Team Players

John F. Kelly has 35 years of concurrent experience in higher education, civil government and the military. He received a Fulbright Fellowship in 2001 to teach and conduct research on comparative federalism at the University of Windsor in Canada. He currently holds the rank of Visiting Associate Professor of Political Science at Windsor. He served as a member of the Board of Governors of Wayne State University in Detroit from 1998 to 2002. Dr. Kelly is creating several initiatives to encourage economic development by optimizing the advantages of globalization through higher education and government entrepreneurship.

Professor Kelly holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science and a Master of Public Administration from Wayne State University. Dr.Kelly has a Juris Doctor degree from Michigan State University and is a diplomate in military law from the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General School at the University of Virginia. He completed graduate studies at the Walsh School of Foreign Policy at Georgetown University. His BA is from the University of Michigan with Honors. He is also a practicing attorney as a principal in the firm of Schwartz Kelly & Oltarz-Schwartz. Dr. Kelly served as a Special Attorney General in Michigan from 1995 to 1999. He is a member of the bar of the Supreme Court of the United States and the Michigan Supreme Court and all lesser Federal and State bars as well as the US Court of Military Appeals.

John was elected to the Michigan State Senate in 1978 from Detroit and Eastern Wayne County. He was elected to four, four-year consecutive terms in the Senate. In 1994 he stood for election to the U.S. Senate requiring he retire from the State Senate. He has served from 2002 on the Michigan Film Advisory Board as the elected Vice-Chair under three previous appointive chairmen.

Scott is the Co-founder of the DWIFF and brings over 20 years of experience in illustration, design, video production, animation, visual effects and marketing.  He is well known for the events he hosts for the creative community, to encourage networking and inspire collaboration.

Scott has served in many creative consulting capacities: on the Board of the East Lansing Children's Film Festival;  as Executive Director of the non-profit FilmEmerge Foundation; as contributor to the Detroit Renaissance "Creative Economy Initiative"; partner in ThoughtCollide Film Group; as partner in "Imagination Exchange", a non-profit helping digital content teachers all over the USA; as President of Harmonie Talent Development; and he has been a public speaker and instructor at area schools and events, promoting animation and the digital arts to young people.

As a strong advocate for our collective creative talent, Scott covers the film, video and animation "beat" for many area magazines and websites, including Michigan VUE, MILifeMITimes, model d, metromode, rapid growth and Behind the Scenes Media.

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"Just Super!"

Shane Sevo has lived in the metro Detroit area since ‘87. Shane graduated from Belleville High in ‘96 and pursued a bachelors in mechanical engineering at Cedarville University of Cedarville Ohio.  Shane soon found that his career aspirations were more in line with his IT internship and personal exploration of the convergence between the creative arts and technology through 3D rendering and animation.

Shane launched Wade Trim's multimedia services group and in 2006, Shane was featured in USA today as one of the “New Faces of Engineering” by National Engineers Week.

Shane is the Director of the Superhouse Media Group and Superhouse Film, a local film collective that competes nationally in film competitions-- and usually ends up winning something, too!  Shane also is a Manager of the DWIFF Film Challenge, a popular part of the festival.  Last year's challenge was a big success, with a sold out crowd attending the screening of the final film entries!  It's great to have Shane on our team.

Ever since Bobbie joined DWIFF in 2009, her positive contributions as our web development chair have really helped the DWIFF grow!  She brings over 9 years of experience working in web and print development, along with a positive and professional attitude that inspires the people she works with!

Her company, Tallon Imaging & Web Design, has been developing websites, online applications and web and print marketing for a number of area companies and organizations. Bobbie has helped streamline the consistant branding of DWIFF between web and print and has implemented improved ticketing strategies and has enhanced our use of online promotion.  The Detroit Windsor International Film Festival is an important creative outlet for Bobbie and she is excited to help make an impact in our community as we support filmmakers everywhere.

Suzanne has shown a tremendous talent for marketing in the film industry, having vaulted the local "InZer0" SciFi series into a well-respected example of Detroit filmmaking, indie style!  As publicist for ThoughtCollide, her guidance and leadership helped to bring hundreds each month to screenings of our local indie film directors.  The response these films and the crowds Suzanne has helped to grow, helps to set the stage for the development of a strong film industry.

Suzanne works in Marketing and Advertising at Crain's Publishing and has a vast knowledge of Detroit resources in the film and other creative industries.  Her enthusiasm and experience are incredible assets to the DWIFF team.

Stephanie Krause was honored to join the DWIFF team in the festival’s second year. As assistant to the festival director, Stephanie was highly involved in the screening process for all short film submissions. She also helped to develop and schedule the short film programs. Stephanie organized the festival’s Tech Fair component, while also promoting the Tech Fair to various Detroit-area vendors. In addition, Stephanie maintained contact with all film submitters and directors prior to the festival.

Prior to working with the DWIFF, Stephanie interned in the Marketing department at the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre, and Broadcasting in New York. She has also interned at First Look Studios in 2008, an independent distribution company in Los Angeles, where she worked in Acquisitions.

 Stephanie is a recent graduate of New York University, and hopes to continue working in the film sector of the entertainment industry. She is currently interning at HBO in Los Angeles.