TEAM - Reel Families for Change

the team

Reel Families for Change is powered by a “tiny but mighty” team of part-time contractors and volunteers, dedicated to achieving our collective dream of workplace justice for arts workers in America’s screen industries.

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Administrative Leadership

Akima A. Brown

Founder & Executive Director

Akima A. Brown

Artist, activist, caretaker, and certified equity specialist, Akima A. Brown is a chief disruptor in entertainment, championing justice for underrepresented workers.

Her work of nearly twenty years spans the public and private sectors, centering on systemic solutions-building around equity, inclusion, and access needs.

Sarah Lutot

Associate,
Communications & Outreach

Sarah Lutot

Since starting with RFC in Spring 2022, Sarah has supported the publicity, outreach, and relationship building efforts for a broad range of initiatives including the Delaware Collective for Creative Economy, the Work-Life Sustainability Summit, the bi-weekly newsletter, and several articles and press releases.

Erin Scudder

Assistant, Special Projects

Erin Scudder

Erin Scudder joins us as Assistant for Special Projects. As the wife of a filmmaker and a new mom with more than a decade of administrative expertise, Erin brings a combination and personal and professional prowess to her work helping us drive meaningful change for working families, like hers, in the screen industry.

Sidney Wegener

Assistant, Resource Management

Sidney Wegener

Sidney Wegener, a seasoned nonprofit leader, joins Reel Families for Change as Assistant of Resource Management. With expertise in connecting individuals and organizations to essential support, Sidney will be a key liaison, helping us drive our mission and foster collaborations for positive change.

Regional Services

Linia Hardy

Public Ambassador,
Pacific Region

Linia Hardy

Meet Linia Hardy, our Pacific Region Public Ambassador. She’s worked in the LA film and television community for the past six years and is a member of the Art Directors Guild Local 800. She says, “As a future caregiver, I want to be part of building something better; a world where people can work in the screen industry and commit to their families.”

Nanci Kaiser

Public Ambassador,
Mid-Atlantic Region

Nanci Kaiser

Nanci Kaiser is the Public Ambassador for the Mid-Atlantic Region at Reel Families for Change. She currently resides in Maryland with her 3 children and husband where she spends her time working in the independent film space as an actor, writer, and mom-manager.

Julianna Pitt

Public Ambassador
Southeast Region

Julianna Pitt

Julianna Pitt is an award-winning Director, Executive Producer, Creator, Screenwriter and Actress. She is also a proud mom! Raising children and having a successful career shouldn't be about making choice between the two, and womxn should be able to comfortably enjoy both. And now, as our newest Public Ambassador in the Southeast Region, she's helping us keep people from having to choose.

Janae Smith

Public Ambassador
DelMarVa Region

Janae Smith

Janae Smith is a Delaware-based artist and filmmaker. She's the newest member of the Reel Families for Change team; joining the Community Support Team. Janae serves as a local leader in the DelMarva region where RFC is working to support the development of equitable new production hubs. Janae says, "I believe RFC will help me reach my goal of helping others in this industry."

Board of Directors

Dinah J. Louissaint

Immediate Past President

Dinah J. Louissaint

Dinah J. Louissaint is a long-time advocate of mothers, children, and families. She has taken particular interest in the needs of America's working familis and the ways in which employers can support our most vulnerable populations as they provide care and/or age.
From her work in the NYC Dept. of Health and Human Services to her community service efforts around employer-supported re-entry programs for parents returning from leave, Dinah has always had an interest in the welfare of working families.

Rayne Marcus

Secretary

Rayne Marcus

Rayne Marcus has more than 25 years of industry experience with work sites spanning New York, Los Angeles, Vancouver, and Atlanta. In addition to her role as a screen industry professional, Rayne serves on the Board of Directors for Reel Families for Change where she supports public awareness campaigns and coalition building initiatives like the Family Care Grant and the seasonal podcast Reel Talk, the organization’s spotlight speaker series.

Mackenzie Irick Milks

President

Mackenzie Irick Milks

Mackenzie Irick Milks is a passionate researcher and advocate of inclusive branding; working with public and private entities to develop core messaging around their goals that align with their brand's valuies. As RFC’s Board President, Mackenzie helms the Executive Committee and has aided in the creation of our core values, principles, and pillars of practice, which have helped to ensure the credibility, impact, and longevity of our family-focused organization.