People
Staff
Staff
Staff
Staff
Staff
Staff
Anoushka Ratnarajah
she/her
Artistic Director
Anoushka Ratnarajah
she/her
Artistic Director
anoushka@outonscreen.com
604-844-1615 x401
Anoushka (she/her) is mixed race, queer femme of Sri Lankan and British ancestry, and an interdisciplinary and transnational artist and arts organizer. She has worked as a producer, performer, writer, facilitator and arts organizer with cultural and arts organizations in Vancouver, Montreal and New York. Anoushka is invested in creating and supporting work that shines a light on histories and contemporary stories that are underrepresented in mainstream film, theatre and performance. Anoushka has been a fellow with The Hemispheric Institute for Performance and Politics and Voices of Our Nation Arts. She has a BFA in Creative Writing and a BA in Women’s and Gender Studies from the University of British Columbia and an MA in Arts Politics from NYU.
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.
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 LGBT2Q+ 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.
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
Bio: 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
Gavin K Somers
they/them
Education Director
gavin@outonscreen.com
604-844-1615 x301
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.
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.
Miranda Rutty
she/her
Out In Schools Program Manager
Miranda Rutty
she/her
Out In Schools Program Manager
miranda@outonscreen.com
604-844-1615 x302
Miranda (she/her) is a mixed race, queer, femme born and raised on the unceded Coast Salish Territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh peoples.
Miranda has been dedicated to equity based facilitation since 2010. Since early 2017, she has been a facilitator for Out In Schools. Since then she has taken on the roles of Program Assistant and Program Coordinator. She is excited to be stepping into the role of Program Manager in 2020.
At home she is visual artist and retired poet, a meme connoisseur, as well as a loving cat parent. By night, Miranda is an ASL student at Vancouver Community College.
Muhan Zhang
she/her
Development Coordinator
Muhan Zhang
she/her
Development Coordinator
muhan@outonscreen.com
604-844-1615 x205
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, SAD MAG, and Taclanese. You can find her chaotic self-published book reviews on readwithmu.com.
Nya Lewis
they/she
Programmer
Nya Lewis
they/she
Programmer
nya@outonscreen.com
604-844-1615 x402
Nya Lewis (they/her) is a queer femme with proud Torontonian and Trinidadian roots. She is an activist and community organizer with a focus on building just and inclusive cultural and social infrastructure in Vancouver. Winner of the 2019 Canadian Inspirit Social Change award, and now in pursuit of a MFA in Curatorial studies, her work bridges art, communication and public service. Moved by the goal of equitable access to art and diverse stories in Vancouver, she is the Founder and Director of BlackArt Gastown and contributing curator at UBC Museum of Anthropology working to decolonize the African collections. A writer committed to representing QPOC, her work celebrates the strength and perseverance of Black Canadian culture, history and its diversity.
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
Sam Snobelen
he/him
Program Logistics Manager
Sam Snobelen
he/him
Program Logistics Manager
sam@outonscreen.com
604-844-1615 x103
Sam (he/him) joined Out On Screen in 2016 and has been a dedicated member of our team ever since. While he’s worked to support art and artists as a fundraiser both here and formerly at Bard on the Beach, Sam’s true passion has always been for the people and processes behind the scenes.
Sam is an integral part of our Festival, film program, and Operations teams, handling the details for everything up to and including the screen – but not what appears on it. Sam oversees our Box Office and Audience Services teams, making sure your experience at the VQFF is simple and streamlined.
Seasonal
Seasonal
Seasonal
Seasonal
Seasonal
Seasonal
Alexis Zygan
she/her
Marketing Coordinator
Alexis Zygan
she/her
Marketing Coordinator
marketing@outonscreen.com
Alexis Zygan (she, her) is an eccentric creative with a heart of gold. She grew up and currently resides on the unceded territories of the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh, and Musqueam Nations. Alexis graduated in 2020 from Capilano University with a Bachelor of Communications Studies Degree. She published her first article, a concert review, in 2015. She demonstrates her bold personality and strong values in her articles on social justice, lifestyle and pop culture. As a writer and marketing coordinator, she is passionate about amplifying voices absent from mainstream media. Alexis’s courageous character drives her enthusiasm for embracing new ideas and experiences. She dabbles in film photography and painting when not absorbed in a novel. You can view her recently published writing at alexiszygan.ca.
Jamie Rokovetsky
he/him
Best Tech Crew
Jamie Rokovetsky
he/him
Best Tech Crew
Jamie Rokovetsky 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.
Jarred Stephen Meek
he/him
Front of House Coordinator
Jarred Stephen Meek
he/him
Front of House Coordinator
volunteer@outonscreen.com
Jarred (he/him) is an actor, writer, and drag artist originally from Kelowna, now living and working on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh nations. Jarred is a graduate of the acting program at Studio 58, where he also serves as the Audience Services Manager.
In film, he was most recently seen in A Million Little Things (ABC) and Woke (Hulu). With a passion for all sides of film and theatre, Jarred was set to make his playwright debut with his original play A Life Sentence, as a part of Studio 58’s Fourplay 2020, but it was ultimately cancelled due to COVID-19. As a drag artist under the name Deedee LaCraze, they used to host their own shows in Kelowna, and has hosted and performed in shows for Capilano University and more in Vancouver. Jarred is so grateful that Out On Screen gave him his first post-pandemic job opportunity, and he couldn’t be more thrilled to be working for a company with such high values, full of queer people like himself.
Jas Calcitas
they/them
Program Coordinator
Jas Calcitas
they/them
Program Coordinator
Jas Calcitas is a trans nonbinary Filipinx-Canadian artist living on stolen xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, & səlilwətaɬ land. They are focused on colour grading, cinematography, illustration, and graphic design. They began doing digital photography in 2016. In 2018, they began doing film photography and concert photography. They had graduated film school with a specialization in colour-grading and cinematography. They started learning more graphic design and illustration in 2020. Since then, they have become a film colourist, the Visual Editor of Sunstroke Magazine, a graphic designer for Luna Collective Magazine and Collective 4891, a past Digital Content Creator for It Gets Better Canada, and now a Festival Program Coordinator for Vancouver Queer Film Festival!
Jessica Han
she/her
Best Tech Crew
Jessica Han
she/her
Best Tech Crew
Jessica Han 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.
Sarah Sum
she/her
Box Office Coordinator
Sarah Sum
she/her
Box Office Coordinator
boxoffice@outonscreen.com
Sarah Sum (she/her) is a queer performing artist of Chinese heritage, born and living on the unceded lands of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh people.
She holds her M.MUS in Opera from UBC – while studying, she worked as a Box Office Administrator for the program. You may have spotted her in UBC productions of Die Zauberflöte, the Canadian premiere of Pasażerka, and the Opera and Arias series at Bard on the Beach. Sarah is a recipient of the BC Arts Council Award and has participated in the Canadian Vocal Arts Institute and the Chautauqua Institution Voice Program on full scholarship.
When she isn’t singing or slinging tickets, you can find Sarah cooking as a connection to her culture, hanging art on walls, and daydreaming about new sewing projects.
Board
Board
Board
Board
Board
Board
Aimee Beauchamp
she/they
Board Chair
Aimee Beauchamp
she/they
Board Chair
Aimee 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 Coast Salish 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 LGBTQ 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.
Catherine Wong
she/her
Former Chair
Catherine Wong
she/her
Former Chair
Catherine J. Wong is a Vancouver based family law and criminal defence lawyer. A large part of her practice focuses on assisting clients from the LGBTQ2S+ communities in British Columbia. Prior to opening her own law practice, she was a Federal Crown prosecutor and completed her articles at the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association. Catherine obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Western Ontario. She holds a LL.B. from the University of British Columbia and completed her Masters in Human Rights from the London School of Economics. Serving on the Board of Out on Screen continues to be one of the most rewarding and inspirational experiences she has ever had.
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 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/him
Director at Large
Christopher Hallamore
he/him
Director at Large
Christopher (Chris) Hallamore 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 LGBT2Q+ 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.
Lori MacIntosh
she/her
Director at Large
Lori MacIntosh
she/her
Director at Large
Lori is an educator, dog lover and media enthusiast. Prior to returning to Vancouver to complete her graduate work in Educational Studies, Lori lived and worked in Chicago and Seattle as a IT procurement manager, IT project manager, and HIV outreach coordinator/ curriculum writer. She credits her current love of teaching to this circuitous career path. Having worked with and developed an abiding love for Out in Schools, Lori looks forward to life as an Out On Screen Board Member.
Melanie Matining
she/her
Vice Chair
Melanie Matining
she/her
Vice Chair
Melanie Matining is a queer Filipinx settler living and working on the unceded, ancestral, and traditional xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), and Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) territories. As a consultant, her work focuses on racial equity, inclusion, and community-determined accessibility in the workplace through operative systems and processes. In the past, she was known to activate queer activist spaces and cut a rug on queer sweaty dance floors as the Community Engagement Manager at Heartwood Community and the Co-Founder and Co-Organizer of dance parties such as Denim Vest. Melanie walks everyday in love and liberation alongside communities working towards queer rights, Indigenous solidarity, and migrant justice.
Orene Askew
she/her
Director at Large
Orene Askew
she/her
Director at Large
Orene AKA DJ O Show is Sḵwx̱wú7mesh and Afro-Canadian and was born, raised, and grew up in North Vancouver on the Eslha7an Reserve. She is currently one of the youngest elected members on Squamish Nation Council and is a Spokesperson. Orene holds a Diploma in Technology from BCIT for Radio and is working towards her Degree in Business Administration. Orene is also a Motivational Speaker for Indigenous Youth across the continent spreading the message that any dream can become reality. Orene is a two-spirit woman who advocates for more inclusion for her people in Vancouver, especially members of the LGBTQ+2 community. In her personal time she likes to mentor youth in DJing, Public speaking, and Entrepreneurship. Orene is a firm believer in being the person she needed when she was younger and being apart of change in her community.
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