Creative Mamas Unplugged

The kitchen (0:00), morning routines (4:33), Gina’s journey from NFL Jets Flight Crew to working with the New York Islanders (6:00), transformations and how our careers evolve with motherhood (12:38), Gina on thriving as a director, choreographer and teacher, pushing forward and finding what fits and makes us happy (15:18), and the joy of being in the sports performance world (18:47).

WATCH ON YOUTUBE @ https://youtu.be/Kob8mbYlGJ4

Support Us via Patreon @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Hosts: Cherice Barton and Shelly Hutchinson 

Guest: Gina Capelli

Producer: Jessica O’Keefe, Breatheasy Productions

Follow Gina

Instagram @gina_capelli

LinkedIn @ Gina Capelli

Follow Us

Instagram @creativemamasunplugged

Facebook @creativemamasunplugged

Apple Podcasts  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Spotify  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Amazon Music  @CreativeMamasUnplugged 

YouTube  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

iHeart Radio  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Podbean  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Gina’s Bio

Gina Capelli began her dance journey as the Captain/Choreographer of the Arena Football League, as well as chosen to represent the NY in New Orleans for their XXI Arena Bowl Dream Team and to be the video animation dancer for EA Sports AFL Video Game “Road to Glory”. Gina has performed for the NHL Islanders and chosen by MTV to be a MADE Coach. 2007, she was selected to be a part of The NY Jets Flight Crew Cheerleaders for their inaugural season. Throughout her years with the NFL she modeled for their calendars, performed next to Lenny Kravitz at his Halftime Show, performed in MLB stadiums and was in years of televised news and Sports Commercials. Gina was a member of their Elite Show Team and later as alumni she choreographed for the Show Team and judged the Flight Crew auditions. She leveled up the entertainment at Nassau Coliseum as the Director for the National Lacrosse League's NY Riptide Dance Crew and gameday stage manager. Throughout the past decade she has also played the role of lead adjudicator for many dance competitions. Gina is currently the Director and choreographer of the NY Mets dance team, The Queens Crew. As a seasoned choreographer and mentor for 25 years on Long Island, she believes in being a well-rounded and versatile dancer. Gina is a mother of 3, who loves guiding the next generation of performers through this beautifully evolving world of dance. 

Self-Tanner (0:00), how judgement of other women reflects the parts of ourselves longing to be free (4:57), the blame spiral and taking your power back (6:01), a relatable story about driving on an empty gas tank becomes a metaphor for the impossible mental load women carry every day (10:22), the conversation shifts toward healing, community, and exploring why women need spaces, hobbies, creativity, and connection that exist purely for themselves, not productivity (15:56).

WATCH ON YOUTUBE @ https://youtu.be/2xm8a9y_zyw

Support Us via Patreon @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Hosts: Cherice Barton and Shelly Hutchinson 

Guest: Meg Sylvester

Producer: Jessica O’Keefe, Breatheasy Productions

Follow Meg

Meg’s Book! The Mindful Mom

Instagram @meghansylvester

Website https://megsylvester.com

Bali Girls Trip, October 2025 @ https://www.tourhero.com/en/epic-adventures/indonesia/kindred-souls-in-bali-with-meg-sylvester-863135

Follow Us

Instagram @creativemamasunplugged

Facebook @creativemamasunplugged

Apple Podcasts  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Spotify  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Amazon Music  @CreativeMamasUnplugged 

YouTube  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

iHeart Radio  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Podbean  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Meg’s Bio

Meg Sylvester is a narrative strategist, actor, speaker, and two-time published author whose work sits at the intersection of story, strategy, and human connection.

She has spoken and facilitated for globally recognized brands and stages including Free People, SXSW, Life is Beautiful, and Aviator Nation.  Meg brings a rare blend of creative depth and strategic leadership from her background directing marketing across the arts, healthcare, and corporate sectors.

Meg is the author of The Mindful Mom, available wherever books are sold, and works privately with purpose-driven founders through Narrative Architecture — helping them clearly articulate what they do and why it matters.

She lives in Boise, Idaho with her husband and three children.

