Production
- Principal, Creative Director
akukura@nlprod.comAndrew Kukura is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and Principal/Creative Director of Northern Light Productions, where he has been producing both short and long-form films and interactive media for over twenty-five years. His recent documentary credits include producing and directing Revealed: The Hunt of Bin Laden, a two-hour History Channel special featuring interviews with Presidents Obama and Bush, Secretaries Clinton and Gates, and members of Seal Team Six, produced with the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. Other notable credits include The Dhamma Brothers, a theatrically released feature about the profound effect of Vipassana meditation on inmates in a maximum-security prison in Alabama, which won numerous awards and was featured as part of Oprah's Soul Series. Andrew has been Creative Director on multimillion-dollar media projects at museums and visitor centers including the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the Tennessee State Museum, and the Canadian Museum of History, among others. His work has been featured on NPR, PBS, The New York Times, OWN, History Channel, Hulu, and Netflix. - Associate Producer
acalhoun@nlprod.comAudrey joined NLP from the Digital Filmmaking program at Lesley University where she was the captain of the women's soccer team. After graduating, Audrey was a Fellow at Boston's Artists for Humanity program, where she wrote, produced, and directed her own sitcom, Cityline Theaters. Audrey brings a passion for story telling that creates engaging narratives which connect, educate and entertain viewers regardless of the medium. - Senior Producer
bseidl@nlprod.comBarbara is an award-winning Producer with over 25 years of production experience. Her career includes eight years of international field production for a PBS documentary series, five years creating engaging online stories for PBS Learning Media, and the production of large-scale museum projects. Barbara's particularly well-versed in documentaries about the natural world, having produced nationally broadcast PBS documentaries about the preservation of wild tigers in India, the preservation of wild cranes in China, and the development of safe water resources in some of the planet’s most isolated communities. She joined Northern Light in 2016 and has produced media for museums, including the First Division Museum and the Mob Museum. She holds an MA in Communication from Cornell University and a BA in Education from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. - Director of Media Production
bavishai@nlprod.comBen has been working with Northern Light for over two decades as a Senior Writer, Producer and Project Manager. He's written and produced numerous permanent museum installations and documentaries for television during this time. His extensive past experience includes writing for the Mob Museum, the Mystic Seaport Museum, and the Mississippi Museum of History. He also co-wrote the script for Confessions of the Boston Strangler and wrote the script for Whitey Bulger: The Making of A Monster, two riveting stories of nationwide interest with a local, Boston-based focus. In addition to his producing and writing credits, Ben is also a skilled audio engineer. He holds a BA in English, History, and Political Science from the University of Toronto. - Associate Producer
cbenoit@nlprod.comCharlotte Benoit joined Northern Light in 2023 as an Associate Producer after having earned a Certificate in Collaborative Filmmaking from Maine Media College + Workshops. Before that, Charlotte went to Vassar College, where she was captain of the women's rugby team and graduated with a BA in History. Her background in history, special education, and film has inspired her to help others learn through the power of storytelling. In her free time, Charlotte enjoys writing, directing, and acting in narrative projects, as well as playing softball and snowboarding. - Associate Producer
edsir@nlprod.comEmmanuel Desir joined Northern Light as an Associate Producer with core strengths in research and archival production. He graduated from Suffolk University with a degree in history and a concentration in global studies. Emmanuel’s archival work has been seen in the film It’s Not Up to Us, as well as projects about the History of South Boston and Cyrus Alger, Selma, The Great Migration, and The Holocaust. His most recent work includes a series of interactive media productions on the founder of Black History Month, Carter G. Woodson. - Senior Interactive Developer
eschipellite@nlprod.comBlending technical expertise with creative vision, Evan has been involved in Interactive and Game Development for several years. While studying Game Programming at Champlain College, he acted as the Lead Developer at the Champlain Emergent Media Center, a local studio building innovative applications and media for the state of Vermont. After relocating to Massachusetts, Evan began work as an Interactive Developer at surrounding media firms, assisting in building and optimizing development teams by incorporating methods for code collaboration, build deployment, and project management. He now provides a large range of technical design skills to Northern Light, building on his unique background in creating engaging user experiences on a variety of hardware devices. - Senior Interactive Producer
