Staff & Board

Ron Henderson

Founder/Director Emeritus

Ron Henderson is the co-founder of the Denver Film Society / Denver International Film Festival. He retired in in 2007, on the occasion of DFS’ 30th anniversary. For the past five years, he has served as a senior program consultant for the Starz Denver Film Festival. Ron is the recipient of the Mayor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, the University of Colorado’s Distinguished Community Service Award, and the festival’s John Cassavetes Award. A former book editor at the Macmillan Company in New York, he is author of two books on film.

Kevin Smith

Chief Executive Officer

kevins@denverfilm.org

Amy Allison

Chief Administrative Officer

amyallison@denverfilm.org

Russel Brewer

Chief Operations Officer

russel@denverfilm.org

Katherine Brothers

Accounting Director

katherine@denverfilm.org

Alex Fountain

Technical Director

Alaina Drechny

Producer

alaina@denverfilm.org

Keith Garcia

Sie FilmCenter Artistic Director

keith@denverfilm.org

Matthew Campbell

Artistic Director

matt@denverfilm.org

Ambriehl Turrentine

Programming Manager

ambriehl@denverfilm.org

Amy Weiner Weiss

Development Director

amy@denverfilm.org

Eric Prather

Development Manager

eric@denverfilm.org

Janna Parks

Marketing Manager

Joey Haas

Creative Lead

joey@denverfilm.org

Christina Vu-Pham

Senior Sponsorships Manager

christina@denverfilm.org

Esther Lopez

Events Manager

esther@denverfilm.org

Teagan Iszler

Production Coordinator

Rachelle Neal

Development Coordinator

rachelle@denverfilm.org

Seth Degler

Volunteer & Membership Manager

seth@denverfilm.org

David Vargas

Box Office Manager

david@denverfilm.org

Tom George

Rentals Manager

Carrie Mitchell

Facilities Manager

Billy Allyn

Projectionist

Lisa Burstein

Box Officer

Manuel Contreras

Concessionaire

Josh Eliot

Box Officer

Anthony Jones

Concessionaire / Bartender

Kurt Konrade

Bartender

Sojo McCoy

House Manager

Aiden Pigg

Box Officer

Alison Sahler

Box Officer

Dominick Shults

Projectionist

Josie Van Ness

Bartender

Sean Virnich

Concessionaire

Tom Downey

Chair

Tom Downey is a regulatory attorney and shareholder at Ireland Stapleton with significant experience as both a government official and a private practice attorney. Tom helps his clients navigate all aspects of regulatory law and is well-known for untangling complicated issues that are regulated by local, state, and federal agencies. The majority of his practice consists of advising and representing corporate clients in the administrative, transactional, and disciplinary processes related to liquor licensing, legalized marijuana, and professional licenses governed by the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies. He also represents investors, creditors, developers, intellectual property holders, and others in and around licensed industries. In providing full services to his clients, Tom conducts a great deal of zoning, code enforcement, election law, and public policy work. He represents governments and nonprofits around the country.  Additionally, Tom serves as an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association. He routinely teaches continuing legal education courses and gives other presentations on regulatory and licensing law within the US.

Previously, Tom served in the Mayor’s cabinet, running Denver’s licensing department; created and ran the Business and Licensing Division of the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office; served as an Assistant Attorney General under AG Ken Salazar and ran the Children’s Museum of Denver.  Tom started his legal career clerking for Judge D. Warren Donohue on the Circuit Court of Maryland. During law school, he spent the summer of 1992 in Budapest as a consultant to a founding member of FIDEZ, the first opposition party in Hungary, in preparing to redraft their constitution. He worked for US Congressman Charles B. Rangel (D-NY) prior to law school.

Previously, Tom chaired the boards of the Colorado Nonprofit Association and the Colorado Children’s Campaign and currently serves on the board of Civic Canopy.  He is a Livingston Fellow of the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation; managed the 2000 Gore/Lieberman presidential campaign in Colorado and led Senator Amy Klobuchar’s Colorado presidential primary campaign in 2020.

Tom and his wife, Lori Fox, have three young daughters, Cate, Ella, and Meg, who are amazing actors, singers, and songwriters.

Elena Lippincott

Vice Chair

Elena Lippincott is a Co-Owner at AOR, Inc. a branding, marketing, and digital firm in Denver, CO. She’s the leader of the agency’s client service department and works closely with both new business and account teams to establish relationships and onboard clients effectively into the agency. Since 2009, Elena has been building brands and marketing campaign strategies for clients. She has worked with Denver Film and their marketing team in several different capacities for 14 years sharing both her passion for film and branding, marketing, and all things digital. With expertise in the real estate, hospitality, higher education, high-tech b2b, and municipality space, Elena brings a deep network and wealth of knowledge in the branding and marketing space. Elena holds a B.A. in Advertising and Graphic Communications from Florida State University.

