Meet the Team - Tallgrass Film Association

Tallgrass Film Association Team

Melanie Addington

Executive Director

Melanie has worked in the film festival world since 2006, first as a volunteer, and then eventually becoming the Oxford Film Festival Executive Director in August 2015. In 2021 she moved to Wichita to be Executive Director for Tallgrass Film Association. She used to be a reporter for the Oxford Eagle (a community newspaper) and then Pizza Magazine Quarterly (Global trade magazine). She still loves pizza. She is from Southern California originally but lived in the South for 20 years. She has family in Wichita and considers it a great new home. She also writes, directs, and produces films and serves on the Grow Kansas Film Board.

Melanie Addington

Executive Director
melanie@tallgrassfilm.org

Hannah Bothner

Operations Manager & Shorts Programmer

When Hannah’s not programming films or running events you can find her listening to a podcast, rewatching Wet Hot American Summer for the millionth time, and/or hanging out with her boyfriend Jake and cat Dipper. Born and raised in Wichita, she is a graduate of Wichita State University, and measuring in at only 5'2" tall she is the perfect height to program short films.

Hannah Bothner

Operations Manager
hannah@tallgrassfilm.org

Andre Seward

Programming Director

Andre started volunteering for the Tallgrass Film Festival when he was 15. He started in events and transitioned into prescreening and somehow ended up as Programming Director. Along the way, he also has worked for Bentonville Film Festival and Tampa Bay International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival in programming as well. He has gone from Wichita, to LA, Madrid, and now is in Berlin but Wichita will always be home. He is happy to be involved in an organization that plays a big part in what makes Wichita special.

Andre Seward

Programming Director
programming@tallgrassfilm.org

Tom Mittlestadt

Events Director

After over 20 years, Tom Mittlestadt has a proven track record of making visions come to life. Tom has built a reputation for securing just the perfect item. Owner of Mittlestadt Props and Design, Tom has been with Tallgrass Film Festival since year one.

Tom Mittlestadt

Events Director
tom@tallgrassfilm.org

Larry Knott

Accountant

Larry has been the Accountant at the Tallgrass Film Association since May of 2018. He is a semi-retired CPA and has served on the board of directors of various local non-profit organizations since 2007. He has also provided accounting and tax services for local small businesses in the area during the past 15 years. He grew up on the family farm in Hesston, Kansas and served seven years in the USAF. Larry's favorite job is being the cat butler for two Maine Coons who rule the home he shares with his wife, Gail.

Larry Knott

Accountant
larryk@tallgrassfilm.org

Doanna Aylock

Box Office/Theater Manager

Doanna Aylock has been involved with Tallgrass since 2016. She started as a volunteer and quickly wanted to become more involved. She joined the staff in 2018 and has been running the box office ever since. Previously she’s been involved in the entertainment industry in a variety of jobs that included theatre and theme park work. Doanna just recently got married and decided to make the move from Orlando, back to Wichita. She is very sad to be so far away from DisneyWorld but is very thrilled to be back home.

Doanna Aylock

Box Office/Theater Manager
doanna@tallgrassfilm.org

Kelsey Unruh

Volunteer Coordinator & Theater Staff

Kelsey Unruh started off volunteering for the Tallgrass Film Festival in 2017 and now coordinates them! Kelsey is from Hillsboro originally, but now lives in Wichita. She's been a fan of film her whole life, and has started taking some screenwriting classes through UCLA Extention. Her favorite movies include Wayne's World, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and the Super Mario Bros (the one with Dennis Hopper). She has one cat named Keegan.

Kelsey Unruh

Volunteer Coordinator & Theater Staff
volunteer@tallgrassfilm.org

Film Festival Team

Naythan Smith

Technology Director

Naythan has been involved with Tallgrass since 2012, spending most of that time within the world of the projectionists. While he always loved cinema, the process of creating films imbued their viewing with new purpose, leading to his involvement with the film festival. The intervening years have been filled with the creation of countless short films, music videos, interviews, and a handful of feature films. Film is life!

