People
Staff
Staff
Staff
Staff
Staff
Staff
Brandon Yan 甄念本
he/him
Executive Director
Brandon Yan
甄念本
he/him
Executive Director
brandon@outonscreen.com
604-844-1615 x101
Brandon (he/him) has collaborated with the Ministry of Education, BC Teachers’ Federation, UBC Faculty of Education, and the ARC Foundation to address the needs of 2SLGBTQIA+ youth through policies and practices that foster inclusive and more supportive school environments. Growing up as a mixed-race queer kid in Langley, he never saw role models who looked like him on TV or in film, and if he did they were never queer. If they were queer, they were never Asian. Brandon understands that representation of diverse and complex intersecting identities is important, and it is this conviction and his experience as an activist, advocate, and educator that led him to run for Vancouver city council in 2018. Though he didn’t win, it brought forward important conversations on representation, race, sexuality, and politics.
Charlie Hidalgo
he/they
Artistic Director
Charlie Hidalgo
he/they
Artistic Director
charlie@outonscreen.com
604-844-1615 x401
Charlie Hidalgo (he/him) is a Colombian-Canadian film curator, trans media consultant, filmmaker, and a graduate of the Canadian Film Centre’s Producer Lab. He is committed to combatting the erasure of 2SLGBTQIA+ BIPOC identities in the media by curating and creating stories that question culture and empower queer and trans BIPOC communities. His work has screened at TIFF, SXSW, Slamdance, BFI, VIFF, Inside Out, Outfest, and NewFest Film Festivals. He has programmed for Urbanworld, Slamdance, Cucalorus, Tribeca, Inside Out, Outfest, NewFest, and Athena Film Festivals.
Sarah-Tai Black
they/them
Festival and Industry Programmer
Sarah-Tai Black
they/them
Festival and Industry Programmer
sarah-tai@outonscreen.com
Sarah-Tai (they/them) is a film programmer, arts curator, and critic born and (mostly) raised in Treaty 13 Territory/Toronto. They are a multi-racial Black non-binary femme of Afro-Brazilian, Chinese, and European settler ancestry who works to center embodied Black, queer, trans, and crip futurities. They are interested in spaces and moments that inspire immediate, all-encompassing feeling; speak back to conventional ways of seeing and being seen; and experiment with presupposed boundaries of form and narrative. Most importantly, their Boxer pup Ben (Gemini sun/Pisces moon) is the main character of their life.
Eva Grant
she/her
Festival Programmer (Disruptor Fellow)
Eva Grant
she/her
Festival Programmer (Disruptor Fellow)
eva@outonscreen.com
Eva Grant (she/her) is a bilingual filmmaker operating at the intersection of queer and BIPOC storytelling, and the founder of Tooth & Nail Pictures. She is the creator of the dark comedy web series Degrees of Separation, a guest director on Couleurs du Nord, and in pre-production on her short film as an ImagineNATIVE Screenwriting Shorts Fellow. The CMF, IPF, BIPOC TV and Film, ISO, RWSI, BANFF Spark, and AGO have supported her work. Eva is a graduate of Stanford University, where she studied literature and philosophy. Her work is influenced by fantasy, futurism, mythology, death, love, and her mixed St’at’imc Indigenous, South and West Asian, and European heritage.
Jasmine “Audder” Monton
they/she
Festival Programmer (Disruptor Fellow)
Jasmine “Audder” Monton
they/she
Festival Programmer (Disruptor Fellow)
jasmine@outonscreen.com
Jasmine Monton (they/she), who also goes by the stage name Audder, is an artist of multiple genres and multiple feelings. They are a self-defined “gate-reaper”, combating industry gatekeeping and growing healthy arts leadership. Jasmine values storytelling that brings dignity, depth, and wonder to the queer community. Once acknowledged at a film festival as “the overly enthusiastic volunteer”, they believe film and media are powerful sources of connection to personal identity and each other. Jasmine’s background is in community outreach, youth mentorship, event coordination, and music. They are co-producer of the Filipino Fridays Podcast.