Jessica Johnson

Treasurer

Jessica Johnson, Senior Director, Senior Housing & Care – BOK Financial

Jessica Johnson has been with BOK Financial for 18 years, working with a broad range of clients across multiple Healthcare specialties, namely in seniors housing and skilled nursing. As Senior Director of Senior Housing & Care, Jessica is currently responsible for leading a team of experienced bankers who focus on providing critical banking services to seniors housing and skilled nursing companies throughout the U.S. The team currently manages a $2 billion loan portfolio and has clients in 40 states. In addition to her support of Denver Film, Jessica is also heavily involved with Mile High United Way and Family Tree Colorado.

Jessica is a graduate of Oklahoma State University (B.A.) with a degree in Agricultural Economics and currently lives in Denver, CO with her husband and 7 year-old son. In her free time, when not immersing herself in film, she can be found hiking, skiing, cooking and enjoying all that Colorado has to offer.

Deirdre McGuire

Secretary

Deirdre McGuire has a passionate appreciation for both sides of the Atlantic hailing from both Denver, Colorado, and Dublin, Ireland. This duality helps explain her passion for both finance and film. By day Deirdre is a professional Wealth Advisor with the local firm, GHP Investment Advisors, a family office for the millionaire next door. Deirdre describes herself as a financial nurse, who supports the financial health of her clients. In her free time, Deirdre appreciates the creativity and diversity of film and Denver Film. Deirdre is a graduate of the University of Colorado, Denver with a degree in Sociology and maintains a Series 65 designation as an investment advisor. In addition to Denver Film, Deirdre supports Hope House of Colorado, Junior League of Denver, and World Denver.

Amanda Blaurock

Immediate Past Chair

Amanda Blaurock

Co-Founder/Executive Director, Village Exchange Center

Amanda has expertise in growth, accountability, and turnaround in both the private and public sectors. As a mission-based leader, she is known for innovative risk taking, creative problem solving for complex societal challenges and for fiscal accountability. Amanda has an acute ability to apply legal and management skills to create innovation, public policy, and system change and to test innovations to individual situations for future replication. Through a 20 year journey of representing the United States government, fortune 100 companies and family offices and co-founding and scaling an innovative non-profit, Amanda has developed a unique personal and professional accountability for relationship management resulting in client and philanthropic investments.

For her work during the COVID 19 pandemic, Amanda has been recognized as an Everyday Hero by the City of Aurora, by the Woman’s Foundation of Colorado as one of 9 Shero Woman Who Inspires Today and Every day and by the Salvadorenos Residiendo of Colorado “SARCO” for her dedication and commitment to the El Salvadoran Community.

Amanda co-produced and executive produced a short documentary, “My Father’s House,” that premiered at the Denver Film festival in 2020, and went on to win the Emerging Filmmaker Jury award at the 2020 Cannes Film Festival, American Pavilion.

Jeff Calhoon

Jeff is a CPA with Crowe LLP, a public accounting, consulting, and technology firm. He has more than 10 years of audit, assurance and consulting experience working with both public and private companies, many with international operations across Europe and Asia. Colorado has been Jeff’s homebase for over 20 years, outside of two short stints living in Sydney, Australia and Florida. Jeff has been working with nonprofits in the Denver community for nearly 10 years and enjoys spending time with his family, traveling and exploring the outdoors.

Mizraim Cordero

United Airlines’ Managing Director of State & Local Government Affairs, where he focuses on building authentic relationships and fostering stronger communities throughout the Mountain West region. Leveraging his extensive experience, Mizraim works closely with elected officials, community leaders, and stakeholders to align United’s goals with thoughtful policies that drive economic progress. He ensures a shared understanding of United’s commitment to exceptional customer service, sustainability, and cultivating a highly safe and diverse workplace.

Mizraim’s career reflects his dedication to connecting businesses and communities to create lasting impact. Prior to joining United, he served as Vice President of Government Affairs for the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, where he championed business-friendly policies critical to Colorado’s growth. Earlier roles, including Head Start Administrator and Intergovernmental Affairs Manager, shaped his passion for fostering partnerships that strengthen communities.

Mizraim holds degrees from Lehman College, a master’s in clinical social work from New York University, and an MBA from the University of Denver. He actively contributes to organizations like the Colorado Creative Industries Council (as Chairman, appointed by Governor Jared Polis), the Downtown Denver Partnership, the Colorado Enterprise Fund, and St. Anthony Hospitals. Outside work, he treasures time with his best friend and partner Jocelyn and their daughters, Amelie and Olivia.

