Doug Harris to serve two year term as President, Lisa Elin re-elected, Travis Leamons and Dr Donna Copeland to serve new roles
At the Houston Film Critics Society’s first meeting of 2019, the membership approved an uncontested slate of new officers who will immediately begin serving terms that will extend to early 2021.
Doug Harris was elected the organization’s President and Travis Leamons as Vice-President. Lisa Elin was reconfirmed as the group’s Secretary while Dr. Donna Copeland will assume the duties of Treasurer, previously handled by Travis Leamons.
HFCS member Mark Schumann has been appointed Communications Director for the organization.
After three consecutive terms, outgoing HFCS President Joshua Starnes will shift his focus to overseeing the group’s ongoing recognition of independent filmmakers and the annual presentation of the Texas Independent Film Awards. In tribute to his service, the HFCS presented him with a personalized director’s chair at their January meeting.
“This is going to be an incredible year for the HFCS,” Harris predicts. “We wrapped up 2018 with a spectacular, sold out awards show at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, began work on a revitalized website, and launched two new scholarship programs to recognize and support the next generation of filmmakers and journalists. Most importantly, our members collectively viewed over 10,000 films last year.”
Brief biographies of the new HFCS officers follow below. Additional photos are available on request.
Doug Harris (President) has reviewed movies in Houston for over 30 years as “Jr. Mintz”. His work first appeared on Rock 101 KLOL in 1983, then on The Buzz, The New 93Q, and News 92 FM. A regular on the Dean and Rog Show (The Arrow, then The Eagle) for seven years, Mintz also enjoyed eight years in syndication with the Connecticut Radio Network and was heard daily on eight New England stations. A member of the Texas Radio Hall of Fame and Broadcast Film Critics Association and a founding member of the Houston Film Critic’s Society, Jr. now shares his opinions on NASA’s digital radio station, Third Rock Radio.
Travis Leamons (Vice-President) is a critic, cinephile, fitness enthusiast, and avid collector of physical media (with more than 4,000 titles). He has written about film for more than a decade at outlets Inside Pulse, Examiner, BackstageOL, and Birth.Movies.Death. He also hosted over 100 episodes of the Houston Film Critics Society’s weekly radio podcast “The Critics Circle.”
Lisa Elin (Secretary) holds a degree in writing and is a certified coach specializing in cinema therapy and positive psychology. She’s been a member of the reviewing press since 2009 and weaves these concepts into her work, appearing in a variety of channels including Reel Happiness, Examiner, We Got This Covered, and the HFCS radio show. She also designs brain games for movie lovers.
Dr. Donna R. Copeland (Treasurer) is a retired clinical psychologist who took a right turn in becoming a film critic seven years ago. Her reviews can be seen at Texas Art & Film and at Dr. Donna’s Film Reviews.
ABOUT THE HFCS
The 37 members of the Houston Film Critics Society are working film journalists on television, radio, online and in traditional print. Together, they reach millions of people each week across the United States with their critiques and commentaries on film. The organization, which also actively promotes the advancement of film in the Houston community, will launch a student scholarship program in 2019.