Naythan Smith

Technology Director

Shannon Boone

VIP Lounge Coordinator

Shannon Boone is an almost life-long Wichitan, mother to two fantastic children, bonus mom to countless, arts advocate, community volunteer, and friend to many. Owner and Chief Chaos Coordinator of Shay Chic Productions, a local event planning, production & design company, Shannon is no stranger to what it takes to pull off a stellar event. The perfect storm of coffee, snark and genetics if it needs to be planned, organized, executed and logistically sound, Shannon is your person. She has been planning and managing events large and small in Wichita and around the country for 23 years and has been a Tallgrass volunteer in many capacities for longer than she can remember. For the last 8 years, her time has been spent overseeing VIP Lounge activities and ensuring the guest experience is nothing short of excellent. During the festival, she will be splitting her time between the Orpheum Theatre, where she works as House Manager, and the VIP Lounge in Candela at the Lux. Fun fact: Shannon has a self-described, completely irrational fear of all spiders and an unnatural obsession with scissor lifts.

Shannon Boone

VIP Lounge Coordinator

Delilah Reed

Social Host

Delilah Reed

Social Host

Hugo Phan

Venue Manager Coordinator

Hugo Phan is a graduate of Wichita State University, where he majored in sociology and minored in communication. In his role as Digital News Reporter at 89.1 KMUW Wichita Public Radio, Hugo has been recognized by the Kansas Association of Broadcasters for his contribution to the radio station's website, KMUW.org.

He started off as a volunteer with the Tallgrass Film Association for more than seven years and has served in the role of Co-Box Office Coordinator for two years, before becoming the Venue Manager Coordinator for the film festival.

Hugo Phan

Venue Manager Coordinator

Josh S. Williams

Design Coordinator

Josh is from Memphis, TN and lived in Oxford, MS for some time before moving to Wichita. He has worked in many fields but focuses on graphic design nowadays.

Josh S. Williams

Design Coordinator
josh@tallgrassfilm.org

Jessica Brazil

Logistics and Experience Assistant

Jessica Brazil began volunteering with the festival in2017 and became staff in 2019. She is a nationally certified pharmacy technician for Dillon's Pharmacy. She enjoys spoiling and spending time with her nephew and niece. She has 3 cats and 1 senior dog. In her spare time, she does crafts and DIY projects.

Jessica Brazil

Logistics and Experience Assistant

Tina Walterscheid

Community Engagement Coordinator

Tina is an Oklahoma City native who moved to Wichita for college and never left. She spends her days working at Howerton + White as an account executive. During her free time, she sings with the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception choir, delivers Meals on Wheels, watches movies on various streaming channels and reads. A Tallgrass volunteer from the beginning, Tina loves connecting films with nonprofit orgs through the Community Partnership program. She is married to videographer & editor Alec and they have a chihuahua mix dog named Pablo.

Tina Walterscheid

Community Engagement Coordinator

Crickett Rumley

Panels Director

Crickett Rumley received her MFA in Film at Columbia University and is the founder and Senior Director of the Film Festival Department at the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles. She has guided filmmakers to official selections at festivals ranging from Sundance to Bronzelens as well as to nomination and shortlisting for major student awards. Thrilled to be back at Tallgrass for a third year, Crickett was on the jury in 2021 and now serves as the festival’s Panels Director. In her spare time, she writes novels.

Crickett Rumley

Panels Director

Maria Garcia

Transportation Coordinator

Maria Garcia

Transportation Coordinator

Nathan Kampe

Runner

Nathan Kampe

Runner

Kelly Kitchens

Publicist

Kelly Kitchens

Publicist

Brandon Bena

Programming Assistant

Brandon has always been passionate for film starting at an early age. Watching Turner Classic Movies when getting home from school then turning that into a love of film, and film making. Brandon was born and raised on the central coast of California. Then moving to pursue a career in the airline industry. But when the pandemic hit, he pursued a career of his original love, that of film. A recent transplant from Denver, Colorado. He has found his home here in Wichita, Kansas. Volunteered for the Tallgrass Film Festival starting 2022. He is a movie critic on letterboxd. He also writes, directs, and is a musician as a guitarist.

Brandon Bena

Programming Assistant

Dev Shapiro

DCP & Media

Dev Shapiro

DCP & Media

John Strange

Red Carpet Coordinator

John Strange

Red Carpet Coordinator

Robert Thomas

Emerging Filmmaker Program Coordinator

Robert comes from Baltimore, Maryland but has been calling Wichita his home for 10 years. Robert's background is in Narrative filmmaking, and he currently serves as the Director of the Film Program at Wichita State University. Since starting work in video, Robert has had the pleasure of working on projects across the US and loves telling unique stories about people and brands.

