Team WeOwnTV

Brought together by a passion for the promotion of self-expression through film and video as a way to explore our shared humanity and build a foundation for the future, the WeOwnTV team dedicates their time and resources to the development and discovery of the young generation's "voice" in Sierra Leone.

Banker White
Creative Director & Founder

Banker White is a multi-disciplinary artist based in the Bay Area. In a perpetual state of creation and collaboration, recent work in film-video and the fine arts has been awarded and supported by Creative Capital, Freedom to Create, the California Council for Humanities and the Bay Area Video Coalition. Banker co-directed and produced the award-winning documentary Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars. He is a graduate of Middlebury College (BA 1996) and California College of the Arts (MFA 2000).
Arthur Pratt
Manager, WeOwnTV: Sierra Leone

As a drama teacher, filmmaker, youth organizer and pastor living in Freetown, Arthur Pratt leads the ongoing WeOwnTV efforts in Sierra Leone. A respected leader in his community, he has longtime commitment to working with underprivileged youth. Arthur is a compassionate and deeply motivating mentor. He has toured throughout the country performing original productions of Shakespeare. His credits also include numerous short films and plays created in collaboration with the youth he serves.
Zach Niles
Associate Director & Co-founder

Zach Niles is the co-director and producer of the award-winning documentary Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars. He is the associate producer of the film Peepers and for the television series Live at the Fillmore. Zach recently served as acting director for Ciné Institute, a film school in Jacmel Haiti. He also manages the band Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars and works producing and promoting music tours by artists such as Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, George Michael and Madonna.
Paula Cavagnaro
Associate Director

Appreciating the independent, unfiltered voices that have the opportunity to be amplified through film, Paula Cavagnaro is a committed contributor-as a supporter and consultant-to independent film festivals and international film projects. Paula is a creative marketing and public relations professional with more than 15 years marketing experience established on a well-rounded background managing complicated marketing programs including promotional launches, event production, artist development and aggressive public relations campaigns.
Alex Reiser
Associate Creative Director

Alex Reiser works in media production as a sound engineer, musician, documentary filmmaker, and formerly as a circus performer. He is currently touring as the production manager for the band the Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars. Alex produced and directed the independent documentary Homecoming in Southern Sudan, accompanying two 'Lost Boys' as they reunited with their families for the first time after the civil war.
Alhaji "Black Nature" Kamara
Faculty & Co-founder

Black Nature, many ways the inspiration behind WeOwnTV, began collaborating with the WeOwnTV team in 2002. A talented rapper, he is a member of the band Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars and currently on tour. While touring with the award-winning documentary Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars and the band, inspiring interviews with Black Nature have been featured on NPR, CBC, PBS, CNN and The Oprah Winfrey Show and in major publications worldwide.
Emilie Reiser
Faculty

Emilie Reiser is a technology educator in New York City, working with youth in public schools and community-based organizations to develop creative media projects. Most recently, as director of programs at Vision Education, she led professional development workshops for educators, taught multi-media student programs and developed curriculum for innovative uses of creative technology in the classroom. Emilie has also worked teaching creative media production with youth internationally in Africa, Brazil and Haiti.
Bremen Donovan
Faculty

Bremen Donovan joined WeOwnTV during a fellowship year dedicated to a long-term documentary project in the eastern Kono District of Sierra Leone. She has long been committed to critical engagement of young people in creative spheres, and has taught documentary and narrative filmmaking at youth arts organizations in the U.S. and abroad. Her work as a filmmaker and photographer emphasizes collaborative processes and centers around informal communities and the networks people form to keep themselves safe.
Lansana Mansaray, aka Barmmy Boy
Mentor & Production Coordinator

An accomplished musician and filmmaker, Lansana Mansaray, aka Barmmy Boy exemplifies the talent and potential of his generation. Gifted at engaging his peers in creative collaboration, he is a natural mentor and instructor. Barmmy Boy assists in coordinating the commissioned productions produced by WeOwnTV: Sierra Leone. He has participated in media projects with iEarn, War Child Canada, cafesociety.org and has been honored by youth groups and the British Council for his film/video work.

 

Advisors: Thoughtful and trusted guides

Bill Bourdon

Bill Bourdon has spent the last 15 years helping a mix of organizations, including innovative technology startups, Fortune 500 brands and nonprofits, communicate their stories to the world. He is currently senior vice president at the Bateman Group, a boutique PR and social media marketing agency. Bill began his career in the public health sector, first as a director for a nationally known nonprofit, and later as a policy advisor for the San Francisco Mayor's Office.
Shelley Lazar

Shelley Lazar is a music industry veteran whose company, SLO (a division of Live Nation Entertainment) provides ticket management services and one-of-a-kind fan experiences for world concert tours and events. With an incomparable client roster ranging from music legends The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and Bob Dylan to the Dalai Lama, Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict... Shelley has earned the endearing title of "Ticket Queen." She is recognized for her dedication to a myriad of non-profit organizations.
Wendy Levy

Wendy Levy is the director of creative programming at BAVC. She runs the Producers Institute for New Media Technologies and content partnerships for BAVC's production, exhibition and distribution programs, grant opportunities and residencies for independent producers. She speaks regularly at festivals and conferences internationally on a broad range of topics in documentary, emerging media, social justice, and human rights. Wendy is on the Board of Directors of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission.
Alphonze Muyaneza

Alphonse Munyaneza, a Rwandan national and a refugee himself, has been working for UNHCR since 1992 both in the field and at headquarters. He is an event, music and film producer with experience in managing multimedia campaign and events. As a passionate arts advocate, Alphonse manages the "4refugees artist global network" which supports the refugee plight trough arts. An avid musician, he plays guitar, bass, keyboard and percussions.
Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwhine

Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine is a first generation Ugandan-American working in photography, theatre, film and television. His credits include leading roles at The Public Theater, The Steppenwolf Theatre, The Kennedy Center and The Lincoln Center; Recurring TV roles on HBO's series Treme, Heroes, The Riches, ER and CSI; and the film Blood Diamond. Ntare has taught at Yale University and USC. Ntare has also taught theatre and film artists in more than a dozen countries in Africa.
David Robb

Armed with a knack for tech support, a background in operations management and a heart the size of a small pig, David Robb brings to the table a very honest logical viewpoint. Always happy to lend a hand and make someone's life a little easier, David is a true believer in leading by example. David currently resides in San Francisco with his wife and three daughters.
Victor Zaud

Victor Zaud, creative director and founder of interface design and branding firm, Zaudhaus, Inc. splits his time between offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Along with leading the firm since its founding in 2000, Vic races Porsches, is a professional photographer and avid filmmaker. Vic has played instrumental roles in launching a number of other successful companies; including The Republic of Tea, JuiceBeauty, NetObjects and online advertising network, Glam Media.