PAPA – Public Academy for Performing Arts

I have over twenty years of experience working with film.  I began as an ethnologist studying street children in Latin America, documenting their lives through photography and film.

I returned to the United States in 1994 and worked in the film industry for the next ten years.  The projects varied from commercial work, music videos, corporate documentaries, feature films, to the independent film.

In 2001 I left the industry proper to train at-risk youth to enter the film industry.  I continue in a similar vein as the film and media instructor here at the Public Academy for Performing Arts.  I currently hold both a Bachelors degree in Anthropology with a minor in Film and a Masters degree in Education with a Film focus.  I am a level II teacher licensed in Film, Technology, Performing Arts, Media, and English.  Through out my career I have found work with youth to be immensely satisfying and inspiring.

Over my seven year tenure at PAPA, the film department has received grants from the Albuquerque Community Foundation, New Mexico Arts, the Target Foundation, Zocoloco Productions, and the state of New Mexico .  We participate in local, regional, national, and international film festivals and competitions.  We regularly attend NM Film Union IATSE480 events.  Annually the film program creates a series of films that are broadcast on our local cable access channels and distributed to our local libraries and schools.

I am dedicated to keeping our film program current, our newspaper fresh and our school positively viewed and supported by our community.

Check out our website at http://web.me.com/papafilm/PAPAFilm/PAPA_Film.html

The following links will connect to the film festivals we are competing and attending this year 2011-2012:

Youth Creating Change Film Festival field trips a part of Cuidando Los Niños

Desert Light Film Festival (Alamogordo, NM & White Sands National Monument)

National Geographic: Future Voices of New Mexico (Santa Fe, Lensic PAC)

International Experiments in Cinema (Kimo Theater, Central)

Currents New Media Festival (Santa Fe)