Meet the Team

Staff Members

Francene Blythe-Lewis

Executive Director

(Diné, Sisseton-Wahpeton, Eastern Band Cherokee)

Georgiana Lee

Director of Programs & Projects

(Navajo/Dine)

Dawn Amory

Director of Development &
Communications

Gregg Jablonski

Director of Accounting & Finance

OPEN

Digital Media Coordinator

Alana
Stone

(Sicangu Lakota)

Brittany Grove

Contracts & Accounting Associate

Ann Mckeighan

Administrative Project Coordinator

OPEN

Marketing & Communications Specialist

Meet Our Leaders

Board Members

Joely Proudfit (Luiseño), Ph.D., is the Director of California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center, CSUSM. Dr. Proudfit holds an M.A. and Ph.D. in political science with emphasis in public policy and American Indian studies from Northern Arizona University and a B.A. in political science with emphasis in public law from California State University Long Beach. As the first member of her family to complete a high school diploma, she serves as a role model for native youth and encourages self-determination through knowledge and education.

Walt is Oglala Lakota and created the logo for Urban Rez. He is Creative Director, owner of Nakota Designs Advertising Designs and Graphics. Executive Director of the Stronghold Society nonprofit dedicated to instilling hope and supporting youth movements through Live Life Call To Action Campaigns. 

Franz Joachim is the general manager and CEO of the New Mexico PBS in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Prior to that, he served as the content director at the station and was in charge of all content–local national, web-based and mobile for the station. From 1999 to 2010, Franz was the production manager at KNME Channel 5, managing all production technical and human resources for all local production. He also served as senior editor and television director at WUSF/WGCU, as studio supervisor at KUAT-TV and at KUAT Communications Group. His production credits include documentary work on Desert Reefs and Desert Speaks. He has nearly 23 years of world wide diving experience.

Randal P. Hansen is treasurer for the Vision Maker Media board of directors, serving the organization for the past eight years. His experience in the nonprofit sector includes current positions as assistant general manager of administration and finance for the Nebraska Educational Telecommunications Commission and University of Nebraska Television, and treasurer and assistant secretary for the Nebraska Educational Telecommunications Commission and the NET Foundations for Television and Radio.

Mary Kathryn Nagle is an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation. She currently serves as the Executive Director of the Yale Indigenous Performing Arts Program. She is also a partner at Pipestem Law, P.C., where she works to protect tribal sovereignty and the inherent right of Indian Nations to protect their women and children from domestic violence and sexual assault. 

Paul Allen Hunton is the General Manager of Texas Tech Public Media. He is a 3 time regional Emmy winning director, the vice-chair of Texas PBS, sits on the board of the University License Association, and formerly on the Digital Media Advisory Council for PBS Digital, and the NETA Production Council. He has been at Texas Tech Public Media since 2011.

La quen náay, Haida/Tlingit, is from Ḵéex̱ʼ Kwáan (Kake), Alaska. She is an enrolled Tribal Citizen of the Organized Village of Kake. La quen náay received her BA (BFA Equivalency) from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado, and her law degree from Arizona State University College of Law, graduating with a Juris Doctorate and a Certificate in Indian Law. Since coming to First Alaskans Institute, La quen náay has served as the Director of the Alaska Native Policy Center, Vice-President, and now serves as the President/CEO, providing a direct path for service to our Native peoples.

Elizabeth Weatherford is a Board member of Vision Maker Media, and the founder and emeritus director of the Film and Video Center of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian and its Native American Film + Video Festival in New York City and Native Cinema Showcase in Santa Fe.  

Kate Beane is Flandreau Santee Sioux and Director of Native American Initiatives (NAI) at the Minnesota Historical Society.

Francene Blythe-Lewis

President & CEO

Diné, Sisseton-Wahpeton, Eastern Band Cherokee

“The visionary”

Role: Francene oversees and directs the entire staff at Vision Maker Media. She keeps her team moving towards our mission to propel VMM to the forefront of storytelling, innovation and creative thinking. An advocate for supporting Native American filmmakers and Native American media, she believes the most important aspects of Native and Indigenous stories are rooted throughout the millennia of time.

