The Atlanta Film Society Welcomes New Board Members
The Atlanta Film Society is growing! As we enter this new phase of progression within the society we are delighted to welcome Wendy Eley Jackson to our board. Eley is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley where she received her B.A. in English Literature. She received her first taste of showbiz while working at Culver Studios for TriStar Television in Movies and Mini-series. Her career later brought her back home to Atlanta, Georgia, where she worked for Turner Broadcasting System in Promotions Production. Currently, Wendy is the CEO for Auburn Avenue Films based in Atlanta, GA where she serves as CEO and Chairman. Auburn Avenue Films is a production company specializing in corporate videos, alternative non-scripted programming, and scripted productions for television, film, and digital platforms. Wendy’s insight into the production of entertainment and prestige is an exhilarating new addition to the ATLFS Board.
The Atlanta Film Society is pleased to welcome Adina Erwin to our board. Adina received a BA in Physical Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and went on to earn her Master's degree from the University of Massachusetts Sport Management Program, specializing in Entertainment Venue Management.
Since 1993, Adina has worked in various types of entertainment venues including arenas, convention centers and theaters including positions with Reunion Arena, the Charlotte Coliseum, Mobile Convention and Civic Centers and Jacksonville Entertainment Facilities. Prior to her current position with the Fox, Adina served as the Director of the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts in Jacksonville, Florida and served on the Super Bowl Host Committee and Event Team for Super Bowl XXXIX.
Adina is an active member of the community and has served as an Instructor at the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) Venue Management School (VMS) since 2003. She has served as Chair of the Board of Regents for VMS and as the 2011 Exchange Instructor for the Venue Management School in Australia. In 2013, she was awarded the Ray W. Ward Award for her dedication and extraordinary contributions to the overall success and quality of VMS.
Venues Today Magazine recognized Adina as one of the 2013 “Women of Influence” in the music and entertainment venues industry and she was selected as one of the 2017 “Women Who Mean Business” by the Atlanta Business Chronicle. She is a graduate of Arts Leaders of Metro Atlanta and Leadership Atlanta. She is also a member of the Kiwanis Club of Atlanta, the Advisory Board for the Trust for Public Land, and the Board of Trustees for the IAVM Foundation.
Now a resident of Decatur, GA with her husband and two children, Adina is the Vice President & Chief Operating Officer for the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia. A fiercely protected landmark and nationally acclaimed theatre, the Fox is a multi-purpose performing arts venue which hosts over 450 events per year. During her tenure at the Fox Theatre, Adina launched the award-winning Fox Theatre Institute, an innovative community engagement and consulting division of Fox Theatre, Inc. Her dedication to entertainment is an exciting addition to the Atlanta Film Society and our Board.
The Atlanta Film Society is delighted to announce our new board member, Josh Harris. Josh Harris is a Senior Vice President with City National Bank’s Entertainment Banking team. Based out of the bank’s Atlanta office, he provides City National’s full complement of services to entertainment, commercial and middle-market companies in the region as well as high net worth entrepreneurs. With a focus in Studio, Television, Film, and Music production and finance, he is considered a rising influencer in the Entertainment Industry in Atlanta and a strong advocate for building a sustainable entertainment-friendly ecosystem throughout Georgia. Mr. Harris is currently consulting on various film projects around the region and advocating for public and private partnerships to continue to nurture the development and growth of Entertainment in Georgia. A creative at heart with incredible instincts and business savvy, Mr. Harris has built a reputation in the industry as being one of Atlanta’s premier charismatic thought leaders and problem solvers in the Entertainment business.
Mr. Harris has over two decades of diverse financial services experience and has served in a variety of leadership roles including retail, business, credit administration, corporate banking, and Entertainment banking. Prior to his work with City National, Mr. Harris served as Senior Vice President and Commercial Executive for First Tennessee Bank in Atlanta as well as Market President of a local community bank, where his career began transitioning into Entertainment Finance. Interestingly, Mr. Harris worked with Royal Bank of Canada, City National’s Bank’s parent company, as a Regional Manager of Private and Business Banking from 2005 to 2009, among many other leadership positions throughout his banking career. The Atlanta Film Society looks forward to Mr. Harris’s involvement on our board and the expertise he provides.
The Atlanta Film Society is expanding our board. We are pleased to announce our new board member Bryon Hatfield. Byron Hatfield is a writer, director, and producer in theatre and film, and a Partner in HC Media Capital, LLC. He is also the CEO of BBL Productions, LLC and owner of Bio-medical Based Logistics.
Mr. Hatfield is best known as the creator of the national hit Bye Bye Liver, which spanned 15 major US markets. He was the owner and founder of The Public House Theatre in Chicago, which served as a cornerstone of the comedy and theatre scene there until January 2017. An active philanthropist and community leader, Mr. Hatfield regularly hosts fundraisers for the likes of the ACLU and Planned Parenthood, among other groups.
Recently, Mr. Hatfield relocated to Oakhurst with his wife, Sasha, and son, Henry. Now involved in the Atlanta film and theatre scene, Mr. Hatfield has already started a writer’s room at Dad’s Garage Theatre, and is continuing to invest in and grow the intellectual and artistic infrastructure to develop and support a self-sustaining system of Georgia-based IP. The Atlanta Film Society is delighted to see Mr. Hatfield’s continued support and involvement in the community as our new board member.
The Atlanta Film Society is thrilled to announce a new addition to our board, Steve Weizenecker. Steve Weizenecker has extensive experience in transactions involving the entertainment and sports industries. A majority of his practice focuses on the business and financial aspects of the Motion Picture and Television Industry. He represents independent filmmakers, broadcast networks, and major studios and has been involved in the creation of some of the largest and most successful film production entities. He has also assisted with the process of implementing the Georgia Entertainment Tax Incentive Act. Weizenecker is a consultant for business and government entities on the entertainment related tax incentives. He is a frequent lecturer on many of the facets of the entertainment industry. The Atlanta Film Society is excited to see Weizenecker take his place on our board.