Panelists Biographies

KATHRYN GALAN
Kathryn Galan has been Executive Director of NALIP since 2001, and responsible for moving the organization from an NCLR special project into an independent nationally recognized non-profit. Her responsibilities include millions of dollars in fundraising, regional and global members services, and the creation of NALIP's Signature Programs: the Latino Writers Lab™, Latino Producers Academy™, Latino Media Market™ and Latino Media Resource Guide ™. Prior to NALIP, Kathryn worked as an independent producer (FREENCH KISS, SQUANTO, DAYBREAK), new media consultant and studio executive. She was head of production for Atlantic Entertainment Group, and a Production Vice President at Walt Disney Studios' Hollywood Pictures, before running Meg Ryan's Prufrock Pictures and her own consultancy firm, EKR Strategies. She is a graduate of Amherst College, and did Masters studies film history and criticism at UCLA, specializing in World Cinema.

SANDRA CONDITO
Sandra Condito is Vice President of Production and Development for Dimension Films. Her multifaceted role includes overseeing the production, marketing and publicity of Dimension’s co-productions with Troublemaker Studios, producer Elizabeth Avellan and visionary filmmaker Robert Rodriguez’s Austin-based production facility.

Condito’s long and successful relationship with Rodriguez and Avellan began when she was an assistant publicist on the genre hit THE FACULTY, starring Josh Hartnett and Elijah Wood. After the successful production and marketing collaborations on SPY KIDS and ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO, Condito moved to Austin to oversee SPY KIDS 2, SPY KIDS 3-D, ADVENTURES OF SHARKBOY & LAVAGIRL and SIN CITY on behalf of Troublemaker Studios. She is currently overseeing the production and marketing of PLANET TERROR, Rodriguez’s contribution to the double feature, GRINDHOUSE, for Dimension Films.

During her time in Austin, Condito further developed her producing skills and understanding of day-to-day operations enabling the undertaking of her debut effort as an independent producer, SECUESTRO EXPRESS, Venezuela’s highest grossing film and winner of 5 ANAC Awards (Venezuelan Oscars), including Best Picture. Produced independently, SECUESTRO EXPRESS was acquired and released by Miramax in 2005.

Condito’s career began in 1997 when she joined the publicity department of Miramax and Dimension Films in New York. During her first tenure with Miramax, Condito was involved in the publicity and awards campaigns for several of the company’s most notable successes, including LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL and HALLOWEEN: H2O. After moving to Los Angeles in 1999, Condito continued to work closely with Miramax as an associate at The Angelotti Company, on the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, guild and Academy Award campaigns for Lasse Hallstrom’s, THE CIDER HOUSE RULES and Anthony Minghella’s THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY. She returned to Miramax in 2001 and joined The Weinstein Company at the time of its formation in 2005.

DEBRA ZIMMERMAN
Debra Zimmerman has been the Executive Director of Women Make Movies, the world's largest distributor of films by and about women for more than 20 years. WMM’s latest release SISTERS IN LAW premiered at Cannes and opened theatrically in US. She has spoken on panels and has been a member of juries at festivals around the world. She often moderates or speaks on panels at the Sundance Film Festival, and for the last two years has given master classes on distribution and marketing in Australia, Africa, Europe and other festivals across the United States. Her workshops are for all filmmakers in any stage of production of documentary or fiction production, short or feature.

IVETTE RODRIGUEZ
Ivette Rodriguez has been the president and founder of American Entertainment Marketing (AEM), a marketing firm specializing in entertainment targeted at the U.S. Latino consumer since 1997. AEM is the agency of choice for Latino productions, filmmakers and talent.

AEM has played an integral part in the revival of Latin filmmaking having worked on the most successful and critically acclaimed Latin American films in recent history. Some of AEM’s campaigns include Maria Full Of Grace, The Motorcycle Diaries, Crash, The Sea Inside (Mar Adentro) Y Tu Mama Tambien, Amores Perros, Frida, El Crimen Del Padre Amaro, The Others, and Before Night Falls, as well as Hollywood blockbusters Spiderman 2, Spy Kids series, Once Upon A Time In Mexico, Kill Bill Volume 1 and 2, Scooby Doo 2, Scary Movie, Hostel, World Trade Center, Crank, and many more.

Currently, Ivette is working on the campaigns for BABEL, Fast Food Nation and Freedom Writers and after 20 years experience in the marketing of films and 10 years specifically in the Latin market, Ivette is expanding into production and is developing film projects.