ALEX DRAPER

The Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival (MNFF) announced the addition of Alex Draper, Drey Ward, and Jenny Williams to the Board of Directors this past December. These three accomplished professionals bring a diverse range of experiences and expertise to the festival as it prepares to enter its 11th year, continuing its mission to celebrate and support emerging filmmakers.

“We are very lucky to have Jenny, Alex, and Drey join our board this winter as we scheme for next summer’s edition of MNFF. As a new ED, I am so grateful to have a robust and multi-talented board, whose combined skills and talents will lend so much to the festival as it grows,” said Caitlin Boyle, who joined MNFF as Executive Director in September 2024. “What’s especially exciting about these three individuals is that each brings a unique perspective and set of skills to the table. In collaboration with our veteran board members, they will help us to step into the festival’s 11th year with renewed energy. I really can’t wait to see what we’ll do together.”

JENNY WILLIAMS

Draper, Ward and Williams join Elizabeth Robinson, Serena Kim, Jay Craven, Bill Hart, Lloyd Komesar, Linda Rossi, Don Devost and Maggie Keith as members of the MNFF board.

Alex Draper is a Professor of Theatre at Middlebury College and a professional stage, film and television actor with an impressive forty-year career. Draper is the co-Artistic Director of the Dogteam Theatre Project, Middlebury College’s professional theatre company, and has held leadership roles with PTP/NYC and Blue Light Theatre in NYC. A graduate of Middlebury College and the Yale School of Drama, Draper brings a deep commitment to the arts and storytelling to the MNFF Board.

Drey Ward, a Middlebury resident by way of Mount Desert Island, Manhattan and Ithaca, N.Y., is the Director of Customer Care, Sales and Marketing for Silver Maple Construction. Beyond her professional work, Ward is an avid traveler, a scuba diving enthusiast, a budding hiker and an aspiring letterpress artist. Deeply passionate about community and creativity, Ward is excited to support MNFF’s efforts to foster an inclusive, vibrant space for filmmakers and audiences alike.

Jenny Williams brings decades of legal and executive leadership experience to the MNFF board. Over her 30-year career, she served as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for American Trailer World Corporation and Unisource Worldwide, Inc., where she also held the role of EVP of Human Resources. A retired partner of Dentons law firm, Williams holds degrees from the University of Tennessee and Washington University in St. Louis, along with an Advanced Management Program certificate from Harvard Business School. A longtime supporter of the arts, Williams has previously chaired the board of Art Papers and serves on the board of Artadia. She resides in Cornwall, and Vero Beach, Fla., with her husband.

For more information visit middfilmfest.org.