Guest: Meg Sylvester

Producer: Jessica O’Keefe, Breatheasy Productions

Follow Meg

Meg’s Book! The Mindful Mom

Instagram @meghansylvester

Website https://megsylvester.com

Bali Girls Trip, October 2025 @ https://www.tourhero.com/en/epic-adventures/indonesia/kindred-souls-in-bali-with-meg-sylvester-863135

Follow Us 

Instagram @creativemamasunplugged

Facebook @creativemamasunplugged

Apple Podcasts  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Spotify  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Amazon Music  @CreativeMamasUnplugged  

YouTube  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

iHeart Radio  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Podbean  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Meg’s Bio

Meg Sylvester is a narrative strategist, actor, speaker, and two-time published author whose work sits at the intersection of story, strategy, and human connection.

She has spoken and facilitated for globally recognized brands and stages including Free People, SXSW, Life is Beautiful, and Aviator Nation.  Meg brings a rare blend of creative depth and strategic leadership from her background directing marketing across the arts, healthcare, and corporate sectors.

Meg is the author of The Mindful Mom, available wherever books are sold, and works privately with purpose-driven founders through Narrative Architecture — helping them clearly articulate what they do and why it matters.

She lives in Boise, Idaho with her husband and three children.

Would you rather (0:00), Voice memos, human connection in our digital world, and how hearing someone’s voice changes everything (2:02), magic of voice in theater, storytelling, and character work (8:00), motherhood, identity, and redefining creativity, plus the freedom and empowerment that comes with midlife rebirth (13:30).

WATCH ON YOUTUBE @ https://youtu.be/kl4NEwYKhSk

Support Us via Patreon @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Hosts: Cherice Barton and Shelly Hutchinson

Guest: Tanya Burne

Producer: Jessica O’Keefe, Breatheasy Productions

Follow Tanya:

Instagram @unhingedundone

IMDb @ https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0122289/

Support UnhingedUndone @ buymeacoffee.com/unhingedundone

Follow Us: 

Instagram @creativemamasunplugged

Facebook @creativemamasunplugged

Apple Podcasts  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Spotify  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Amazon Music  @CreativeMamasUnplugged  

YouTube  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

iHeart Radio  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Podbean  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Tanya Burne – Biography

Tanya has worked as a professional actor, director and writer for over 20 years across film, television and theatre. In 2002, Tanya received the highest scholarship ever awarded to the Actors Studio Drama School in New York, where she completed a year of a Master of Fine Arts. Her numerous acting credits for theatre include The Ballad of Reading Gaol for Devil’s Own Theatre, When Dad Married Fury for Hit Productions, A Single Act for Melbourne Theatre Company, Lady Grey (In Ever-Lower Light) for Inscription in association with Griffin Theatre Company and Melbourne Theatre Company, Twelfth Night and Triple Acorn for Essential Theatre, The Big Knife and The Male Animal for Actors Studio Drama School, New York and A Midsummer Night's Dream for the Australian Shakespeare Company.

Directing credits include the Australian premiere of Tennessee Williams’ Summer and Smoke – which she also produced for White Horse Collective, and a Directorial Attachment on Thom Pain (based on nothing) for Melbourne Theatre Company. 

Tanya’s TV and feature film acting credits include The Doctor Blake Mysteries, House Husbands, Offspring, Underbelly, Conspiracy 365, Australia on Trial, Rush, Satisfaction, Waiting at the Royal, Some Happy Day and Good Guys Bad Guys. 

In addition to her career in the arts, Tanya is also a highly experienced Family Violence practitioner and a skilled Social Worker with over 15 years’ experience in service delivery in government and non-government organisations. She has worked with clients experiencing extreme crisis including homelessness, mental health, alcohol and other drugs and family violence. Her work experience includes front line work with victims and perpetrators of family violence and complex policy development. Her most recent role was Senior Policy Officer for the Victorian Governments’ portfolio for Engaging Men and Boys in Prevention of Family Violence – Family Safety Victoria.

Unhinged – a one woman play (soon to be web series)

Unhinged transforms the theatre/screen into a modern-day confessional. Coming to terms with a lifetime of objectification, our protagonist, She, confronts the audience with the realities of online dating to seek understanding and salvation. Unhinged pushes audiences to interrogate and question what they think they know about women, sex, online dating, and violence. 

