About Us

Ivie Arasomwan

Creative Executive

Theresa Berens

Graphic Designer

Theresa is responsible for Cinereach’s graphic design and branding, and for the visual identities of Cinereach produced films. Prior to joining Cinereach, she was head graphic designer for the True/False Film Festival for four years, and has also worked in editorial design for several publications in New York and the Midwest. She earned her B.J. and M.A. in journalism at the University of Missouri.

Natalie Difford

Head of Filmmaker Development

Natalie is responsible for designing and overseeing Cinereach’s highly personalized Fellowships program, an incubator for creative exploration. Prior to joining Cinereach, she was Senior Program Officer of the non-profit film fund Chicken & Egg Pictures for five years. She has extensive film industry experience, from development to festival programming, having worked with This is That, IFP, London Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, and on various TV productions for A&E, Comedy Central, IFC and MTV Productions. As an independent producer, Natalie was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Adam Leon’s feature debut, Gimme the Loot and co-produced Leon’s Tramps. She also produced the interactive documentary 11/4/08. Natalie is on the Film Advisory Board for SXSW, and was named one of the “Jezebel 25 Amazing and Kick-Ass Women” in 2012.

Meredith Duff

Filmmaker Outreach Coordinator

As Filmmaker Outreach Coordinator, Meredith manages project submission and review processes at Cinereach and works alongside the Outreach and Creative Direction Team to identify emerging storytellers and content for the organization to support. Before joining Cinereach, she was an agent trainee at ICM Partners working within the Motion Picture Literary department as well as the International Film Department. Prior to ICM, Meredith was an assistant digital planner at Zenith Media.

Philipp Engelhorn

Executive Director

Melissa Estro

Head of Finance

As part of the Business Affairs team at Cinereach, Melissa’s role is to ensure the smooth operation of Cinereach’s financial processes and day-to-day activities. Prior to joining Cinereach, Melissa worked at Brooklyn Arts Council (BAC) as Finance Associate and Manager of the Fiscal Sponsorship program, providing administrative support to BAC’s sponsored artists and organizations. Prior to BAC she worked as a rentals coordinator at one of the cities oldest costume collections where she got to play dress up on a daily basis.

Leah Giblin

Head of Grants

Leah ensures that relationships with Cinereach’s supported films flourish, while also serving as an antenna for new projects and ideas of potential resonance. Her previous experience includes work with the Tribeca Film Institute, the Rockefeller Foundation’s Media Arts Fellowships and the programming department of the Tribeca Film Festival. She is also part of a proud lineage of former video store clerks.

Reva Goldberg

Head of Communications

Reva has worn many hats at Cinereach since joining the organization in 2008. As Head of Communications, she is responsible for the organization’s public engagement with the independent film community at large, and for helping to amplify the films and filmmakers in the Cinereach family. She has a hybrid background in independent film and TV production and in helping nonprofit organizations tell their stories. Before joining Cinereach, she produced the documentary All of Us (Showtime), co-produced the narrative feature Toe to Toe (Sundance ’09), and associate produced an Emmy winning special for the History Channel about the 9/11 Commission, among other projects. Reva directed and produced the 28-minute short An Imaginary Thing (Camden International Film Festival ’11, Big Sky Film Festival ’12). Before moving into a communications role at Cinereach, Reva ran the Reach Film Fellowship program for emerging filmmakers from 2008 until its conclusion in 2012.

Andrew Goldman

Head of Production

Andrew develops, manages and produces Cinereach’s slate of internally produced films. Prior to Cinereach, he worked alongside Paul Mezey at Journeyman Pictures, the independent production company behind the Academy Award nominated films Half Nelson and Maria Full of Grace. He has directed several short films, which have played at festivals across the country, including SXSW and Rooftop Films.

