Who We Are
Marángeli Mejía-Rabell
Festival Director & Chief Curator
Marángeli Mejía Rabell is a Puerto Rico-born, Philadelphia-based connector, cultural organizer & producer, arts & culture curator and programmer whose work is centered on co-creation, capacity building, leadership development ,cross sector collaborations,and honoring our roots as a tool for social change and community self actualization. Marángeli’s practice is focused on community media practices, cultural organizing, intersectionality, accessibility and diversity.
As Director of the Philadelphia Latino Arts & Film Festival (PHLAFF) and Co Founder/Partner of AFROTAINO and GUSTO she co-curates, designs and executes arts and culture programming, collaborations and multidisciplinary projects. She has served as the PHLAFF’s Festival Director for nine years supporting the groundbreaking work of Latinx filmmakers. Throughout Marángeli’s career, she has centered Latinx creators, stories and culture to bring about positive change and representation. Marángeli also serves as a Leadership Coach with the National Arts Strategies Coaching Collective. Current collaborations include serving as a member of the Painted Bride Arts Center’sProgramming Committee, University of Puerto Rico Cumbre Afro’s Cine Foro Curator, Curator & Project Manager for Mural Arts Philadelphia and as Anchor Partner/Producer of Kinfolk Philly as part of the Kinfolk Foundation’s National Tour.
Kirsten Senske
Senior Programmer
Kirsten Senske (she/her) is a multidisciplinary Latina artist and recent graduate of the Animation and Visual Effects program at Drexel University. She is also an alumnus of Drexel University’s dance ensemble (DDE). Presently, she is a digital designer, dancer, and choreographer interested in exploring dance film and creative endeavors within the local region. Her creative work is inspired and influenced by community, introspection, emerging media, and daily experience. When she is not immersed in creative projects, Kirsten enjoys spending time with her family and with nature.
Paola Camacho
Virtual Programming Coordinator & Shorts Programmer
Paola Camacho is an undergraduate student at the University of Pennsylvania, studying Cinema & Media Studies and Communications as a double major. Energized as a Colombian-American woman passionate about bringing her background to her creative work, she is a writer and filmmaker. With an interest in creative development, production, and community-organizing, she is ecstatic to be a part of the PHLAFF Team!
Tyler Marcano
Content Producer
Tyler is a Puerto Rican filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer who uses his expertise with PHLAFF content and Events. His interests fall into all things film whether it be production, admiration of the art, and creation of content based in and around the PHLAFF community!
Gloria Lopez
Communications Support
Gloria Lopez is our point of contact for all Filmmaker Communications related to the festival. Coming to the city from Miami, FL with a robust background as a dancer, choreographer, and currently teaches in the Greater Philadelphia area.
Camille Velasquez
Graphic Designer
Born and raised in Miami, FL and coming from a Cuban-Ecuadorian background, Camille has always used culture, vibrancy, and playfulness to guide her artistic direction. Camille graduated from Drexel University with a Bachelors of Science degree, majoring in graphic design and minoring in dance. During her time at Drexel she co-oped as the Art Director at the Pennoni Honors college, creatively directed and managed a business and artist collective “Philly Creators”, performed at Drexel Dragonfly in 2021, was the president of the Drexel dance organization “Unity in Expression” from 2022-23, and performed in the Drexel Dance Ensemble in 2023. Camille now works for a local non-profit organization, Campus Philly, as the Content and Creative Coordinator, helping with marketing strategy, communications, and design. She is also a freelance graphic designer for PHLAFF. Camille values the latino community that she has been grateful to find here in Philadelphia and loves working with the PHLAFF team to help develop the visuals behind the brand. She is very excited for the upcoming festival season and is honored to be on the team.
Valentín Sánchez-Stoddard
Los Fellows Coordinator
Valentín Sánchez-Stoddard (they/them/elle) is a Salvadoran-American multimedia visual artist, photographer, cultural organizer, and community arts educator. Their understanding of healing as a form of resistance continually informs their work and ways of interaction with under-represented communities. Valentín’s commitment to arts accessibility is evident in their community engagement; they’ve worked extensively with unaccompanied minors, immigrants, formerly unhoused individuals, and the disabled, from children to the elderly.
Through public arts engagement, Valentín has successfully connected with community members to explore familiar and new art mediums, encouraging individuals to take risks. By taking a trauma-informed approach, they create a welcoming, inclusive environment that encourages dialogue, reflection, and storytelling. Valentín regularly brings recycled materials, painting and printmaking, and collaborative art-making (like murals), into joyful art exchanges. They have taught art classes and coordinated group exhibitions at Fleisher Art Memorial, Taller Puertorriqueño, and Project HOME.
Valentín’s current role as the Los Fellows Coordinator at Philadelphia Latino Arts & Film Festival (PHLAFF), is to support the artistic and creative development of local Latinx filmmakers in PHLAFF’s new residency initiative, in collaboration with PhillyCAM. They hold a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Photography (2014) from Virginia Commonwealth University- School of the Arts in Richmond, Virginia, and are currently completing the Museum Studies Certificate Program at the University of Washington by June 2024.
Inquiries regarding freelance art services can be made at littlesanchezstudio@gmail.com or via their Instagram at @littlesanchezstudio. Looking to support small business art? Check out their website and online shop at: http://sanchezstoddard.work