Directors
Kathleen Lam
Kathleen Lam is the Compliance Specialist at BAVC Media, responsible for overseeing legal and policy compliance as well as compliance with funder requirements. Kathleen joined BAVC Media in 2019 as the Finance & Operations Director. She has an MBA from American University, specializing in social entrepreneurship, and has worked in corporate, government, and nonprofit sectors. Kathleen spends her free time knitting, baking, and chauffeuring her kids to all their activities.
Paula Smith Arrigoni
Paula Smith Arrigoni is the Executive Director of BAVC Media. In partnership with BAVC's staff leadership team, and Board of Directors, Paula advances BAVC's vision and strategy, partnerships, administration, and funding. Paula's background blends community development, nonprofit management and independent storytelling - from her urban planning education at UCLA, to the CDFI Fund at the US Treasury, Nonprofit Finance Fund, Youth Speaks, an independent film fund, BAVC Media, and several volunteer roles with film and media organizations and collectives, including The Roxie Theater, Watsonville Film Festival, BAMMS, and the Ninth Street Independent Film Center. Paula has executive-produced several independent films. [...]
Dawn D Valadez
Dawn D. Valadez is the Director of Workforce & Artist Development at BAVC Media. She is responsible for training young adults and people of all ages in media careers. Dawn co-directs national artistic programming such as the Media Maker Fellowship. Dawn Valadez is a second-generation Xicana, fiercely independent, disabled, queer filmmaker and artist. Along with the Colectiva Varina, their film Querida Fátima (in post) won the 2024 DocLands Jury Prize for their recorded pitch. Dawn is the Producer/Co-director of The Pushouts (with Katie Galloway, 2018), earning the 2019 Imagen Best Documentary award. Dawn loves road trips, creating art with friends, [...]
Mindy Aronoff
For our clients seeking video, audio, and animation services, Mindy assists BAVC Productions and Producer Andy Kawanami with delivering original content. She oversees logistics, creative, and administrative elements of each project across pre-production, production, and post-production. A people connector who thinks entrepreneurially while fighting the good fight, Mindy credits seeing people change their lives as the fuel for her 26-year tenure at BAVC. She has directed teams of artists, technicians, and editors to produce quality media for hundreds of clients, forged partnerships between industry and government to implement award-winning workforce training contracts, and has received over $1M in in-kind donations [...]
Brittney Réaume
Brittney Réaume is the Director of Artist Programs & Services at BAVC Media, leading programs for independent filmmakers across the U.S, notably the BAVC MediaMaker Fellowship for early-career documentary directors and the suite of complementary initiatives. Brittney handles all Fellowship logistics from application to selection, travel, training, and events. In addition to the Fellowship, you can reach out to Brittney with questions about the Mediamaker Connect Mentorship & Residency Program, Fiscal Sponsorship, the IMAG (Independent Media Arts Group) network, BAVC Media’s VERSED workshop series, or BAVC Media’s partnerships with peer organizations in the independent film and media field. Brittney has [...]
