Mia Villanueva, Co-Founder

Born and raised in Seattle, WA, Mia C. Villanueva is a working still photographer, screenwriter, and director. Villanueva’s work explores the affects of media in policy making and politics. This is evident in her film Mangosteen: HIV/AIDS in Malaysia, which was named "Best of Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival" in 2006. In 2005, Villanueva was also selected as one of 28 young women leaders in the State of California for a Fellowship under the Women's Foundation of California, which actively works to shape and implement policies that affect the health and wellbeing of women and girls. She also previously worked for Film Independent (formerly IFP/Los Angeles), Project:Involve program where she founded their film job placement program and placed filmmakers of color in paid jobs within the film and television industry. To date, she has helped over 800 people find employment. Villanueva’s work has shown at the Visual Communications Film Festival; NewFilmWorks. New York; San Francisco International Asian Pacific Film Festival; the New York International Asian-American Film Festival; Cornerstone Theater productions; T-Mobile webisodes; Lost Souls Gallery, Los Angeles; and in official Sundance selection, Pura Lengua. At the New York International Asian Film Festival, Villanueva was named a "Filmmaker to Watch For". Villanueva has worked in all aspects of the film industry including development, pre-production, production, post- production, and human resources for companies such as Sony, DreamWorks, Xerox, West Post Digital, and Film Independent. She has also served on grant review committees for the Entertainment Industry Foundation. Villanueva is a graduate of Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television in Los Angeles, CA.

Maite Zabala-Alday, Co-Founder

Maite is a producer, writer, educator, and activist. In addition to being a co-founder of The Narra Group, she is a consultant to various non-profit organizations providing writing, research and strategic planning support. She previously served as Executive Director for AMAN International, a non-profit performing arts organization, where she focused on fundraising, program development, and coordinating local and national tours. She has taught English and Art in Los Angeles and at the Leysin American School in Switzerland. Since 2001, Maite has been involved with Side Street Projects, a non-profit artist organization, and most recently served as Chairperson. She is on the Advisory Committee of Films by Youth Inside, a filmmaking and screenwriting program for incarcerated youth, and was a volunteer for The Step Up program which taught job skills to incarcerated youth. Maite previously served on the Advisory Boards for the Latino Heritage Association and Visual and Design Academy High School in Pasadena. Maite received her Master of Arts in Education from Pepperdine University and her Bachelor of Fine Arts from California State University Northridge.

Gregory Pacificar, Co-Founder

Gregory is a graduate from Loyola Marymount University in Film, Television and Asian American Studies.  Pacificar has been involved with organizations such as Visual Communications, El Nido, South Asian Network and St. John's Well Child and Family Center. Pacificar worked alongside acclaimed theater director Bill Rauch and is a graduate of Cornerstone's Theater Institute in Lost Hills, working on the production Waking Up In Lost Hills. He has and continues to work as an associate artist on a number of community based plays with Cornerstone Theater Company, such as Warriors Don’t Cry and Los Illegals. Pacificar worked in development and video designer for Cornerstone Theater Company for over three years. Through IFP/LA's Film Mentorship Program, Pacificar was mentored by acclaimed writer/director Greg Berlanti (Broken Heart's Club, Dawson's Creek, Brothers and Sisters). He also has worked as film instructor for youth at Lincoln Heights, CA through St. John's Well Child and Family Center. He continues to stay involved with communities as a mentor for the Gay and Lesbian Adolescent Social Services (GLASS), a member of the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE) and a member of Film Independent (FIND). His most recent work can be seen on television, a PSA he co-directed and wrote with the South Asian Network about domestic violence. Pacificar has directed and worked on over 12 films and documentaries addressing issues and communities often ignored by the mainstream.

Bing Tell, Co-Founder

Bing's dream has always been to create films that she believes in and reflect her values. Her passion drives her to produce work that has a strong message while being aesthetically pleasing and entertaining. She is a 2001 graduate of Loyola Marymount University in Film and Television. She has worked as casting director, production coordinator, production manager and line producer on numerous short and feature films, and TV shows. She produced the documentary Mangosteen for The Narra Group and is currently producing a documentary about an 80-year-old classical musician who is having his compositions recorded for the first time, as well as a documentary on how domestic violence affects the family. Bing continues to produce PSAs and educational videos that focus on multicultural awareness, at-risk youth, the LGBT community and HIV/AIDS awareness. To balance it all out and keep her feet firmly planted on the ground, Bing produces Southern California's longest-running weekly LGBT radio newsmagazine, IMRU, on KPFK 90.7 FM. There, she's had the chance to interview political activists, high-profile celebrities, filmmakers and authors.