The stakes at the heart of the piece relate directly to the fear of seeking connection within a hostile environment. An environment where women fear for their safety, where women over 40 are viewed as grumpy, frumpy, unfuckable, senile - or merely ignored. The themes in Unhinged reflect my sometimes-volatile relationship with my body and sex, which is complex. I’ve always had a deep fascination with what drives desire, and what in essence makes love and lust such powerful, universal motivators of behaviour. As I entered middle age, I was forced to recalibrate my relationship to my body and find ways to celebrate its sometimes-traumatic history. My own personal experience of embarking into the online dating world in my late 40’s was both revelatory and frightening, hilarious and saddening in equal measure. The interactions that followed were sometimes incredibly dull – and other times highly dramatic – so I began to take note of them. 

Unhinged was born out of my own desire to create a daring piece to perform. As a 50-year-old arts’ professional, I have spent many years languishing in a string of creatively barren workplaces, longing for a project or an opportunity to flex and invigorate my artistic muscle. The current climate of theatre/screen in Australia (and worldwide) lacks representation of women my age. It is well understood that women are rarely the protagonists and women over 50 even less so. However, I am motivated by the belief that there is a strong appetite for the voices of older women, specifically unconventional and disruptive portrayals of women. 

WATCH ON YOUTUBE @ https://youtu.be/TpDS-_NneTI 

Hosts: Cherice Barton, Shelly Hutchinson

Guest: Cheryl Mann

Producer: Jessica O’Keefe, Breatheasy Productions

Follow Cheryl:

Website https://cherylmannphoto.com/

Instagram @cherylmannphoto

Documentary Film: Focused on Dance: Master Class Conversation with Photographer Cheryl Mann

Dance Filmmaking Festival https://www.dancefilmmaking.com

Cal Arts https://calarts.edu/members/cheryl-mann

Follow Us: 

Instagram @creativemamasunplugged

Facebook @creativemamasunplugged

Apple Podcasts  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Spotify  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Amazon Music  @CreativeMamasUnplugged  

YouTube  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

iHeart Radio  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Podbean  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Cheryl’s Bio:

Cheryl Mann came to Los Angeles after two decades of dancing and photographing in Chicago.

Solitude (0:00). @UnhingedUndone aka Tanya Burne shares her journey to The Actor’s Studio and back to Australia, and the reality behind overnight success (1:56), a powerful discussion on mindset: believing you are worthy and capable is essential to making things happen (6:21), nonlinear careers & how our creative skills are transferable and valued in other fields, Tanya shares about her work in social issues, including family violence prevention (9:50), social media as a creative outlet and going viral with authenticity and non-traditional representations of women (15:51).

WATCH ON YOUTUBE @ https://youtu.be/_F5xrc0Nujg

Support Us via Patreon @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Hosts: Cherice Barton and Shelly Hutchinson

Guest: Tanya Burne

Producer: Jessica O’Keefe, Breatheasy Productions

Follow Tanya:

Instagram @unhingedundone

IMDb @ https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0122289/

Support UnhingedUndone @ buymeacoffee.com/unhingedundone

Follow Us: 

Instagram @creativemamasunplugged

Facebook @creativemamasunplugged

Apple Podcasts  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Spotify  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Amazon Music  @CreativeMamasUnplugged  

YouTube  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

iHeart Radio  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Podbean  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Tanya Burne – Biography

Tanya has worked as a professional actor, director and writer for over 20 years across film, television and theatre. In 2002, Tanya received the highest scholarship ever awarded to the Actors Studio Drama School in New York, where she completed a year of a Master of Fine Arts. Her numerous acting credits for theatre include The Ballad of Reading Gaol for Devil’s Own Theatre, When Dad Married Fury for Hit Productions, A Single Act for Melbourne Theatre Company, Lady Grey (In Ever-Lower Light) for Inscription in association with Griffin Theatre Company and Melbourne Theatre Company, Twelfth Night and Triple Acorn for Essential Theatre, The Big Knife and The Male Animal for Actors Studio Drama School, New York and A Midsummer Night's Dream for the Australian Shakespeare Company.