They are roughly the size of an otter and are now acknowledged at film festival bars with “I’m sorry can I get your ID?”
Romi Kim
they/them
Festival Programmer (Disruptor Fellow)
Romi Kim
they/them
Festival Programmer (Disruptor Fellow)
romi@outonscreen.com
김새로미 Romi Kim (they/them), also known as SKIM in drag, is a genderfluid, second-generation Korean lesbian. They identify themselves in recognizing the words they describe themselves with are verbs rather than nouns or adjectives—constantly in action and in flux. Kim is an interdisciplinary artist that works in video, performance, installation, and photography. Their work has been exhibited in South Korea, the United Kingdom, and Canada, most recently at SUM Gallery and Polygon Art Gallery in Vancouver. They have performed internationally in South Korea, Vietnam, Berlin, San Francisco and Vancouver (Cultch Theatre, Upintheair Theatre, and Transform Cabaret Festival). SKIM is also a co-producer of the all-drag king and thing show Magic Dykes.
SKIM loves eating crunchy foods with their community to nourish themselves and build relationships.
Piper Fawkes
they/them
Operations Manager
Piper Fawkes
they/them
Operations Manager
piper@outonscreen.com
604-844-1615 x102
Piper (they/them) is a queer agender femme currently living on the unceded territory of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh peoples. They thrive on any opportunity to organize the thing and the people. Having a background in technical theatre and the arts, Piper has always dabbled in their own artistic practice and helped support others in creating meaningful, connective, and unapologetically expressive art.
Outside of work Piper can be found doting over their dog, Maven, on the trail, at the beach, or doing an extensive training session.
Muhan Zhang
she/her
Marketing & Communications Manager
Muhan Zhang
she/her
Marketing & Communications Manager
muhan@outonscreen.com
604-844-1615 x601
Muhan (she/her) is a retired band-geek, soft-data spreadsheet wiz, and quadruple Gemini. She grew up as a child of Chinese immigrants on the unceded territories of the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh, and Musqueam Nations. She studied Art History and East Asian Studies at McGill University and received a Master of Arts in Visual Arts Administration from New York University. As a career arts administrator, Muhan believes strongly in the administrator’s power to advocate and propel change from within institutions. She also writes sometimes, predominantly works of cultural criticism and creative nonfiction, which you can track down in C Mag, The McGill Daily, and SAD MAG. You can find her chaotic self-published book reviews on readwithmu.com.
Madeline Taylor
they/she
Individual Giving Officer
Madeline Taylor
they/she
Individual Giving Officer
madeline@outonscreen.com
604-844-1615 x204
Madeline Taylor (they/she) is a queer, non-binary, and femme, of white settler heritage, living and working on the unceded territory of the qiqéyt peoples.
Madeline comes from a background in radio, podcasting, writing, and event organizing. They are passionate about justice focused community building, sound art, punk rock, the decolonial potential of reimagining institutions, and procrastibaking.
Madeline holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honours from Simon Fraser University, and spent the last five years working in campus/community radio as Programming Manager at CiTR 101.9FM. Madeline has done freelance work with organizations ranging from the BBC to VIVO Media Arts Centre, and won national recognition for their audio storytelling.
Maria Rio
she/her
Development Consultant
Maria Rio
she/her
Development Consultant
maria@outonscreen.com
Maria has over a decade of fundraising and non-profit experience. She is regularly asked to speak on issues related to innovative stewardship, building relationships, and Community-Centric Fundraising. Her op-eds have been featured in publications such as The Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, and The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives’ magazine. She presented at the annual conference of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, was a finalist for the national 2022 Charity Village Best Individual Fundraiser Award, and has a deep passion for non-profit work. Maria also sits on the Board of Living Wage Canada and is often asked to speak on issues related to poverty.
