Message from Fauna Hurley: It is with a heavy heart that I am writing to you to let you know that my last day with VTIFF will be on April 5th. I am grateful to have enjoyed three fulfilling years alongside Orly, the Board of Directors and dedicated volunteers and members. I have learned to appreciate cinema in a new light and have benefited greatly from my relationships with many of you. VTIFF has shaped and challenged me and I feel lucky to have found this community of film lovers.
During this challenging time for everyone, I sincerely hope you will stick with VTIFF. As many of you know, Orly and the staff, volunteers and Board work very hard to curate films for you and soon enough we will be able to come together again. I am proud of all we've accomplished together and feel good knowing I'm leaving you in good hands as you will soon meet the newest team member at VTIFF. Be sure and give her a warm welcome!
I look forward to seeing you again at future VTIFF screenings as a fellow member of the audience! With gratitude, Fauna
Message from Kelly Keen: My name is Kelly Keen and I am thrilled to begin as VTIFF’s new Associate Director. I’d like to introduce myself here, as it seems we may have some time before meeting face-to-face.
A little bit about me… I am a Vermont native and grew up in Shelburne. I went to Colorado State University where I graduated in nutrition and biomedical sciences. To give myself some space to figure out what was next, I lived in Seattle for a bit with my now husband, Tim. But I couldn't stay away from Vermont long. While interests and plans have shifted along the way, my passion for food has remained constant. My belief that, when it comes to food, simple is better, less is more, and quality is paramount has kept me rooted in Vermont among the hardworking producers and restauranteurs who believe the same. This ideology drew me to a career that helps people enjoy the best parts of Vermont life: good food, excellent beer, and each other.
I come to VTIFF, most recently, from ArtsRiot in Burlington where I worked as the General Manager. I absolutely loved working at ArtsRiot. Since I’m easily excited and engaged by culinary arts and always love a good questioning of the status quo, I felt naturally at home at an organization that repeatedly pushed the envelope of what was possible in Burlington, Vermont. I quickly gravitated towards the performing arts side of the business, and while I knew I would never be the one on stage, I felt completely invigorated by helping to make that sort of magic happen. Windows into Burlington’s robust cultural arts community seemed to open up everywhere around me and I deeply cherished the everyday camaraderie with the unique makers and thinkers who make Burlington alive.
Because of VTIFF, I am so lucky to be able to continue my work in Burlington’s mighty arts community. I can already tell that Orly works incredibly hard to propagate VTIFF’s mission and that she has a beautiful community of film lovers around her. I can’t wait to become a part of this community and to support Orly and VTIFF in bringing the world to Vermont through film. After all, the time to spread open mindedness and compassion is now.
My goal is to continue Fauna’s high level of service and detailed execution, so please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at [email protected]. I am excited to get to know everyone personally and I hope to do so even through these socially challenging times.
A sincere thanks in advance for welcoming me into the VTIFF Community, Kelly Keen