jdoherty@nlprod.comJennifer has been producing and managing interactive projects for museums, media companies, corporations, and government agencies over 20 years. She has extensive management experience in all phases of interactive production including concept development, interactive design, media production, software development, installation, and testing. At Northern Light, she's worked on projects such as the Mob Museum and the Museum of Mississippi History. Before coming to Northern Light, Jennifer was the Digital Projects Manager for PBS’s NOVA, the long-running science series. At NOVA, Jennifer managed a team of digital content producers, designers, and software developers in the design and creation of award-winning educational websites, web applications, and mobile apps. She holds a BA in Mass Communication from Emerson College. - Senior Producer
jalexander@nlprod.comJenny has been a Producer with Northern Light since 2007. She has produced several historical media elements for permanent museum installations, documentaries for broadcast, and multi-screen presentations. Her credits include the National Toy Hall of Fame at the Strong National Museum of Play, the Hyperion Environmental Learning Center, the Maritime Museum of San Diego, and several projects produced for the National Park Service. Prior to joining Northern Light, Jenny worked as a community organizer and educator, including producing film projects with high schoolers. She has an MA in Film from Boston University and a BA in Biology from Oberlin College. - Senior Interactive Producer
mdorgan@nlprod.comMark has over two decades of experience leading multidisciplinary creative teams in the design and development of compelling interactive media for museums, zoos, aquariums, and sports venues. Mark specializes in using meaningful play and rich storytelling to create powerful learning experiences. Leveraging a variety of technologies, his unique projects have seamlessly blended digital media with tactile multimodal interfaces to engage visitors in surprising ways. Through reliable communication, Mark cultivates collaborative partnerships with clients and team members to deliver exceptional projects that center around a robust visitor experience. He holds a BA in Film Studies and Mass Communications from Rhode Island College. - Producer
mmaclean@nlprod.comMatthew came to Northern Light with 10 years of experience as a journalist, where he honed his tight writing style and meticulous editing skills. While continuing a freelance career in print, he's since concentrated on writing for the screen while also utilizing his reporting skills for interviews and research, first as an Associate Producer and today as a Writer and Producer at Northern Light. He holds an MA in Journalism from the University of California, Berkeley, and a BA in Journalism and International Relations from Brigham Young University. - Producer
msandberg@nlprod.comMichela studied Sociology, Film Studies, and Linguistics at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and cut her teeth in the film industry working as an archival assistant on a Hulu-released true crime series and as a production assistant on-set of an HBO Max series. Since joining NLP, she has used her research and analytical skills working on projects including the Mark Twain Center for Transatlantic Relations in Germany and a film about Frederick Douglass for the National Parks Foundation. She especially enjoys the creative process of finding archival imagery and collaborating with a team to develop a project to the final edit. - Senior Producer
mobrien@nlprod.comMolly specializes in the design and production of video programs and interactives at Northern Light. She researches, writes, and produces non-fiction, short-format media and interactive exhibits for permanent museum installations. She works with clients from various museums and visitor centers across the country to guide a project from its conceptual phase to the creation of a fully installed audiovisual exhibit. Recently, she produced the award-winning exhibit media about the enslaved community who lived and worked at James Madison’s Montpelier. Molly feels that every project is a chance to learn something new and engage diverse audiences; she holds a BA in English from Wesleyan University. - Interactive Developer
vdemarco@nlprod.comViolet joined Northern Light Productions in 2022 after completing her game development studies at Southern New Hampshire University. She is passionate about technology, software, media, and learning, and is excited to combine these passions in her work at NLP.