Robert Thomas

Emerging Filmmaker Program Coordinator

Board of Directors

Mark Janzen

Kubera Venture Capital

Mark Janzen is a software engineering executive and entrepreneur living in Wichita, Kansas. Having founded multiple technology companies including Janzen Software, Windemere Capital, and Applianz Technologies, Mark currently works as a consultant to software companies and a partner with Kubera Venture Capital. Mark is a native Kansan and graduate of Bethel College in North Newton. He is a mentor to startup founders in both Wichita and Seattle and active in several charities including the board of the Tallgrass Film Festival in Wichita

Mark Janzen

Board President for 2023
boardpresident@tallgrassfilm.org

Alicia Sanchez

Spirit AeroSystems

Alicia Sanchez is a passionate advocate and social entrepreneur committed to guiding leaders and organizations to foster a culture of inclusion. She currently serves as the Global Culture, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion manager for Spirit AeroSystems. Alicia obtained her master’s degree in Business Administration from Friends University, and she is a current doctoral student in the higher education leadership program at Wichita State University. She is the past board chair for the Wichita Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and she currently serves as a commissioner for the Kansas Human Right Commission, is a City of Wichita District Two Advisory Board member and serves on several non-profit boards. In the past several years, she has been recognized as the 2019 Wichita State University Young Alumni of the Year, a 2018 Wichita State President’s Distinguished Service Award honoree, a Leader in Diversity and Inclusion, a Woman in Business, and a 40 under 40 honoree by the Wichita Business Journal, and as a Community Champion by the Kansas Hispanic and Latino American Affairs Commission. In her free time she enjoys traveling, watching classic 80’s movies, and spending time with her two sons.

Alicia Sanchez

President-Elect

Sarah Leslie

Leslie Coffee Company

Sarah Leslie is the owner of Leslie Coffee Co. in Wichita’s Historic Delano District. Her coffee career began in 2006 in NYC while she was studying Film and French at Pace University. She went on to receive a MA in Cinema Studies from NYU. She is a career barista who has traveled all over the world teaching people how to make coffee as a volunteer with the Barista Guild and Specialty Coffee Association (Past Chair of BG and SCA Board Member in 2019). She moved back to her hometown, Wichita, KS, in 2016 and at the end of 2018, she opened Leslie Coffee Co. intent on creating a neighborhood coffee spot where everyone feels welcomed.

Sarah Leslie

Secretary

Anna Heustis

Koch Industries

Anna is a North Dakota native who relocated to Wichita for work but stayed because she fell in love with Wichita. She is a CPA and spends her days working at Koch Industries as a tax accountant. In her free time you can find her enjoying Wichita’s food and wine scene, exploring all the art and culture Wichita has to offer (including catching a film at the Tallgrass Film Center) or volunteering with the Junior League of Wichita.

Anna Heustis

Treasurer

Adam Gunnels

City of Wichita

Adam Charles Gunnels is a lawyer serving Wichita in Intellectual Property Law and Entertainment & Sports Law cases.

Adam Gunnels

Past Board President

Veronica Seberger

Cognitive Performance Health

Veronica Seberger is Board-Certified in Neurofeedback and incorporates biofeedback into her work at Cognitive Performance & Health, where she’s been administering both since 2014. She is also a certified nutritional health coach and enjoys working with children and adults from all walks of life. Veronica graduated from nursing school at the University of San Francisco. In school, she was a member of the Alpha Gamma Sigma fraternity and was President of the Honor Society. Her professional associations include AAPB, ISNR, WIBA, and the Junior League of Wichita. She also volunteers at Open Door to feed the homeless multiple times a year.

Veronica Seberger

Board Member

Floyd Gruver

Retired

Floyd’s son Tim founded the festival and the Gruvers have remained an active part of the festival.

Floyd Gruver

Board Emeritus

Jonathan Wood

Margaritas, Owner

I am a Wichita native, born and raised. I attended Friends university where I received my degrees in Graphic Design and Communications. The Art faculty at Friends instilled a deep love for all of the arts… not just our chosen disciplines. It was during this time in my life that I began attending the Tallgrass Film Festival with the very first one, and I have been hooked ever since! I have watched Wichita grow culturally, slowly (painfully slow sometimes…) into what I believe is a culturally diverse and rich community. Tallgrass’ contribution to this is not small, drawing national and global recognition for our little film fest in the prairie. I love talking with filmmakers in attendance and hearing time and time again that Wichita has really surprised them — and they love it.