Percy Tran
they/them
Partnerships Coordinator
Percy Tran
they/them
Partnerships Coordinator
percy@outonscreen.com
Percy is a bite-sized non-binary queer born and raised in Vietnam. They are currently in their last term of a Hospitality Management degree. Passionate about art but lacking the talent, they are very excited to be a part of Out On Screen so that they can support the artists from behind the scenes.
Percy is a Muay Thai and gym fanatic. In their free time you can find them getting beat up in sparring or struggling to lift the tiniest weights.
Avery Shannon
they/them
Out In Schools Program Coordinator
Avery Shannon
they/them
Out In Schools Program Coordinator
avery@outonscreen.com
604-844-1615 x303
Avery (they/them) is a multiply disabled, wheelchair user queer youth of colour who is primarily an activist. Avery joined Out On Screen as an Out In Schools Facilitator in 2017. They are very excited to have moved into the role of Program Coordinator.
Born and raised on unceded Tsleil-Waututh, Squamish, and Musqueam lands, Avery is a passionate and over-committed grassroots community organizer. Over the past couple of years, their focus has ranged from Indigenous sovereignty to sex work advocacy. In 2018, Avery was one of the core organizers of Protect The Inlet, the Indigenous-led resistance against the Trans Mountain Pipeline. In 2019, Avery helped start Our Time, a cross-country youth-led intersectional climate justice group pushing to bring a Green New Deal to Canada. They co-founded the local hub, Our Time – Vancouver.
Be it when they’re playing music, nålbinding, or swimming, Avery strives to bring an intersectional lens to all that they do.
Danny Lybbert
he/they
Out In Schools Program Coordinator
Danny Lybbert
he/they
Out In Schools Program Coordinator
danny@outonscreen.com
604-844-1615 x304
Danny (he/they) is a queer, non-binary, Nice Jewish Boy. He loves to play with gender/expression through clothing, makeup, nails, and especially platform shoes. They have been an enthusiastic member of the OOS team since 2017, starting out as a Facilitator and moving into the role of Program Coordinator in 2021. He is committed to an intersectional, decolonial approach to education and has a passion for pursuing justice and equity. Alongside their work with Out on Screen, Danny has been involved in leading children’s classes and afterschool programs, and is currently completing a BA with a double minor in History and Legal Studies from SFU. They strive to bring compassion, dedication, and his unique brand of Dad humor to everything he does.
When not working or studying, Danny enjoys handicrafts like crochet and embroidery, watching 80s movies, and doting over their kitty.
Gavin K Somers
they/them
Education Director (on leave)
Gavin K Somers
they/them
Education Director (on leave)
Gavin (they/them) joined the Out In Schools team first as a facilitator in 2014. In supporting organizational growth, Gavin has stepped into many roles including Program Coordinator, Out In Schools Program Manager and now Education Director.
Passionate about the power of storytelling, Gavin is a writer, musician and artist.
Gavin captivates audiences with humour and kindness; compelling others to engage in the act of self-reflection for communal growth with the goal of moving towards social equity.
In their spare time, Gavin escapes the city, and nourishes new/old relationships.
Seasonal Festival Staff
Seasonal Festival Staff
Seasonal Festival Staff
Seasonal Festival Staff
Seasonal Festival Staff
Seasonal Festival Staff
Jamie Rokovetsky
he/him
Festival Technical Coordinator
Jamie Rokovetsky
he/him
Festival Technical Coordinator
Jamie (he/him) started volunteering with the Festival in 1999 with the “popcorn brigade” helping to select films with the programming committee. Soon after, he put his technical skills to good use, and has been keeping things going behind the scenes from the projection booth. A video editor by trade, you may have also seen some of his handiwork up on the big screen over the years. Thousands of screenings later, the Festival still has that special magic for Jamie, which keeps him coming back for more.
