Deanna Cuadra is a sophomore at Columbia University and is majoring in Film and Media Studies with a concentration in East Asian Studies. She is from a small town outside Sacramento, California. As someone who strongly believes in the power of storytelling, Deanna has always been attracted to ways film can make a difference. This passion was nursed in high school, only to further grow once in college along with her dedication to education for children in low literacy regions of the world. That is why Shine Global presented such a wonderful opportunity to further explore the importance of telling stories. And because Shine specifically works to give a voice to at-risk children around the world, Deanna feels these stories are especially important to tell.  As the marketing intern, Deanna works to promote the empowering messages of Shine’s films.

Paige McCall is a senior at New York University studying Film and Television. She’s from a small town outside of Seattle, WA that is best known for being where they filmed Twin Peaks. Paige is a writer who’s had a lifelong passion for storytelling through films, and loves creating content for younger audiences, specifically teenagers who feel they haven’t had their voices heard or that their thoughts aren’t valued. Outside of school, Paige has worked for many years with a Seattle-based company that creates inspiring books for kids and families, even writing two of her own. She was immediately interested in Shine because of their emphasis on creating content for at-risk or underrepresented children, and decided to intern for another semester in order to continue learning more about the non-profit world. Paige has spent the majority of her time at NYU working on television writing and production, and hopes to continue working in these areas after graduating this Spring.