Jonathan Wood

Board Member

Kate Bastian

Community Advocate

I grew up in St. Louis, but love Wichita. Married to Clay for 35 years we have LA son Peter about to be 30, and Brooklyn daughter Meredith is 28. I love dogs, movies, art, traveling, old house stuff and tennis. Most of my time has been spent taking pictures and working on building a school for dyslexia (serving on the Board of the Phillips Fundamental Learning Center), for kids and teacher training and oh, tennis.

Kate Bastian

Board Member

Dennis Murphy

Designer

I have spent the last 40 years standing behind a chair doing hairstyling, the last 20 years I have added interior design to my resume also. I am currently involved with The Table of Hope food bank and have been involved with most aspects of that organization, I am also serving on the Friends of the Wichita Art Museum for the last 3 years chairing several committees and now serving as Treasurer. As a huge lover of film I believe strongly in what the Tallgrass Film Festival brings to Wichita and want to help support it any way I can!

Dennis Murphy

Board Member

Todd Ramsey

Apples & Arrows

Todd is the founder and chief strategist of Apples & Arrows, a branding agency in Wichita, Kansas. As the son of a coal miner and a rodeo clown, Todd learned from an early age the values of digging deep and doing whatever it takes to capture people’s attention. These values inform his desire to help clients uncover, articulate and celebrate their unique brand story. Todd is an ESTP on the Meyers Briggs personality type indicator, and according to the Clifton Strengths Finder, his top five strengths are Woo, Communication, Strategy, Adaptability and Maximizer. These facts aren’t highly relevant for a bio, but do serve as interesting tidbits to know about someone. He currently serves on the Wichita Community Foundation and Wichita Art Museum boards, and is an active participant in the Wichita creative scene, including the Take 36 Film Race competitions.

Todd Ramsey

Board Member

Bob Nugent

Retired Judge

Raised in Philadelphia, Bob Nugent came to Kansas University for college in the 1970s and has lived in the Wichita area since 1987. He is a retired lawyer and judge. With wife Linda, he is an avid supporter of the arts in many forms and has enjoyed movies of all kinds all his life. He joined the Tallgrass board in 2020 and has served in a number of volunteer roles, including as Secretary in 2021. Bob enjoys the movies, but his true passion is music. He sings and plays the guitar locally. There’s also time for golf, reading, working out, supporting KU and WSU athletics, and drinking coffee with other old guys. Bob’s best role is being “Grandpa” to two great little boys. Bob will watch pretty much any movie that is in black and white.

Bob Nugent

Board Member

Denise Sherman

Executive Director of The Kansas African American Museum

Ms. Sherman serves as the Executive Director for The Kansas African American Museum where she provides leadership by strategically focusing on the African American story, and experience through the elevation of all forms of art, education, history, heritage, and legacy of the African and African American culture. Using technology and innovative ideas, Ms. Sherman has retooled and upgraded educational programs for virtual/online access, developed new cultural awareness and enrichment programming in response to DE&I, social and political climates, as well as moderated and participated in panel discussions with community leaders regarding sensitive, relevant, and compelling issues and topics.

Denise Sherman

Board Member

Holly Dyer

Foulston Siefkin LLP

Holly is a partner in the law firm of Foulston Siefkin LLP, practicing in the area of commercial and complex litigation. Holly is a lifelong Kansan and film-lover. Holly’s love of film started at a young age, with weekly trips with her parents to the beautiful El Dorado Theater and the Star Vu Drive-In in El Dorado, where Holly was introduced at age 9 to the comic genius of Mel Brooks’ Blazing Saddles. Holly’s favorite films include Donnie Darko, No Country for Old Men, Fargo, and The Godfather I and II. Holly is in her second term on the Tallgrass board.

Holly Dyer

Board Member

Lester Rowe

Filmmaker

Filmmaker Lester Rowe has made several documentaries and human interest stories that examine the fringes of society BMX culture, extreme sports, music, and more. Documentaries Like Wifi at Rock Bottom:Something About Meth which he also authored a book of the same title, garnered him both attention and accolades for his look at a girl’s meth addiction and recovery. Even though documentaries would be a genre he would fall in love with, Rowe’s true passion in filmmaking is suspense films and thrillers. When the world stopped and America went into lockdown Rowe, like many Americans was unemployed and at home looking for something to do. Inspired by a friend who would fall ill of the covid-19 virus in march 2020, he decided to take the leap over to narrative film and make the one-man-band short film, STAY Home. Little did he know what the pandemic would become and how it would affect his future. Lester is also a commercial producer and host who graduated from Booker T Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in his hometown of Dallas, Texas.