Directing credits include the Australian premiere of Tennessee Williams’ Summer and Smoke – which she also produced for White Horse Collective, and a Directorial Attachment on Thom Pain (based on nothing) for Melbourne Theatre Company. 

Tanya’s TV and feature film acting credits include The Doctor Blake Mysteries, House Husbands, Offspring, Underbelly, Conspiracy 365, Australia on Trial, Rush, Satisfaction, Waiting at the Royal, Some Happy Day and Good Guys Bad Guys. 

In addition to her career in the arts, Tanya is also a highly experienced Family Violence practitioner and a skilled Social Worker with over 15 years’ experience in service delivery in government and non-government organisations. She has worked with clients experiencing extreme crisis including homelessness, mental health, alcohol and other drugs and family violence. Her work experience includes front line work with victims and perpetrators of family violence and complex policy development. Her most recent role was Senior Policy Officer for the Victorian Governments’ portfolio for Engaging Men and Boys in Prevention of Family Violence – Family Safety Victoria.

Unhinged – a one woman play (soon to be web series)

Unhinged transforms the theatre/screen into a modern-day confessional. Coming to terms with a lifetime of objectification, our protagonist, She, confronts the audience with the realities of online dating to seek understanding and salvation. Unhinged pushes audiences to interrogate and question what they think they know about women, sex, online dating, and violence. 

The stakes at the heart of the piece relate directly to the fear of seeking connection within a hostile environment. An environment where women fear for their safety, where women over 40 are viewed as grumpy, frumpy, unfuckable, senile - or merely ignored. The themes in Unhinged reflect my sometimes-volatile relationship with my body and sex, which is complex. I’ve always had a deep fascination with what drives desire, and what in essence makes love and lust such powerful, universal motivators of behaviour. As I entered middle age, I was forced to recalibrate my relationship to my body and find ways to celebrate its sometimes-traumatic history. My own personal experience of embarking into the online dating world in my late 40’s was both revelatory and frightening, hilarious and saddening in equal measure. The interactions that followed were sometimes incredibly dull – and other times highly dramatic – so I began to take note of them. 

Unhinged was born out of my own desire to create a daring piece to perform. As a 50-year-old arts’ professional, I have spent many years languishing in a string of creatively barren workplaces, longing for a project or an opportunity to flex and invigorate my artistic muscle. The current climate of theatre/screen in Australia (and worldwide) lacks representation of women my age. It is well understood that women are rarely the protagonists and women over 50 even less so. However, I am motivated by the belief that there is a strong appetite for the voices of older women, specifically unconventional and disruptive portrayals of women. 

Fabric (0:00). Cheryl chats navigating the emotional challenge of traveling for work (7:17), pets, family and unexpected emotional bonds (10:22), moving to Los Angeles and building a sense of belonging (13:02), Building community in Los Angeles, why connection matters (16:30), Cheryl’s love of people, collaboration and photography (23:49). 

WATCH ON YOUTUBE @ https://youtu.be/hzvDZJAjm-E

Hosts: Cherice Barton, Shelly Hutchinson

Guest: Cheryl Mann

Producer: Jessica O’Keefe, Breatheasy Productions

Follow Cheryl:

Website https://cherylmannphoto.com/

Instagram @cherylmannphoto

Documentary Film: Focused on Dance: Master Class Conversation with Photographer Cheryl Mann

Dance Filmmaking Festival https://www.dancefilmmaking.com

Cal Arts https://calarts.edu/members/cheryl-mann

Follow Us: 

Instagram @creativemamasunplugged

Facebook @creativemamasunplugged

Apple Podcasts  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Spotify  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Amazon Music  @CreativeMamasUnplugged  

YouTube  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

iHeart Radio  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Podbean  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Cheryl’s Bio:

No drama (0:00), Cheryl on balancing home life, career, and creativity (3:00), Cheryl’s role at CalArts, working with graduating dancers, preparing them for the real world through performance, discipline, and professional tools (5:00), Cheryl on the balance between encouragement and allowing children to find their path (11:14), how everything Cheryl does is an outlet to another thing and is refreshing, keeps us grateful and happy (15:20).