Jessica Han
she/her
Festival Technical Manager
Jessica Han
she/her
Festival Technical Manager
jessica@outonscreen.com
Jessica (she/her) is a lighting designer, stage manager, theatre technician, and filmmaker. Her short action comedy Bill, Please! won three shorts awards at the Vancouver Queer Film Festival in 2013 and went on to participate in 16 festivals around the world. In 2015, Jessica became part of the Festival’s tech team and helped Jamie keep things going behind the scenes. If you’d like to see more of her work please visit jessicahan.ca.
Out In Schools Facilitators
Out In Schools Facilitators
Out In Schools Facilitators
Out In Schools Facilitators
Out In Schools Facilitators
Out In Schools Facilitators
Ally Klassen
she/they
Facilitator
Ally Klassen
she/they
Facilitator
September 2021 – present
Ally (she/they) has gratefully been part of Out in Schools as a facilitator since 2021. Working and learning with youth is by far their favourite way to use their studies in gender, sexuality & women’s studies and counselling & human development. Outside of facilitation, she also juggles wearing a social service provider hat, always motivated by connecting with others and enacting justice-doing. Equally important, they faithfully read every book for their queer-author book club, avidly seek out opportunities to absorb live music, and always look forward to making phone calls to loved ones while meandering around their neighbourhood.
Avery Shannon
they/them
Program Coordinator
Avery Shannon
they/them
Program Coordinator
avery@outonscreen.com
604-844-1615 x303
Avery (they/them) is a multiply disabled, wheelchair user queer youth of colour who is primarily an activist. Avery joined Out On Screen as an Out In Schools Facilitator in 2017. They are very excited to have moved into the role of Program Coordinator.
Born and raised on unceded Tsleil-Waututh, Squamish, and Musqueam lands, Avery is a passionate and over-committed grassroots community organizer. Over the past couple of years, their focus has ranged from Indigenous sovereignty to sex work advocacy. In 2018, Avery was one of the core organizers of Protect The Inlet, the Indigenous-led resistance against the Trans Mountain Pipeline. In 2019, Avery helped start Our Time, a cross-country youth-led intersectional climate justice group pushing to bring a Green New Deal to Canada. They co-founded the local hub, Our Time – Vancouver.
Be it when they’re playing music, nålbinding, or swimming, Avery strives to bring an intersectional lens to all that they do.
Clea Arrieta
she/her
Facilitator
Clea Arrieta
she/her
Facilitator
November 2021 – present
Clea (she/her) is an older sister, queer woman of colour, and first generation Canadian. She is born and raised on unceded Tsleil-Waututh, Squamish, and Musqueam lands, but has been working to understand what it means to be “Canadian” while also acknowledging and honouring her familial roots stemming from the Philippines.
It is Clea’s first year of being an Out In Schools Facilitator and she looks forward to storytelling about her lived experience, learning with youth, and fostering joy whenever possible in all the spaces she finds herself.
Danny Lybbert
he/they
Program Coordinator
Danny Lybbert
he/they
Program Coordinator
danny@outonscreen.com
604-844-1615 x304
Danny (he/they) is a queer, non-binary, Nice Jewish Boy. He loves to play with gender/expression through clothing, makeup, nails, and especially platform shoes. They have been an enthusiastic member of the Out On Screen team since 2017, starting out as a Facilitator and moving into the role of Program Coordinator in 2021. He is committed to an intersectional, decolonial approach to education and has a passion for pursuing justice and equity. Alongside their work with Out On Screen, Danny has been involved in leading children’s classes and afterschool programs, and is currently completing a BA with a double minor in History and Legal Studies from SFU. They strive to bring compassion, dedication, and his unique brand of Dad humor to everything he does.
When not working or studying, Danny enjoys handicrafts like crochet and embroidery, watching 80s movies, and doting over their kitty.
Devon Francis
she/her
Facilitator
Devon Francis
she/her
Facilitator
February 2022 – present
Devon (she/her) is a queer cis-woman and white settler living on unceded Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh territories. She first started coming out at age 14 and has been passionate about access to queer spaces and education ever since. She ran her high school’s GSA club, volunteered at her university’s gender and sexuality resource centre, and is now thrilled to be a facilitator with Out In Schools. In her free time, Devon is on an all-queer dragon boat racing team, organizes for climate justice with Our Time Vancouver, and loves to sing in choir, watch TikToks, and eat desserts.
