Spencer Estabrooks - Executive Director
Born and raised in Red Deer Alberta, Spencer Estabrooks is an award winning writer, director, and producer. Known for his hit web series One Hit Die and as the creator of Albertan Kaiju Sharkasaurus (2014), Spencer is also an avid vintage cyclist, obscure camera enthusiast, craft beer historian and devout cinemaphile.

Ben Rowe - Programming Coordinator
Ben Rowe is a writer, programmer, podcaster, and filmmaker from Calgary, Alberta. In the past he has worked with local arts media groups such as the Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers (CSIF), CJSW 90.9 FM, NUTV, and the Fifth Reel. He holds a Bachelor of Film Studies degree from the University of Calgary, and a diploma in Film/Video Production from SAIT. When not working for the Cinematheque he can be found running his three weekly Dungeons & Dragons games, and co-hosting the classic horror movie podcast Scream Scene with his wife, Sarah.

Mary Getaneh - Communications Coordinator
Mary Getaneh is a former journalist, social media coordinator, and film lover from Calgary, Alberta. She holds a Bachelor of Communications degree, specializing in journalism, from Mount Royal University. When not working her many jobs she can be found watching too much TV, learning a new hobby, or taking a long walk. She is still crying over Moonlight (2016).

Christian Argyll - Bookkeeper
Also known as the "accounting ninja", he is rarely seen in person. He currently supports approximately 12 arts and culture organizations in Calgary.

Jillian Bagay
Jill is a tax accountant by day and an amateur keyboard player by night. She spent two years teaching English in Seoul before returning to Calgary in 2019. Jillian’s other hobbies include golf and highly competitive board games. Her favourite movies include The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), Children of Men (2006), and Coming to America (1988).

Raeesa Farooqi-Piotto 
Raeesa Farooqi-Piotto is an avid film lover who works in the fields of social innovation, design thinking, and community economic development. Having started her career in non-profit film co-operatives, she strongly believes that arts organizations are an integral part of a flourishing community. She holds a B.A. in Economics and Film Studies from the University of Calgary and is currently a Service Designer at the Calgary Public Library. She is also the co-founder and co-host of the critical Indian film podcast, Parde Ke Peeche (PKP). Her top four on Letterboxd are Mulholland Drive (2001), Nashville (1975), Stories We Tell (2012) and Tokyo Story (1953).

Sunjay Kaushal

Sunjay Kaushal is a life long fan of film and collector of physical media. After video rental stores closed down he decided to start one in his basement. His collection contains films on all formats ranging from Betamax up to and including 4K UHD and everything inbetween. He was raised on 80s and 90s cinema and his favorite genres are horror and musicals. His four favorite films are Dawn of the Dead (1978), Urban Cowboy (1980), Scream (1996), and Dr. Zhivago (1965). He holds a CFA designation and works as a risk analyst. 

Ashraf Khoury
Ashraf Khoury is a PEng. Working in the field of Firmware programming. He enjoyed B&W photography prior to the digital era. The real joy of movies started when he watched La Nouvelle Vague. Ashraf also sits on the board of directors of La Cité des Rocheuses, where he is involved with the screening of French Canadian and other French movies. He sat on other non-profit French organization, e.g. Cinémagine and Théâtre à Pic (where he had the chance to perform in some French community plays).

Scott Lang - President, Programming Chair
Scott is a passionate devotee of the cinema from way back when he was watching scandalous European art films instead of finishing his French homework. An English and Philosophy major, Scott enjoys writing, supporting ecological initiatives, and hiking adventures with his dog, Bodhi.

Sheena Manabat - Secretary
Sheena Manabat is a writer with a background in film and communications. She has been a research assistant for the Amateur Movie Database, interned at the Calgary Film Centre, and wrote her Master's Thesis at the University of Calgary on home movies.

Emily Mody - Vice President
Emily Mody is passionate about film and art. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Honours from the University of Calgary in 2013. While attending the University of Calgary, she was a founding member of the campus Film Society as well as co-editor of the Undergraduate Academic Film Journal, Crash/Cut. After graduating, she became a member of the Alumni Arts and Culture Council through the University of Calgary. She still loves to spend her time getting involved in the local film and art community in Calgary. Her experience includes interning at and serving on the board for the Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers. She was a writer and reviewer for five years with Calgarymovies.com until they closed their doors in 2021. She also had the pleasure of acting as programming juror for the Canadian International Fashion Film Festival.

D. Scott Moore
Scott has been involved with the Calgary arts community since the 80’s as a musician, and the film community since 2000 as a volunteer with the Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF), assisting in the programming department, where he has been fortunate to have had the opportunity to review thousands of films over the past 20 years.  As a corporate commercial lawyer at Szabo & Company, he has also made his legal services available in the past to CIFF, and presently assists the Board of Directors of Cinematheque in corporate governance and wherever else his services may be required.

