About The Reel Champions
The Reel Champions, formerly known as Women Wednesday, is a robust 501(c)(3) organization operating under the umbrella of Cinematography for Actors Institute. Run by a board of entertainment industry professionals, TRC supports people of marginalized genders within the film and television industry. What began as a small weekly screening in our founder’s living room has since grown into a vibrant community featuring a biweekly newsletter, monthly panels, screenings, and networking mixers, as well as the NextGEN Mentorship Program.
Not only have we successfully helped several individuals secure their first industry jobs, but we have also created a network spanning across all levels of experience that is passionate about supporting one another. Our mission, as The Reel Champions, is to foster a welcoming community for all people of marginalized genders in the entertainment industry, and to nurture their careers through education and mentorship so their unique voices can be heard.
Our mission
The Reel Champions is a supportive and uplifting community within the entertainment industry dedicated to helping women and non-binary filmmakers achieve the recognition and jobs they deserve. In conjunction, we mentor future decision-makers to enable positive change in the hiring, depiction, and representation of minority genders and people of color.
Our vision
TRC will be the big sister in the industry we wish we all had. We will continue to grow our digital footprint by expanding social media and the digital newsletter following. With this wide reach, we’ll amplify the names and work of talented marginalized gendered filmmakers so industry decision-makers think of them when hiring. In addition, TRC will deepen its impact by creating long-lasting bonds and providing educational spaces through the NextGEN mentorship program. We are dedicated to growing a supportive, passionate community through both in-person and virtual mixers, screenings, and panels.
The Reel Champions Executive BOARD
The Reel Champions is run by a small, but mighty group of volunteer entertainment professionals who are dedicated to increasing representation of minority genders behind the camera and in the boardroom. Some are former mentees and mentors in the NextGEN Mentorship Program.
Myrakel Baker
Myrakel Baker (she/they) is a filmmaker and arts program leader with over six years of experience supporting BIPOC and underrepresented artists across film, media, and performance. She worked in both nonprofit and industry settings—including Firelight Media and HBO Documentaries—where she’s led artist retreats, curated public programming, and managed high-profile releases.
As a programmer for festivals like Urbanworld and DOCNYC, Myrakel has championed innovative storytelling and built community through film. Her career has been grounded in mentorship, coalition building, and mission-driven work that uplifts women, non-binary creatives, and storytellers of color.
Co-President
Pinar Binay
Pınar Binay (she/her) is a creative producer based in Los Angeles, dedicated to championing bold, genre-driven stories with a twist. Originally from Turkey, she is a Film Independent Project Involve fellow and an NYU Tisch School of the Arts graduate, where she studied Film & TV Production with triple minors in Producing, Art History, and Business.
Her work spans short films, pilots, and feature development, with projects screening at prestigious festivals worldwide, including SXSW, HollyShorts, and Cannes Short Film Corner. Her films have earned major recognition: Sunflower was longlisted for the 97th Oscars, and Survived By received multiple nominations, leading to winning the Audience Award at the 2024 Dances With Films.
Guided by her international perspective, Pınar is committed to uncovering authentic narratives and bringing them to life through innovative, emotionally resonant storytelling.
Co-President
Jacqueline Elyse Rosenthal
Head of Business DevelopmentJacqueline Elyse Rosenthal (she/her) is a DGA Grand Prize & Student-Emmy winning Writer/Director and Activist, known for her film BACKLOG (Cannes official selection), which is currently being packaged as a feature. After adapting the short, the BACKLOG feature script won Stage 32 and Catalyst Studios’ Empowering Women Script Competition. Most recently, she wrapped a 31-day shoot at SONY Studios for her sci-fi epic, Europa, a film she wrote and directed about a privatized space mission, produced by ETC@USC (Emerging Technology Center) with the support of SONY and Oscar-winning VFX company, Pixomondo.
