meet the team

WRITER & ARTISTIC ADVOCATE - ORCAS ISLAND

Ayn was born on the island of Taiwan to a Chinese mother and a Mexican-American father. At the age of two, she moved to the United States. After studying at UCLA & Harvard, she worked in Los Angeles as a screenwriter and magazine writer. She lives on remote Orcas Island with her husband, novelist Samuel W. Gailey. She has helped individuals and brands with branding and content. She wrote "Pornology," a non-fiction book that became a film this summer entitled "A Nice Girl Like You," starring Lucy Hale. She enjoys helping and inspiring other artists. That includes editing and ghostwriting books that have been critically praised and earned spots on The New York Times bestseller list; helping launch a literary festival; working with music composers to inspire them to create symphonies, scores and operas and get their work nominated for Emmys, Pulitzers, and Grammys.

CEO, THE JANUARY GROUP

Darryl Crews runs a big tent communication business called The January Group based out of Tacoma. They plan events, make videos, write speeches, promote new music, consult with brands, create space for culture (physically and digitally) and advocate for important causes. Some of January’s clients have included Alaska Airlines, Atlantic Records, Apple Music, ARRAY, Seattle Aquarium, City of Tacoma, Revolt TV, among numerous others.

FILM/THEATRE DEPARTMENT CHAIR, SHORELINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Tony Doupé is a SAG-AFTRA actor and producer with an MFA from the California Institute of theArts. A successful actor for over 34 years in LA, New Orleans and Seattle, he has been teaching and coaching actors for 25 years, both privately and at the college level. He currently serves as the Film/Theatre Department Chair, at Shoreline Community College.

With over 130 film and television credits, Tony has had roles in a wide variety of film and television projects. Tony co-starred in the feature film The River Murders with Ray Liotta and Christian Slater, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. He also had a leading role in the feature film The Off Hours, which was written and directed by Megan Griffiths and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and the Seattle International Film Festival. He is the lead in the feature film Frayed, released by Lionsgate. Tony has also appeared in some of the most noteworthy projects that have filmed in the Pacific Northwest including Wild, starring Reese Witherspoon; At Middleton starring Andy Garcia, and the Sci Fi hit series Z Nation.

TERRAIN - SPOKANE

Ginger Ewing is an arts educator, advocate and administrator living in Spokane. She began her career as the Curator for Cultural Literacy at the Northwest Museum of Arts& Culture (MAC) where she developed and administered many successful programs from scratch. This includes a professional development program for regional high-school students interested in becoming exhibit interpreters; aK-20 American Indian educational program; and a monthly after-hours program meant to draw in new museum goers. At the MAC she also helped to curate many exhibitions and was trained in Visual Thinking Strategies, a student-centered teaching methodology centered around art. Ginger is currently the Executive Director of the arts non-profit Terrain, which builds community and economic opportunity for artists in the Inland Northwest. In addition to putting on large-scale events, Terrain also runs a permanent gallery space, a performing arts space, a retail storefront, an arts-driven beautification program, and a professional development program for creative entrepreneurs. In addition to Wheelhouse, Ginger sits on the Boards of Artist Trust, Keep Music Live, and the Washington State Arts Commission, as well as the Advisory Committee for All in Washington. She also loves dogs, especially pugs.

PURPLE CRAYON PICTURES - SPOKANE

Juan Mas serves as Treasurer for Wheelhouse. Juan A Mas has been entrenched in the indie film world for over 25 years. He has been a producer, director and writer. He enjoys the collaboration of working with other filmmakers and artist of different fields as he continues to hone his craft as a storyteller. A longtime resident of Spokane, Mas is actively involved with the city’s Film, Theater, Music, and Art. He’s a founding member of the Spokane Film Project and 50 Hour Slam Film Festival, and has served on the advisory board for the Spokane Falls Community College Photography/Video department. Mas is an avid advocate for the development of the arts in Spokane and Washington State.

CAPITOL THEATRE - YAKIMA

Charlie Robin serves as Board Chair for Wheelhouse. Additionally, he is the CEO of the Capitol Theatre in Yakima and serves on the Board for the Washington State Arts Commission. Previously Charlie worked at Washington University in St. Louis as executive director of the Edison Theatre and 560 Music Center. While at the university he taught arts management at the graduate and undergraduate level. Charlie has served in leadership and programming positions with the St. Louis Professional Theatre Council, Circus Flora, Drive All Night Productions, and Laumeier Sculpture Park. Charlie is a professional singer and avid knitter.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

I started my career as an independent film publicist out of New York and Los Angeles designing the release campaigns for groundbreaking films such at “The Blair Witch Project,” “American Psycho” and “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.” I retired from publicity in 2000 and took a trip around the world! Two years and 42 countries later, I settled in Seattle where I've worked in various capacities including: director of publicity and promotion at SIFF, festival director of the Reel Cinerama Film Festival, and producer of the Fly Filmmaking Challenge. I am also the Executive Director of Washington Filmworks.

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE & OPERATIONS

I’m the weirdo who loves both art and math. I grew up in an artist studio drawing, tap dancing, and playing the organ. I studied painting in Paris, writing in Italy, and got my BFA in Film, Television and Radio Production at Tisch School of the Arts. I love art history and a good excel formula. I started my career working in the art department of television shows and transitioned into production accounting. I’ve run my own production company and hosted podcasts before joining Washington Filmworks to work on behalf of the statewide film industry. At Wheelhouse, I endeavor to expand that work to provide resources and opportunities for Washington’s creative community.

DEPUTY DIRECTOR

Rachelle Nesta has been fundraising for more than 18 years and is an active member in the community having served on numerous nonprofit Boards and Development Committees. Growing up, she started playing the violin at age 8 and continued through college. You will often find Rachelle crocheting, making greeting cards, cross stitching, or trying her hand at another craft a friend is into and she wants to try. Rachelle is a life-long learner, deeply passionate about women’s and children’s issues, and loves to talk about her home state of Wyoming.

COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR

I am a creative communicator from Tri-Cities, Washington. I attended Washington State University and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Media Production with a minor in Music Technology and a certificate in Graphic Design. While at WSU, I worked on multiple video production crews and was a sound designer for the Cable 8 student film “Mimesis.” I am passionate about the arts and proud to help support Washington’s creative community. In my free time, I love attending concerts, working on creative projects, and hiking around the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

I graduated from Washington State University with a degree in Broadcast Production and a Film Studies minor. After graduating with honors, I began working at a forensic video lab as a forensic video technician. I moved to Seattle in 2015 and joined the public sector, providing administrative support to various departments at the City of Seattle. I have a passion for serving the community I live in and, as a lifelong Washington resident, I am honored to be part of showcasing the creative industries in my home state.

SENIOR COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

I am a proud Washingtonian with a deep appreciation for all things Pacific Northwest. I have a degree in Creative Writing from Western Washington University and a certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Washington. Prior to joining the team, I spent the last decade and a half managing all marketing and communications for a vibrant youth arts organization in Seattle. My background in the arts and culture sector has helped me prioritize equity in storytelling, cultivate authentic relationships within the community, and inspire action through impactful narratives. I am forever carrying around a camera (read: hiding behind one!) and I love finding creativity in the most unsuspecting pockets of life.

COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR

Jasmine is deeply grateful for the state she’s called home for the past decade. As a University of Washington graduate with a degree in Interaction Design, she incorporates storytelling into every aspect of her work. Jasmine holds a lifelong passion for creative mediums and values the opportunity to contribute to Washington’s vibrant creative industries. In her free time, she enjoys listening to podcasts and is on a continuous mission to learn something new every day.