DGA Executives Take on New Roles

MIKE DZIALO

Mike Dzialo joined the Guild in September 2002 as an Assistant Executive Director in the New York office. Since that time he has overseen the office's tape/television operations. Although continuing to work in that capacity, Mike will now also be in charge of Special Projects on the East Coast. He will be responsible for eastern contributions to the Guild's ongoing Visual History Project, act as liaison to the East Coast Special Projects Committee, plan special events for the region's members and host Q&A sessions with feature film directors following membership screenings.

"I am tremendously excited to be assisting our very talented members in planning programs that will serve the eastern DGA community," said Dzialo. "Already in the short time that I have had Special Projects responsibility, I have had the opportunity to work closely with people whose work I have long admired. I look forward to many more such opportunities in the years to come."

Mike graduated from Columbia University and Harvard Law School. He has a Ph.D. in English literature from Yale. Prior to joining the DGA staff, he was a lawyer representing labor organizations. He can be reached at (212) 581-0370.

KATHY GARMEZY

Kathy Garmezy is responsible for the Guild's legislative and governmental work in Washington DC, Sacramento and other State Capitols, as well as in Los Angeles, New York and Chicago. In this capacity she serves as an advocate for the Guild and its members on key issues that are being determined by legislative or governmental bodies. These issues include: federal and state incentives for runaway film and television production; intellectual property, copyright and anti-piracy protections, and issues that may arise relating to the protection of DGA members' creative and economic rights. She works with DGA's lobbyists in Washington and Sacramento. In addition, she coordinates and manages the work of the DGA Political Action Committee (PAC) and DGA PAC Leadership Council.

Garmezy is now also responsible for overseeing DGA's international concerns. She serves as liaison to directors' and authors' guilds and a range of international organizations that advocate for and protect directors/authors rights around the world. As the DGA's international staff she works particularly closely with the newly formed International Affiliation of English Speaking Directors Organizations (IAESDO) to help strengthen the English speaking directors organizations in those countries. She manages DGA's activities in France and Los Angeles as part of its partnership (along with MPAA, SACEM and WGA) in the Franco American Cultural Fund. "DGA's international activities are geared toward building stronger representation for directors around the world," Garmezy explains. "In a globalized marketplace, the companies our members work for are shooting and producing films around the world. Our goal is to ensure that fewer protections don't become the norm, but rather that the creative and economic protections the DGA offers become the standard across the globe."

Previously, Garmezy served as Co-Executive Director of The Film Foundation and before the consolidation served as the Executive Director of the Artists Rights Foundation. She received her B.A. magna cum laude in history and religion from the University of Rochester and her M.A. in Public Administration from the University of Chicago. She can be reached at (310) 289-5358.

JON LARSON

Jon Larson joined the Guild in 1999 as a Special Assignments Executive, before being promoted to Assistant Executive Director in 2003. Working out of the Guild's headquarters in Los Angeles, Larson oversaw enforcement of directors' post-production creative rights, and commercial contracts. Hr has participated in negotiating the DGA's Basic, Low Budget, and Commercial Agreements, and served as Trustee to the DGA-Producer Training Program.

Larson will continue his work with commercial directors and safeguarding creative rights, but will now also be in charge of overseeing the Guild's Independent Film Initiative which includes: guiding the Independent Directors Committee West and its activities, negotiating sponsorship agreements with film festivals, signing companies to the DGA's Low Budget Agreements, and targeting prospective feature film directors for membership with the DGA, while continuing to be involved with our existing director-members via the ongoing creative rights committees.

"I look forward to building and strengthening the Guild's relationship with the Independent film community and helping to ensure that the next generation of feature filmmakers finds a home at the DGA," said Larson.

Larson received his BA magna cum laude from Amherst College and completed the film program at New York University. Prior to joining the DGA staff, Larson oversaw the work of the Writers Guild of America's thirty-plus member committees, and was on the staff of the La Jolla Playhouse. He can be reached at (310) 289-5325.