The Indigenous Film Industry & Tourism

Jennifer Loren – Emmy Award-Winning TV Host, Filmmaker and Senior Director of Cherokee Film, Cherokee Film
Jennifer Loren (Cherokee Nation) is an Emmy award-winning tv host, filmmaker and senior director of Cherokee Film. In this role she sets strategy and oversees all operations of Cherokee Film Productions, Cherokee Film Studios, Cherokee Film Commission and the Cherokee Film Institute. Selected as an inaugural Obama Leader by the Obama Foundation in July of 2023, Jennifer is globally recognized for her work, breaking new ground in the field of Native American representation in film and media. In addition to hosting the Emmy-award winning docuseries “Osiyo, Voices of the Cherokee People,” Jennifer passionately leads a team of more than 35 content creators and change-makers, whose mission is to protect and share the authentic Cherokee experience, culture and history and to increase the presence of Native Americans across film and media. With a background in broadcast television and investigative journalism, Jennifer brings integrity, creativity and community-focused strategies to her work.

Janae Collins – Actor
Janae Collins is an enrolled member of the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes from Poplar, MT. She began her acting career during college at the University of New Mexico where she began training and auditioning. After securing Screen Actors Guild Union eligibility in New Mexico with a speaking role on the production Longmire, she moved to Los Angeles, California where she currently resides. Since moving to Los Angeles she has appeared notably as Cookie in Reservation Dogs, Chloe in Rutherford Falls and Reta in Killers of the Flower Moon.

Kevin Marcus – Co-Founder, Knowledge Tree Films
Kevin Marcus grew up in Los Angeles, California with a natural born wanderlust and a curiosity about the past. Through extensive roadtrips with family and friends, Kevin developed a sense of the vastness of the western part of the continent and poured his interest and curiosity into studies at UCSB in Cultural Anthropology and U.S. History. Kevin received a BA in feature film production and commercial photography from Brooks Institute of Photography, worked freelance in the film, television and documentary industries and co-founded his current company, Knowledge Tree Films and it’s partner organization, The Knowledge Tree Media Group in 2009. Kevin focuses on media production which tells emotionally impactful, educational and accurate history. His interests extend to environmental issues, social justice concerns and contributing to inclusive storytelling. Kevin has worked with a number of tribes helping tell their stories through film and video.

Moderator: Savannah Sparvier – Native Arts & Culture Coordinator, American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association
Savannah Sparvier (Lakota, Hunkpapa) Lakota name: Cazé Yatapi Wiŋ , Everyone Calls Her Name, is the Native Arts & Culture Coordinator for AIANTA. As the Associate, Savannah will provide technical assistance and promotion to Native Nations and artists. Her work will expand participation of Native artists and cultural practitioners in the cultural and economic benefits of the tourism industry. Savannah grew up on the Fort Peck Reservation in Montana but has lived in Albuquerque, NM, for 21 years. She grew up with family artists that did a variety of different arts such as star quilt makers, ribbon skirt makers, bead workers, quill workers, regalia makers, wood carvers and painters. This has influenced her own beadwork, wrapping and beading eagle feather shafts and ribbon skirt making. She is a proud mother of three, two daughters and a son. (Jessica, Hannah & Jacob) She received her associate degree in accounting from the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI) located in Albuquerque, NM.