Our Team

A Washington native, Monica started her festival career as a programming intern for the Nantucket Film Festival after graduating from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts with a B.F.A in Film and Television Production. She later became a reader for Nantucket's annual screenwriting competition, as well as a script analyst and judge for the Richmond International Film Festival, the Creative World Awards, the Bluecat Screenplay Competition, NYC Midnight, and individual screenwriters. Returning to the Washington area in 2011, she worked for the American Film Institute’s documentary film festival for nine years under its Silverdocs and AFI DOCS iterations. Before joining DCEFF, she served as the production coordinator, associate programmer, and director of programming for the Annapolis Film Festival. She currently holds the champion title for pickled peppers in Montgomery County, Maryland.

Brad is the Director of Programming for the Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital. He has worked as the director of photography for various documentary projects – including the upcoming film Painted City – and has served as a videographer for local production companies and universities, as well as at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He holds a BA in Asian Studies from Furman University and an MA in International Journalism from Cardiff University.

Jacob began working with DCEFF's communications team ahead of the 2018 Festival and has since taken over marketing, engagement, and operations strategy for the organization. Prior to working at DCEFF, Jacob oversaw a variety of communications and development efforts for environmental non-profits in Colorado and Minnesota as well as the University of Minnesota and George Washington University.

He is a proud father to a house full of animals, including his dachshund/chihuahua mix, Bertie, and two corgis, Morty and Pippin. Jacob is a Wisconsin native, holding a degree in Film Studies from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee.

Prior to joining DCEFF, Brianna was Corporate Relations Manager at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, collaborating with corporate partners to support the Center’s diverse programming. A South Carolina native, she holds a theatre degree from the College of Charleston and began her career at Spoleto Festival USA. Brianna also serves on the board of St. Mark’s Players, a Capitol Hill community theatre, where she continues to perform and stage manage whenever possible.

Sam Plakun (she/her) has over a decade of experience in the documentary film space, specializing in programming and festival management. For seven years, she served as Program Manager for the DC Environmental Film Festival (DCEFF) and has also held positions with DOC NYC, BlackStar Film Festival, DC/DOX, Brooklyn Film Festival, and DC Shorts. Her industry experience has earned her a spot on award juries at numerous festivals, including the Bozcaada International Festival of Documentary, Indie Street Film Festival, and the Green Film Network.

Born and raised in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts, Sam earned a degree in Media Arts for Social Justice from Pitzer College, part of the Claremont College consortium in Southern California. Now a proud D.C. resident, Sam shares her love of film with her husband and two cats.

Cate started at DCEFF as an intern in 2023 and returned as the Marketing & Communications Assistant in 2024. She is excited to return for another Festival season, now as the Program Manager. She is a Virginia-based filmmaker and editor. A proud Hokie, Cate graduated from Virginia Tech with a BA in both Creative Writing and Film. When she’s not utilizing her AMC Stubs membership, you will find her planning her next dinner party for family and friends!

Audrey brings a diverse background in marketing, event coordination, and sustainability to her role at DCEFF. With a passion for environmental advocacy, she supports the Festival's fundraising and administrative efforts by processing donations, maintaining the donor database, and executing donor communications. Drawing on her experience in project management and strategic planning, Audrey contributes to event planning, collaborates with vendors, and ensures that all stakeholders receive appropriate recognition.

Originally from Seattle, Audrey enjoys getting out and exploring the DMV area, traveling, and promoting sustainable practices!

Megan brings a strong background in program coordination and project management to her role at DCEFF. Prior to joining the team, she managed large-scale international development projects across Africa and the Middle East, overseeing grants, budgets, and logistics while fostering collaboration among diverse partners. She has also contributed to independent film projects through archival research and grant writing.

Originally from Florida, Megan enjoys exploring new places, getting on the water, and playing soccer. She holds a bachelor and master of public health with a focus on behavior change science from the University of Florida and is especially interested in the intersection of environmental conservation, international development, and film as a way to inspire action and create long-term impact.

Olivia Bronwyn is an emerging, multifaceted filmmaker with a focus in documentary and experimental storytelling. With her previous education in English and Environmental Geography at the University of Toronto, and now finishing up her final year studying Film and Television Production at Humber Polytechnic, her interest for an environmental education has come full circle. Her focus on sustainable filmmaking in her program has led her to becoming a representative for Humber as a Green Film School Alliance Ambassador, and she is thrilled to take part in the DCEFF as she looks to continue connecting with like minded individuals in both the film and sustainability spaces.

Callan is thrilled to be serving as a Youth Programming Intern at DCEFF! She recently graduated from Juniata College with a degree in Media Production and Technology alongside a Museum Studies minor. This course of study led to a love for all things educational and documentary media. So far, her work has spanned across 7 states and D.C., ranging from summer camp photography to managing her college’s Video Production Team. Locally, she has interned at Maryland Public Television and the National Air and Space Museum. Long term, her goal is to develop educational media for school-aged audiences.

In her spare time, Callan can be found outside hiking and kayaking, as well as exploring all that D.C. has to offer.

Elizabeth brings a diverse working background in environmental education, events operations, and the arts to her internship with DCEFF. A senior at American University in Washington, D.C., she is majoring in International Relations and minoring in Environmental Science and Dance. Previously working with FRESHFARM and ArcGIS mapping of hiking trails in Iceland, Elizabeth is thrilled to continue working within sustainability, this time through a film-based lens.

Born in D.C. and raised in Dallas, Texas, Elizabeth can be found hiking, dancing, or cooking when out of the office. On campus, she is involved with the Sisterhood of International Engagement, the Veloric Center for Entrepreneurship, and DJ-ing a weekly radio show at WVAU.org.

Caitlin is thrilled to join DCEFF in amplifying environmental stories. She brings experience in climate education, outreach, and advocacy. Working with nonprofits, including Take Action Global, Caitlin has created climate curricula and collaborated with educators, UN agencies, and U.S. embassies globally. As Outreach Coordinator of Project Green Schools’ National Youth Council, Caitlin connected more than 6,500 schools in environmental action. Now, as a freshman at Harvard, she is studying Environmental Policy and English.

Caitlin is interested in exploring the intersections of environmental storytelling and policy. In her free time, she can be found drawing, running along the Charles River, and baking anything with chocolate.