May May Tchao

I transfer my skills from TV commercial production to documentary filmmaking
after more than 35 years in the Chicago’s advertising business. As director and producer of this project,  I see this as an opportunity to give voice to the voiceless, using the power of storytelling to reveal truth and making a difference.

A firm believer in “learning by doing,” I honed in my craft by collaborating with top talents to explore compelling stories to raise awareness and promote change. My directorial debut SPILLED WATER has won awards, shown in national and international film festivals and was broadcast on PBS channels WTTW and KQED.

Laurie MacMillan

Laurie is an award-winning documentary editor and story consultant. Her credits include CROSSING ARIZONA, which premiered at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival and FOLLOW MY VOICE, an official selection of the Tribeca Film Festival. She edited TWO AMERICANS which toured the US as part of the ACLU's national campaign for immigration reform. Laurie's work has been broadcast on PBS, Sundance Channel, NHK and Al Jazeera.

Stephanie V. Strauss

Stephanie, first cameraperson on this project since its inception, has a wonderful sense of lighting and narrative eye. Currently, she is a two-time Telly award-winning video producer with Healthline.com, the #1 health information site in the US. Prior to working at Healthline, Stephanie was a video producer at Condé Nast creating content for brands including Teen Vogue, SELF, GQ, and BRIDES. Stephanie completed a journalism fellowship in Prague after her post-graduate studies at the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies. She earned her BA at the University of Colorado where she graduated summa cum laude. Stephanie has a deep interest in telling stories about health, gender, and what makes people tick.

Sam Rong

Sam is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. He currently works in multi-media storytelling for non-profit and higher education. Sam was a former journalist with 8 years of experience in television news and documentary in South Africa and the United States. He has collaborated with various filmmakers nationally and internationally including May Tchao for her first film, SPILLED WATER (2014). Sam is passionate about global and local stories, as long as they explore the unique dimensions of the human spirit and speak to the heart.

Sharon Zurek

Sharon, our post-production supervisor, is the owner of Black Cat Productions and enjoys working on social issue documentaries. She co-produced and edited THE G-FORCE, HANNAH FREE and many other independent features and short films. Her documentary, A MIND IN QUICK SAND: LIFE WITH HUNTINGTON’S aired nationally on public broadcasting stations from 2015-2019. Sharon is a Professor of Instruction at Columbia College Chicago.

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