BOARD OF DIRECTORS
DOUG ST. DENIS
PHIL GARN
Growing up in Arlington, Virginia, Phil Garn would often visit his grandparents, Alexander and Frances Golitzen who met at MGM back in the 1930s. The highlights included going on the Universal Studios Backlot, where Sasha, as the grand kids called him, would take him on personal tours showing him the latest gag he and his art department were working on such as “Parting the Red Sea” for the Studio Tour not to mention the McHale’s Navy PT boats on the lake or the iconic Munster Coach in the motor pool. After graduating from the University of Virginia (1982) and Officer’s Candidate School (1983), Frances and Sasha took him down to NAB, Coronado. He would spend many holidays with them and their good friends, Lelia and John Arensthma stage name “John Datu” best known for art direction on Howard Hawks’ Red River with John Wayne. After active duty with then Special Boat Unit 12 now Special Boat Team12, Phil would go into the Naval Reserves with Special Boat Unit 13 and work for the US Postal Service including over twenty-six years as a Postal Inspector, where criminal investigations took him from Brussels to Buenos Aires and from Anchorage to Acapulco. Another highlight was receiving an award from the legendary performer Steve Allen in Los Angeles with his family for “Operation Special Delivery” a pioneering international child exploitation investigation. Phil knew Coronado was the place and convinced his wife, Lisa, to buy their house in 1992, which they thought would be a starter. Lisa, a former buyer at Costco, took ceramics classes with Doug and Dale St. Dennis, well you can see where this is going. Phil had also struck up a friendship with then Library Director Christian Esquiven after Susan Clausen’s one-woman Edith Head performance. Phil would soon be introducing Sasha’s films for the Coronado Island Film Festival including his Academy Award winning “To Kill a Mocking Bird” and “Phantom of the Opera” as well as his Oscar nominated classics “Foreign Correspondent” and “Flower Drum Song,” one of Sasha’s favorites and a first with an all Asian cast. Christian asked Phil to be on the Board where he would serve on several committees as well as Vice President and is currently President with a terrific board, professional staff, hundreds of local volunteers and industry professionals who bring the arts and artisans of Film to Coronado. An avid ocean swimmer and former Coronado Beach Lifeguard, Phil has swum the Catalina and English Channels and can usually be seen paralleling the shore between the Hotel Del and the Navy Lodge at North Island. Bruce the White Shark is another story.
Not surprisingly as a former NSW boat guy, SWCC veteran, and founding member of the Combatant Craft Crewman Association, one of Phil’s favorite films is “Apocalypse Now.” He first saw Coppola’s masterpiece on the Big Screen in Charlottesville in 1979 and has watched subsequent cuts in San Diego including at the old Horton Plaza and Ken theaters. While he personally loves the French Plantation sequence, which he chased for years looking for any scrap or rumor about the missing scenes like the Maltese Falcon, it really does not move the story. However, stealing Killgore’s surfboard should have been in the first cut as it made Williard’s (Martin Sheen’s) character more relatable and established a bond with the boat crew. It was also the kind of shenanigans boat guys might actually get up to.
CAROL ARENDT
A native Chicagoan and lifelong John Hughes enthusiast, Carol Arendt’s love of film began during high school when she worked at her local theater. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Carol traded the snowy shores of Lake Michigan for sunny San Diego in 2010. She and her family were quickly drawn to Coronado’s small-town charm and fell in love with the community—especially the Village Theater.
Carol’s passion for connecting people through shared experiences led her to volunteer with the Coronado Island Film Festival in 2019. Since then, she has become a Patron member and, in 2023, joined the Festival’s Board as Secretary.
When she’s not contributing to the Film Festival, Carol enjoys playing with her pup at Dog Beach, practicing yoga, balancing the adventures of raising twin teenagers, visiting her oldest daughter in college, and catching classic films with her husband, Dan.
