Heartland Film Staff

Craig Prater – President

Craig was named president of Heartland Film in August, 2016.

Prater began his international film festival career as executive director of the Palm Springs International Film Festival (Palm Springs, California), where he co-founded the Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films and the Film Noir Festival before being recruited by the Royal Thai government to lead their new Bangkok International Film Festival as executive director.

Prater also founded the Festival of Festivals, whose debut coincided with the opening of the Mary Pickford Theatre in Cathedral City, California, and served as the director/producer of the Latino Film Festivals for the National Hispanic American Educational Foundation in Indio, California and Tampa, Florida. Most recently, Prater served as executive VP, strategic partnerships for the San Diego International Film Festival and director of the San Diego Jewish Film Festival.

Michael Ault – Vice President of Development

Michael leads Heartland Film's development strategy and sponsor/donor relationships.

Passionate about the Central Indiana community, Michael teaches a Nonprofit Volunteer and Management Class at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), serves on the board for Teachers’ Treasures and Camp Saturday – The People’s Burn Foundation, and volunteers for a myriad of causes, including Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, Indianapolis Meridian Kessler Home Tour, Rock for Hope, the 500 Festival Mini-Marathon and more. Michael previously worked at Methodist Health Foundation and is a graduate of Ball State University with a Certificate in Fundraising Management from IUPUI.

LinkedIn

Adam Howell – Director of Operations

Adam is responsible for running all the behind-the-scenes operations at the Heartland Film Festival and Heartland Film Roadshow events. This includes planning logistics, event management, technical production, quality control, vendor liaison and more.

Adam earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music Business from Anderson University. Outside of working with Heartland Film, Adam has worked at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, managed production for three Anderson University chorale tours across the country, and still performs in a vocal group that has performed more than 600 concerts across the country.

Greg Sorvig – Director of Film Programming

Greg is responsible for film programming for the annual Heartland International Film Festival and other Heartland Film programs.

Greg earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication & Culture, with a focus in film studies, at Indiana University and has previously worked for Fortune 100s, including The Walt Disney Company, and nonprofits. Active in the community, Greg is a “Big Brother” in the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana program and has chaired nonprofit fundraising events for Foundation Fighting Blindness.

Greg serves on the alumni board of the Media School at Indiana University and is a 2018 class member of the Hamilton County Leadership Academy.

Christiana Beasley – Events Manager

In addition to heading up Heartland Film’s new venture, INDY SHORTS, Christiana works within the Operations department to bring Heartland Film’s year-round events to life! With her passion to continue engaging audiences through immersive experiences, Christiana strives to bring exciting opportunities for attendees in and out of the theater.

Inspired by her passion for creative storytelling, Christiana achieved a Bachelor of Arts in Communications with a strong focus on audio, video, and cinema productions from Anderson University. Christiana has worked in both film and television productions taking up positions from makeup artist to lead producer. She has traveled the country working on shows such as AMC’s The Walking Dead, NBC's The Voice, and features. Aside from managing Heartland events, Christiana continues her creative and outgoing lifestyle through production involvement, outdoor activities, photography and videography, music, exploration, and more.

LinkedIn

Edward Fry – Development Manager

Edward oversees the Heartland Film brand by securing revenue through strategic sponsorship programs, membership programs, fundraising campaigns, and special events.

Edward resides with his family in Central Indiana and is enthusiastic about the promotion of the arts, community, and cultural development. He currently serves on the Board of Anderson’s Mainstage Theatre and as a Principal Associate with Live Bait Entertainment in Nashville, TN. He has served as a grant panelist for Indiana Arts Commission and a consultant with the “What’s Your Side Effect” media campaign. Edward is also an ardent advocate and consultant in juvenile justice initiatives, mental health reform, and systems change. Edward was previously the Executive Director of the New Harmony Project, an organization dedicated to the promotion of scriptwriters and the development of new works for stage and screen. Edward received his undergraduate and masters degrees from Anderson University and fundraising certification through the Indiana University School of Philanthropy.

LinkedIn

Emily Darr – Marketing Manager

Emily is responsible for promoting Heartland Film through various marketing strategies including social media, design, writing, public relations, and more.

Emily graduated from the University of Indianapolis with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Communication and previously worked at public relations agencies in Indianapolis. Outside of work, Emily enjoys discovering new music, reading, and binge-watching television shows.

LinkedIn

Julia Ricci – Film Programming Coordinator

Julia supports the film programming team by overseeing film submissions, working with volunteer screening committees, interacting with filmmakers, overseeing filmmaker travel, and more.

Julia is an Emmy® Award-nominated researcher with a bachelor’s degree in History from Ball State University. She was a researcher for the Emmy®-winning documentary short "Legacies of Perfection: Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg" (2013) and the documentary feature "The Healing Wall" (2014 Heartland International Film Festival Indiana Spotlight). Beyond her role at Heartland Film, Julia continues to combine her love of film and history with her work as a freelance researcher for Turner Classic Movies and The Criterion Collection’s streaming service FilmStruck.

LinkedIn

Mary Foreman – Volunteer & Outreach Coordinator

Mary serves as the first point-of-contact for Heartland’s growing volunteer base and is responsible for communicating the needs of the organization to those who are willing and able to help. As outreach coordinator, she is responsible for working with diverse members of the community to bring the power of film to Hoosiers across Central Indiana.

Mary has spent the last ten years working with non-profits in Franklin, Indiana, primarily Franklin Heritage, a historic preservation organization which owns and operates Madison Street Salvage and The Historic Artcraft Theatre, where she was most recently a manager, volunteer coordinator, and secretary on the Board of Directors. Her passion for history and community development led her to earn a bachelor’s degree in History and American Studies from Franklin College, before joining the Heartland Film team. She is excited to bring her skills as a small-town girl to the big city in Indy!

Kelly Alexiou – Executive Assistant

Kelly is the executive assistant to our President and Board of Directors. She provides administrative support and office management for our team.

Kelly earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration, management and operation from IUPUI and was previously an executive assistant at Methodist Health Foundation and a human resources manager before joining the Heartland Film team. Kelly is a proud mother of two Marines, enjoys traveling, and loves expensive footwear.

LinkedIn

Julie Sommers Neuman – Grants Writer

Julie is Heartland Film's grant writer.

Julie is an attorney with development experience. As a graduate of Northwestern University School of Law and Vanderbilt University, Julie's experience spans the for-profit, governmental and non-profit worlds. From working with Washington Township Schools to United Way of Central Indiana, she has a broad experience in grant-writing and fundraising. Julie serves on the Coalition for Our Immigrant Neighbors (COIN) and provides pro bono legal work for the Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic.