Laurie Piña

Laurie Piña is the Exhibitions Marketing Coordinator at Digital Gym Cinema, where she leads efforts in community outreach, social media marketing, graphic design, and provides supplementary film curation. She graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a Double BA in English and Film Media Studies in 2011. She is interested in films that explore themes of memory and youth, depict subcultures, and examine the impact of the Internet and communication technologies on our lives.

Kristal Bivona

Kristal Bivona is assistant professor in the Department of Classics and Humanities and associate director of the Behner Stiefel Center for Brazilian Studies at San Diego State University. Her research focuses on cinema from Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay. She holds a Ph.D. in Hispanic Languages and Literatures from UCLA.

Julia Medina

Julia Medina is Professor of Spanish in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures at the University of San Diego, where she is a member of the executive committee of the Latin American Studies Program and in the advisory board for the Center for Educational Excellence. Medina’s Ph D is  in 19th and 20 thcentury Latin American Literature with a Designated Emphasis in Critical Theory from the University of California in Davis.  Her current research focuses on visual culture, environmental humanities and non-fiction in Central America.

Sophia A. Schultz

Sophia A. Schultz is the Director of International Programs at the cultural heritage nonprofit ARCH International, and sits on the Board of the group Unfreeze Afghanistan. Her journey into a career in cultural heritage began with her interest in contemporary art and the Middle East. After studying Cultural Sciences at the European University Viadrina close to Berlin, she began publishing in art catalogues and worked on art and film projects. Sophia has worked on film projects with artist Kajsa Dahlberg (Reach, Grasp, Move, Position, Apply Force 2015)  and artist Shahram Entekhabi (My Mother – The History of Iran 2015)

Maria Elena Delgado

Luna, aka Mariaelena, Delgado, is an Educator, Educational Counselor, and President of Luna Consulting and Coaching.  She has been on the San Diego Latino Screening committee for 13 years now and loves being a part of selecting films for the festival. She is a proud cinephile and loves independent films and almost all genres of film. She prefers watching them on the big screen over home viewing and having the total experience that only a theater can provide.

Danny Soley

Danny Soley holds a BA in foreign languages at Eastern Washington University. Her MBA focus is in global management from University of Phoenix. She began attending the SDLFF about 20 years ago, every single year. This, after watching all the foreign films and movies she could get her hands on. She learned to read subtitles and keep up with the story.. Her uncle showed her how to appreciate movie soundtracks (Pink Panther, Jaws, etc), and she fell in love with the story behind the music. What was done in black and white is pure magic!

Edwin FrankO

Edwin FrankO (Edwin Frank Ortiz) is a Puerto Rican and Mexican American filmmaker hailing from Barrio Logan of Southeast San Diego. He graduated from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts with a BA in film production and is currently a Teaching Artist for the Media Arts Center San Diego. With a creative portfolio that consists of acting for theatre and film, producing and directing various media content, he looks forward to finally diving into the narrative realm and sharing more stories from underrepresented communities starting with his debut feature film, Fuego.

Susana Demaestri

Susana has been working with reliable entities trying to spread the Latin American voice; showing the magnificence and variety we have to offer as well as questioning stereotypes. Since 1970, as a film analyst and round table hostess had a strong participation in Cinemateca  and Cine Universitario de Uruguay. Susana has been part of cultural entities such as the Latin American Council at the SDMA as a co-chair, programs chair and member at large since 2005. She has continuously supported Media Arts and the great SDLFF.

Edwin Cruz

Edwin Cruz is a Mexican-American filmmaker and educator from San Diego. He has worked  with numerous youth and community programs, empowering underrepresented voices through filmmaking. His recent projects have been screened at multiple film festivals, including the San Diego Latino Film Festival, where he now serves on the selection and planning committee.