Chair
Don Jensen was appointed Chair by Gov. Jay Inslee in August 2013. Previously he served as treasurer of Washington Filmworks. He is the owner of Alpha Cine Labs in Seattle, Washington. Jensen has 40 years experience in film and video production and post production. Jensen worked with a group of Washington companies to develop and pass the Motion Picture Competitiveness legislation in 2006.
Shellea Allen is a Union Representative and negotiator for Teamsters Local 117 which represents a diverse and dynamic group of more than 17,000 members. They are the second-largest Teamsters local in the country. From Seattle Repertory Theatre employees to Casino and Convention employees, Local 117 members work in a mix of public and private sector jobs. Shellea is also the former Executive Director of SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild- American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) in the Pacific Northwest and also spent a decade as a negotiator and organizer with UNITED HERE. She serves as an advocate for employment protections for LGBTQ workers through Pride at Work (a constituency group of the AFL-CIO) and recently served as the Chair of the City of Seattle’s Film Task Force. In her free time, Shellea enjoys photography, skiing, scuba diving, and surfing.
John Cooper is President & CEO of Yakima Valley Tourism where he oversees a multi-faceted tourism promotion organization for the region that manages the Yakima Convention Center, Sports Commission, Visitor Information Center, plus working with the film and video industry. Prior to that he was the CEO of Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism. Throughout his tenure in Washington state he has been actively involved in destination advocacy and marketing, including serving on state and multi-state tourism boards and associations.
Jannat is the Head of Documentary Films for Paul G. Allen’s Vulcan Productions, producing and managing a suite of films and series including Academy Award-nominated Body Team 12, Sundance Award-winning STEP, Naledi: A Baby Elephant’s Tale, Ballet Now, Ghost Fleet, and the award-winning digital series WeTheEconomy. In her work as an independent producer, Jannat Co-Executive Produced Academy Award-nominated Knife Skills, and Produced Emmy nominated feature documentary CIRCO.
After graduating college with degrees in music and communications, Alan moved to Settle in the mid-90s where he began a career as a commercial editor. In 2005 Alan started World Famous; then a small 3-person editorial company. With amazing storytelling at its root, World Famous grew from a full-service production company to a creative agency, crafting national advertising campaigns for AWS, FireTV, REI and more. Along the way World Famous has been featured in Communication Arts, Vice, The Today Show, has won some Gold Pencils and National Addy’s for its work, and been recognized for its unique creative culture. A strong believer in supporting the creative community, Alan served on the Mayor’s Economic Development Commission advocating for the arts and overall creative economy. Alan also grills a mean salmon, is a pretty ok DJ and has been known to throw an amazing party once in a while. 🙂
Andrea has been a creative her whole life, focusing on music and filmmaking. She spent 10 years as Creative Director of a boutique video creative agency in Paris, France, where she focused on leading the creative process. A graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts’ Kanbar Institute of Film and Television, she currently is the Chief of Staff of the Safety Department at Sound Transit. Andrea also directs the Seattle Black Film Festival, and remains active as a filmmaker, musician, and a mom.
Sherrye Wyatt serves as the Film Liaison for Island County, as well as Public Relations and Marketing Manager at Whidbey and Camano Islands Tourism. Previously, she spent several years directing communications programs within the Northwest cider and wine industries. Before that, she helped create, and then managed for several years, a charitable foundation serving Washington’s tree fruit industry. Prior to that she lived in Washington, D.C. where she was director of public affairs for an international trade association representing North American export grain companies (NAEGA).