Keith Lawrence, is a filmmaker who has been producing films for over twenty-five years. He has produced and/or directed over 150 documentaries and three feature films. Keith has been the Chief Financial Officer for the Mary Pickford Foundation for six years and was inspired to create the Mary Pickford Institute for Film Education out of the desire to serve the public and to give more opportunities to those less fortunate.

Andi Hicks, has been affiliated with the Mary Pickford Library and Timeline Films since 1996 as a producer/writer/editor/graphic artist. She has been a part of the Mary Pickford Institute since its inception, as a project manager and teacher. Andi has an extensive background in the performing arts and has traveled extensively in Central America and Europe and created and published Expedition, The Magazine of the Americas. In addition to her production work, she choreographs and teaches dance at community colleges and professional dance schools. She currently teaches and lectures in the dance department at CSULB.

Clifton Parish, is a graduate of Cal State University Long Beach, with an emphasis in film and cinema. A large portion of his undergraduate experience was spent at the financial news channel CNBC where he worked as a Director of Photography, Assistant Technical Director, Set Designer, Assistant Lighting Director, Teleprompter Operator and Sound Engineer. As a film major, he was also privileged to work on approximately 50 student and independent film projects where he developed skills in pre-production, production, and post production. Clifton has worked with the Mary Pickford Institute for Film Education for 5 years, developing film education programs for inner-city youth.

Evita M. Castine, is a graduate of Texas A&M University and received a Master of Arts from the University of Iowa. She received an Emmy for her work as producer and writer for a series of Public Service Announcements for Teens for Fox-TV. She also is a filmmaker and actress having produced, written and starred in two short films. In addition to her film production work, she has been working in gang prevention programs and film education programs in Los Angeles for the past 5 years. “The most exciting part of my job is seeing youth obtain new-found confidence and self esteem from discovering they have a voice and that it can be heard,” says Castine.

Justin Matthew Smith, holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on Film and Theater Production, Humanities, and Traditional Eastern Arts. The focus of his self-designed degree is based around one question, “How can we better utilize the tools of mainstream media to entertain people while promoting positive social change?” In addition to his teaching skills, Justin is also a professional ballroom and hip-hop dancer and an actor. “I believe we’re all lifelong learners and artists.”

Manon Banta earned her Master of Fine Arts degree from The American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco. After moving to Los Angeles in 2001, she directed a short documentary on the world of thoroughbred horse racing, “Probable Odds,” filmed during the 2003 Breeder’s Cup at Santa Anita Race Track. She has worked as a Field Producer for the Associated Press at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival, a Red Carpet Interviewer for the AFI Film Festival and will be producing her first short narrative film in August 2008. Manon is currently working on a documentary about stolen Stradivarius violins and is doing research for a documentary based on the women writers of the Beat Generation.