Marisa Cucuzzella

Marisa Cucuzzella is an Executive Assistant & Office Manager for the Anna & John J. Sie Foundation, a private family foundation which supports the sharing of knowledge among peoples and cultures throughout the global community with special attention to Down syndrome research, international security and diplomacy, education, arts, and culture. Originally from the east coast, Marisa relocated to Colorado in 2015 and enjoys the 300 days of sunshine! She has over 25 years of experience including accounting, administration, operations, and office management. Marisa is a graduate of Towson University, with a degree in television and film production. She is proud of her Italian-American heritage and utilizes her knowledge and love of film alongside her culture to collaborate with Denver Film on the annual Maglione Italian Film Award, a premier event at the Denver Film Festival.

Mike Ferrufino

As President and CEO of the Colorado Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Mike Ferrufino stands in the forefront of an unprecedented multicultural economic revolution. It is projected that the US will transition to a “majority minority” nation by 2045, with the Hispanic community leading this demographic shift. By 2025, Hispanics are expected to comprise 25% of the population. Currently, the Hispanic population in the United States exceeds 65 million, establishing the community not only as a significant demographic but also as a formidable economic force.

Mike Ferrufino emphasizes the remarkable economic influence of this community, noting that the buying power of US Latino/Hispanic consumers surpasses the entire economy of Canada. If considered an independent nation, the GDP of the US Hispanic community would exceed $3.2 trillion, making it the world’s 5th largest economy.

Under Ferrufino’s leadership, the Colorado Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (COHCC) plays a vital role in recognizing, harnessing, and nurturing this economic potential. The COHCC advocates for over 130,000 plus Hispanic-owned businesses in Colorado, a state that ranks as the 8th most populated by Hispanic/Latino/a residents in the US. Mike Ferrufino’s commitment goes beyond advocacy; he uses his extensive experience in Spanish language media, entertainment, and entrepreneurship, coupled with a deep understanding of the diversity of the National and local Hispanic markets, to develop effective strategies that address the community’s needs and aspirations.

Mike Ferrufino’s influence extends to various non-profit boards where he has served or currently serves, including the Colorado Children’s Campaign, Robby’s Friends, Mi Casa Resource Center, Colorado Symphony, Denver Health, Mile High United Way, and many others. His dedication reflects a deep-seated passion for creating economic opportunities, bridging educational gaps, and improving health outcomes, all of which contribute to a more inclusive and equitable society amid this dynamic economic revolution.

Micah Gurard-Levin

Micah Gurard-Levin serves as Director of Community Impact at Liberty Global, where he is responsible for the company’s community investments, volunteering, and social impact initiatives in the US, UK and Netherlands. Micah initially joined Liberty Global in 2008 and has held roles in several areas of the business, including content, strategy, business development, and venture capital.

Outside of Liberty Global, Micah serves in several leadership capacities in the Denver community, with a particular focus on equity and inclusivity in education. He is an alumnus of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce Leadership Foundation and Governors Fellowship Program, and holds a Certificate in Corporate Social Responsibility from the Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility at University of Colorado’s Leeds School of Business.

Originally from Boston, Massachusetts, Micah has been residing in Colorado since 2008 where he enjoys skiing, playing ice hockey, cooking, and playing piano. Micah received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Anthropology from Middlebury College in 2008, where he also studied music composition and film.

Sandy Holmes

Sandy Holmes has been involved in entertainment, marketing and strategy working with both the studios and independent cinema community. As Co-CEO of Screen Insider, providing independent theatres their next generation cinema toolkit or at 2656 Marketing, a company she co-founded in Los Angeles, CA, the goal remains providing the best marketing tools available for the cinema owner to reach the movie going public. 

Sandy created a mobile marketing company 15 years ago that introduced SMS and MMS to the Newspaper industry by utilizing the vast content resources of The Village Voice. She then went on to develop 2656 Marketing, a new and exciting company focused on meeting the needs of the independent theater and movie studios. She has always believed that being open to new and varied ideas and opportunities is key to continued professional growth and achievement.

A New Yorker via Los Angeles, she relocated to Denver in 2019.

Nicole Maholic

Nicole Maholic is an Account Director for Salesforce.com, one of the largest software companies in the world, where she consults with enterprise retail organizations on their marketing, commerce, sales and service strategies. At Salesforce, Nicole served on the employee survey team in the West and recently joined OutForce, one of several equality groups at SFDC that empowers underrepresented groups in the LGBTQIA community and encourages them to bring their authentic selves to work. Nicole is a published poet, writer and artist, and a longtime patron of the arts and film. She holds a BA in Fine Arts for Painting and a BS in Broadcasting Communications, both from the University of Tennessee. Hailing most recently from Nashville, Nicole moved to Colorado in 2017 to launch the Denver market for her previous company and fell in love with the weather and lifestyle. When not hunkered down in a movie theater, she spends the rest of her free time on a yoga mat, cooking for friends and traveling around the world with her boyfriend Ricky.