WATCH ON YOUTUBE @ https://youtu.be/Pw_LhcmDZfA

Hosts: Cherice Barton, Shelly Hutchinson

Guest: Cheryl Mann

Producer: Jessica O’Keefe, Breatheasy Productions

Follow Cheryl:

Website https://cherylmannphoto.com/

Instagram @cherylmannphoto

Documentary Film: Focused on Dance: Master Class Conversation with Photographer Cheryl Mann

Dance Filmmaking Festival https://www.dancefilmmaking.com

Cal Arts https://calarts.edu/members/cheryl-mann

Follow Us: 

Instagram @creativemamasunplugged

Facebook @creativemamasunplugged

Apple Podcasts  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Spotify  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Amazon Music  @CreativeMamasUnplugged  

YouTube  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

iHeart Radio  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Podbean  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Cheryl’s Bio:

Hilarity of modern dating horrors (0:00), Tanya on her commitment to living truthfully, @unhingedundone, the power of vulnerability, authenticity, and embracing imperfection as a creative force (4:30),  Tanya opens up about the more profound themes behind her work, including her relationship with her body, trauma, and womanhood (7:10), Tanya shares her journey into motherhood—speaks candidly about IVF, birth trauma, and letting go of expectations, offering a raw and powerful perspective on resilience and redefining what motherhood can look like (10:15). 

WATCH ON YOUTUBE @ https://youtu.be/qN8xUUtvc8g

Support Us via Patreon @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Hosts: Cherice Barton and Shelly Hutchinson

Guest: Tanya Burne

Producer: Jessica O’Keefe, Breatheasy Productions

Follow Tanya:

Instagram @unhingedundone

IMDb @ https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0122289/

Support UnhingedUndone @ buymeacoffee.com/unhingedundone

Follow Us: 

Instagram @creativemamasunplugged

Facebook @creativemamasunplugged

Apple Podcasts  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Spotify  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Amazon Music  @CreativeMamasUnplugged  

YouTube  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

iHeart Radio  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Podbean  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Tanya Burne – Biography

Tanya has worked as a professional actor, director and writer for over 20 years across film, television and theatre. In 2002, Tanya received the highest scholarship ever awarded to the Actors Studio Drama School in New York, where she completed a year of a Master of Fine Arts. Her numerous acting credits for theatre include The Ballad of Reading Gaol for Devil’s Own Theatre, When Dad Married Fury for Hit Productions, A Single Act for Melbourne Theatre Company, Lady Grey (In Ever-Lower Light) for Inscription in association with Griffin Theatre Company and Melbourne Theatre Company, Twelfth Night and Triple Acorn for Essential Theatre, The Big Knife and The Male Animal for Actors Studio Drama School, New York and A Midsummer Night's Dream for the Australian Shakespeare Company.

Directing credits include the Australian premiere of Tennessee Williams’ Summer and Smoke – which she also produced for White Horse Collective, and a Directorial Attachment on Thom Pain (based on nothing) for Melbourne Theatre Company. 

Tanya’s TV and feature film acting credits include The Doctor Blake Mysteries, House Husbands, Offspring, Underbelly, Conspiracy 365, Australia on Trial, Rush, Satisfaction, Waiting at the Royal, Some Happy Day and Good Guys Bad Guys. 

In addition to her career in the arts, Tanya is also a highly experienced Family Violence practitioner and a skilled Social Worker with over 15 years’ experience in service delivery in government and non-government organisations. She has worked with clients experiencing extreme crisis including homelessness, mental health, alcohol and other drugs and family violence. Her work experience includes front line work with victims and perpetrators of family violence and complex policy development. Her most recent role was Senior Policy Officer for the Victorian Governments’ portfolio for Engaging Men and Boys in Prevention of Family Violence – Family Safety Victoria.

Unhinged – a one woman play (soon to be web series)

Unhinged transforms the theatre/screen into a modern-day confessional. Coming to terms with a lifetime of objectification, our protagonist, She, confronts the audience with the realities of online dating to seek understanding and salvation. Unhinged pushes audiences to interrogate and question what they think they know about women, sex, online dating, and violence. 

