REEL WĀHINE OF HAWAI’I: LEANNE K. FERRER

Leanne was an exceptional leader, storyteller, mother, friend, advocate, and visionary highly regarded in the independent film community. She joined PIC in 2008 as a program manager and became the Executive Director in 2013. Throughout her 13 years of service, Leanne was an ardent supporter of public media, recognizing its crucial role in building a democratic society and its potential to educate, inform, and engage communities nationwide. With her unwavering dedication, Leanne steered PIC towards new frontiers. She co-created Pacific Heartbeat, a public television series that featured stories and experiences of Pacific Islander people and culture. Leanne oversaw several other productions in collaboration with the National Multicultural Alliance, PBS, the WORLD Channel, American Public Television, and the National Educational Telecommunications Association. As the digital world expanded, Leanne saw the need to connect media makers to network and share knowledge. This led to the creation of the PIC Media Makers Summit, the Hawaiian Handbook for Media Protocol, and the Hawaiian Media Makers Database. Leanne''s previous experience at Disney Films and PBS Hawai''i, as well as her role as the previous Board President for Hawaiʻi Women in Filmmaking, advisory board member of the Hawaiian Media Makers and the Hawaiʻi Film Foundation at Nuʻumealani, made her an invaluable asset to the film community.