Docs In Progress, which develops, encourages, and celebrates new and diverse voices in documentary film, announces Barbara Valentino as Chief Executive Officer and Kris A. Higgins, as Board Chair. These leadership changes take effect immediately.

Valentino’s vision and commitment sustained Docs In Progress during the early days of the pandemic and, as Board Chair, she focused the organization on new programming and partnerships. 

“This is a very exciting time for Docs In Progress. We have many new initiatives that will be revealed in the coming weeks, and I cannot wait to share it all with the filmmaking community and our local DMV community.

Chief Executive Officer, Barbara Valentino:  Barbara Valentino has served on Docs’ Board of Directors as Treasurer and Board Chair and as Docs’ Interim Executive Director in 2020. 

She established her own company, Evolving Communications in 1996. She is especially proud of her work in Africa, traveling  nine times, where she focused on projects ranging from adolescent health in Mozambique to growing coffee in Rwanda. In South Africa she interviewed Archbishop Desmond Tutu on Forgiveness and was one of eight producers selected by The Global Fund to document the lives of people living with HIV.

Valentino serves on the Advisory Committee of Women in Film and Video and has participated as a volunteer in many film/video and STEM activities.

Board Chair, Kris A. Higgins: Kris Higgins previously served as Treasurer for Docs In Progress. Professionally, he is a project manager in television content at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and has more than two decades of experience managing nonprofit programs and organizations.  He holds an MFA in filmmaking from American University and a BA in psychology from the University of Washington. 

“The Board is pleased that Barbara agreed to take on this new leadership role as we emerge from the challenges that the pandemic presented. Docs In Progress is where I had the honor of finding my filmmaking voice as a Fellows cohort. When I think about the future of Docs In Progress, I am excited to bring similar energy to the organization and, with the entire board, I look forward to what we will accomplish together,” says Higgins.