FESTIVAL STAFF

Beau Menetre is a co-founder of the Tryon International Film Festival & Technical Director / Partner with Blue Dog Productions. Beau attended the Art Institute of Atlanta where he studied Multi-Media / Graphic Design. He is one of those lucky individuals who knew exactly what career to pursue – Live Event Production and Show Technology. In his career, Beau has used his professional, calm demeanor and “hands on” management approach and customer service orientation in a wide variety of technical disciplines. These include Live Event Technology, TV and Film Production and Corporate Event Management. Beau is always a partner with his clients, regardless of their production needs. Clear evidence of this partnership style is the fact that when Beau completes an assignment, his clients insists that he return for their next event. For example, he has been Technical Director / Producer of more than 30 Show Events for the United States Marine Corps. He has also been the Project Manager and Technical Director for many Fortune 500 companies such as American Express, Mack Trucks and Lockheed Martin. At Blue Dog, Beau combines his interests and talents to lead the technical direction and project management activities of the company. Beau, his wife Ashley, and their son, Miles, live in Tryon, NC.

Kirk Gollwitzer is a co-founder of the Tryon International Film Festival.  Kirk is a real estate broker with New View Realty and a active member of the Tryon community.  He has a degree in Finance from the University of South Carolina. For more than 25 years Kirk devoted his life to computer science, culminating to owning and operating a successful software development company in Greenville which sold in 2009 and is still in operation today.  After moving to the Tryon area Kirk began exploring the arts as a photographer, writer, author, videographer and musician. Kirk has been a reporter and feature writer for the Tryon Daily Bulletin and other media platforms, but it has been his novel “Illegitimate Advantage”, that he claims as his largest artistic accomplishment.  Kirk has a deep love for Western North Carolina, where he lives and breathes on a horse farm in Mill Spring.

Ashley is The Queen of Competence, the woman in charge of Everything Festival Fun.

From conceiving, designing, organizing, decorating, and executing front and back of house with grace, there is no event Ashley doesn’t have her hands in and take a higher level. Fundraisers, the Festival itself, after-parties (before parties!)and hospitalities. This amazing event would not be possible without her!

Marty has lived in Tryon now for two years. After teaching In Sydney, Australia for 14 years, she finished up her education career in Connecticut before retiring and moving south.  As an avid film goer, she has volunteered multiple times at the Tribeca Film Festival, attended the Dallas International Film Festival, and was recently asked to be on the board of Tryon International Film Festival. She has since taken on the position of Director of Development for TRIFF.

Diana De Rosa is a veteran equestrian photojournalist, who has traveled the world (over 30 countries) and recorded equestrian history for over 40 years.

After college, De Rosa ran a riding school, then was editor of Horse World USA and eventually focused on her writing, photography and PR skills. She has over 1000 published articles/photos and has numerous photography awards. She is also an MC for awards ceremonies, moderates panel discussions, does video interviews and public speaking.

De Rosa has covered eight Olympic Games and been on staff or covered every World Equestrian Games, numerous Pan American Games and World Cups.

She is on the executive board of the American Horse Publications (and past president) and the Press Club of Long Island. She is the owner of Press Link PR and Diana De Rosa Photography. De Rosa is the Media and Relations Manager for Equitana USA. co-organizer of the EQUUS Film Festival and part of the Tryon International Film Festival Team. She is also a part-time actress.

Becky enlisted in the US Army, graduated from Army Airborne Parachute school and was a participant of Operation Desert Storm. After leaving the Army, Becky launched an Interior Design and Decorative painting company and was highly regarded as the premier faux finisher in the MidWest before discovering her current passion Encaustic art. After moving to the Foothills with her family 7 years ago, Becky volunteers with Hospice, the Friendship Circle, Tryon Fine Arts Center, Polk County Schools, Tryon International Film Festival, Steps to Hope and Warming the View.

DIGITAL MARKETING

Emerge Multimedia, LLC “Connecting You Where it Counts” is a woman-owned business passionate about helping businesses thrive. Janet Sciacca, Nadine Naujoks and Amy Carrol bring more than 3 decades of web & graphic design, social media management and digital marketing, public relations, special events and promotion skills focused on improving the economic strength of  the community by connecting businesses with each other and customers.   

Nadine has worked with TRIFF since its inception and, since forming back in 2018, Emerge Multimedia, LLC has been an ardent supporter serving as both sponsor and digital marketer.