SHREVEPORT, LA –The Board of Directors at Robinson Film Center (RFC) has named Wendell Riley as the incoming Executive Director of the Shreveport-based nonprofit. Riley will replace outgoing interim Executive Director Rich Hansil.
Riley, who is currently the Director of Media and External Relations at LSU Shreveport, has been a part of the Shreveport-Bossier film community for over a decade, working on Emmy, Cannes, Clio, Telly, and Webby award-winning projects at Moonbot Studios and Rational Middle Media. He has also worked with the Louisiana Prize Fest team and was instrumental in the early growth of Film Prize Jr., an acclaimed filmmaking competition and festival for high-school students. Riley has been
a longtime supporter of RFC and has recently been a volunteer instructor for film analysis classes in the center’s Filmmaking 101 series. Along with his educational and non-profit work, Riley has experience working with international clients such as Disney, Amazon, Gatorade, Chipotle, Dolby, Unilever, and Michelin. Riley is also a judge at the annual Cinema on the Bayou festival in Lafayette, Louisiana.
“I’m so excited to join RFC in the coming months,” Riley said. “I feel like I’m joining a winning team, as RFC has already cemented its place as a cultural jewel in Shreveport. My goal is to build upon what has already been done, as I believe in the transformative power of the arts, and the medium of film in particular. We can do so much more to bring all that RFC has to offer to wider and traditionally underserved communities, and leverage partnerships with area organizations to continue to nurture the local film industry.”
Hansil, who will be returning to producing TV and film while continuing to serve as Co-director of Education and Programming at RFC along with his wife, Rachael, joined the RFC team in 2019, with the goal of developing more robust and hands-on film education offerings in the Shreveport- Bossier region. As practicing filmmakers, they focus on providing applicable training across the entire film production pipeline, taught by industry professionals, many of whom are based in the region. When former Executive Director Meghan Hochstetler Avallone announced her departure, Hansil stepped in to run the center, and in his brief tenure he has worked closely with the board to
identify new opportunities and efficiencies on both the operational and public-facing sides of the house.
“I love being part of the team at the Robinson Film Center, and I can’t think of a better choice than Wendell to lead our group,” Hansil said. “He has the perfect mix of for-profit and non-profit experience, is an experienced leader, and truly loves cinema. He’s seen firsthand the impacts film can have on the lives of the people of our region.”
“When we began our search for a new executive director, we knew we had big shoes to fill,” said Anna Gleason, President of RFC’s Board of Directors. “Wendell couldn’t be a more perfect fit for this role. I’m excited to see some of his ideas come to fruition, and we’re looking forward to his insight and leadership through the Robinson’s next era. The future for RFC is bright and full of potential, and we believe Wendell is the ideal person to lead the charge.”
Riley will begin his tenure at RFC on August 1st, 2022.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Richard Hansil, RFC Interim Executive Director
(318) 459-4112, rhansil@robinsonfilmcenter.org
Anna Gleason, RFC Board President
(318) 505-8681, agleason@rbm.com