SIMA

TEAM + BOARD

contact | in

DANIELA KON LIEBERBERG
Founder + CEO
A filmmaker’s instinct. A human rights mandate. Daniela Kon Lieberberg has spent two decades at the intersection of documentary film, civic engagement, and international development, working across systems and continents to ensure that the stories most needed in the world actually reach it. She began her career in New York at Blowback Productions before founding DEEDA in 2005, one of the first impact agencies dedicated to humanitarian and human rights media, producing campaigns from the United Nations Ending Hunger initiative to grassroots collaborations across Southeast Asia, West Africa, and the Middle East. In 2012, she founded SIMA, establishing the first international competition to recognize documentary cinema at the intersection of creativity, human rights, and social impact. What began as an awards platform has evolved into a global ecosystem, connecting curated nonfiction film with classrooms, communities, and civic leaders across 140+ countries. Today, SIMA is a leading global curator of social impact storytelling and a multi-award-winning education platform serving over 160,000 students annually. Daniela serves on the Film and Women’s Rights Committee of Human Rights Watch and teaches Global Storytelling at USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. She is based in Los Angeles.

contact | in

ERINN SULLIVAN
CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS & IMPACT OFFICER

A producer and brand strategist with deep roots in visual storytelling and social impact, Erinn Sullivan has shaped SIMA’s creative identity since 2014. As Chief Communications & Impact Officer, she oversees all creative, marketing, and communications strategy across SIMA’s four programs — building the visual and editorial language through which SIMA’s work reaches filmmakers, educators, partners, and audiences worldwide. Her background spans communications, branding, and impact media production, with a focus on bringing innovative visual concepts to life across platforms. She holds a degree in Advanced Media Studies and Communications with an emphasis in Cultural Anthropology.

contact | in

DEBRA GARBER
Fractional CFO + Director of Development

Finance. Operations. Development. Strategy in service of impact. Debra Garber brings more than three decades of experience helping mission-driven organizations build the financial and operational foundations needed to grow and sustain their work. Her career spans nonprofit, technology, media, and education sectors, where she has guided organizations through growth, change, and long-term planning. At SIMA Studios, she supports the organization’s global work by strengthening financial strategy, operations, and development.

Before joining SIMA Studios, Debra served as Chief Financial and Operating Officer at The Representation Project, overseeing finance, operations, development, and organizational strategy. She also served as Executive Director of the Sonoma Valley Education Foundation after eight years on its Board of Directors, including three as Board Chair.

She holds a BS in Managerial Economics from UC Davis and an Executive MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management, and is based in Sonoma, California.

contact | in

XENIA XU
MEDIA + communications Manager

Xenia Xu brings a background in visual arts and global media to her role managing SIMA’s communications and media presence. She holds dual Master’s degrees in Global Media and Communications from USC and the London School of Economics, and a Bachelor’s degree in Media and Visual Arts from UC San Diego. Her work spans photography, videography, and visual storytelling — with a research focus on representation and identity in contemporary cinema.

in

JENNIFER GEIST
GLOBAL EDUCATION ADVISOR

Jennifer Geist has worked at the frontier of global education since 2005, developing curriculum and designing programs that bring documentary film into classrooms as a tool for critical thinking, media literacy, and civic engagement. As SIMA Academy’s Global Education Advisor, she collaborates with teachers, schools, NGOs, and foundations to equip the next generation of learners with the frameworks to engage the defining issues of our time. She leads Zeitgeist Creations and has taught extensively on using film to develop global competencies including self and social awareness, collaborative media production, and meaningful service learning.

in

EVA S. NELSON
LIASON TO THE UNITED NATIONS

Eva S. Nelson serves as SIMA’s liaison to the United Nations and partner organizations across Europe and the United States, bringing decades of experience in international humanitarian work and human rights advocacy. After beginning her career in finance on Wall Street, she joined the United Nations as a consultant — a role she continues today — working across Africa, the US, and Europe on issues including child education, peace, and anti-slavery. An advocate for human rights and an award-winning author, Eva lends her support to organizations dedicated to justice and representation for underserved communities worldwide. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics.

OUR BOARD

PROF. DAVID CRAIG
Communications & Media Professor | USC Annenberg

CLAUDIA FLORES
Creative Director, Consultant | HSP

LYNN ELLIOT ESQ.
Entertainment Attorney

ILIAS MORAD
Researcher, Entrepreneur, Investor

SUSI BAHAT
Chair | Human Rights Watch, WRC Los Angeles

TINA KUSHNER ESQ.
Attorney, Kushner & Kushner

MILENA JANKOVIC
Vice President, Strategy and Finance at FilmNation 

TREVOR HALL
President & CEO | Open Roads

ENAT SIDI
Editor, Oscar Nominee

ANDREW MCGREGOR
Journalist, Filmmaker, Founder | The Tiziano Project

SHAWN HUMPHREY
Educator, Innovator, Development Consultant

KEELY BADGER
Impact Producer, Marketing Director, Philanthropy Executive