Amanda Gellman

For the past decade, Amanda has served as the President of the Windsor Centre for Film, Digital Media & the Creative Arts (non-profit) and the Media Arts Community Centre and Museum (charity), both of promote and facilitate filmmaking for youth, adults and seniors. She founded Film Camp for Kids & Youth in 2012. While spending much of private her time finding work for emerging filmmakers and growing the local industry, she herself has written, produced and directed many shorts and promos for various clients. 

Amanda launched Aging & HIV: A Story of Resiliency on World AIDS Day 2020. The documentary film portrays a lifelong bond formed between a group of individuals from southern Ontario, Canada, who were diagnosed with HIV between 1987 and 2013.  At first, the news was life-limiting, but they turned the news around by choosing to support one another, help others and make the world a better place. The film was promoted by the Canadian Research Council on HIV, the Ontario AIDS Network on HIV, among others.   

Currently, Amanda is working on this film about human trafficking, Culture Kills Culture Healers, and a WWI-based documentary about the lifetime accomplishments of Milton Gregg.  

Amanda is a native of Newfoundland who worked in St. Louis, Missouri before landing in Windsor, Ontario in 1995. Amanda’s career has been immersed in fund development, branding campaigns, stakeholder engagement, media relations, video production and much more while holding executive positions in non-profits spanning from 1980 to 2008. She went on her own after completing two positions at the University of Windsor: Special Assistant to the President/Associate VP Advancement (3-year term: 2001-2003) and first female Vice-President for Advancement for the University of Windsor (5-year term: 2004-2008), overseeing external affairs (communications, alumni relations and fund development). 

Amanda incorporated MANAN Strategy Consultants / MANAN Media Productions in Nov 2008, prior to leaving the university on December 31, 2008 and then, partnering with Leona MacIntyre, the Funding Envelope incorporated in 2017 to meet the demand for the grant writing services. Amanda also currently serves on the Boards of Canterbury College at the University of Windsor and the Essex Regional Conservation Foundation.     

Amanda works to create manan, which means new beginnings and opportunities. She has received numerous recognitions for her community service, some of which are: 40 under 40 in St. Louis recognition, The McDonnell Douglas Feed America Award, Windsor’s Women of the Year 2001 (1 of 2), The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, The Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal, and the Crystal Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canada South Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.