Lee Lanier

Lee worked as a professional 3D animator and VFX artist from 1994 to 2020, having 70 features, shorts, music videos, trailers, and commercials to his credit. He spent time at Walt Disney Studios and PDI/DreamWorks and contributed to such films as “The Santa Clause” and “Shrek.” Starting in 1999, he directed a series of independent, animated short films that went on to play 200+ film festivals, museums, and art galleries worldwide. In 2015, Lee turned to narrative painting, both large canvases and murals. His 40+ murals are located in Southern Nevada, as well as California, Ohio, and Alabama. His canvas paintings have been shown at over 40 galleries in 10 states. He continues to live in Boulder City with his wife Anita.

Anita Lanier

Anita is an educator, traveler, and film enthusiast whose journey spans teaching EFL in Japan to creative expression through massage, acupuncture, and writing. She is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine with a thriving acupuncture clinic in Henderson and also teaches at Wongu University. Anita performs improv with ComedySportz Las Vegas and enjoys watching movies, making art, and sharing everyday adventures with her husband and best friend, Lee.

Ken Cioe

Ken has been part of the festival since year one. He has a B.S. in Film from Emerson College and an MFA in screenwriting from The Academy of Art University. Ken has worked in the film and multimedia industries for almost 30 years and in 2019 he assumed the role of Director of Operations for the festival. This role allows Ken to work with the board on maintaining and growing the festival, while still having the opportunity to work with young local talent such as animators, film students and graphic artists.

Mat Stowell

A longtime fan of short-form cinema, he’s drawn to the genre’s ability to evoke deep emotions or provoke thought in just a few minutes. “Short films don’t have to stretch out over seasons or be overly elaborate — when done right, they hit you fast and stay with you,” he says. Through his board position, he’s especially passionate about spotlighting the talents of local and regional filmmakers, offering them a platform to reach audiences that genuinely appreciate the craft.

Suellen Moore

Suellen grew up and raised her two children in Boulder City. She spent more than 30 years as a legal assistant and office manager before starting her own business providing tax preparation, bookkeeping, and personal assistance services. A classically trained musician, she taught piano and voice for 15 years. Today she continues creating, composing, recording, and producing original music. A strong advocate for the arts, she is excited to contribute to and serve on the Dam Short Film Festival board.

Dionee Mitchell

Amy Vandermark

Born and raised in Las Vegas, Amy Vandermark has spent more than half her life in Boulder City. She is active in the community and owns the social media management company Amy Vandermarketing. Her marketing experience includes media relations, community engagement, digital strategy, promotions, and advertising. Amy joined the Dam Short Film Festival organization in 2023 and is grateful for the opportunity to support its mission while building lasting relationships and helping the festival grow.

Calvin Crawford

Calvin Crawford is a passionate storyteller, film lover, and writer. He loves musicals, puppets, and elaborate costumes, and hopes to one day produce a film encompassing all of the above. He resides in Las Vegas with his Chow-Husky mix named after his favorite Mogwai: Gizmo. This will be his very first Dam Short Film Festival.

Hope Blatchford

Hope was born and raised in Boulder City, Nevada, and graduated from Boulder City High School before earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing, with honors, from the University of Nevada, Reno in 2024. She now works in marketing in Las Vegas and continues to study graphic design at UNLV while growing her creative brand, Silver State Studio. In her free time, Hope enjoys crafts, coffee, and spending time with her four cats.

Leanne Chacon

Leanne holds dual B.A. degrees in Business Administration with concentrations in Finance and Entrepreneurship from California State University, San Bernardino, and has studied Nutrition Sciences at UNLV. A Boulder City resident for more than 15 years, she is the Office Coordinator for The Village at Nevada State University. She is an active volunteer, serving organizations including the Boulder City Friends of the Library. She and her children enjoy nature documentaries, stop-motion animation, and always reading the book before seeing the movie.

Syrenity Ritter

Syrenity, also known as Syn, has loved animation and film since childhood, inspired by the power of visual storytelling. She earned an Associate of Arts from CSN and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Visual Media at Nevada State University with a focus on 2D and 3D animation. She enjoys creating clay figures, graphic design, charcoal art, and other creative projects. Excited to join the Dam Short Film Festival, Syrenity looks forward to contributing to the festival, growing as a filmmaker, and inspiring others through creativity and imagination.

John J. Murphy

John Murphy joins the Dam Short Film Festival Society as a passionate supporter of film, filmmaking, storytelling, and the technical artistry that brings stories to life. He appreciates the power of cinema to explore love, humanity, and the meaning behind every performance on the big and small screen. John lives by the motto “ODOS” (One Day One Step at a time) and believes life is a journey best experienced through both personal adventures and the stories shared through film.

Gia Hart

Originally from Oklahoma, Gia graduated from Nevada State University as a Visual Media Major with a concentration in 3D Animation and a minor in Business Admin. Officially joining the Dam Short Film Festival as a Web Manager in 2026, she also works with both 2D and 3D mediums and has a passion for storytelling and environment design in film and game design. One of her favorite things to do in her free time is to go hiking, enjoying the outdoors and taking in the scenery.

Amerie Ignacio

After growing up in Hawaii, Amerie Ignacio moved to Las Vegas when she was 15. She graduated from a magnet high school specializing in Multimedia Communications and is currently attending UNLV, where she is pursuing a dual major of Graphic Design and Business Marketing. With an interest in editorial design and illustration, she loves to experiment with traditional and digital mediums. Excited to attend events that bring communities together, she also loves to go to concerts and make new friends.