Film Leadership Council

Washington Filmworks’ Film Leadership Council (FLC) is an advisory board comprised of 7–18 film professionals from locations across the state that represent a wide array of motion picture production. The FLC helps develop proposals about how to maximize the impact of the production incentive program and the film office resources. Formed to help connect to communities across the state, the Film Leadership Council serves as advocates and ambassadors for Washington Filmworks and the statewide film industry.

Review the FLC Fact Sheet (PDF) for mission and vision.

Film Leadership Council

Devante Smith (Co-Chair)

Devante Smith is a recent graduate from Eastern Washington University’s Film program. After interning for season three of Z Nation, he has been working as the basecamp production assistant for the past two years on the show. In the off season, he works with local musical artists to build a voice and brand through interviews,…

Jeff Barehand (Co-Chair)

Jeff Barehand is CEO/President of Sky Bear Media, a production company headquartered in Olympia, WA. Jeff is of the Gila River and Navajo people of Arizona but has lived in Washington State for more than twelve years. He is a 2014 Sundance Native Lab Film Fellow and is currently adapting a book to film. He…

Sarah Crowe

Sarah Crowe is an award winning Producer, Director and sometimes Assistant Director. She has been producing documentaries, narratives, and commercials for nearly 15 years. Sarah is an Executive Producer at Amazon. She spends her day creating branded content and spends her free time creating documentaries and supporting independent film in Washington and beyond. Films such…

Jennifer Gatts

In the realm of film and television, Jennifer stands as a dedicated professional, actively engaged as a member of the Directors Guild of America (DGA) and IATSE Local 488. As a Key 2nd Assistant Director, she has orchestrated efficient productions, collaborating on notable film projects such as “Year of the Fox” and “Dreamin’ Wild” and…

Lillian Hennings

Lily always knew that film would be her guiding motivation throughout life from a young age with the inspiration she gained from her experiences of connecting with movies as a child. As she grew up in a non-traditional home with a single parent, she learned the values of adaptability and perseverance in the face of…

Ronnie Kabuika

Ronnie Kabuika is a celebrated filmmaker, director,and producer based in Seattle. Renowned in the cultural circles of the Congo, his country of origin, Africa, and Europe, his artistic journey spans various domains, including plastic arts, visual arts, music and predominantly cinema, the art form he cherishes the most for encapsulating all others he has practiced.…

Misael Martinez Melo

Misael, also known as Misa, is a documentary filmmaker and the owner of MediaRoom, a media production company located in Olympia, WA. Born in Puerto Rico, he was raised in both Borikén (the Taino name for Puerto Rico) and Kiskeya (the Taino name for the Dominican Republic). His cultural roots play a significant role in…

Bridget Nilsen

Bridget grew up on the Olympic Peninsula and received her BA from the University of Washington. Across her over 20 years living in Washington, she has enjoyed countless trips all across the state, delighting in the many and varied environments. By day, she works as a Project Manager for a virtual reality start-up and by…

Carlos A. Ortiz

Carlos is a Writer, Producer, Director, marketing guru, and Chairman of LUNA, an education-based, charitable non-profit helping underprivileged and under-represented youth pursue and attain a professional career in order to diversify the workforce. He has written, produced, and directed several films, TV commercials, music videos and documentaries, and has also sat on the panel of…

Davis Powell

Davis Powell is the Executive Director for the SAG-AFTRA Seattle Local. He has been with SAG-AFTRA since early 2021. Davis is originally from the Atlanta area, but after several visits to the Pacific Northwest, he finally made a long-planned permanent move to Washington state in 2019. He is an attorney by trade, having represented labor…