Executive Director Francene Blythe-Lewis

Julianna Brannum

Director of Programs

Comanche

"The Programmer"

Role: As Director of Programs, Julianna oversees the Public Media Fund as well as acquisitions, marketing, and distribution for all VMM’s titles. Her years of filmmaking experience give her the drive to help filmmakers through the whole process from development to delivery. She doesn’t mind holding your hand through the scary parts and loves to celebrate your storytelling achievements. A Gen-Xer to the core, she’ll advocate for you when you need it.

Dawn Amory

Director of Development & Communications

“Ol' Reliable”

Role: Dawn is the master of her fundraising domain. No matter the project, deadline, or impossibility, Dawn will find someway to get it done. You’ll often find Dawn in Alyssa’s office, chatting about her furbaby and dreaming up new marketing and development campaigns.

Director of Development and Communications Dawn Amory

Gregg Jablonski

Chief Operating & Chief Financial Officer

“Money Man”

Role: Gregg makes sure the budget is balanced, and keeps Vision Maker Media from getting in trouble (at least financially). Gregg likes to laugh while dealing with numbers but occasionally cries. Gregg enjoys his new Vision Maker Media friends.

Director of Accounting and Finance Gregg Jablonski

Alex Fox

Digital Media Coordinator

"Signal Booster"

Role: Alex is the Digital Media Coordinator at Vision Maker Media, helping Indigenous stories soar to new heights by stitching storytellers’ words into social media. Between finding stories new eyes, he’s usually found in outlandish eyeshadow, drinking tea and listening to an ever-expanding music catalog.

Digital Media Coordinator Alex Fox

Alana Stone

Curatorial Specialist

Sicangu Lakota

"Office Fashionista"

Role: Alana is the resident event planner and grant writing expert at Vision Maker Media. You can find her calmly and quietly juggling all the many moving parts for the next big event between sips of kombucha.

Project Manager Alana Stone

Brittany Grove

Business Manager

“Data Conqueror”

Role: Brittany gathers the moving pieces to our teams’ products and productions. She’s all about a proactive process within an ever evolving workplace. Enjoys heavily caffeinated contract reviewing with creative financial thinking.

Contracts and Accounting Associate Brittany Grove

Ann McKeighan

Executive Associate

"Detail Queen"

Role: Ann is the glue tying all the departments together, making sure no detail gets swept under the rug. From Shop Vision Maker management, to organizing filmmaker contracts, final proofreading, and even office birthday celebrations, Ann isn’t just the department assistant. She’s the department superhero.

Walt Pourier

Vice Chair

Walt is Oglala Lakota and created the logo for Urban Rez. He is Creative Director, owner of Nakota Designs Advertising Designs and Graphics. Executive Director of the Stronghold Society nonprofit dedicated to instilling hope and supporting youth movements through Live Life Call To Action Campaigns.

lynn palmanteer-holder

Lynn Palmanteer-Holder, an Indigenous plateau woman of North Central Washington and member of eight of twelve Tribes of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. Lynn recently retired as inaugural Director of Tribal Government Affairs for Washington State Board of Community and Technical Colleges, the state’s oversight agency of 34 CTCs.  She is a highly accomplished professional that spans over 40 years. She is an experienced educator that has a demonstrated history across K12, post-secondary & higher education as a teacher, school counselor, superintendent, researcher, and professor. Also, she has diverse experience as an entrepreneur, Tribal leader and administrator. She is skilled in curriculum and program development, facilitating government to government relationships that led to formal partnerships between state institutions and Tribes developing custom programs. Lynn has served on many boards and has been recognized for various statewide, and national awards. She has several scholarly publications and has done various conference presentations and speaking engagements, at the local, national and international level. Lynn holds a Ph.C. (ABD) in Social Welfare Policy from University of Washington. She earned her M.Ed., with a concentration in counseling psychology from Washington State University and B.Ed., in K12 Education from Eastern Washington University. Lynn is a wife of 49 years, a mother of three adult professional children, granny of 10 and great granny to two. Lynn and her husband are high school sweethearts, and together enjoy time with their 15+ two-legged blessings.