BOARD OF DIRECTORS
James Duisenberg
President
Bella Babot
Vice President
Bella Babot is a nonprofit leader, creative strategist, and advocate for the arts, equity, and sustainability. Her career spans global tech, Passive House construction, nonprofit development, and purpose-driven marketing. She serves as Vice President of the Board for the Santa Cruz Film Festival and President of the Board at Silicon Valley NARI, with past leadership at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History.​ Bella’s board service includes The Ihangane Project, 49ers Academy, AIA Home Tours, TheatreWorks, and more. She is a Partner at Earth Bound Homes, a certified B Corp specializing in sustainable residential design and building. Rooted in creativity and community, she brings heart, vision, and passion to every endeavor.
James began with the Santa Cruz Film Festival as a volunteer and a member of the advisory board in 1999. After many years of working with the founding members of the festival as a creative consultant, and technical assistant, he took on the role of Technical Director in 2014 and became the executive director in 2020. James' professional film career began in 1999 after landing a role as Senior Video Producer for a Fox network, creating colorful TV commercials, while moonlighting in San Francisco on feature films. He quickly advanced to the role of Assistant Director for feature films. James has produced and directed for live TV productions for PBS, NBC Sports, Pac12 Network, and many more. James is now a Senior Media Systems Specialist Manager at Santa Clara University for the Media Services Department, managing many employees for campus events and technical video & media related projects.
Angela Chesnut
Secretary
Angela has lived in the community for over 20 years and has served as a prolific fundraiser and community organizer for a myriad of non-profit organizations, helping most notably with the Tannery Arts Center Colligan Theater, Monarch Services, Save our Shores, and the Museum of Art and History (MAH). She is currently the Senior Director of Community and Government Relations at the Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County, former District Director for State Senator John Laird of District 17 and Chief of Staff for former Santa Cruz County Supervisor John Leopold in the 1st Supervisorial District. Angela also has an extensive public sector history serving with the Department of Justice combating human trafficking in Washington, DC Agent and the mid-Atlantic as a Special as well as ensuring trust and safety for victims of cybercrime at eBay, Inc. in Silicon Valley. She lives in Santa Cruz with her daughter Bianca and son Clifton Chesnut.
Jeff Warrick
Mercedes Lewis
Bilko Cuervo
Treasurer
Jeff is UC Santa Cruz graduate with a double major in Film & Video / Literature. After ten years working in print and digital media marketing, he launched his own local video production company, Ignite Productions, LLC, which produced an assortment of projects including shorts, music videos, live events, commercials and a feature documentary, PROGRAMMING THE NATION?, which screened theatrically in the US and premiered at the Santa Cruz Film Festival in 2007. Jeff is currently a REALTOR at Bailey Properties in Aptos and a freelance videographer / drone pilot.
Mercedes is a creative strategist with over two decades of experience at the intersection of art, culture, and community. She leads communications at Arts Council Santa Cruz County and runs Mercedes Maria, an emerging art advisory rooted in storytelling and curation. With a background in creative direction, design, and community-based work, and a global perspective shaped by her upbringing, Mercedes brings clarity and innovation to every project. She serves on the executive committees of the Museum of Art & History and Visit Santa Cruz County, championing Santa Cruz as a vibrant cultural destination where artists can thrive.
Bilko is a Cuban-born American director, writer, and cinematographer based in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. He is a multiple award-winning filmmaker known for his distinctive visual storytelling and uncompromising artistic vision, which have earned him recognition as an auteur within his peers. His work is characterized by raw emotional depth, striking imagery, and immersive narratives that explore the human condition with unflinching honesty. Bilko has built a reputation for crafting visually compelling, character-driven stories. His background in music videos and commercial projects has significantly influenced his cinematic style, allowing him to blend bold visual experimentation with narrative precision, which continues to shape his work across all mediums.
