IDA Appoints Three New Members to Board of Directors, Elects New Board Officers, and Hires New Director of Development

Los Angeles, CA (June 1, 2022) - The International Documentary Association (IDA) announced the appointment of three new members to its Board of Directors.

Newly appointed board members are:

• Maria Agui-Carter, Filmmaker & Professor at Emerson College
• Ina Fichman, Award-winning Documentary Producer
• Michael Turner, Documentary Industry Executive

“We’re very excited to welcome Maria, Ina and Michael to the IDA. They are all stellar leaders whose commitment to the IDA’s mission and documentary filmmakers will help the organization as it continues to serve the field, said Chris Pérez and Grace Lee, IDA Board co-chairs.  

Maria Agui-Carter is the founder of Iguana Films and a professor at Emerson College, Maria Agui Carter’s recent work includes Rebel: Loreta Velazquez, Secret Soldier of the American Civil War, and the PBS series Scigirls nominated for a 2019 daytime Emmy.  She is a 2021 - 2022 Concordia Studio Fellow with a first look deal.  Concordia is Executive Producing Alleged, Maria’s criminal justice series currently in production.  She is also a 2022 winner of a Spark grant from the National Endowment for Humanities & Firelight Media for Birthright, an essay film exploring the racialized roots of immigration policy in America.  

“I’m excited to be part of the future of this rich storytelling organization," said Maria Agui-Carter. "I look forward to helping IDA grow and work toward expanding inclusivity and engaging more deeply with the IDA community,” 

Ina Fichman award-winning producer who has been producing creative documentaries, interactive projects and series for more than 25 years. Recent credits include Fire of Love, Once Upon a Sea, The Oslo Diaries, and The Gig is Up. Her company, Intuitive Pictures is based in Montreal. Ina sits on the board of Hot Docs and Chairs the National Board of the Documentary Association of Canada. 

“It’s a privilege to be appointed as the first international board member of the IDA,” said Ina Fichman. “The IDA is one of our community’s legacy organizations which continues to amplify and support the voices of documentary filmmakers worldwide.”

Michael Turner is Director & Senior Counsel-Original Documentary Films at Netflix where he oversees business and legal affairs for Netflix’s slate of award winning and critically acclaimed documentary films. Prior to joining Netflix Michael was SVP and Head of Business and Legal Affairs at Discover. Michael holds double degrees in Economics and Political Science from Swarthmore College, and a law degree from Cardozo. He began his career in 2001 as a corporate associate at Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson in NYC with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, before moving to Sony Music as a business affairs executive.  

“I am honored and excited to join the IDA and continue the important work of amplifying diverse voices, and providing documentary filmmakers with the resources they need to create compelling content and bring us stories that impact the world,” said Michael Turner.

Newly appointed members of the IDA board join the organization's governing body after board members Fonda Berosini, James Costa, Lauren Lexton, and Caroline Libresco completed their terms. In addition to the new appointments, the IDA board of directors elected new officers. Board members Grace Lee and Chris Pérez were elected Co-Presidents. Amir Shahkhalili will serve as Secretary. And Marcia Smith is Treasurer.

Today, the IDA also announced the hiring of a new development director.

Brian J. Davis is IDA's next Director of Development. In this capacity he will oversee all aspects of the organization's fundraising efforts in support of the organization’s strategic vision and growth and its commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access.  Brian is an experienced fundraiser and non-profit manager with twenty years of experience working in Los Angeles’s philanthropic community.  He's worked for local, regional, and national organizations in a variety of roles, with experience in nearly every aspect of organizations. Brian learned the fundamentals of non-profit development work at the LGBT Center. Later, as Major Gifts Officer for the Trevor Project, Brian helped guide an organization through transition as we confronted the crisis of LGBTQ youth suicide. Most recently, Brian served as Senior Director, Development at the Autry Museum of the American West. 

“Brian understands the role documentary film plays in helping audiences better understand the world around us,” said IDA executive director Rick Pérez. “He brings over two decades of experience that will help shape the future of the organization and the documentary field expands and IDA’s role becomes more critical than ever.” 

“Working at IDA is a dream, connecting philanthropists with a thriving community of filmmakers and storytellers,” says Brian Davis. “I look forward to being part of a storied organization unlike any other, lifting up the unheard to bring about progressive change.”

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About the International Documentary Association:

Mission: To support the vital work of documentary storytellers and champion a thriving and inclusive documentary culture.

Vision:  IDA is dedicated to the vision of a world where documentary creators flourish. Through our work, we connect audiences with the best of the form, provide resources, create community, and defend the rights and freedoms of documentary artists, activists and journalists around the globe. We do this work because we believe that documentaries enrich and deepen our culture, fostering a more informed and connected world. 

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