JEANMARIE BOND
Jeanmarie Bond has lived in Coronado for more than 25 years and is a longtime patron of the arts. Currently retired, she serves as a Commissioners on the Coronado Cultural Arts Commission, is an active member of Rotary Club of Coronado, and serves in various other voluntary roles in the community. She retired in 2021 after serving as the President and CEO of
the Coronado Schools Foundation where she led that organization through the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. Prior to that she spent more than 10 years working for UC San Diego where she was the Corporate Secretary for the UC San Diego Foundation. In that leadership role, she worked directly with the university’s most prolific and generous donors serving on the Board of Trustees. She also worked closely with the Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, and other
academic leaders in advancing the philanthropic mission of the institution in support of its inaugural strategic plan.
ALISON LANCASTER
Alison Lancaster has been a proud resident of Coronado for 39 years and joined the CIFF Board in 2019 as Treasurer. Growing up in a Navy family, she spent most of her school years in Jacksonville, Florida, before earning her degree in Accounting from the University of Florida. Shortly after, she moved to Coronado with her Navy husband.
Alison began her career as a staff accountant for the developer Lankford & Associates in La Jolla, where she worked for four years. She later retired from Cleanline Concrete Inc., where she held a multifaceted role overseeing accounting, bidding, and contracts.
She and her husband continue to call Coronado home. They have four grown daughters and an adorable grandson.
Favorite Movie: Pride and Prejudice (2005) – “Such a hard question, there are so many, but the one I watch more than any other is the Keira Knightley version of Pride and Prejudice.”
CHRISTIAN ESQUEVIN
Christian Esquevin has been a Board Member of the Coronado Island Film Festival for nine years and has served for two terms as its president. He served as the City of Coronado’s liaison to the Film Festival when it started as a working group as part of the Coronado Cultural Arts Commission. He was Born in Marseille, France and raised in Los Angeles, where he received a B.A. in Anthropology at California State University and a Master’s in Library Science at USC. Esquevin has lived in Coronado since 1975 and served as Coronado’s Director of Library Services for thirty years. He oversaw the major 2003-2005 expansion and remodel of the Coronado Library, including the restoration and installation of the Ramos Martinez “La Avenida” fresco murals and the Wizard of Oz” glass panels. Esquevin is the author of Adrian: Silver Screen to Custom Label, Monacelli Press, 2008, and Designing Hollywood: Studio Wardrobe in the Golden Age, University Press of Kentucky, 2023.
KEN FITZGERALD
Ken Fitzgerald is a trial lawyer, trumpet player, and writer who has lived in Coronado since 1986. He has a B.A. in Music from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, and a law degree from the UCLA School of law. Ken is the managing partner of the trial-focused litigation boutique law firm of Fitzgerald Knaier LLP. [He has been ranked several times as one of the Top 10 attorneys in San Diego by San Diego Super Lawyers and has been continuously recognized by Best Lawyers in America as one of the top intellectual property and commercial litigation lawyers in the nation. Ken sits on the Advisory Board of the Shepherd Society, which supports the Shepherd School of Music at his alma mater Rice University, where he endowed a full tuition
scholarship for trumpet performance majors.] A former full-time professional musician, Mr. Fitzgerald has performed with the San Diego Symphony, San Diego Opera, San Diego Chamber Orchestra, Houston Symphony, and the Festival Guadalquivir Orchestra in Tarija, Bolivia. He is currently the principal trumpet of the La Jolla Symphony Orchestra. His favorite film is Dr. Strangelove, for its stark and darkly menacing cinematography, savage
humor, and the bravura performances by Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, and the criminally
underrated Slim Pickens.
JENNIFER FRANKS
Jennifer M. Franks is an author, adventure traveler, animal lover, concert enthusiast, avid reader and flamenco guitar player. Jennifer is a cofounder of the Coronado Music and Art Foundation, the Coronado Music Festival and has been an active board member for the Coronado Island Film Festival since 2020.
