Wendy De RYCKE, President

Wendy's first successful collaboration was on the lyrically composed short film Georgia which enjoyed considerable festival success in 1999. It was included in the programs of Outfest, The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film & Video Fest, Palm Springs International Short Film Festival, The International Asian American Film Festival in New York City, and was awarded the Grand Jury Prize at PPNWFAF before being invited to make a five-city tour of Germany.

She followed that with the successful documentary David Lynch Presents I Don't Know Jack, which Wendy produced through Next Step Studios. Jack Nance is best know as Henry in Eraserhead and Pete Martel in Twin Peaks. It features exclusive interviews with David Lynch, Dennis Hopper, Catherine Coulson, Charlotte Stewart and many others. I Don't Know Jack is the ultimate film about this unique actor's work and life. Awards: 8th Annual Prism Award for Best Direct to Video Production, Best Actor Award, Kansas City Film Festival. www.JackNance.com

Wendy's next project was producing the hugely successful Benjamin Watkins short Quest to Ref. In June 2002, the film won the HBO Short Film Award at the American Black Film Festival. In November 2002, the Zephyr Theater Short Film Fest tabbed Quest to Ref for its Best Short Film, Best Writing and Best Acting Awards. The charmed festival life continued being named winner of the Outstanding International Short Film Award at Toronto's Reel World Film Festival and Best Short Film at 2003 Nantucket Film Festival. Quest to Ref was also an official selection of the 2003 Sundance Film Festival. It has aired on HBO one and Cinemax. Blue Monday Productions

Collaborating with Benjamin Watkins again in 2003, Wendy was one of the producers for Ben's directorial debut Special Ed, a short spoof of the movie Training Days. Post-production is almost completed.

Wendy served as the Program Chair on the board of CineWomen organizing panel discussions, workshops, screenings, mixers and holiday parties. She grew up in upstate New York and is the owner of IndieGo Films, an independent production company.

GINA KOWERKO, Vice President

After completing her Bachelor's Degree in Television, Film and New Media at San Diego State University, Gina freelanced as an editor for several years. Eventually she landed at the Museum of Photographic Arts where she worked as the New Media Specialist from 2002-2003 teaching and writing curriculum on digital filmmaking.

She then went on to CityTV 24 where she edited the successful Trial By Fire, which recently aired on KPBS's Full Focus.

Working passionately as an activist since 1991, Gina co-founded the S/he Collective, a feminist arts organization based in San Diego, California in 2001 and organized their first annual multimedia festival. During her thirteen-year stint in San Diego, she produced several successful arts festivals including film screenings and conceptual club events as well as volunteered for Outfest, Free Radio San Diego, Rachel's Women's Center, the Radical Cheerleaders, and Radioactive Radio among others. She also volunteered at Nonprofit Management Solutions and benefited immensely from her training in nonprofit work and fundraising.

A newcomer to Los Angeles, Gina is a member of the Motion Picture Editor's Guild and is currently working on Curious George TV for NBC/Universal. She has followed the work of CineWomen for several years now and is looking forward to working as a board member.

JO-ANN RODRIQUEZ, Treasurer

Los Angeles beckoned Jo Ann Rodriquez when she followed the advice that if she wanted the creative atmosphere of filmmaking and television, she would have to leave New York.

Her introduction to Los Angeles came during a citywide bus strike, and not knowing how to drive, she was forced to quickly learn and adapt. She started working for a community outreach center dealing with troubled teenagers and adults. She left after a year to work at the American Film Institute (AFI). She worked with the students and faculty as the Operations Manager, helping the students get their permits and locations for their projects. The institute was a great challenge for Ms. Rodriquez, dealing with the students and faculty, but also acting as a tour guide for the enormous and historical Greystone Mansion, as well as scheduling external and internal film projects from filmmakers and photographers. After leaving AFI, Ms. Rodriquez then followed her intentions of becoming a producer while working on television sitcoms. She worked days as an assistant to the producers at Embassy TV, and at night and weekends she produced plays in various theatres in the Los Angeles area. MENS, a musical a cappella, won two L.A. Weekly Awards and Pick of the Week. Ms. Rodriquez was also producer on Jane Anderson's stage debut of DEFYING GRAVITY. She continued in this mode for several years until she had an opportunity to enter casting. Ms. Rodriquez, under the name of Jo Ann Acosta, cast a Lifetime pilot called "The Nephronauts." The series wasn't picked up, but the casting experience improved her relations with actors and she continued producing plays. Ms. Rodriquez produces the performances written by high school students/writers in the Teen Screen program administered by Scriptwriters Network and the LA Public Library. Every year the performances are seen for free by the public at the Mark Taper Auditorium.

