Best Matthew mesa Podcasts (2026)

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S05E15 - Balancing Two Districts and One Mission: A Journey Through Leadership and Change | Dr. Matthew Montgomery, Superintendent 35:38

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8M ago35:38

35:38

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Dr. Matthew Montgomery, the current superintendent of two school districts, Lake Forest Community High School District 115 and Lake Forest Elementary District 67, for almost four years. In addition to this unique setup, he is also the Lead Superintendent for Cohort and Partner Connections in AASA,…

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S05E14 - Leading with Heart: A Superintendent’s Story of Building Trust and Leading with Transparency | Heidi Sipe, Superintendent, Umatilla School District 27:25

8M ago27:25

27:25

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Heidi Sipe, Superintendent of Umatilla School District in Oregon, a role she has held for a remarkable 17 years. Heidi previously served as the district’s Federal Programs Director and Assistant Superintendent for five years. She also has a higher education background: She is an Adjunct Professor …

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S05E13 - From the Classroom to the Whitehouse | Dr. James Lane, CEO, PDK International 40:53

9M ago40:53

40:53

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Dr. James Lane, Chief Executive Officer of PDK International, a nonprofit that supports those who work in public education, and its community-based movement Educators Rising. He has served at the federal, state, and local levels: in the U.S. Department of Education as Acting Assistant Secretary an…

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S05E12 - Leading with Vision and Vulnerability: What Schools Really Need | Dr. Buddy Berry, Eminence Independent Schools 34:29

9M ago34:29

34:29

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Dr. Buddy Berry, the superintendent of Eminence Independent Schools in Kentucky. He founded the innovative model “School on FIRE” (Framework of Innovation for Reinventing Education). He was recognized by the Obama Administration as one of the top 100 School Superintendents in America for his distr…

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S05E11 - A Lesson in Humble Leadership | Dr. Matthew Hicks, Northeastern Wayne Schools Indiana 26:48

10M ago26:48

26:48

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Dr. Matthew Hicks, Superintendent of Northeastern Wayne Schools in Indiana. He is also currently a lecturer at Purdue University and a dissertation chair at Indiana Wesleyan University. Earlier in his career, he served as a language arts classroom teacher and as a principal at the high school and …

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S05E10 - The Superintendent Lab | Dr. Rachel White, University of Texas at Austin 36:17

10M ago36:17

36:17

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Dr. Rachel White, Founder and Lead Researcher at The Superintendent Lab, a hub for data, research, insights, and innovation on the public school district superintendency. She is currently the Associate Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. White h…

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S05E09 - Using Storytelling to Foster Trust and Community Support | Dr. Alena Zachery-Ross, Ypsilanti Community Schools 17:50

11M ago17:50

17:50

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Dr. Alena Zachery-Ross, Superintendent of Ypsilanti Community Schools in Michigan. She has decades of experience at public K-12 and charter schools of all sizes, including serving as Superintendent for Okemos Public Schools and for the Muskegon Heights Public School Academy System. She is a sought…

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S05E08 - The Superintendency: One Of The Most Challenging, Yet Rewarding, Careers | Dan Cox 25:29

11M ago25:29

25:29

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Dr. Dan Cox, the Superintendent of Schools in Rochester Community Unit School District 3A in Rochester, Illinois. In his 16-year education career in the state, he led the Staunton Community Unit School District and the Jasper County Community Unit 1 School District. He also served as an Assistant …

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S05E07 - Being a Transformative Leader in the Face of Complex Challenges | Dr. Quintin Shepherd, Pflugerville ISD 25:06

12M ago25:06

25:06

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Dr. Quintin Shepherd. Quintin has 19 years’ experience as a superintendent and currently holds that leadership role at Pflugerville Independent School District in Texas. He has a demonstrated history of improving school districts in both rural and urban areas in multiple states by being committed …

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S05E06 - Leading with Joy | Dr. George Philhower, Superintendent, Eastern Hancock Schools 19:39

12M ago19:39

19:39

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Dr. George Philhower, Superintendent of Eastern Hancock Schools in Indiana since 2021. Previously he was an administrator for 13 years at Western Wayne Schools, another rural Indiana district. He holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary and special education from Cardinal Stritch University, a mast…

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S05E05 - Mastering the Five Steps of Happiness as a Superintendent | Dr. Rainey Briggs, Superintendent, Baraboo School District 30:09