Lester Rowe

Board Member

Lisa Tatum

Political Activist

Lisa Tatum received her MA – Notre Dame- Psychology and M.Ed – Virginia Commonwealth.

She is a Precinct Committee Member SCDP and Delegate to KDP. She also serves on the Jazz Fest Board – Wichita, District Advisory Board, City Council #6 and is a Graduate student at WSU.

Lisa Tatum

Board Member

Christa Rude Vazeos

Model

Christa Rude Vazeos is a Wichita native and International Model who began her career working in Paris, France. She has worked all over the world and has lived on every continent but Antartica. Currently, she lives in both Greece and Kansas, highlighting those who serve the world by example & consults all ages and groups in Universal Style through her global team at Role Models International. Christa has been active with Tallgrass events, Girl Scouts USA and GSUSAOverseas, Wichita State University, with homeless shelters in Wichita as well as Syrian refugees in Greece. Christa’s interests belong primarily to the arts in all it’s form, but also enjoys fine dining, public speaking, travel and learning about people & their personal story.

Christa Rude Vazeos

Board Member

Adrienne McAlpine

Adrienne McAlpine is a Wichita native that returned home in 2010. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts from Smith College and her Master of Public Administration from Wichita State University. Adrienne currently serves a board member of POWER CDC, and volunteers her times as its grant writer to support the renovation of the reimagined Historic Dunbar Theatre. She also serves her community as incoming President of the Power Neighborhood Association, and is a candidate to serve on the City of Wichita’s board for Bike/Walk Wichita.

Adrienne McAlpine

Board Member

Jennifer Rygg

I’m a self-employed Design Professional with a degree in Architecture from the University of Kansas. I spend my days designing and creating vibrant, beautiful and functional spaces for both commercial and residential clients. As an art enthusiast and supporter, I have been honored to be a part of the Ulrich Alliance Board and serve on the Wichita Art Museum Building Committee. Both positions allowed me to further participate in our burgeoning and vibrant art community. I look forward to serving on the Tallgrass Board.

Jennifer Rygg

Board Member

Alex Thomas

Alex Thomas was born in Ipoh Malaysia but has been a resident of Kansas for the majority of his life. Alex was the lead singer of local band, OPhil and is the current singer of Monterey Jack and owns several local businesses.

Alex Thomas

Board Member

Shannon O'Neil

Shannon is a certified public accountant providing tax and strategic services to the nonprofit and healthcare industries at AdamsBrown LLC in Wichita. She is a Kansas native who attended Wichita State University for both her undergraduate and Master of Accountancy degrees. Shannon also serves on the board of NonProfit Go, a Wichita-based organization that mentors and supports nonprofit organizations. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, walking her dogs, or meeting friends for coffee and crafts.

Shannon O'Neil

Board Member

Susan Moeder

Mom, grandma, Landscape Architect, business owner and co-founder of Moeder and Associates with her husband Leon. Long time supporter of the festival and Wichita. I was buying local and touting the Wichita flag before it became a cliché.

Susan Moeder

Board Member

Danielle Johnson

Wichita Habitat for Humanity

Danielle Johnson lives by the mantra think, speak, and act for yourself and your community. Danielle is the Executive Director of Wichita Habitat for Humanity, and the majority owner of Inclusive Growth Strategies a diversity, inclusion, and equity consulting business. She prides herself on being an affordable housing advocate, conversation catalyst, inclusion and diversity educator, community mobilizer, and super volunteer. Danielle is a product of USD 259 public schools, a two-time Wichita State University Shocker with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in public administration. Danielle has taken courses with Advance Kansas Class VI, Kansas Leadership Center, Young Professionals of Wichita Leadership Academy, and Leadership Wichita. Danielle and her spouse District 1 councilmen Brandon Johnson are the proud parents of three children ages 18, 9, and 4. Danielle has extensive nonprofit and community engagement experience. Danielle sees the importance of representation and pushes to move the needle in the space she’s in. Ultimately, what drives Danielle is her passion for our community as a whole without ever forgetting that community is made up of individuals coming together.

Danielle Johnson

Board Member

Emily Bonavia

Bonavia Properties

All you have to know is, I met Tim Gruver in 2002, happy serendipity that put me on board for WAMPA (later Tallgrass Film Association), the non-profit that would present Tallgrass Film Festival. I loved Tim, loved his enthusiasm; and…must believe in his vision, since I’m still here!

Emily Bonavia

Board Emeritus