Programming Committee

• Peter Anderson

  

• Sara Beresford

  

  Festival Director and Lead Programmer

  Sara grew up in the Seattle area and came to Athens in 1997 to earn a master’s degree in Conservation Ecology and Sustainable Development. After graduation she moved to Washington DC to work for an international non-profit. While traveling to remote corners of the globe, she had some time to gaze at her navel, and – among other things – contemplated going to film school. Starting a family put that idea on the back burner, and also led her to move back to Athens, where she disappeared into the fog of early parenthood for a couple of years until the EcoFocus idea took shape. Sara believes that film is a fantastic way to inform and inspire people about important issues. Despite the fact that organizing EcoFocus makes her want to tear her hear out sometimes, Sara loves supporting environmental filmmaking and independent film exhibition, and loves the local community that EcoFocus brings together.

• Glenn Leavell

  

  Glenn Leavell has loved movies for as long as he can remember. One of his earliest memories is going to see the musical film OLIVER! in England when he was about five, and he's been hooked ever since. He moved to Athens in 1987 to attend the University of Georgia, fell in love with the place, fell in love with a girl, and never looked back. He's no longer able to single-handedly keep the local theatres in business, but he still manages to sneak in a few gems, several of which he hopes you'll be able to enjoy at this year's festival. When he's not watching a movie, driving to the annual Butt-Numb-a-Thon 24-hour marathon film festival in Austin, or spending time with his family, Glenn is usually helping with the computers at the University System of Georgia, where he's Director of System Support Services. Glenn is honored to have been able to help with this year's festival, and he hopes that each of this year's films finds a way to get under your skin or to sneak into your heart.

• Katie Smith

  

  Strategic Planning Committee Member

  Born and raised in Athens, Katie Smith left a job with PBS in Reno, NV in 2006 and returned to her roots to pursue a master’s degree in conservation ecology and sustainable at the University of Georgia. Her shared interests in media and ecology drove much of her research in graduate school and also led directly to her participation with the EcoFocus team. She currently works as a video producer and editor at the University of Georgia’s Center for Teaching and Learning and hopes to lend some production know-how to the team.