Jacqueline is an alum of the Creator’s Playlab Fellowship, the Fox Fellowship, The Athena Writer’s Lab, Stowe Story Labs, honored in 2021 by the United Nations Development Programme, and was recently named a Semi-Finalist for the Athena List, for BACKLOG. She has four features in development, with her next film Gaslight filming Summer 2025. Jacqueline is a member of The Reel Champions, WIF, and Film Fatales, volunteering in programs for all three. She holds an MFA in Film Production from USC, as the John Huston Directing Scholar and is represented by 3 Arts, CCE, and Del Shaw.
Alle Hsu
Alexandra Hsu (she/her) is a Chinese American director/producer whose work explores identity, intergenerational relationships, and often the inner lives of Asian and Asian American women. Her films Sophie 籠中雀, Our Way Home 归程, Rencontres Paysannes–Farmers Dating have screened/premiered at Oscar-qualifying festivals such as Austin, HollyShorts, and BendFilm. Her NYU thesis film POP! stars Emmy-nominated Michelle Ang. She’s currently on the festival run with POP! and Unwavering.
Alexandra is an alum of the SFFILM FilmHouse Residency and was a finalist for the SFFILM Westridge Grant. She has been selected for several programs: Cine Qua Non Storylines Lab, Unlock Her Potential, Women in Film Mentoring Program, and is apart of the Gold House Futures Network. She holds an MFA from NYU Tisch and a BA from Scripps College. Her passion lies in crafting emotionally resonant stories that cross cultural boundaries and spark dialogue.
Alexandra is currently developing Beach House, an atmospheric psychological drama which has been a part of the CQNL’s Storylines Lab, Stowe Story Labs/Galway Marketplace, Plenty of Pie Talent Incubator, and BendFilm BaseCamp this year. She creates with intentionality and care, building collaborative spaces where fellow artists can take risks and thrive.
Head of Filmmaker Relations
Pam Matew
Pam Matew (she/her), aka Pambition, is a highly skilled and experienced first-generation Latina filmmaker and director. Born of Colombian and Romanian heritage, her genre of choice is psychological thriller with a dash of deep, emotional drama. If Christopher Nolan and Jordan Peele had a film director baby, it would be Pam. She likes to keep it cerebral and nonlinear.
Pam graduated with her bachelor’s in TV, Film & Media Studies from CSULA and has gone on to direct 13 short films over the last 14 years with her 2 most recent ones in post. Pam has worked on several feature films, shorts and commercials as a 1st AD which has allowed her to learn from other directors, learn about different types of directing styles and how to truly understand the ins and outs of pre-production and production as a whole.
In addition to her success, Pam is also deeply committed to mentorship having brought on female directing mentees/shadows to her own independent projects to continue teaching, educating and uplifting other women directors.
Outgoing Head of Mentorship
Incoming Head of MentorshipAlex Porges
Alexandra Porges (she/her) is an Assistant Attorney in Scripted Television Business Affairs at Creative Artists Agency, where she assists in supporting complex dealmaking for television clients. Her work includes drafting and negotiating above-the-line and below-the-line agreements, with a focus on protecting intellectual property and ensuring guild compliance. She collaborates closely with agents, creatives, and production teams to navigate legal risks while supporting the development of high profile projects.
Prior to joining CAA, Alex trained at The Walt Disney Company through the Disney Lawyers in Film Training Program and, while in law school, interned with several leading business and legal affairs teams, including Marvel Studios, Legendary Entertainment, and FilmNation Entertainment. She earned her J.D. from Loyola Law School where she served as Chief Alumni Relations and Symposia Editor for the Loyola Entertainment Law Review. Alex is a member of the State Bar of California and is based in Los Angeles.
Julia Hess
Julia Hess (she/her) is a Chinese-adoptee originally from the Philadelphia suburbs, now based in Los Angeles. Hess is a Boston University graduate and a proud MAIP (Multicultural Advertising Internship Program) alum. She is a director and producer in the narrative film and documentary world. She’s focused on normalizing diversity on screen and telling authentic stories that spotlight communities that are not often highlighted in mainstream Hollywood.