The stakes at the heart of the piece relate directly to the fear of seeking connection within a hostile environment. An environment where women fear for their safety, where women over 40 are viewed as grumpy, frumpy, unfuckable, senile - or merely ignored. The themes in Unhinged reflect my sometimes-volatile relationship with my body and sex, which is complex. I’ve always had a deep fascination with what drives desire, and what in essence makes love and lust such powerful, universal motivators of behaviour. As I entered middle age, I was forced to recalibrate my relationship to my body and find ways to celebrate its sometimes-traumatic history. My own personal experience of embarking into the online dating world in my late 40’s was both revelatory and frightening, hilarious and saddening in equal measure. The interactions that followed were sometimes incredibly dull – and other times highly dramatic – so I began to take note of them. 

Unhinged was born out of my own desire to create a daring piece to perform. As a 50-year-old arts’ professional, I have spent many years languishing in a string of creatively barren workplaces, longing for a project or an opportunity to flex and invigorate my artistic muscle. The current climate of theatre/screen in Australia (and worldwide) lacks representation of women my age. It is well understood that women are rarely the protagonists and women over 50 even less so. However, I am motivated by the belief that there is a strong appetite for the voices of older women, specifically unconventional and disruptive portrayals of women. 

Riding (0:00). Kira on creativity beyond genre (3:10), the creative toolbox (6:05), Kira discusses the power of truth in performance (8:30), encouraging independence in children, the courage it takes to let go and trust the process and yourself (12:00).

WATCH ON YOUTUBE @ https://youtu.be/-Xr-upxDIvk

Support Us via Patreon @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Hosts: Cherice Barton and Shelly Hutchinson

Guest: Kira Powell

Producer: Jessica O’Keefe, Breatheasy Productions

Follow Kira:

Website: https://www.kirapowell.com/

Instagram @itskirapowell

IMDb https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2451581/

AWD https://www.allianceofwomendirectors.org/find-a-director/director/kira-powell/

Kira’s Linktr.ee @ https://linktr.ee/KiraPowell

Follow Us: 

Instagram @creativemamasunplugged

Facebook @creativemamasunplugged

Apple Podcasts  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Spotify  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Amazon Music  @CreativeMamasUnplugged  

YouTube  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

iHeart Radio  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

Podbean  @CreativeMamasUnplugged

BIO:

Kira Powell is an award-winning, NAACP Image Award-nominated writer-director and SAG-AFTRA actor of African American and Ecuadorian descent. She holds an MFA in Directing from the American Film Institute Conservatory. Whether in coming-of-age drama or psychological horror, her films explore identity and inheritance, often through multiracial and immigrant experiences, examining the consequences of love under pressure — how devotion, protection, and survival shape people, for better and for worse. 

Kira received a Directors Guild of America Jury Award at the 2024 DGA Student Awards for Outstanding Directing for her AFI thesis coming-of-age short BEST EYES, which premiered at the Academy Award®–qualifying Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF) and has been nominated for Outstanding Short Form (Live Action) at the 57th NAACP Image Awards. BEST EYES also won First Place in the Afro-Latino Short Film Competition sponsored by Lexus and presented by the African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) and the Latino Entertainment Journalists Association (LEJA). 

Kira’s short films have screened at festivals including Urbanworld, Screamfest, Tallgrass, and Black Harvest Film Festival. Her award-winning one-woman show CAUGHT IN THE MIX, about Black–Latinx identity, was staged at multiple venues across Los Angeles and recognized for its social impact, laying the groundwork for the themes she continues to explore on screen.

As an actor, Kira has appeared in film, television, and numerous national commercials. Her credits include the indie cult hit THE ENDLESS, directed by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead (Moon Knight, Loki), which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival; Jif’s “That Jif’ing Good” campaign—named one of Adweek’s Top Commercials of the Year; and collaborations with directors Larry Charles (Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm) and John Hillcoat (The Road).

She is currently developing a slate of film and television projects.

Outside of filmmaking, she’s traveled to over 40 countries and has a deep love for the theater. You’ll usually find her discovering a new restaurant, in the audience at a live show, or onstage. 

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