Our Team.
Meet our team at Women’s Voices Now, where we believe in the power of film to drive social change that advances women’s and girls’ rights globally.
Lupita
2020
Monica Wise Robles
Heidi Basch-Harod
Executive Director
Heidi Basch-Harod serves as the Executive Director of Women’s Voices Now (WVN) and is responsible for the vision, strategy, and international fundraising efforts that sustain and grow WVN’s programs, locally and globally. She is a nonprofit leader, writer, educator, and advocate for girls’ and women’s rights. A two-time Emmy nominated, and one-time Daytime Emmy winning Producer, Heidi regularly sits on, and moderates panels about the power of film to make social change; and facilitates dialogue on divisive socio-cultural issues where more listening is needed. She engages with diverse communities to combat antisemitism and other forms of hatred through interactive workshops, primarily with youth. She is a Middle East History scholar, a published author on topics relating to global women’s rights movements, and participates in interfaith dialogue initiatives.
To learn more about the breadth of Heidi’s work, visit heidibh.com.
Considering herself a practical idealist, Heidi’s commitment to her work derives from knowing she is part of the living chain of people who dream and work for a better world and the future generations who will continue to do so.
Becki Pine
Director of Strategic Partnerships
Becki leads strategic partnerships at Women’s Voices Now, connecting funders, corporate partners, and community stakeholders to strengthen the organization’s impact and sustainability. She brings over 15 years of experience in LGBTQ+ and gender-rights advocacy, and began her career in film festivals. Before joining WVN, Becki ran a boutique nonprofit consulting firm, helping organizations grow support, plan events, and develop fundraising and communications strategies. She has worked with organizations including Equality California, Center Theatre Group, Partners in Justice International, and the Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival. Becki holds a Master’s Degree in Strategic Communications from Ithaca College.
Passionate about collaboration and equity, Becki is committed to creating spaces where voices are heard, partnerships thrive, and organizations can achieve their highest impact.
Bonnie Ayala
Girls' Voices Now Program Manager
Bonnie is the Program Coordinator for Girls’ Voices Now, where she mentors young girls in the art of documentary filmmaking. Through her guidance, they discover the power of emotion in storytelling and learn how to navigate their own journeys to find their North Star.
Bonnie Ayala is a storyteller, makeup artist, and a beacon of hope. Her journey began as a teen mom at 13, a challenge that shaped her path and ignited a fierce desire to empower others. Now, Bonnie weaves her personal story of resilience and transformation into her work, inspiring teenagers to rise above their struggles and find strength in their own stories.
As a makeup artist for TV and film, Bonnie brings characters to life through her craft, but her true passion lies in connecting with young people. Bonnie’s mission is simple: to light the way for those lost in darkness, reminding them that their stories are powerful and their futures are filled with limitless possibilities.
Lamine Asco
Digital Growth Architect
Lamine Asco is the Digital Growth Architect at Women’s Voices Now, overseeing marketing technology, advertising, festival operations, and online fundraising. His background is woven into the work. Parents whose lives were given to the education and health of girls in Africa, and to films that centered African women. He didn’t just arrive at the intersection of social impact and storytelling. He grew up there.
Over five years, he has built the digital infrastructure that now powers WVN’s programs. His campaigns run on data, but they are built around purpose.
Donesha “Dana” Simon
Social Media Manager
Dana assists with developing and implementing WVN’s social media strategy.
She comes from Pasadena, CA, and earned five Associate Degrees at Pasadena City College, before her tenure at California State University Los Angeles where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication (with a focus on Advertising & Public Relations). There Dana developed a deep understanding of the importance of communication and media literacy in conveying ideas to relate to audiences, as well as an enthusiasm for content creation and community engagement.
In addition to her professional endeavors, Dana is dedicated to making a positive impact in her community through volunteer work. She has volunteered with organizations such as My Serenity Sanctuary, the Armory Center of the Arts, and Community Overcoming Recidivism through Education (CORE), where she advocated for social causes such as empowering women of color, contemporary arts-based education, food insecurity, and post-secondary education for formerly incarcerated individuals. Through these experiences, Dana has developed a passion for innovation, community-building, and advocating for empathy and social justice.
