Our Staff
Debra Chasnoff
Executive Director and Senior Producer
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Academy Award–winning documentary filmmaker Debra Chasnoff is a national leader in the educational movement that is working to create safe schools by teaching children about difference and diversity. She is a founder of GroundSpark (where she has served in a directing role since 1990) and co-creator of GroundSpark’s Respect for All Project, which produces media and professional development resources that are designed to help prevent prejudice among young people.
For her work in the national safe-schools movement, Debra has received numerous awards, including a Pathfinder Award from the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and the Excellence in Journalism Award from the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association. She was the recipient of a Rockefeller Foundation fellowship for her work on The Respect for All Project. Her films have each won extensive film festival awards including numerous “Best Documentary” honors and the Oscar for Best Short Documentary. In 2007 she was awarded the prestigious Wallace A. Gerbode fellowship in recognition of her outstanding service as a leader of a non-profit organization dedicated to social justice goals. A graduate of Wellesley College, she was awarded the first Alumnae Achievement Award in Documentary Filmmaking from her alma mater in October 2009.
She appears frequently in the national media and has been interviewed on CNN, Fox News, the BBC, National Public Radio and more. Her op-eds have been published in the Washington Post, Philadelphia Enquirer and the Huffington Post. She serves on the Advisory Boards of Jewish Voices for Peace, PowerUp and Frameline.
Chasnoff is also highly regarded as a featured speaker at many national conferences and forums including the National Association for Independent Schools, the National Council of Teachers of English, Harvard University School of Education, Parents, Friends and Family of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), US Congressional Staff, California Legislative Staff, and the National Association of Elementary School Principals.
Chasnoff’ directing and producing credits on GroundSpark’s Respect for All Project films include: Straightlaced—How Gender’s Got Us All Tied Up about how teens are grappling with gender and sexuality pressures; Let’s Get Real, a powerful documentary about young teens’ experiences with name-calling and bullying in which youth speak out about racial tensions, anti-gay taunting, sexual harassment and much more; That’s a Family! about family diversity from a kids’ perspective—shown at the White House and embraced by scores of national children’s advocacy, education, and civil rights organizations; It’s Elementary—Talking About Gay Issues in School hailed as “a model of intelligent directing” by International Documentary magazine and a catalyst for schools all over the World to become more pro-active in addressing anti-gay prejudice in the classroom; It’s STILL Elementary (2007 – Director and Producer) a retrospective documentary that looks at the impact of the original film ten years down the line.
Chasnoff’s other film credits include the Oscar–winning Deadly Deception—General Electric, Nuclear Weapons & Our Environment (1991 – Director and Producer); Homes & Hands—Community Land Trusts in Action (1998 Co-Director); Wired for What? (1999 – Director and Producer), part of the PBS series Digital Divide about the push to computerize education; and Choosing Children (1984 – Director and Producer) about the then-new phenomenon of lesbians becoming parents.
Michelle Abrenilla:
Finance and Operations Director
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Michelle Abrenilla joined GroundSpark as the new Finance & Operations Director in April 2009. Since 1997, Michelle has worked with the Community Network for Youth Development in San Francisco, and the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy in Washington, DC. Her jobs have included Finance & Operations Director, and Finance & Development Director, among others. In addition, Michelle is a former Co-Chair and current Treasurer of the National Governing Board for the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum based in New York, a multi-issue social justice and human rights organization. As an alumni of AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corp., Michelle traveled throughout the northeastern part of the United States working with local nonprofits to provide a range of services, including disaster relief, new home construction, and youth mentoring. In her current role at GroundSpark, Michelle provides day-to-day management of the organization’s financial resources, human resources and general operations. In this capacity, Michelle is responsible for maintaining accurate records of all business transactions to ensure compliance with audit requirements, IRS regulations and generally accepted accounting principles; preparing and maintaining budgets, cash flow projections and other financial plans; managing and administering human resources polices and procedures; and managing general office operations.