1y ago30:09

30:09

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Dr. Rainey Briggs, the superintendent of the Baraboo School District in Baraboo, Wisconsin.. In 2022, he was recognized as one of the 48 Most Influential Black Leaders in Wisconsin. Dr. Briggs and his wife, Julie, who is also an educator, are the co-founders of Meraki Consulting, which offers semi…

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S05E04 - Galvanizing Community Around a Shared Vision | Dr. Sandy Husk, Superintendent Emeritus 19:40

1y ago19:40

19:40

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Dr. Sandy Husk. During her remarkable 48-year career, she has served at every level, from classroom teacher and school counselor to superintendent to interim CEO and executive director for ACSD (the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, a nonprofit with more than 125,000 members …

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S05E03 - Leading with Authenticity | Dr. Adam Clark, Mt. Diablo Unified School District 33:21

1y ago33:21

33:21

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Dr. Adam Clark, Superintendent of Mount Diablo Unified School District in California. He was named as a 2022 Superintendent to Watch by the National School Public Relations Association. Previously, Dr. Clark served as Superintendent for Vallejo City Unified School District and Associate Superinten…

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S05E02 - The Power of Teams and Leading with Psychological Safety | Dr. Randy Mahlerwein 37:01

1y ago37:01

37:01

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined Dr. Randy Mahlerwein, an Assistant Superintendent in Mesa Public Schools in Arizona. He has been a public educator and leader for the past 24 years and a key contributor for the past four years in his district’s implementation of the Next Education Workforce. He is also an influencer, researcher, and…

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S05E01 - Humanizing the Superintendent Series: Engaging in Healthy Debate | Dr. Susan Enfield 31:06

1y ago31:06

31:06

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Dr. Susan Enfield, the former superintendent of the Washoe County School District in Nevada. She also spent 10 years as the superintendent of Highline Public Schools in Burien, Washington. Prior to joining Highline in 2012, she had held the positions of Chief Academic Officer and Interim Superinte…

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Season 5 Trailer: Superintendent Series! 0:59

1y ago0:59

0:59

Hello Build Momentum for Education listeners, we're so excited to kick off Season 5 of the Build Momentum for Education Podcast. This season, we're exploring a particularly unique perspective in K-12, thought leadership, humanizing the role of the superintendent. In this special podcast series, we interview current and former superintendents and re…

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S04E15 - Workforce Development in Washington State | Marina Parr & Stephanie Davidsmeyer | REPLAY 38:45

1y ago38:45

38:45

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Marina Parr, Director for Workforce System Advancement at Washington’s Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board and Stephanie Davidsmeyer, a Director of Communications for the Washington State Board of Education. Stephanie has 10 years of experience in nonprofit, corporate, and governme…

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S04E14 - Rural Innovation Series | Jessica Morrison, Executive Director, The Southwest Colorado Education Collaborative | REPLAY 38:32

1+ y ago38:32

38:32

In this replay episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Jessica Morrison, the Executive Director of Southwest Colorado Education Collaborative, one of the partners in the newly established Career Launch Southwest initiative, which serves as a vital link between employers and the workforce of the future. She was previously the Director of Career …

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S04E13 - Rural Innovation Series | Aaron Black, Superintendent, Randolph Eastern School Corporation | REPLAY 29:30

1+ y ago29:30

29:30

In this replay episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Aaron Black. He is currently the Superintendent at Randolph Eastern School Corporation in Union City, Indiana, and is spearheading the Rural Alliance Zone 32. Aaron was named a semifinalist for the Yass Innovation Prize 2023 from the Yass Center for Education (formerly the Center for Educat…

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S04E12 Rural Innovation Series | Lauren Marie Hall Riggens, Senior Manager, Empower Schools | REPLAY 40:35

1+ y ago40:35

40:35

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Lauren Marie Hall Riggins, a senior manager at Empower Schools, a national nonprofit that partners with communities and educators to reimagine local education systems. Lauren is currently the Director of Youth Poet Laureate at VOICES Corporation, an organization offering culturally sustaining prog…

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S04E11 - Rural Innovation Series | Mike Gonzalez, Executive Director, Rural Schools Innovation Zone | REPLAY 36:53