Sara Moore

Sara Moore is the Executive Director for Colorado Dragon Boat, the umbrella organization that encompasses the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival, the Colorado Dragon Boat Film Festival, the Emerging Leaders Program, and the new Riverdale Regional Park Dragon Boat Regatta. Sara brings over ten years of non-profit executive management experience. Sara is most proud of bringing Colorado Dragon Boat into a stable and thriving financial position as well as leading the largest Dragon Boat Festival in the country with an average of 200,000 attendees per year.

Sara’s passions include rock climbing, hiking, and learning about her Japanese heritage. Sara can talk on end about her grandfather, Masamichi (Mac) Suzuki. Mac was interned during WWII as a nisei at Tule Lake, California. He later served on the ABCC (Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission) in Hiroshima, Japan, as a OBGYN studying fertility in the victims of the atomic bombs. Sara earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Grand Valley State University in Michigan.

Sara is proud to be a part of this amazing organization that helps promote and celebrate the diversity we have in the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander community.

Maren Stewart

As a founding principal of Taloma Partners, Maren provides senior-level strategic counsel, direction, and project management to a variety of non-profit and for-profit companies and can augment capacity by serving as an extension of a senior team as a fractional executive. Maren is an experienced and effective executive with a proven record of creating, directing, and executing successful public affairs and communications initiatives and campaigns over nearly three decades. She is highly competent in strategic development and integration; complex problem solving; reputation management; partner development and cultivation; public will-building; public policy and advocacy. Her focus is on developing and executing public engagement efforts through the lens of strategic communications and reputation management.

Prior to Taloma Partners, Maren served as the first president and CEO of a non-profit focused on creating the only statewide, multi-sector obesity prevention movement in the nation. She was responsible for developing and executing a strategy focused on local, state, and federal policy changes, augmented by a multi-media communications and marketing campaign.  For nearly 12 years, Maren served as Vice President of External Affairs at Children’s Hospital Colorado, where she led a multitude of comprehensive public policy efforts, which included lobbying at the state and federal levels, and grassroots and media advocacy. While there, she developed nationally recognized advocacy campaigns and established the hospital as leader in child health policy and advocacy.

Maren has a BS in Journalism and a Juris Doctorate.  She is admitted to the Colorado Bar and is accredited by the Public Relations Society of America.  She has been active in nonprofit and civic organizations throughout her career, having served on numerous boards of directors, often in leadership positions.  Currently, she serves on the board of directors for Denver Film and the Downtown Denver Partnership’s Denver Civic Ventures board of directors.  She also is a member of Metro State University of Denver’s Community Cabinet and volunteers for We Don’t Waste.  In the past she has been a Mayoral Appointment to the Denver Commission on Cultural Affairs, a board member of the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation, the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts, and Chair of the Aurora Economic Development Commission, among others.  Maren is a member of the Colorado Women’s Forum and has been recognized as one of the “Top 25 Most Powerful Women” by the Women’s Chamber of Commerce, named a “Woman of Distinction” by the Mile High Chapter of the Girl Scouts, listed as one of Denver’s “40 Under 40” by the Denver Business Journal and is a Livingston Fellow with the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation.

Stephanie Tavares‑Rance

Stephanie Tavares-Rance is a cultural strategist, entrepreneur, and advocate for authentic representation in media. She is the Co-Founder and CMO of Run&Shoot Filmworks, Inc. and the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival (MVAAFF)—an Oscar-qualifying film festival that showcases and celebrates the work of filmmakers of color. Under her leadership, MVAAFF has become one of the most prestigious and influential Black film festivals in the United States, attracting top-tier talent, major studios, and thousands of attendees each year.

With over 30 years of experience across the music, publishing, and marketing industries, Stephanie’s career began in the A&R department of SBK/EMI Records, where she worked on award-winning projects for legendary artists such as Prince and Frank Sinatra. She later transitioned into magazine publishing as Marketing Director of CODE Magazine, building brand alliances with leading fashion houses and entertainment companies.

A champion for equity in executive spaces, Stephanie is the creator of the highly regarded C-Suite Luncheon Series for Women and the C-Suite Summit, two signature MVAAFF events that spotlight and empower women and BIPOC leaders in corporate, creative, and entrepreneurial sectors.

She is also the co-creator of The Color of Conversation, a national film series that fosters critical dialogue and elevates the work of underrepresented filmmakers in cities such as Denver and Washington, D.C.

Stephanie serves on several boards including Sweet Blackberry Foundation, the International Women’s Forum, the Denver Art Museum, and the Denver Mayor’s Commission on Cultural Affairs. She was honored with the City of Denver’s 2022 J.E.D.I. Award for her leadership in advancing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.

A frequent guest speaker and moderator, Stephanie brings a bold, candid, and insightful voice to conversations about inclusive storytelling, women in leadership, and building platforms that center marginalized voices. She is known for her ability to move audiences—from C-Suite leaders to emerging creatives— with clarity, authenticity, and vision.