Left to right:
Andy Edmunds, Mary Nelson, Rita McClenny,
Mary Kathryn Severin, Becky Beckstoffer, Kathryn Stephens.
Rita McClenny, Vice President of Industry Relations and Film
Email: rmcclenny@virginia.org
Rita has been with the Virginia Film Office since 1991, except for a 10 month hiatus she took to work with International Family Entertainment (the Family Channel). She attended Vassar College and Fisk University. She was employed by Eastman Kodak and Lockheed Aeronautical Systems before becoming an associate marketing manager at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership. She is a board member of the Virginia Film Festival, the Virginia Production Alliance, Maymount Foundation and the Virginia Center for Media and Culture and is also a member of numerous other organizations involved in promoting the entertainment industry in Virginia. Rita is a native Virginian who enjoys hunting, polo, tennis and the arts.
Rebecca Beckstoffer, Marketing Manager
Email: bbeckstoffer@virginia.org
Becky has a long and varied history in film production in Virginia. She started working for the Film Office in 1986, just six years after it was created. After five years, she left to work in locations management on such Virginia film projects as Hush, Major Payne, First Kid, The Vernon Johns Story, Foreign Student, Miss Rose White and Dave. In 1996 she returned to the Film Office as the Marketing Manager. Becky is a Virginia native who grew up in Covington. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Mary Nelson, Communications Manager
Email: mnelson@virginia.org
Mary came to the Film Office in 1994 and worked for three years as the location manager before assuming the position of Communications Manager in 1997. A native of Wisconsin, she received a B.F.A. in theatre management from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee and worked for 20 years in company management and public relations at theatres and universities in Milwaukee, Denver, Tucson, San Diego and Richmond. She is actively involved with the Virginia Production Alliance, an organization that supports the media production industry in Virginia. She is also the President of the Board of Directors for the Association of Film Commissioners International, an organization comprised of film commissions from around the world. She also works with the Virginia Film Festival, ChinaFest and Women in Film and Video – DC.
Andy Edmunds, Location Manager
Email: aedmunds@virginia.org
While studying music at Virginia Commonwealth University, Andy became interested in film production as it related to the music industry. Andy's own work was critically acclaimed at The Houston International Film Festival in 1986, Since that time, he has been involved in various capacities on most major film productions that have come through Virginia. With experience in many areas of production, and a primary focus on locations, we welcomed Andy to the Film Office in 1997 as Location Manager. A Virginia native, he enjoys writing, music and screenplays... look out!
Kathryn Stephens, Industry Relations Manager
Email: kstephens@virginia.org
Kathryn started working for the Film Office as an intern her final year at Randolph-Macon College and she stayed with the office as a part time digital imaging specialist after graduation. During that time she also worked as a PA on various music videos and features. She later became the Locations Assistant for the VFO, a full time position managing the newly digitized location library and assisting clients with their location needs. Now, as the Industry Relations Manager, she still manages the location library in addition to running the VFO’s annual Virginia Screenwriting Competition and theVirginia Independent Film Competition and Festival. Kathryn is also the resident micro blogger for the office and you can find her posting updates on Facebook and Twitter.
Mary Kathryn Severin, Staff Assistant
Email: mkseverin@virginia.org
Mary Kathryn has traveled and worked in arts administration, music education, and music performance near Chicago, Illinois; in Jackson, Wyoming; and in New Jersey, right next to "The Big Apple". She is thrilled to work once again with friends and colleagues in the Film Office, some of whom she has known for more than 20 years, and she is happy to be involved with the Commonwealth’s film & video production community. After she wins the Virginia Lottery she will retire to a horse farm and spend her days galloping the rolling Virginia countryside. A proud native of Ashland, Virginia ("The Center of the Universe"), Mary Kathryn has determined there is indeed no place like home.