Jazmine "Sage" Mendez
Program Assistant
Jazmine “Sage” Mendez is an alum of California State University, Long Beach and an interdisciplinary artist and filmmaker whose work centers on social change, underrepresented voices, and deeply personal storytelling. Their creative journey began with Film2Future, where they directed their first film highlighting underrepresented voices, an experience that ignited their passion for amplifying stories that often go unheard. Sage continues to mentor emerging creatives while evolving their own artistic practice.
They have contributed to 12 animated films, directing five of them, each rooted in a commitment to equity, identity, and authentic representation. Sage’s mission within the film industry is to broaden conversations around inclusion while actively diversifying both the narratives on screen and the voices behind the scenes.
Professionally, Sage has worked as an Augmented Reality Artist intern at Snap Inc., designed student posters for major studio intellectual properties, and earned national recognition in graphic design competitions, including receiving a Clio Entertainment Award. They approach every project with curiosity, empathy, and a commitment to growth, believing that the most powerful storytelling comes from a willingness to keep learning.
Currently, Sage is dedicated to collaborating with and uplifting underrepresented voices in film and animation, creating space for stories that challenge norms, expand representation, and empower the next generation of storytellers.
Contact Sage:
Bijan Siyamak
Film Festival Assistant
Bijan Siyamak assists with the annual Women’s Voices Now Film Festival, helping to identify eligible films and liaising with a global community of independent filmmakers. He is an Afghan Filmmaker; writer and director. He graduated from the Asian Film & Television Academy and Shobhit University with a Bachelor of Film and Television in Directing.
Over the course of his career, Siyamak has performed as a leading participant in a variety of distinguished film productions and events, particularly as a producer, writer, and director.
Siyamak has produced and directed numerous films and documentaries that have a distinguished reputation and have gone on to win various prestigious awards. He was commissioned by the Financial Times to produce the documentary short film How the 20-Year War Changed Afghanistan, which became part of the organization’s Film Series.
Among Siyamak’s other distinguished productions are the short film Lady in Red, the music video Daughters for Sale, and We Together. He has also played a leading role in the development and execution of the Herat International Women’s Film Festival in 2019 and 2020 as Executive Director.
Vjosa Çerkini
WVN Liaison Officer - Europe
As the WVN Liaison Officer – Europe, Vjosa facilitates communication and collaboration between organizations, film festivals, individuals, foundations, and other entities in Europe, and Women’s Voices Now. She also carries out Girls’ Voices Now workshops in several countries across Europe and in Africa, mentoring those who wish to create independent film projects after participating in Vjosa’s workshops.
She is a journalist, reporter, and international documentary filmmaker from Pristina, Kosovo. Vjosa reports for the German TV station DW, MDR, and regional broadcasters in the Balkans. She is involved in international documentary projects in the USA and Europe.
Brooke Sebold
Lead Instructor, Girls Voices Now
Brooke Sebold (she/they) is an award-winning filmmaker, editor, and educator. Their groundbreaking debut feature documentary, Red Without Blue, received the Audience Award at the Slamdance Film Festival and the Jury Award at Frameline.
Brooke later co-produced and edited the feature documentary Framing Agnes, which won both the Audience Award and the Innovator Award at Sundance and was named one of the year’s best films by The New Yorker.
Brooke is also the creator and host of the award-winning video series I Changed My Mind, supported by PFLAG and the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley. The series won an Anthem Award for social impact and was nominated for a Webby Award. Across their work, Brooke is drawn to stories about identity, transformation, and empowering others to tell their stories.
Brooke received a BA from Brown University and an MFA from Columbia University, and teaches filmmaking at the Archer School for Girls and at Girls Voices Now. Brooke grew up among the saguaros of Tucson, Arizona, and loves dogs, soft pajama bottoms, and tiramisu.
Sofie Khan
Production Coordinator, Girls Voices Now
Sofie Khan is a Chicago-born writer, director, producer, and actor whose work is shaped by her interfaith, multicultural upbringing and her Queer, South Asian, and Latinx identity. A multidisciplinary storyteller, she creates character-driven narratives that explore identity, belonging, and the humor and complexity of contemporary life.
