Festival Staff

Sara Beresford

Sara is the Festival Director and Programmer for EcoFocus. 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 environmental non-profit organization. While traveling to remote corners of the globe, she had some time to gaze at her navel, and - among other things - decided that she didn't have to be directly involved in science to make an impact. She and her young family moved back to Athens, GA, where she disappeared into the fog of early parenthood for a couple of years until the EcoFocus idea took shape in 2007. Sara believes that film is a fantastic way to inform and inspire people about important issues, and loves the community that has come together around the festival. In the meantime, Sara has become a documentary geek.

Mary Songster

Mary and her family are avid fans and supporters of the mission of EcoFocus. For the 2014 festival, Mary is in charge of sponsorships and keeping audience members happily fed with yummy, locally-sourced treats from some of our favorite restaurants.