Phoebe Chih
they/them/theirs
Facilitator
Phoebe Chih
they/them/theirs
Facilitator
September 2021 – present
Phoebe (they/them/theirs) is a queer, trans non-binary, second generation settler of Chinese descent. Born and raised on Unceded Tsleil-Waututh, Squamish and Musqueam lands, Phoebe moved to lək̓ʷəŋən-speaking territories in 2020 and has had the privilege of living there as an uninvited visitor ever since. They’ve been a part of the Out in Schools team since 2021 and is very excited to spend more time celebrating intergenerational queer joy through storytelling, conversations and sharing lived experiences.
In their free time, they love journaling, working their side gig as a dog sitter (which they highly recommend), making dinners with friends, and doing puzzles!
Maverick
they, 佢
Facilitator
Maverick
they, 佢
Facilitator
March 2022 – present
Maverick (they, 佢) is a mixed-race Chinese genderqueer experience whose favourite stim phrase is “Pea Pop!”. They believe in the healing nature of connection and shared space with others who share similar identities, which led them to start working with Out In Schools as a facilitator last year. They also work as a Queer Peer and Tarot Reader, supporting queer, trans, and non-binary people in embracing and reclaiming their full selves. For joy and rest, they like creating art of funny little creatures.
Photo by Richelle Seki (@faceinpalm)
Board
Board
Board
Board
Board
Board
Aimee Beauchamp
she/they
Director at Large
Aimee Beauchamp
she/they
Director at Large
Aimee (she/they) is Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, French, and South American and is working towards learning more about her family history and traditions as a way of decolonizing. She grew up on the unceded territory of the Sto:lo people in Chilliwack, but currently lives and works on unceded Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh territory in Vancouver. She holds a B.Ed and an MCP, and uses this education to blend Traditional healing practices and ways of knowing with westernized therapeutic methods. Aimee is a two-spirit woman and spends much of her professional and personal time working to create safer spaces for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth. She has worked and volunteered in the non-profit sector for over 5 years, involving herself in decolonization initiatives, youth sexual health projects, and anti-oppressive campaigns.
Allie Hamilton
she/her
Director at Large
Allie Hamilton
she/her
Director at Large
Coming soon!
Chad Clark
he/him
Development Liaison
Chad Clark
he/him
Development Liaison
Coming from a background that includes a Bachelor of Vocal Performance from the University of Toronto, Chad (he/him) is a hospitality industry professional who is most recognized for his role as Director of Operation for the Hawksworth Restaurant Group. Chad loves Vancouver and has many years of service on boards with the Vancouver Recital Society, Vancouver Opera, and the CANFAR Legacy Foundation. His goal is to continually enhance Vancouver culture and community by serving as an ambassador for the arts and valuable social organizations such as Out In Schools. He is husband to the man of his dreams, Matt Corker, and is passionate about family and community. In his spare time, you will find Chad running, biking or swimming his way across an Ironman or marathon finish line somewhere in the world.
Christopher Hallamore
he/they
Board Chair
Christopher Hallamore
he/they
Board Chair
Christopher (Chris) Hallamore (he/they) is a HR professional with over 20 years’ experience in labour, employee relations, workforce analytics, strategic workforce planning, organization design, and professional coaching. He was the co-founder and co-chair of the BC Hydro Pride Network, an employee resource group for BC Hydro’s 2SLGBTQIA+ employees and contractors. When he’s not working, Chris can often be found in a swimming pool: Chris is a Masters Swimmer, and has swam, coached, and volunteered with five of Canada’s queer swim teams. Chris’s love of diverse queer stories first brought him to Out On Screen in 2008, and he has returned as a hard core Festie every year since then.
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