Nathan Morton - Finance Chair, Treasurer
Born and raised in Vancouver Nathan came to Calgary for school and some of that oil boom money (and still waiting for it). He has a Bachelor of Commerce with the University of Calgary and will be earning his CPA designation this year. Some of Nathan’s favourite films are A Hard Day’s Night (1964), The Big Short (2015), and The Last Days of Disco (1998). His favourite film discovered through the Calgary Cinematheque is Through the Olive Trees (1994) which was part of its Director Series on Abbas Kiarostami, screened in November 2019.

Mark Skibo
Mark Skibo worked in Los Angeles for over 20 years with studios such as 20th Century Fox and MGM.  Mark has a degree in film production from the Roy H. Park School of Communication in Ithaca NY, and currently owns and operates a media company working to localize non-English streaming productions for North America/UK. An avid film lover and viewer, Mark looks forward to one day having a chance to view more of the thousands of films on his “to watch” list…

David Telfer - Communications Chair
Born and raised in Calgary, and educated in Montréal, David has worked as a barista, busser, manager, mover, counsellor, assistant, sexton and verger, actor, clerk, writer, and tutor. He lives in the Bankview.

Gary Burns
Gary Burns is an internationally recognized writer and director of feature films. His films include The Suburbanators (1995), Kitchen Party (1997), waydowntown (2000), A Problem with Fear (2003), Radiant City (2006), and most recently, Man Running (2018). His awards include Best Canadian Feature at TIFF and Genie for Best Documentary. Gary is a founding member of the Calgary Cinematheque.

Donna Brunsdale
Donna Brunsdale is a founding member of the Calgary Cinematheque. She is a filmmaker and artist who has shown her work across Canada and abroad. She is also an adjunct instructor at the University of Calgary. She was most recently a producer and co-writer/editor on the feature film Man Running (2018).

Guillaume Carlier
Guillaume Carlier is a Franco-Canadian filmmaker and founder of Kino Sum Productions. Born in Montréal, raised in Calgary, and educated at Concorida University, he discovered filmmaking at the Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers. Guillaume began his career making DIY punk short films closely tied to Calgary’s music scene. After his documentary short Calgary, Ugly, premiered at the 2017 Calgary International Film Festival, Guillaume worked as a director, writer, cinematographer, and editor for broadcasters such as Unis TV, CBC, and Radio Canada. As a producer, Guillaume’s work includes the award-winning feature film Circle of Steel (2018), and the Telefilm-funded dramatic feature Lucky Star, which will be released in 2024 by Game Theory Films. Guillaume has also produced numerous short films, music videos, and documentaries. Notably, he directed the AMPIA-award winning television series Histoires de chars for Unis TV. Most recently, Guillaume directed the AMPIA-award winning documentary mini-series Thunder: The Life and Death of Arturo Gatti, currently streaming on Super Channel Fuse.

Adrian G. De La Peña
Adrian G. De La Peña Mexican-born, Canadian director, and producer with 13+ years of experience, focusing on horror and genre-related content. His work as an editor for broadcast advertising and documentaries not only informs my directing style and perspective but also my approach to being a resourceful and versatile creative.Among his highlights is participating in the Horror Development Lab at Blood in the Snow Film Festival in 2022, directing 2nd unit for the documentary Dogsville (2020), and Co-editing the CBC feature doc Her Last Project. His short film T-Minus (2018) garnered multiple awards in Canada and the UK and was included in the anthology feature The Impact (2022).

Kyle Hodge
Kyle Hodge has a BBA in Marketing from the University of Regina, and works full time for a media company in Calgary. Additionally, he coaches elite level minor hockey and volunteers as a Short Film Programmer with CIFF. His favourite films screened through Calgary Cinematheque to date have been 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (2007), The Driver (1978), and All About My Mother (1999).

Jamie Leer
Jamie Leer is a dynamic creative professional, when she isn't at Calgary Cinematheque she serves as an events organizer at Contemporary Calgary and a designer at a local boutique firm. With a Masters of Architecture and a Bachelor of Environmental Design from Dalhousie University, Jamie brings a unique blend of artistic vision and technical expertise to each project. Her global education, including studies in Iceland, Cuba, and New Zealand, enriches her work with diverse perspectives. Jamie's passion for storytelling extends to film programming, enhancing their role as a versatile creative force committed to crafting memorable experiences and innovative designs that resonate with audiences worldwide.

Catherine McDonald Vo
Catherine McDonald Vo is a freelancer in the Calgary film industry, an aspiring artist in practice, and book and film lover. After graduating from SAIT’s Film and Video Production program in 2022, she began a freelancing career in art department and continues to express her artistic skills in the film community. She also participates in programming at the University of Calgary’s Film Society club, where she shares her love of film. Catherine has been creating personal art for many years and continues to create so much more, aspiring to contribute to Calgary’s local art scene.