Festival Leadership

To accomplish our mission, ReelAbilities Houston is led by a visionary group of community leaders from diverse backgrounds and education. Their commitment and passion help guide the Festival to make the greatest impact possible.

Festival Chairs

Festival Chair
Caroline Rosen Funk
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Festival Chair
Karen Harberg
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Festival Co-Chair
Allison Feinstein
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Festival Co-Chair
Jeffrey Feinstein
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Support Our Festival

ReelAbilities Houston is able to provide free events and programs because of our generous supporters. Become a Friend of the Festival today.
Handwritten green notecards saying Thank you for telling our stories and loved it

Festival Committees and Production

Rhonda Abbott

Rhonda Abbott
Rhonda Abbott
Senior Vice President & CEO, TIRR Memorial Hermann
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Joan Alexander

Joan Alexander
Joan Alexander
Founder, JFS Houston Disability Services
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Lex Frieden

Lex Frieden
Lex Frieden
Director, TIRR Memorial Hermann, ILRU
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Dr. Cindy Ivanhoe

Dr. Cindy Ivanhoe
Dr. Cindy Ivanhoe
Director, SPASM, TIRR Memorial Hermann
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Abbie Kamin

Abbie Kamin
Abbie Kamin
Council Member, District C, Houston City Council
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Adam Laird

Adam Laird
Adam Laird
President, Cornerstone Home Lending
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Eve Lapin

Eve Lapin
Eve Lapin
Festival Chair, 2021, 2022
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Marcy Margolis

Marcy Margolis
Marcy Margolis
Festival Chair, 2021, 2022
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Amanda McMillian

Amanda McMillian
Amanda McMillian
President and CEO, United Way of Greater Houston
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Angel Ponce

Angel Ponce
Angel Ponce
Director, Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities
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Maria Town

Maria Town
Maria Town
President and CEO, AAPD
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Mayor Sylvester Turner

Mayor Sylvester Turner
Mayor Sylvester Turner
Mayor, City of Houston
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Renée Wizig-Barrios

Renée Wizig-Barrios
Renée Wizig-Barrios
President and CEO, Jewish Federation of Greater Houston
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Rhonda Abbott

Senior Vice President & CEO, TIRR Memorial Hermann
Rhonda Abbott
Senior Vice President & CEO, TIRR Memorial Hermann
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Christine Adair

Director of Rehabilitation Services, TIRR Memorial Hermann
Christine Adair
Director of Rehabilitation Services, TIRR Memorial Hermann
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Martha Barvin

Community Volunteer
Martha Barvin
Community Volunteer
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George Battiste

Vocational Rehabilitation Teacher, TWS VR Services
George Battiste
Vocational Rehabilitation Teacher, TWS VR Services
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Ana Calvo

Associate Director of Care Services, ALS Texas
Ana Calvo
Associate Director of Care Services, ALS Texas
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Gina Carroll

Director, Lazarus Energy Enrichment Program
Gina Carroll
Director, Lazarus Energy Enrichment Program
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Jen Carroll

Filmmaker
Jen Carroll
Filmmaker
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Alex Chau

Administrative Associate, MOPD
Alex Chau
Administrative Associate, MOPD
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Alexandra Codispoti

CFO, Robbins-Gioia, LLC
Alexandra Codispoti
CFO, Robbins-Gioia, LLC
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Marcia Davidoff

Film Selection Committee Volunteer
Marcia Davidoff
Film Selection Committee Volunteer
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Justin Deutsch

Program Coordinator, Houston Congregation for Reform Judiasm
Justin Deutsch
Program Coordinator, Houston Congregation for Reform Judiasm
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Matthew Dickens

Deafness Resource Specialist, Communication Axess Ability
Matthew Dickens
Deafness Resource Specialist, Communication Axess Ability
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Eileen Edmunds

Director of Education, The River
Eileen Edmunds
Director of Education, The River
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Vikki Evans

Chair, ReelAbilities Houston 2017, 2018
Vikki Evans
Chair, ReelAbilities Houston 2017, 2018
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Karen Feld

LCSW
Karen Feld
LCSW
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Marla Feldman, DDS

Co-Chair, ReelAbilities Houston 2014
Marla Feldman, DDS
Co-Chair, ReelAbilities Houston 2014
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Gittel Francis, LMSW

Community Intervention Specialist, JFS Houston
Gittel Francis, LMSW
Community Intervention Specialist, JFS Houston
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Donna Gershenwald

Community Volunteer
Donna Gershenwald
Community Volunteer
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Ivy Ickes, LCSW, CPRP

Senior Psychotherapist, JFS Houston
Ivy Ickes, LCSW, CPRP
Senior Psychotherapist, JFS Houston
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Cathy Jankovic

Parkinson's Disease Center, Baylor College of Medicine
Cathy Jankovic
Parkinson's Disease Center, Baylor College of Medicine
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Joy Kaplan

Immediate Past President, JFS Houston
Joy Kaplan
Immediate Past President, JFS Houston
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Michael Krieger

Community Volunteer
Michael Krieger
Community Volunteer
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Timothy Kuzniar

Senior Executive Assistant, TIRR Memorial Hermann
Timothy Kuzniar
Senior Executive Assistant, TIRR Memorial Hermann
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Alec Lapin

Analyst, J.P. Morgan
Alec Lapin
Analyst, J.P. Morgan
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Carol Lapin

Film Selection Committee Volunteer
Carol Lapin
Film Selection Committee Volunteer
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Drew Lietzow

Executive Communications Manager, Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Drew Lietzow
Executive Communications Manager, Hewlett Packard Enterprise
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Naomi Panarella

Different Abilities Advocate
Naomi Panarella
Different Abilities Advocate
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Jason Raschen

Film Producer
Jason Raschen
Film Producer
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Susan Reichenthal

Film Selection Committee Volunteer
Susan Reichenthal
Film Selection Committee Volunteer
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Lisa Sailor

Community Advocate
Lisa Sailor
Community Advocate
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Teri Wathen

Hearing Loss Advocate
Teri Wathen
Hearing Loss Advocate
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Julie Welch

Director of Rehabilitation, TIRR Memorial Hermann
Julie Welch
Director of Rehabilitation, TIRR Memorial Hermann
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Tynesha Brown

Diversity Initiatives & Donor Relations, Alexander JFS
Tynesha Brown
Diversity Initiatives & Donor Relations, Alexander JFS
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Rachel W. Davis

Chief Philanthropy Officer, Alexander JFS
Rachel W. Davis
Chief Philanthropy Officer, Alexander JFS
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Michelle Fredricks

Corporate Relations and Business Development, Alexander JFS
Michelle Fredricks
Corporate Relations and Business Development, Alexander JFS
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Melanie Cole Goldberg

Volunteer Coordinator, Alexander JFS
Melanie Cole Goldberg
Volunteer Coordinator, Alexander JFS
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Abbie Markowitz

ReelAbilities Festival Coordinator, Alexander JFS
Abbie Markowitz
ReelAbilities Festival Coordinator, Alexander JFS
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Samara Rosen

Art Director, Celebration Company
Samara Rosen
Art Director, Celebration Company
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Jamie Weiner, LCSW

Manager of Disability Services and the Alexander Institute
Jamie Weiner, LCSW
Manager of Disability Services and the Alexander Institute
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Get in Touch

Whether you are interested in becoming a volunteer, want to suggest a film for future Festivals, or have recommendations on how we can better provide access to the arts for all, we want to hear from you!