1+ y ago36:53

36:53

In this replay episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Michael Gonzalez, executive director of the Rural Schools Innovation Zone out of Premont,Texas. He was also a former principal at Premont Collegiate High School. This is the first episode in a four-part series focusing on rural collaboratives that are developing opportunities for students i…

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S04E10 - Sturm Collaboration Campus | Jill Garber, Danny Winsor, and Dr. Stephanie Fujii CSU, Arapahoe Community College & Douglas County School District 47:59

1+ y ago47:59

47:59

In this episode we have a special group with us from the Sturm Collaboration Campus in Castle Rock, Colorado: Jill Garber, the Director of the CSU Collaboration Campuses; Dr. Stephanie Fuji, the President of Arapahoe Community College; and Danny Winsor, the Assistant Superintendent of Douglas County Schools. We explore the Big Blur and how they hav…

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S04E09 - Durable Skills & The Future of Work | Tim Taylor, Co-Founder & President, America Succeeds 28:07

1+ y ago28:07

28:07

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Tim Taylor, who is a co-founder and the president of America Succeeds, a nonprofit organization committed to engaging business leaders in modernizing the education system. He also served as the founding president of Colorado Succeeds. One of the America Succeeds initiatives Tim highlights is Durab…

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S04E08 - Workforce Development in Washington State | Marina Parr & Stephanie Davidsmeyer 36:54

2y ago36:54

36:54

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Marina Parr, Director for Workforce System Advancement at Washington’s Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board and Stephanie Davidsmeyer, a Director of Communications for the Washington State Board of Education. Stephanie has 10 years of experience in nonprofit, corporate, and governme…

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Episode 74: The Soldier’s Lagoon with Pablo Álvarez-Mesa 33:09

2y ago33:09

33:09

Hi everyone, Aylin Gökmen here, with a new episode featuring a conversation with Pablo Álvarez-Mesa about his film, The Soldier’s Lagoon (2024), which received the Docs in Orbit Invitation Award at Cannes Doc-Marché du Film last year.The Soldier’s Lagoon is a strikingly beautiful and multi-layered piece centered on the Colombian páramo region. The …

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S04E07 - The Big Blur | Joel Vargas, Vice President, Jobs for the Future 32:08

2y ago32:08

32:08

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Joel Vargas of Jobs for the Future, a nonprofit that focuses on strategies to transform education and workforce systems. Vargas is vice president of JFF’s Education practice, which supports systems change in the education ecosystem, influences policies that promote diverse pathways, and identifies…

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S04E06 - Rural Innovation Series | Jessica Morrison, Executive Director, The Southwest Colorado Education Collaborative 36:40

2y ago36:40

36:40

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Jessica Morrison, the Executive Director of Southwest Colorado Education Collaborative, one of the partners in the newly established Career Launch Southwest initiative, which serves as a vital link between employers and the workforce of the future. She was previously the Director of Career and Col…

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Play Dead! with Matthew Lancit 34:47

2y ago34:47

34:47

Hello everyone. This is Hosein Jalilvand in Geneva with a new episode for Docs in Orbit featuring a conversation with Matthew Lancit about his latest film, Play Dead! (2023). Play Dead! is a funny, tender video diary on living with diabetes, where Lancit playfully transforms his personal experience and fear of dying into a body horror film, where a…

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S04E05 - Rural Innovation Series | Aaron Black, Superintendent, Randolph Eastern School Corporation 27:38

2y ago27:38

27:38

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Aaron Black. He is currently the Superintendent at Randolph Eastern School Corporation in Union City, Indiana, and is spearheading the Rural Alliance Zone 32. Aaron was named a semifinalist for the Yass Innovation Prize 2023 from the Yass Center for Education (formerly the Center for Education Ref…

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S04E04 - Rural Innovation Series | Lauren Marie Hall Riggens, Senior Manager, Empower Schools 38:43

2y ago38:43

38:43

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Lauren Marie Hall Riggins, a senior manager at Empower Schools, a national nonprofit that partners with communities and educators to reimagine local education systems. Lauren is currently the Director of Youth Poet Laureate at VOICES Corporation, an organization offering culturally sustaining prog…

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S04E03 - Rural Innovation Series | Mike Gonzalez, Executive Director, Rural Schools Innovation Zone 35:02

2y ago35:02

35:02

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Michael Gonzalez, executive director of the Rural Schools Innovation Zone out of Premont,Texas. He was also a former principal at Premont Collegiate High School. This is the first episode in a four-part series focusing on rural collaboratives that are developing opportunities for students in speci…

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S04E02 - Strategic Community Partnerships Drive Innovative Workforce Development at Tacoma Public Schools | Adam Kulaas 20:15

2y ago20:15

20:15

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by Adam Kulaas, the Director of Innovative Learning and Career and Technical Education for Tacoma Public Schools in Washington State. He also founded Jobs 253, which offers the district’s high school students the opportunity to earn credit toward graduation while gaining meaningful work experience. S…

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S04E01 - K-12 to Career: How Community Colleges are Accelerating Workforce Development | Chad Bolser, Katie Lash 27:33

2y ago27:33

27:33

In this episode of Build Momentum, we are joined by a new co-host, Chad Bolser, a Chancellor from Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana. In previous roles, he served as vice president of Strategic Operations-Southern Campuses and Chancellor at the Richmond Campus. Chad was the athletic director at Richmond Community Schools for six years and the he…

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Season 4 Trailer: Global Workforce Series! 1:26

2y ago1:26

1:26

Hello, Build Momentum listeners. We're excited to kick off season four of the podcast and we have some exciting changes to share this season. We're so thrilled for last season's co-host, Dr. Katie Lash, who recently left the service center to take on the role of VP of K-14 and Strategic Initiatives at Ivy Tech are so happy for her and wish her well…

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IDFA 2023 - Corresponding Cinemas' Refusal to Comply 51:53

2y ago51:53

51:53

We are releasing a conversation recorded on Tuesday, November 14th, 2023, at IDFA, where I met with Julian Ross and Farah Hasanbegović to recap Corresponding Cinemas. Corresponding Cinemas was a new series at IDFA this year, and in many ways, it was an experiment to see what invisible connections surface when an institution decides to transfer over…

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IDFA 2023 with Orwa Nyrabia 46:56

2y ago46:56

46:56

Today is the first day of the 36th edition of IDFA, the world's largest documentary film festival - a twelve-day event in Amsterdam featuring more than 250 titles in 22 sections. Earlier this week, I sat with Orwa Nyrabia, the Artistic Director of the festival, to speak with him about the role, responsibility and relevancy of film festivals and how…

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Self Portait Along the Borderline with Anna Dziapshipa 54:12

2y ago54:12

54:12

An abandoned house opens the door to revisit the past by bringing to life a unique, nearly destroyed image archive from the unrecognized territory on the border of the Black Sea: Abkhazia. A place normally inaccessible for Georgians because of the ethnic conflict that happened between Georgia and Abkhazia back in 1993. Combining voice, archive, and…

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Dok Leipzig - Festival Recap 24:04

2y ago24:04

24:04

It's been a few days since Dok Leipzig wrapped up, but we are still reminiscing about the films we encountered and the people we met. So, we made a little souvenir of our time there, featuring a collection of voice memos from a cross-section of festival attendees sharing their favorite film discoveries from this year's event.FEATURING: Juliette Men…

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NYFF61 Currents with Aily Nash, Rachael Rakes, and Tyler Wilson 31:54

2y ago31:54

31:54

Twenty-six years ago, for the 35th New York Film Festival, curators Gavin Smith and Mark McElhatten introduced the festival's experimental sidebar, Views from the Avant-Garde.While their inaugural program featured names like Stan Brakhage, Gregory Markopoulos, and Nathaniel Dorsky, it also opened a space where voices experimenting with cinema's lan…

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DOK Leipzig and Animation Film 20:06

2+ y ago20:06

20:06

As we prepared for the festival, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Franka Sachse, a director and animator who is also the curator for the Animation Night at DOK Leipzig. Aylin Gökmen moderates the conversation.The Animation Night is scheduled for Friday, October 13th, featuring Tess Martin showcasing several of her short films that provide a…

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Locarno 2023 Festival Recap 22:12

2+ y ago22:12

22:12

The 76th edition of the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland has come to a close, but we are still thinking about many of the films we encountered there. For our recap, we invited a cross-section of attendees to share their favorite film discoveries. Included in this episode are films from nearly every section of the festival - the Concorso Interna…

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S03E24 -Technology and Learning Alchemist Julia Fallon | SETDA | REPLAY 30:09