Zeena Batliwalla: Development Associate
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Zeena Batliwalla joined the GroundSpark team in the Fall of 2008. As GroundSpark’s Development Associate, Zeena provides coordination for the organization’s development needs, including donor communication, database maintenance, foundation research, grant development and support for special events. Zeena serves as liaison to the Board of Directors, with special attention to fundraising. Zeena’s long term commitment to serving diverse populations has led her to work in a number of social change organizations including the American Civil Liberties Union – Friedman Project, Katherine and George Alexander Community Law Center, Silicon Valley Law Foundation – Legal Advocates for Children and Youth, and Horizons Unlimited of San Francisco. Zeena received her law degree from Santa Clara University School of Law in 2004 with a Public Interest Certificate and an emphasis in Critical Race Theory. After passing the California bar, she practiced immigration and refugee law. As an asylum and refugee attorney, she helped numerous individuals find safety in the US and reunite with their families. Zeena is certain GroundSpark is the perfect place for her to continue to work on the plight for equal rights for all.
Cristy Chung
Director of Community Programs
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Cristy Chung began working with GroundSpark as a facilitator in September 2003; and joined the staff full-time in September 2007. Cristy provides ongoing management and coordination of The Respect For All Project community based programs and outreach initiatives. With twenty years of experience working in the nonprofit sector she has worked extensively in the fields of diversity education, safe schools planning, cross-cultural service delivery, domestic violence intervention and prevention and creating supportive programs for lesbian/gay headed families.
“As a parent I am passionate about the need for hate-free, welcoming learning environments for our children. The Respect For All Project gives educators, families and the communities they live in an opportunity to ensure all children feel safe and supported.”
Alana Esquivel
Office Manager
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Alana Esquivel joined the GroundSpark team after uprooting from Santa Cruz, California in September 2007. In her role as Office Manager she oversees the many day-to-day operations of the busy office and works with the Financial Manager handling billing and expenses for the organization. With a B.A. in Film and Digital Media, years of administrative experience, a history of volunteer work in areas
of diversity, and a love for organizing (literally) Alana felt this position would be a great match for her. She has not been proven wrong.
“It had been a personal goal of mine to work for an organization that does something I truly believe in. GroundSpark is made up of a dedicated staff that creates an astonishing amount of work which in turn, moves the world forward in a positive way.”
Amy Scharf
Director of Educational Programs
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Since 2008, Amy Scharf has served as Director of Educational Programs for GroundSpark’s Respect for All Project, where she leads a wide range of outreach, training and curriculum development efforts on anti-bias and anti-bullying education. Amy has worked in the field of educational equity and diversity for nearly twenty years. Prior to joining GroundSpark’s staff, she led an 8-year statewide training initiative on diversity and equity for afterschool programs and spearheaded efforts to inform local and state afterschool policy. Amy directed a three-year national study on equity issues in the afterschool and youth development field and is co-author of Pursuing the Promise: Addressing Equity, Access and Diversity in Afterschool and Youth Programs and Our Roots, Our Future: Affirming Culture and Language in Afterschool and Youth Programs. She is an experienced trainer, classroom and university teacher, policy analyst and advocate. In addition – and perhaps most importantly – Amy is a parent, and draws much of the inspiration for her work from her desire to create a more just and inclusive society for the next generation.
“I love working on the wide range of issues in GroundSpark’s films, and feel fortunate to be able to partner with so many amazing people from around the country on building cultures of respect and understanding in our schools and communities.”
Brittney Shepherd
Staff Producer
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Brittney Shepherd loves the idea of media as a means of connection. With a B.A. in Ethnic Studies from the University of California, Berkeley, Brittney was a founding member of the student run production team MothaBase Productions whose short film entitled Hurricane Katrina: Ya’ll Know Where the Vietnamese Were? is used as a discussion tool for community groups, policy makers, and educators around the country concerning the issues of language access and disaster preparedness for immigrant communities. Since then, she has gone on to work on many independently produced documentaries such as Ask Not, and A Village Called Versailles. Appreciating the power and strength of filmmaking, Brittney is excited to be at GroundSpark helping complete Straightlaced.
“GroundSpark’s praxis of theory and action is what drives me to work everyday. I am excited by the work that we do and the change we ignite.”
Helen S. Cohen, former co-director and co-founder of The Respect For All Project, is now an independent producer. To contact Helen S. Cohen, e-mail Helen@openstudioproductions.com.
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