Staff

Sage Martin has dedicated her professional career to working for outstanding nonprofits, including Sierra Club, Save the Redwoods, The Trust for Public Land and Telluride Mountain School. She has worked for environmental and education organizations as a nonprofit fundraiser for over twenty-five years and has a bachelor’s degree from University of Colorado, Boulder and a master’s degree in nonprofit administration from the University of San Francisco. In 2004, she moved from San Francisco to Telluride with her family. Sage's board service includes the Northern California Planned Giving Council, The Trust for Public Land Colorado Advisory Council, The Telluride Foundation, and The Telluride Lizard Head Hockey board.

Suzan is an Hispana-Latina-American filmmaker and was born and raised in the Caribbean. Her first film, Bag It, was a winner of the Britdoc Impact Award in Berlin and has been televised in over fifty countries. Uranium Drive-In was a recipient of Sundance Institute and Chicken and Egg funding and was featured at Good Pitch and at Hot Docs Pitch Forum. The film was broadcast on Independent Lens, awarded the Big Sky Award, honored for documentary excellence by the Alliance of Women Film Journalists, and was part of the American Film Showcase, an international film program of the U.S. State Department. Her most recent film, Massacre River: The Woman Without a Country aired on PBS, FranceTV and BBC World, is the recipient of ITVS funding, and was selected for the Latino Media Market, Camden International Film Festival Points North Fellowship, and IFP Spotlight on Documentaries. Suzan has been attending, volunteering, and working for Mountainfilm in some capacity since the early 1990s in positions ranging from Mountainfilm on Tour staff to festival judge to filmmaker, and now festival director. She's thrilled to be part of the Mountainfilm team.

Hope is thrilled to bring Mountainfilm’s programming to audiences near and far. A Maine native, she then graduated from Bates College with a B.A. in English and Biology. Hope moved to Telluride in 2019 to work as an AmeriCorps VISTA in public health across the Western Slope. During her first month in town, she volunteered for Mountainfilm and was inspired by the festival's spirit. She has continued to grow working in the nonprofit sector and recreating in formidable the San Juans. 

A pop-culture-obsessed film lover, Lucy Lerner has dedicated her professional life to a career in arts nonprofits, both in curation and project management. She has been involved in both the Telluride Film Festival and Mountainfilm for decades and is passionate about working with filmmakers worldwide to make connections and share film, art and ideas with Mountainfilm audiences. When not watching films, Lucy can be found adventuring in the San Juan mountains of Colorado with her family.

Storyteller, adventurer and problem solver, Shae LaPlace is dedicated to creating a life and career that is truly unconventional. Born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA, she moved to Colorado to pursue her degree from the University of Colorado and to bask in the sweet nectar of the Rocky Mountains. It was her affinity for all things rustic and authentic connections that drew her to Telluride. Her love of this magical box canyon, and intrinsic need for purpose led her to Mountainfilm. She is passionate about our mission and finding creative ways to share Mountainfilm with the world.

Crystal Merrill has worked in festival production for many years in Los Angeles, Palm Springs, and Telluride. She loves documentary film and has been with Mountainfilm since 2013, serving in a variety of roles from operations director to tour director to now festival producer. Crystal is on the board of directors for COPMOBA, advocating for sustainable mountain bike trails around Southwest Colorado. On the weekend, you can typically find her out on the singletrack or exploring new places with her camera. 

Bella Hines grew up in Ridgway, Colorado where she spent a majority of her time embracing the small mountain town lifestyle. Along with her passion for skiing, rafting, and mountain biking she also developed an affinity for film in high school. Bella went on to study Journalism and Media Communications with a minor in film production at Colorado State University. After graduating, Bella worked for Mountainfilm as a Theater Manager and immediately felt drawn to the organization and its purpose. She firmly believes that the mountains are for everyone, and is excited to further Mountainfilm’s mission as the Tour Manager.

Stash Wislocki has been working in film and television for two decades. His credits include HBO, NBC, CNN, Giraffe Partners, Warrior Poets, Patagonia, ESPN, PBS, Spotify, The Woods Hole Research Center and Apple. Stash has directed several shorts and feature films, which have screened at festivals, on television and in theaters around the world. Recent work includes the cover story for The New York Times article on Alaska's permafrost and his film Singlehanded (Mountainfilm 2020), which features Dustin Reynolds, the first double amputee to solo sail around the world, as he tells his story of finding solace on the water.

Activist and explorer, Laura's love for all things mountains brought her to Telluride and the Mountainfilm community. Laura grew up in the mountains of Colorado competing in skiing and mountain biking. She graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder with a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and pursued a career supporting missions she cares deeply about through the nonprofit sector. When Laura’s not in Telluride, she can be found traveling the world, often with her skis and bike in tow.

Lauren Howie, originally from Denver, has harbored a deep appreciation for the breathtaking mountain landscapes of Colorado throughout her life. After earning her bachelor's degree from Colorado State University, she made the move to Telluride, where her love for the mountains, the vibrant community and the enriching experience of Mountainfilm has only grown stronger. Lauren initially became involved with Mountainfilm through various seasonal roles supporting the programming team and she's now excited to explore other facets of the organization. During moments of free time, Lauren enjoys basking in the sunshine and embarking on adventures in new places.