2+ y ago30:09

30:09

In this episode of Build Momentum, Sarah and Katie are joined by Julia Fallon. Julia, a self-described technology and learning alchemist, is the Executive Director of the nonprofit State Educational Technology Directors Association, where she works with U.S. state and territorial digital learning leaders to empower the education community to levera…

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S03E23 - Bridging the gap between edtech organizations and K-12 decisionmakers to solve education's most difficult challenges| Doug Roberts, CEO, Institute for Education Innovation (IEI) 36:20

2+ y ago36:20

36:20

In this episode of Build Momentum, Sarah and Katie are joined by Doug Roberts, who is the founder and CEO of the Institute for Education Innovation. IEI specializes in bridging the gaps between individuals and organizations that are committed to seeing students succeed in school and in life. Doug and his team create safe spaces for problem-solving …

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20th Anniversary Golden Apricot International Film Festival Recap - Voice Memos 17:32

2+ y ago17:32

17:32

This year was a special year for the Golden Apricot International Film Festival in Yerevan. It celebrated its 20th anniversary and also the 100-year anniversary of Armenian cinema. To recap the event, we invited filmmakers, film critics, and other guests to share their impressions about a favorite film they encountered at the festival. We hope you …

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S03E22 - Tom Vander Ark Talks AI, Cultivating an Entrepreneurial Mindset, and Building Credibility | Tom Vander Ark | REPLAY 25:09

2+ y ago25:09

25:09

In this episode of Build Momentum, Sarah and Katie are joined by Tom Vander Ark, an advocate for innovations in learning. He is the CEO of Getting Smart, a design learning firm that helps education organizations increase their impact with innovations for a better learning experience. Tom is also a prolific writer and speaker who has authored or co-…

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20th Anniversary of the Golden Apricot International Film Festival with Karen Avetisyan 32:16

2+ y ago32:16

32:16

A conversation with Karen Avetisyan, the Artistic Director and CEO of the Golden Apricot Film Festival in Yerevan, Armenia, which took place from the 9 - 16th of July.This year it marked a double milestone for the festival, celebrating both its 20th anniversary as well as the 100th anniversary of Armenian Cinema. Eka Tsotsoria traveled to Yerevan f…

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S03E21 - Ken Eisner on Global Trends in Education, the Workforce, and Leadership | Ken Eisner 38:36

2+ y ago38:36

38:36

In this episode of Build Momentum, Sarah and Katie are joined by Ken Eisner. Ken is currently a Consulting Advisor with Avathon Capital, a Special Partner at Good Harbor Partners, and a Senior Advisor at New Markets Venture Partners. He is the former Director of Business Development for Amazon Web Services’ Global Learning Systems. Some Questions W…

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Cinema and the Pleasures of the Impossible with Kirsten Johnson and Guetty Felin (Cannes Docs - Doc Day 2023) 43:57

2+ y ago43:57

43:57

Director & DOP Kirsten Johnson, President of the 2023 Œil d’or Jury, and writer, director, and producer Guetty Felin in conversation about the many ways filmmaking creates possibilities to search for the invisible, to bring life to the dead and to time travel in our own lives.This discussion was organized by Cannes Docs - Marché du Film with the su…

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Intersections of the Personal and Political in Documentary Filmmaking with Zeynep Güzel, Mina Keshavarz and Sahra Mani (Cannes Docs - Doc Day 2023) 42:17

2+ y ago42:17

42:17

An impenetrable Field of Optimism: Intersections of the Personal and Political in Documentary Filmmaking - Filmmakers Zeynep Güzel, Mina Keshavarz and Sahra Mani (Bread and Roses, Special Screenings, Festival de Cannes 2023), will come together to discuss their work, dreams, aspirations, and hopes for the future, both professional and personal.This…

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Moving beyond Empathy and Equity in Global Stories with Mehret Mandefro (Cannes Docs - Doc Day 2023) 33:39

2+ y ago33:39

33:39

Moving beyond Empathy and Equity in Global Stories - A panel discussion presented at this year's Cannes Docs - Doc Day with producer, writer, and director Mehret Mandefro. Mehret Mandefro is an Emmy-nominated producer, writer, entrepreneur, physician and thought leader who champions the creative arts as a path to developing a more just society. Her…

Matthew Mesa Podcasts