. She also taught English at Indiana University, founded The Write Place, a writing and editing company, and has tutored non-native students in English.

Natalia Ottolenghi Bradshaw is one of Australia’s leading arts/culture advocates and art consultants. Her advocacy includes being on the Steering Committee for 350.org producing the world’s largest artwork viewed from space, on the boards of various art and culture organizations (several as Chair), is a determined environmental activist, and knows that film can be a potent catalyst for awareness and change.

Amy Brinkman, an avid gardener, she is focused on providing safe havens for pollinators. Expanding an appreciation for nature, Amy has participated in pollinator events for children through the Master Gardener events and a Wicker Park after school art and garden program. 

Laurie Casey is One Earth Local Programs Director, where she does community outreach and organizing around climate and environmental justice. Before that she ran One Earth Collective's marketing communications strategy for a number of years.

Lisa Daleiden-Brugman is a certified educator with master’s degree in teaching and more than 14 years of experience developing curricula and implementing educational programs. She also has more than 10 years of school leadership experience through parent boards.

Tim DeBlois graduated from Hampshire College in 2019 with a degree in animation. He contracts for Motion Logic Studios making game animations. Tim was the animation award winner for his film “Endangered” in the One Earth Young Filmmaker’s Contest 2022. The film was also one of the Top 10 Best of the Best Films for One Earth Young Filmmakers Contest.

Colton Dixon is a recent graduate of Columbia College Chicago's film program with a focus in film editing. He works in documentary and short film and has an strong interest in environmental issues and climate change. 

Monica Fox has worked in the film and video industry for over 35 years. She has produced films shown on PBS and Discovery Networks, has worked with Kartemquin Films, and has worked on documentaries that span a wide range of subjects, including sustainability living, farm-to-table healthy eating, and histories of ground-breaking social justice institutions.

Bill Gee has worked in the food industry for over 25 years and has supported the One Earth Film Festival since its inception. He is a board member for the Sugar Beet Food Co-op, and Chicago Public Media (WBEZ), and a member of Chicago Media Project (CMP).

Jim Gill is a retired civil engineer and educator experienced in managing construction, cleaning up hazardous waste sites, and educating adults in energy efficiency and solar power.  He is committed to a sustainable lifestyle and is currently pursuing various hobbies such as using alternative fuel vehicles, native habitat restoration, and birding.

Sarah Glees is a 2024 graduate of Elmhurst University with a degree in Digital Media. She was a 2023 One Earth Youth Filmmaker and continues her love of filmmaking by freelancing on indie productions. 

Kathryn Hempel is an interdisciplinary artist, commercial film editor and independent filmmaker. She will exhibit her work and lead a community based upcycled fabric painting workshop this summer at Oliva Gallery, in Chicago

Patrick Thomas Keen is a media producer and post-production specialist. His work focuses on educational, environmental, and social advocacy campaigns. In 2020, the One Earth Film Festival partnered with Patrick to develop the Young Filmmakers Online Academy. This program is an entirely online course for middle-school-aged students to learn environmental filmmaking.

Julie Moller is an ambassador for 5 Gyres, a not-for-profit studying the effects of micro plastics in our environment. She is also trained as a Climate Reality Leader by former Vice President Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project. 

Elaine Petkovsek is an environmental engineer with over 30 years experience investigating and cleaning up contaminated properties. In her personal life she’s committed to a sustainable lifestyle, including composting, energy efficiency, and gardening with native plants.

Carin Powell is the writer and director of Liftoff, and co-founder of Signing Animation. Formerly a lead animator and fix team lead, Carin started Signing Animation with Nora Ng-Quinn in January 2020 as a way to combat the bias against Deaf/hard-of-hearing talent in the animation industry. She has had single-sided deafness since early childhood, and has long been a proponent of Deaf Gain. Through her work with Signing Animation she aims to demonstrate the singular talent of Deaf/HoH artists and the transformative power of storytelling.

Jim Rohn is associate professor in the interactive arts and media department at Columbia College Chicago. Formerly, he worked in the video game industry and also developed and illustrated comic books. Jim teaches computer and traditional animation production classes.

Rick B. Smith, as the founder, director, and executive producer of Tru Story Films, spent three and a half decades telling film and video stories in the health and wellness space. Today, he’s transitioned to a retirement career as a mental health professional, where he continues his work to help people find and tell their own true stories.

Mark Terry is an environmental documentary filmmaker and professor at York University in Toronto, Canada. He is also the Executive Director of the Youth Climate Report, a partner program of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. His own climate films focus on the polar regions and he has devoted his life to providing visible evidence of climate science to the environmental policymakers of the United Nations.

Tamara Tripp works for Food and Water Watch, a national environmental advocacy nonprofit committed to ensuring we have safe food, clean water and a livable climate. Tamara is committed to the nonprofit environmental community, having worked at places such as the Wildlife Conservation Society, Brooklyn Botanic Garden and the Garden Conservancy. She is also a passionate gardener, mushroom farmer, and a huge TV and movie nerd.

Karen Weigert works to bring climate solutions and equity to life. She served as the first Chief Sustainability Officer for the great city of Chicago and as a producer and writer for the documentary film Carbon Nation. She is currently the sustainability contributor for Reset on WBEZ and the Director of the Baumhart Center for Social Enterprise and Responsibility.

Risé Sanders Weir produced the documentary series America To Me and has produced and directed documentaries for MSNBC, PBS, History, National Geographic, CNBC, A&E, The Weather Channel and others. Her work has been recognized with Cinema Eye, Emmy, Hugo and Telly awards and nominations for an MPSE Golden Reel and an NAACP Image Award.

Marc Wellin is a video producer/director and the founder of Mothlight Pictures in Chicago. He's done documentary, music video and advertising work for business clients, television networks and not-for-profits. A 20-year industry veteran, Marc has won Gold and Silver Hugos at the Chicago International Film Festival, as well as Addy and Telly awards for his work.

Gary Wilson is an environmental journalist who has been commenting and writing for public media since 2011. He focuses on water issues with an emphasis on the Great Lakes, and environmental justice related to drinking water quality and affordability. He currently contributes to Detroit Public TV's Great Lakes Now initiative and Planet Detroit.

Caroline Ziv is a former network TV producer with 20 years of experience working for Good Morning America, Dateline NBC, and The Oprah Winfrey Show. While at Oprah, Caroline produced shows about where our food comes from, animal welfare—including groundbreaking shows about puppy mills and factory farming—and produced the annual Earth Day shows. Her video production company is called Big Red Bike Media.