SIFF Announces Tom Mara as New Executive Director

SEATTLE, WA (June 16, 2022) – SIFF welcomes Tom Mara as their new Executive Director concluding a year-long search. Mara comes to the team from KEXP where he served as Executive Director since 2000, and will join SIFF on August 1.

“Over his 30+ years at KEXP, he demonstrated the ability to grow an organization, affect culture change, and gather a strong, effective team,” said SIFF board President Diana Knauf. “He facilitated high-quality work, and financial sustainability set within a strategic and mission-driven framework. We have confidence that he has the vision and skills to accomplish similar goals here at SIFF.”

“I’m inspired by SIFF’s mission which is to create experiences that bring people together to discover extraordinary films from around the world,” said Mara. “This lifts me. The staff, volunteers, and board members are all powerful champions of this art, from championing its discovery to educating our next generation of filmmakers, and I can’t wait to join them.”

“We are also grateful to our interim director, Jacqueline Dupuis, for shepherding us through the last year as we weathered the pandemic and searched for our new director,” Knauf went on to say. “We have greatly benefited from her vast experience and guidance.”

The selection and upcoming transition was also celebrated by Dupuis “SIFF has undergone a deep transition and I’m thrilled Tom will be at the helm to guide this treasured organization through its next phase of strategic development and regeneration,” said Dupuis.

SIFF is immensely grateful for the time and energy that Ruth Johnston (Co-Founder, Consequential) devoted to coordinating this search, which was a collaboration of SIFF leadership and directors.

About SIFF:
Known for the international festival that takes place in the late spring each year, SIFF has delighted moviegoers for more than 47 years with films from all regions of the world and all genres of film. SIFF offers year-round arthouse screenings, curated mini-festivals, cinema events, and educational programs - to keep up with us, visit Siff.net and find SIFF on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Contact Us:
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