Sofie is the creator of the sold-out, award-winning solo show MexiStani: Growing Up Mexican and Pakistani in America. Her short film Ground Nuts screened at festivals across the United States and internationally, earning awards for Best Comedy and multiple acting nominations. She is also the writer and director of Don’t Ghost Me and received both an Outstanding Excellence Award and a Visionary Award for her debut vertical series, Santos.
An alum of the LA Director’s Lab, Warner Bros. Discovery Access, and the CBS Pipeline program, Sofie has developed projects across film and television, including the series Work Retreat and Casa Luxe. Her screenplay Ochoch earned a $25,000 award that she directed to CARECEN, a Los Angeles nonprofit that provides immigration legal services.
Most recently, Sofie produced La Luz through the Latinas Acting Up Short Film Lab under the mentorship of Diana-Maria Riva, Lisa Vidal, and Linda Mendoza. She has also collaborated on multiple vertical-series productions with Fractory Films in Colombia. Through all of her work, Sofie is committed to telling authentic stories that amplify underrepresented voices and foster connection across communities.
Rachel Robles
Production Coordinator, Girls Voices Now
Rachel Robles is a proud Chicana filmmaker, director, and producer from South Central Los Angeles. She is a recent graduate of California State University, Fullerton, where she earned a degree in Communications with an emphasis in Advertising and a minor in Film.
Passionate about storytelling that uplifts culture, community, and underrepresented voices, Rachel has gained experience through internships and fellowships with Women’s Voices Now, NBCUniversal Academy, and the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. Most notably, she directed the short film Para Siempre through the Academy Museum’s Promise Workshops.
Through her work, Rachel is committed to creating impactful stories that celebrate representation, foster connection, and amplify diverse perspectives.
Rachi Bruton
Production Coordinator, Girls Voices Now
Rachi is a Peruvian-Chilean actress, screenwriter, and independent filmmaker based in Los Angeles. As Production Coordinator for Girls’ Voices Now, she is passionate about supporting young female storytellers as they develop their creative voices and bring their ideas to life through film.
Through her work both in front of and behind the camera, Rachi has developed a deep appreciation for the creative process, collaboration, and community. She believes storytelling has the power to foster honesty, connection, self-discovery, and creativity while offering audiences new perspectives and experiences.
Rachi has volunteered with the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (LAAPFF) and the Brisk Festival, contributing her filmmaking and stage production expertise. She will return as an Assistant Director for a film featured at the 2026 Brisk Festival. As an artist, she is continually exploring new ways to tell stories and express her unique voice.
She is excited to support emerging filmmakers in discovering theirs while learning alongside them.
Marian Lopez Javier
Production Coordinator, Girls Voices Now
Marian is a filmmaker and educator whose passion for teaching and storytelling began in high school, where she first learned video editing and production through creating memories, slideshows, short documentaries, and narrative projects. These early experiences inspired her to pursue media and filmmaking as a career.
She continued developing her craft throughout college and university, collaborating with peers, professors, and students while earning her Bachelor’s degree in Film and Cinematography in 2025.
Marian is dedicated to supporting emerging filmmakers in finding their voices, just as filmmaking helped her discover her own.
Jimena Meza Gonzales
Girls' Voices Now Intern
Jimena is a film post-production student at California State University, Long Beach where she uses her love for film to amplify underrepresented voices and destigmatize taboo subjects.
For 2026, She serves as the Girl’s Voices Now (GVN) program intern. As the GVN’s intern she will support instructors, students, and production coordinators with administrative tasks like emailing, paperwork, checking in and out equipment, offloading footage, and setting up activity stations.
Prior to working with Women’s Voices Now, Jimena was a development intern with Endemol Shine North America as part of the Television Academy’s Getting Real: Unscripted program. She has also worked in the post-production world of film and television when she was a story producer apprentice with the Handy Foundation, and a post-production intern with Trinket Films.
Currently, Jimena is working on receiving her AVID Media Composer User Certification to enhance her skills in the editorial side of post.