Currently, Hess is producing a indie sports documentary as well as an indie feature film. Recently, she directed an episode for the pilot season of the web series, HOMEGIRLS. She also directed the short film, SINCERELY, YOUR FRIEND, winning awards at Film Festivals including Audience Choice award at the California Women's Film Festival 2023.
Previously she's worked on shows such as SNOWFALL, KENAN, BETTER THINGS, Amazon's WISH LIST GAMES, THE BACHELOR, and $100,000 PYRAMID, among others. Hess also has experience as a Content Producer, creating social content for food brands and an entertainment streaming company.
Head of Digital
Sabrina Ortiz
Sabrina Ortiz (she/her), originally from Boston, MA, and currently based in LA, is a Colombian and Venezuelan multidisciplinary artist, photographer, director and producer. She graduated from Emerson College in 2019 and has since gained 5+ years of experience working in fashion, entertainment PR, talent management and film/tv development at several companies including HBO, Lionsgate, and currently Lucasfilm.
In her current PR role at Lucasfilm, she’s helped strengthen fan engagement by leading and implementing DEI efforts that identify and cultivate new multicultural voices and tastemakers. Sabrina also serves as executive producer of iridescent, a creative studio and artist-driven production company that specializes in creating bold, boundary-pushing scripted and unscripted content that showcases the voices and visions of emerging artists, filmmakers, designers and brands.
Head of Programming
Sydney Yockey (she/her) is a field and post Associate Producer on unscripted competition shows including AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR and AMERICA'S GOT TALENT. She also worked on SURVIVOR as a challenge PA and a Night Segment Producer. In her spare time, Sydney produces and DP's short films, music videos, and web series with a focus on diverse, women-led stories.
Sydney is a graduate of the NBCUniversal Page Program (September 2020 Cohort) and Northwestern University (Class '20). Prior to working in production, she supported the president of Universal Television Alternative Studio (THE WALL, THAT'S MY JAM, WEAKEST LINK).
TRC Shorts Fest - Festival Director
Sydney Yockey
women wednesday
(NOW KNOWN AS THE REEL CHAMPIONS)
Women Wednesday was founded by Carly Kleinbart in 2018 to bring together industry members who are dedicated to finding, sharing, and empowering the voices of female filmmakers. What started as a weekly movie screening with a few friends has quickly evolved into an industry wide event and newsletter that is shared with thousands of executives, agents, coordinators, and assistants across the business. To broaden the community, Lizzie Frieder joined Carly in creating a New York Branch.
As a group, Women Wednesday holds ourselves accountable to educating ourselves on the work of talented female filmmakers to ensure that they are getting a proper shot when we are developing projects. As this group grows, we continue to look for new female voices to discover, share, and elevate in our weekly screening and newsletter.
Carly Kleinbart
Carly Kleinbart is the Vice President of Production and Development at Hidden Pictures Media. Previously, she was a Director of Development for feature films at Mandeville. Prior to Mandeville, Carly began her career at WME in the Motion Picture Literary and Business Affairs Department before moving into development and production at Pascal Pictures. She founded Women Wednesdays and ran the LA branch. She co-founded and ran the inaugural BIPOC NextGEN Mentorship program with Lizzie and the Steering Committee. Carly is also a member of the inaugural class of Times Up: Who’s In The Room, a program geared towards empowering the next generation of producers and executives. A Princeton, New Jersey native, Carly received her B.A. in Film/Radio/Television and Business from Northwestern University.
Lizzie Frieder
Lizzie Frieder is a Director of Development at Irony Point. She previously worked at Tina Fey’s production company Little Stranger and at United Talent Agency in the Motion Picture Talent department. She is based in New York City. She created the NY branch of Women Wednesday and co-founded our inaugural BIPOC NextGEN Mentorship program with Carly and the Steering Committee. A Princeton, New Jersey native, Lizzie received her B.A. in Film/Radio/Television and Business from Northwestern University.