I’m a Denver-based documentary filmmaker.

I found my way into filmmaking via necessity and serendipity. After getting my Biology degree, I moved to Brazil to immerse myself in the art of Capoeira, living and volunteering in the lower city of Salvador, Bahia. In 2002, a couple friends and I banded together to make a fundraising video for the neighborhood arts & education group, teaching ourselves to shoot and edit along the way. After that, I happened upon a chance to work as Portuguese Interpreter/Translator for the HBO documentary “They Killed Sister Dorothy” (Emmy Nominated for Best Long-Form Investigative Journalism). I spent the four years that followed as an associate producer for an award-winning production company where I gained experience and mentorship to begin working as an independent director and editor. My directorial debut, “Bay Of All Saints” premiered in competition at SXSW and won the Audience Award for Best Feature Documentary, among other accolades. That same year, I became a mom and started Westwoman Films, creating character-driven impact stories for non-profits. 

Documentary filmmaking is hard because real life is messy and doesn’t want to be squeezed into a two-dimensional frame. But when we find ways to use that frame to shape new, ever-expanding understandings, the medium achieves its highest potential. And when that happens, I feel happy.

Personal Hero: Jia Tolentino

Side-hustle: Ghostwriting dinner toasts

Notable Shortcoming: Won’t get my kids a pet

Special Skill: Sleeping on planes