Caroline Kaplan

Director, Filmmaker Support & Innovative Philanthropy

Caroline’s role is to develop strategies for how Cinereach can effectively support and strengthen the filmmaking community and the independent film landscape. She has extensive film and television industry experience having been Head of Production, Acquisitions and Original Programming at IFC and IFC Films, and a founding member of InDigEnt, where she oversaw films and programs including Decade under the Influence, My Best Fiend, Our Song, Spring Forward, Mr. Death, Waking Life, Monsoon Wedding, Tadpole, Personal Velocity, and Me and You and Everyone We Know. She is also an independent producer whose recent films include Oren Moverman’s Time out of Mind starring Richard Gere and Gary Winick’s Letters to Juliet.

Sara Kiener

Head of Distribution Strategies

Sara handles outreach initiatives and provides distribution guidance for Cinereach supported films and productions. She has been championing outside-the-box distribution strategies since 2010 when she co-founded Film Presence with Merrill Sterritt. Prior to working at Film Presence, Sara was Exhibitor Relations Manager at Magnolia Pictures. Sara sits on the Advisory Board of IFP.

Margaret Klingler

Operations Manager

As Operations Manager, Margaret facilitates a space that encourages and supports collaboration and creativity while throwing a few parties along the way. A native Chicagoan, she obtained her degree in film production from Columbia College Chicago before venturing to Los Angeles, where she worked with live entertainment organizations to produce award-winning animated content at Cinevative.

Paul Mezey

Director, Original Productions

Paul works closely with the Cinereach productions team, providing creative and strategic support for projects. He also advises on Cinereach’s program strategies, particularly as they relate to the evolving landscape of independent film.  Paul has over 18 years experience as an independent producer in the motion picture industry. He is the founder of Journeyman Pictures and has produced more than two dozen theatrical feature films, including the Academy Award nominated films Maria Full Of Grace, Half Nelson, and Benh Zeitlin’s Beasts Of The Southern Wild (Cinereach), and David Riker’s The Girl starring Abbie Cornish, Tom Gilroy’s The Cold Lands, and Joshua Marston’s The Forgiveness Of Blood.

Maria Santos

Advisory Council Coordinator

Maria collaborates with Philipp Engelhorn and Cinereach leadership to actualize the company’s projects and vision. Before joining Cinereach, she worked as a Producer’s Assistant on HBO’s Girls. Prior to her HBO production experience, Maria worked as a production assistant for a variety of television shows in the tri-state area.

Merrill Sterritt

Head of Partnerships & Creative Initiatives

Merrill develops and oversees organizational partnerships for Cinereach, as well as new creative initiatives to provide support for filmmakers and a more sustainable industry. Prior to joining Cinereach, Merrill co-founded Film Presence in 2010 where she lead theatrical outreach campaigns for over 50 independent films. Merrill began working in film as an editor, before managing the Production Assistance Program at Women Make Movies. Merrill is on the IFP Advisory Board.

Elliott Whitton

Head of Development

Board Members

Jo Schuetz, Treasurer
Jo is the Managing Member of The Manhattan Family Office, LLC, a NY-based investment advisor specializing in alternative investments and asset management. He has held positions within the private banking divisions of Bank Julius Baer, NY and Coutts & Co., NY and is a Member of the Board of SCS, Inc., NJ a global leader of industrial packaging products. Jo received his MBA in Corporate Finance from Long Island University, and his BA in Marketing from Hofstra University.

Bruce Rabb, Member of the Board
Bruce is an attorney who advises both business and nonprofit entrepreneurs and organizations. He serves as Director Emeritus and Secretary of Human Rights Watch, and as Co-Chair of its LGBT Advisory Committee and as Vice Chair of its Middle East North Africa Advisory Committee. In addition he serves on the Boards of the National Center for Law and Economic Justice, Health Builders, the National Economic & Social Rights Initiative, Asia Catalyst, and The People’s Portfolio. He is a Fellow of the New York Institute for the Humanities at New York University, and serves on the Advisory Committee of the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience.