OUR TEAM

Meet the people behind Portland Panorama.

STEPHANIE HOUGH

MELINA KIYOMI COUMAS

  • Stephanie Hough (she/her) is an experimental & documentary filmmaker whose films have screened globally, including the Portland International Film Festival, BendFilm, Tacoma Film Festival, McMinnville Short Film Festival, Engauge Film Festival, Tribeca Film Center, Lacuna Festival and more. She has worked with film festivals for over 20 years including BendFilm, Sundance, Tribeca Film Festival, Denver Film, Palm Springs International Film Festival, and the Portland International Film Festival. Commercially, she has worked as a Producer with Alpha Media, as Health & Safety Manager (TLC, The History Channel, MTV/Viacom) and recently as a Field Producer with TLC and The CW. As an educator with the Northwest Film Center, Pacific University and the PNCA, she shares the joys of tactile and analog filmmaking techniques with the community including Super 8 and 16MM filmmaking, caffenol processing, cyanotypes, and direct animation. Hough currently serves as President of the Board with Women in Film - Portland where she oversees the annual Vision Grant, members screenings and community events to elevate womxn, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ voices and talents.

  • Originally from O'ahu, Hawai'i, Melina is a filmmaker from an experimental background, working for film festivals and arts organizations as a program manager, film programmer and consultant.  She is passionate about representation in storytelling, artist support, accessibility and community building.

Rashaunda Brooks

DAN EASON

Bojana sandic

JAZZY VASQUEZ

Annika Pelkey

Jessica Miralrio

amy o’brien

James Jones

  • Heldáy de la Cruz is an artist and community organizer. Through illustration and design, his work explores the identities that are lost and found within both the queer and Indigenous diaspora. These, alongside his undocumented status, are at the very core of his community work. He founded and co-leads a collective called UndocuPDX that provides resources, education, and news for the undocumented community. He is the Design Director of Provecho Magazine and the in-house Senior Designer at Ecotrust.

EXECUTIVE BOARD

Ella Marra-Ketelaar

DAWN jones redstone

  • Dawn Jones Redstone is a queer, Mexican American writer/director based in Portland, Oregon, known for her emotionally resonant storytelling. Her feature film Mother of Color is now streaming on major platforms, following the success of her award-winning short film Sista in the Brotherhood. Rooted in the belief that cinema is the ultimate empathy machine, Dawn’s work often explores themes of resistance, emotional spirituality, and self-actualization, centering women of color in her narratives. A committed advocate for inclusive filmmaking, she actively creates opportunities for underrepresented voices and is thrilled to contribute her passion and vision as a board member of Portland’s latest film festival.

  • Jasmine is a Portland-based video colorist and graphics artist. She is also a nature illustrator who looks for any opportunity to make video or digital art for conservation.

  • Bojana Sandic is a film festival programmer with an enthusiasm for authentic voices and nearly a decade and a half of experience. She is currently Programming Director of NewFilmmakers Los Angeles, and was the co-founder of the Music Video Showcase at the Newport Beach Film Festival, where she was Director of Short Film Programming.

  • Annika (she/her) is a Digital Marketing professional based in Portland with a rich background in political and nonprofit marketing.

  • Jessica is a Mexican-American graphic designer based out of Portland Oregon. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her dog, friends, and family. 

  • An experienced editor specializing in narrative and documentary projects, with over 20 years of work on Emmy-winning series and festival-recognized films. Clients include major networks, filmmakers, and artists, with a portfolio spanning feature film, documentaries, and television.

helday de la cruz

  • Tiffany Stevenson relocated to Portland from Seattle in 2020 in a move to make the pandemic more enjoyable. It sort of worked. She immediately found a writing class with Chuck Palahniuk and soon became friends with a Decemberist so, if nothing else, her life is successfully following a Portlandia script. She is thrilled to offer her extensive event planning knowledge and volunteer experience with both the Palm Springs and Seattle Film Festivals in joining Portland Panorama for their debut season.

  • Sally Spaderna is the Rentals Manager at Koerner Camera Systems in Portland, Oregon, with a diverse career spanning documentary TV production for major networks, stage management for theatrical productions, and legal work in an entertainment law firm. After more than a decade in NYC, she returned to her beloved home state of Oregon where she transitioned into the camera department, working as a camera assistant and gaining hands-on experience at local rental houses. In 2013, Sally brought her combined expertise in production and camera work to Koerner Camera, where she now helps filmmakers with cutting-edge equipment and support. She also serves as the Board Chair for PERG (Production Equipment Rental Group), an international trade association for the entertainment industry, and is passionate about ethical filmmaking, sustainable production practices, and fostering innovative voices. Outside of work, Sally will most likely be found exploring the rugged beauty of the Pacific Northwest with her dog, Beezus.

Marc mohan

gianna iuppa

  • Marc Mohan moved to Portland from Wisconsin in 1991, and has been exploring and contributing to the city’s film culture almost ever since, as the manager of the landmark independent video store Trilogy, the owner of Portland’s first DVD-only rental spot, Video Vérité; and as a freelance film critic for The Oregonian for nearly twenty years. Once it became apparent that “newspaper film critic” was no longer a sustainable career option, he pursued a new path, enrolling in the Northwestern School of Law at Lewis & Clark College in the fall of 2017 and graduating cum laude in 2020 with a specialization in Intellectual Property. He now splits his time between his practice with Nine Muses Law and his continuing efforts to spread the word about great (and not-so-great) movies, which include a weekly column at Oregon ArtsWatch.

  • Gianna has over 12 years of full cycle accounting experience. Specializing in local small business accounting (her personal favorite was Ruby Jewel Ice Cream), she has also spent time in non-profit organizations and is currently working with Urban League of Portland. A passion for films got her into the production world where she has worked on live events ranging from company exclusive concerts to Nike corporate conferences to Pickathon; as well as video productions for commercials, short films and even a reality dating show. She likes to spend her free time in the forest; whether it is playing disc golf, hiking, fishing, camping or rock hunting.

sally spaderna

tiffany stevenson

ADVISORY
BOARD

KAREN JOHNSON

Carolina Nascimento

  • Carolina Nascimento (she/her) is a first-generation Latina Event Producer, Marketing Strategist, and Multidisciplinary Creative with a passion for community-centered work. In 2021, she founded Carolina S. Nascimento LLC, bringing her expertise in events, marketing, art, and place-making to create impactful experiences rooted in DEIA. Her work bridges creativity and strategy, ensuring that every project fosters meaningful engagement, celebrates culture, and uplifts communities. 

Kenya Juarez

  • Kenya Juarez
    Kenya (she/her/ella) is a born-and-raised Oregonian with a deep background in political and nonprofit social media. Passionate about the power of digital storytelling, she’s always got one hand on the pulse of culture and another keeping up with the algorithm. Whether she’s championing women’s sports or explaining TikTok trends to people who definitely didn’t ask, Kenya brings creativity, curiosity, and a whole lot of heart to everything she does—online and off.

Addison Woodside

  • Addison Woodside is a writer, director, and producer with her M.F.A. in Writing and Producing for Television from Loyola Marymount University. They also have a Bachelor’s degree in Film & Video from Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon. Her undergraduate thesis film The Woodside Sisters Present was an official selection of the Portland International Film Festival in March 2020 (tough year). They are the founder of Woodland Sung Productions, a nonprofit that helps emerging filmmakers gain set experience, and their pilot project is a comedy variety show called Beaver State. Her work often plays on absurd elements of real life with a focus on spirituality, identity, and disability.

Carissa Jean

  • Carissa Jean is a screenwriter, sensitive poet, and maker of zines. She is a graduate from the Independent Publishing Resource Center and proudly a Willamette Writers FilmLab 2024 cohort. She's volunteered for Mill Valley Film Festival and has repeatedly been a venue manager for BendFilm Festival. Ensuring everyone in attendance feels seen, heard, and welcome is of utmost priority to her. Having lived all over the United States, she is happy to once again be nestled in the forests of Portland.