Graphics & Animation
- Animator
hcincotta@nlprod.comHanah began working at Northern Light Productions as an animation intern in the fall of 2020 as part of her college curriculum, during which she worked on motion graphics for the Canadian Museum of History and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. She recently joined Northern Light Productions after graduating from Lesley University with a BFA in Animation & Motion Media and a minor in biology in 2022. With a deep fascination and enthusiasm for both animated storytelling and the natural world, Hanah loves to create unique pieces of animation that entertain and educate her audience. - Senior Animator
jcarlsen@nlprod.comJames has been working at Northern Light since 2012, during which time his work in character animation and motion graphics have been featured in numerous museum exhibits in the U.S. and Canada. His most recent work includes motion graphics for the American Writers Museum, the First Division Museum, and the Canadian Museum of History. James is passionate about fictional storytelling and is working on an animated series for the web called Z-Boy with his partner Zad. A graduate of Massachusetts College of Art and Design, he holds a BFA in Animation. - Cinematographer, Editor
jbeecher@nlprod.comThe beauty of many of Northern Light’s films can be attributed to Jesse Beecher, Northern Light’s staff Director of Photography since 2007. Jesse has extensive experience in large sensor HD shooting, 4K shooting, aerial shooting, knowledge of chip settings, lenses/vintage lenses, and dramatic/scenic lighting skills. Jesse’s work can be seen at various museums, visitor centers, and institutions both near and far. Recently, he shot Northern Light’s feature documentary, Birth of A Movement: The Battle Against America’s First Blockbuster, which aired on PBS. He also filmed various media elements for the First Division Museum, including a complex virtual reality program. In addition to being a Cinematographer, Jesse is a talented graphic artist. He holds a BA in Documentary Film Production from Emerson College. - Senior Graphic Designer
kshah@nlprod.comKunjal is a graphic designer, typographer with 18+ years of experience in strategic brand design, iconic graphics, interactive design, print, packaging and digital media. A dynamic collaborator with multi-discipline creators, she has an inventive approach to bringing stories to life, from concept to execution. After 15 years in Advertising and Corporate Design, Kunjal now designs for forward-thinking clients with a shared belief in education and social change at Northern Light Production. Passionate about design thinking, she believes that meaningful communication requires a deep understanding of the purpose and the audience. Some of her recent and on-going work includes designing digital interactive exhibits for Museum of Mississippi History, American Writers Museum, Dana-Farber, and the Tennessee State Museum.
Post-production
- Senior Editor
adegonzalez@nlprod.comAlexandra is an award-winning Editor and Filmmaker with more than two decades of experience in both production and post production. As an independent Editor, she creates engaging, compelling stories about art, theater, history, social justice, and our shared human experience. Her work has been featured on PBS, WGBH, at the MFA, and multiple film festivals around the world. Alexandra is fluent in German, proficient in Spanish and French. She has an MS in Philanthropy and Media from Suffolk, and an MA in Cultural Studies from McGill. - Senior Editor
gfukushima@nlprod.comGlenn has worked on a multitude of interesting live and post-production projects for more than twenty years. In 2016, he joined the Northern Light editorial team. Prior to that, he was an Editor at American Experience at WGBH Boston, where he worked on programs like the Emmy award-winning "JFK." His projects with Northern Light include telling the heartbreaking stories of First Nation Canadians, celebrating the contributions of U.S. military members, and The Last Speech, a documentary film centered around the last major speech John F. Kennedy gave before his assassination. - Editor
norsini@nlprod.comNicole joined Northern Light Productions in 2020, after graduating from Boston University’s film program. Her work at NLP has spanned across several different productions; she is always on her toes for whatever comes next. Nicole is passionate about storytelling and seeks to use editing as a means through which powerful messages can be cultivated and shared, spanning from untold histories to important conversations about social injustice, inequity, and more. At home, she enjoys taking care of her hundreds of houseplants, joined by a freshly brewed cup of coffee. - Editor
tmccoy@nlprod.comFor over a decade, Tim has been managing the analog and digital media archives of film and video production studios, large and small. Once one of Northern Light's acclaimed and award-winning projects is completed, Tim meticulously cataloges and archives the assets in Northern Light's state-of-the-art, secure data storage system. When he’s not knee-deep in metadata, Tim can also be found in an editing suite. He's contributed to Northern Light programs such as Watkins Glen State Park, the Tennessee State Museum, and the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. Outside of work, he enjoys badminton, windsurfing, and long walks in the park.