ROBIN FRANCK
Robin Franck is a native Coronado resident who grew up loving film starting at the village theater and then later during her many years of teaching anthropology at Southwestern College where she relied on documentary films to engage students. She has been active in many professional organizations, including past president of the California sociological association, former chair of the board of trustees for the Coronado Public library and former board member of the friends of the Coronado library. She has been the recipient of numerous grants, awards and other recognitions including NIH, Dartmouth, and the Human Genome Project. When not busy with films and activities associated with the Coronado Island film Festival, she can be found volunteering with the Gorillas at the San Diego zoo.
ARLENE INCH
DR. KEVIN KENNY
Doctor Kevin M. Kenny was raised in the suburbs of New York City on Long Island and educated at James Madison University in Virginia and the Medical College of Virginia. While serving in the U. S. Navy, Kevin would settle in San Diego. He established a private dental practice and continued his Navy carrier in the reserves rising to the rank of Captain. He and his wife, Jackie, a teacher, would make Coronado their home. In addition to his dental practice, he taught as an Associate Clinical Professor at the University of San Diego and established a dental study club with more than 100 members evolving into a philanthropic organization. Kevin has a passion for giving back to people around the world and has gone on a number of dental missions with fellow dentists and students abroad including Nepal and Cambodia to Guatemala, Panama and the Dominican Republic providing much needed dental care where access and resources are limited. He has also organized many toy drives, Kevin often has more bikes than Toy R Us at Christmas time. He is a Coronado Rotarian, a golfer and has a speed boat on which he has taken friends and neighbors on adventures from time to time.
He is also a big film fan and a regular attendee at North Island’s Lowery Theater. Kevin has attended the Coronado Island Film Festival with his brother Jack who has made both industrial and feature films, film runs in the family.
Kevin’s favorite film is “Rocky” where Sylvester Stallone’s character preservers over adversity. As Kevin reminds us, Rocky doesn’t win the match but he goes the distance in spite of all the odds and gets the girl.
PAM SAUTER
Pam brings over 20 years of global Human Resources leadership experience, having served as Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Qualcomm. Throughout her career, she held key roles with leading technology and consumer product companies, including IBM and Warner Lambert/Schick Razors. At Qualcomm, she was part of the Senior Management and HR Leadership teams during a period of exponential growth, contributing to the company’s 16 consecutive years on Fortune’s Best Places to Work list. Her expertise spans domestic and international HR, workforce planning, change management, and managing over 50 mergers and acquisitions. Pam holds both a Master’s degree in Human Resources & Labor Relations and a Bachelor of Science in Employment Relations & Psychology from Michigan State University.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Pam is dedicated to giving back. She serves on the Advisory Board for the School of Human Resources & Labor Relations at Michigan State University. Her past board roles include serving as a member, Governance Committee Member, and Secretary for the Coronado Schools Foundation, as well as on the Qualcomm Corporate Giving Board.
Originally from Michigan, Pam has called Coronado home since 2006 after living in Connecticut, Maryland, and several California locales, including 29 Palms and Point Loma. She has two sons, Ryan and Garrett, both proud graduates of Coronado High School. Ryan earned his degree from Michigan State University and now works in Corporate Development for LPL in La Jolla, while Garrett is pursuing a degree in Electrical Engineering as an Honors College student at Michigan State University.
Favorite Film and Why?
Pam’s favorite films are Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick. These action-packed movies celebrate the local military, San Diego, and Coronado. Fun Fact: Pam was an extra in Top Gun: Maverick and had the unforgettable experience of meeting Tom Cruise during filming in Point Loma.
RENEE SIMPSON
Renee Simpson is an experienced development professional with extensive expertise in higher education, project management, and grant research and writing. Renee earned her B.A. in Political Science from the University of Colorado Boulder and an M.A. in Liberal Arts from San Diego State University. Throughout her career, she developed her skills through roles at organizations such as the Center for Creative Leadership, Queen Mary University of London, The Water Conservation Garden, San Diego State University, and more. As a consultant and small business owner, Renee provides expert solutions through Simpson Nonprofit Services. She is dedicated to helping San Diego area nonprofits increase their contributed revenue and positively impact lives in the region. Renee’s favorite movie is “Amélie” because of its unique blend of visual storytelling, quirky characters, offbeat humor, and universal themes set in picturesque Paris. In 2005, Renee and her husband, Scott, named their first child Amelie. They also have a son, Baxter, who recently graduated from the Coronado School of the Arts with a focus on film and served on the CIFF Board as a student representative.
CAROL SOMMER
Carol, a New Jersey native, relocated to the West Coast in 1974 with her late husband, Fred. Their original plan was to sail around the world, but the boat was late and they bought a condo in Coronado instead. They did get to cruise though—from San Diego to Annapolis. They then put Remos on a truck to Seattle so as to cruise Alaska. Thirty years and 4 boats later they decided to cruise the big ships—much cheaper and a lot more comfortable.
Carol enjoys hobbies such as cycling, tennis, golf and giving back to the community. She is a member of the boards of the Sharp Coronado Hospital and Coronado Hospital Foundation. Her love of community expanded when she joined the Rotary Club of Coronado where she is a proud member of the Arch Klumph Society. She has enjoyed participating as a benefactor of the Coronado Island Film Festival and is honored to be of service as an incoming board member.
JEFF TYLER
Jeff purchased his historic 1936 Coronado home in 1993 and has enjoyed the Village lifestyle for the past 32 years. He and his wife have four children and enjoy hiking, cruising, and extensive traveling.
Following strong leadership and management positions throughout his U.S. Naval Submarine career—including Command at Sea—Jeff transitioned into senior management roles in private industry and later became a Coronado realtor. He is also deeply involved in volunteer work within the Coronado community.
With many years on the Lamb’s Players Theatre Board, including serving as Board Chair, and a background in Performing Arts education, Jeff has continued his dedication to the arts and culture of Coronado. He is a Coronado Island Film Festival Board Member and Benefactor, served as Chair of the Coronado Cultural Arts Commission for five years, was a founding Public Art Commissioner for eight years, and has been a Coronado Rotarian for 20 years. Additionally, he volunteers with the Coronado Historical Association, is a Coronado Hospital Foundation donor, and serves on the Coronado Community Church Board and Choir.
His educational background includes a Master’s Degree in Business and Computer Information Systems Management, along with Bachelor’s degrees in Geological Oceanography and Geology from the University of Washington.
Jeff was also a founding Board Member of the Coronado Community Foundation, bringing an enthusiastic “People giving to People” relationship-based approach to its creation and major community impact. The foundation remains a key community asset strongly recommended in the Coronado Creates Strategic Plan.
ETHAN WAHAMAKI
Ethan Wahamaki is a San Diego-based filmmaker and high school student. In 2020, he founded Wahamakifilms© with a singular mission: to tell compelling stories. Ethan has written, directed, produced, and acted in over 30 films, including *Vampire Sandwich*, a creative work as unique as its title. The film premiered at the 2024 Coronado International Film Festival and the SoCal Film Awards, where it earned the “Best Student Film” accolade.
Currently, Ethan is directing and producing four short documentaries slated for release in late 2024 and early 2025. A senior at Coronado High School graduating in 2025, Ethan also serves as a board member of the Coronado International Film Festival. With ambitious plans for the future, he is determined to continue making an impact in the world through telling compelling stories.
LILIA SPIEGEL
Lilia Spiegel is a high school student in Coronado. Her films focus on issues surrounding loneliness, especially among her generation. She tries to convey feelings of happiness and nostalgia to create a call to action. Her documentary, Low Tech Friend, a film about young adults around the world struggling to forge lasting friendships in the age of social media, won the prestigious “Award of Recognition” at the Best Shorts Film Competition. Prior to joining the board of CIFF, her film premiered at the Coronado Film Festival and won the Audience Choice Award for Best Emerging Filmmaker (High School). Low Tech Friend is also an official selection of the Poppy Jasper International Film Festival. Her short documentary, Drifting, follows a group of high school students who turn to fishing as a way to cope with leaving their friends — and their past selves — behind. It is an Official Selection at the Kids First Festival.