November 02, 2022

CIFF Welcomes Three New Board Members and Three New Full-time Staff by Cleveland.com

CLEVELAND (Wednesday, November 2, 2022) – The Cleveland International Film Festival announces the addition of three new members to its Board of Directors, as well as three new individuals to its full-time staff.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS ADDITIONS

Tom Davis, Lynn Milliner, and Julie Raskind were unanimously elected to a three-year term to the CIFF Board of Directors in recent months. They each bring their own unique set of skills and passion to the Festival’s roster.

“We are proud to welcome Tom, Lynn and Julie as new colleagues on the CIFF Board,” said Chris Blake, CIFF’s Board President. “Collectively and individually, they will add great value to CIFF’s Board and its mission with their diverse talents, perspectives and expertise. I am personally excited to work with each of them over the next three years to help guide CIFF to best present the newest and best films from around the world - and to educate our community along the way - in our new forever home at Playhouse Square.”

Tom Davis is a life-long Clevelander who serves as an Executive at Hyland Software in Westlake, OH, leading the Technical Sales and Solutions organization. He is the chairman and founder of The Flight To Remember Foundation, a non-profit organization that serves hospice patients and families leveraging drone technology. Tom is a graduate of The Ohio State University, holds an MBA from Indiana Wesleyan University, and is currently finalizing his dissertation in pursuit of a PhD in Psychology. He resides in Avon with his wife and three children, where they are active in the community, schools, and sports organizations.

Lynn Milliner, MD is a native Clevelander and longtime Festival enthusiast. She attended Smith College, graduating with a degree in Psychology, and later attended Case Western Reserve's School of Medicine. She currently sees pediatric patients at MetroHealth where she also serves as the Assistant Director for Patient Affairs and is the Physician Lead for Patient Relations. Lynn was elected Board Chair for Applewood Centers, after serving on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee for several years. She is an avid film fan and runner. In her spare time she enjoys dining out, travelling, retail therapy, the Cleveland arts community – and she frequently participates in a wide range of volunteer activities. Lynn resides in Beachwood with her husband Terry. They are the proud parents of three daughters and the grandparents of one granddaughter.

Julie Adler Raskind is an active leader in the civic and non-profit communities in greater Cleveland following a 15-year career in commercial banking, retiring as a Vice President. Julie served as Board Chair of ideastream, was the past Board Chair of Voices for Ohio’s Children, and – in addition to serving on the CIFF Board of Directors – is currently serving as the Board Chair for the Korda Institute for Teaching, as well as serving on the Board of Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple.

Julie is a past director of The Mt. Sinai Health Care Foundation, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, the Jewish Education Center of Cleveland, Hawken School, Evergreen Cooperative Corporation and College Now. She is a co-founder of 100 Women Who Care, a giving circle devoted to supporting non-profit organizations in the Cleveland community.

Julie holds a BA in Economics from Northwestern University and an MBA from DePaul University. She is married to Peter and has two children, Matthew (33) and Rebecca (30).

The newly appointed trustees bring the CIFF Board to 30 directors, including these recently elected and re-elected officers:

• Chris S.W. Blake (Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP) – President
• Joe Marinucci – President-Elect and Vice-President of Development
• Erica Merritt (Equius Group, LLC) – Vice-President of Board Engagement
• Pamela LeRose (Huntington National Bank) – Vice-President of Finance
• Todd Mesek (Cleveland Museum of Art) – Vice-President of Marketing
• Jerry Frantz (JumpStart, Inc.) – Vice-President of Strategic Planning
• Jinny Johnson - Secretary

EXECUTIVE STAFF ADDITIONS

Lara Bowditch, Gabrielle Burrage, and Colette Taylor were recently hired as part of the full-time staff. They join the team of five full-time staff already in place.

According to Executive Director, Marcie Goodman, “CIFF is so grateful for the inclusion of these three amazing individuals on our full-time staff. Their involvement means added talent, expertise, caring, and compassion to a very accomplished team.”

Lara Bowditch, CIFF’s Administrative Coordinator, is a native of northeast Ohio. Lara resides in West Park with her four rescue dogs. She is studying to obtain her Business Administration degree. When she is not at the CIFF office, you may find her cheering on the Cleveland Cavaliers, trying various local eats, or snuggling her pups at home.

Gabrielle Burrage comes to the Festival as its Education Director. She is a Cleveland native who specializes in the creation and growth of educational programs for art nonprofits, including classes, workshops, residencies, exhibitions, and community outreach events for diverse audiences. She previously served as the Director of Continuing Education + Community Outreach at the Cleveland Institute of Art, as well as the Director of Education at Evanston Art Center in Evanston, IL. She has a Masters in Arts Administration & Policy from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art from Lake Forest College, where she focused on painting and drawing.

Colette Taylor joins the Cleveland International Film Festival as Director of Development with more than 15 years of experience working in nonprofit organizations in Northeast Ohio. Her most recent role was as Regional Director for the Summit County locations for Boys & Girls Club of Northeast Ohio.

Colette received her Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Cleveland State University She is a graduate of Cleveland Leadership Center’s Cleveland Bridge Builder program, as well as Leadership Akron’s Signature Program, and maintains active engagement in both serving on Cleveland Leadership Center’s Leadership Council and the Leadership Akron Class 37 Executive Committee.

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CIFF47 will take place March 22 – April 1, 2023 at Playhouse Square, followed by CIFF47 Streams, which will take place April 2 – 9, 2023 online. The Festival lineup will be announced in late February 2023, with tickets going on sale in March 2023. For full information on the Cleveland International Film Festival, please visit clevelandfilm.org.

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HEADSHOTS, NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1isYOZIWWRvh0KUgwiLBTTi9EWMsH8EfH

HEADSHOTS, NEW FULL-TIME STAFF
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iDH3gQBDsdxwJOvHjnlzAFgtmhNPg2Go

CIFF ASSTES
https://legacy.clevelandfilm.org/assets/index.html

MEDIA CONTACT
Debby Samples, Marketing & Media Director, debby@clevelandfilm.org, 216.623.3456 x14