As a writer, she's completed IN CREDIT WE TRUST (screenplay), and is working on more writing projects. Ms. Rodriquez produced and co-wrote a short film adaptation of A TELEPHONE CALL, a short story written by Dorothy Parker.

She is also a publicist, just recently working with Brian Stace, an independent country music singer. Ms. Rodriquez is also pursuing other publicity projects.

Ms. Rodriquez has a varied background that has honed her organizational, writing, business and budgeting skills for the projects she tackles when in production or working on a project.

JILL PLACE, Secretary

Jill Place, The Acting Intuitive, intuitively guides actors to discover the best within themselves so that they can bring their unique talents to the world. Jill, who teaches acting technique in Los Angeles, combines the best of 20th century acting techniques with her 21st century talents as an intuitive.

Jill honed her intuitive and acting skills through years of intensive training with such illustrious teachers as Lee Strasberg, Uta Hagen, Herbert Berghof, Sanford Meisner, Peggy Feury and Viola Spolin. These skills helped Jill to become a successful singer, actress, and original Groundling in the 1970's. Jill also acted in and administrated the once-famous and multi-granted Burbage Theatre for Children and was the liaison between the company and many government and state arts agencies. For almost ten years, Jill worked for Lee Strasberg at the Strasberg Theatre Institute and was an observer at the Actor's Studio.

Jill's other passion is to find the deeper meaning in life. She has studied many types of spirituality from Native American shamanism to Indian mysticism. Her searching has led her to a spiritual path as a medical intuitive and healer. When she became an acting coach, Jill found that her spirituality and artistic expression met in a unique way. She could see where actors had emotional or energy blocks that kept them from fully expressing their craft. And could intuit ways to easily remove these blocks. Jill found that they not only became better actors but quickly understood complex acting techniques that had taken her years to learn. In addition, they began to consistently get work in films, on stage, and as television series regulars.

Jill is new to the CineWomen board. Last year, she conducted a free intuition workshop for Cinewomen. Another of her many passions is her monthly free acting E-zine, Acting Magic. Because of this successful E-zine, Jill has been recently asked to write a series of articles on acting technique for the brand new NOW casting E-zine, Actors Ink, premiering in February, 2004.

CLAUDINE "Playful" GUERRERO, Program & Events Director

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Claudine started her career in the film industry as a participant of the Inner-City Filmmakers. Claudine's first feature film job was as a post-production assistant for Alien Resurrection. It helped that Claudine speaks three languages (Spanish, English & French), as the post-production crew of the film were French.

Claudine is currently working with Anna Marie Davis (co-producer of Fools Rush In) on the development of a TV show. Claudine also known as (a.k.a) "Playful" will be the recurring host of the show and an associate producer. "Playful" is one of the Street Team personalities with 100.3 The BEAT, KKBT Los Angeles. Claudine is pursuing her film education in college, working at an entertainment law firm and a member of the National Association Latino Independent Producers (NALIP). Lets not forget to mention that she is also working on her feature film script based on the trials and tribulations of her incredible life that will give hope to the world.

JULIA JAMES, Director of Development

Julia moved to LA two years ago from NYC, where she had worked as marketing assistant for Second Stage, a highly respected off-Broadway theatre. She ran the student matinee program, sold advertising for the in-house stage bill (showing the theatre its first profit ever on the publication) and worked on membership campaigns and major fundraising events.

Before making a career change into the arts, Julia worked in three separate areas of the corporate world – as an assistant to top executives in Fortune 500 companies, in sales and advertising and as a copyeditor/proofreader. She brings to CineWomen her strong organizational skills, attention to detail and a passion for raising money.

Julia has three stage plays, a non-fiction book (Never Too Late: Famous or Amazing People Who Started Over in Mid-life) and a screenplay in various stages of development. In 1996, her stage play Airtime was presented in showcase off-Broadway. Her most immediate project is a screenplay she plans to produce through her own RCD Productions.

Julia is delighted to be part of CineWomen and looks forward to interacting with all the amazingly creative people who make up this excellent organization.