The International Documentary Association has added four members to its board, bringing the total of distinguished figures serving in that capacity to 17.
The new members announced Wednesday include Jonathan Gray, attorney and producer; Susan Margolin, producer and a pioneer of digital distribution; Jennifer Tiexiera, filmmaker and co-founder of Lady & Bird, and Katie Townsend, litigator and previous deputy executive director & legal director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.
The four join current board members Ina Fichman (president), Chris Albert (secretary), Maria Agui-Carter (treasurer), Alfred Clinton Perry, Bob Berney, Paula Ossandón Cabrera, Inti Cordera, Toni Kamau, Orwa Nyrabia, Chris Perez, Nathalie Seaver, Joel Simon, and Luis González Zaffaroni.
“Jennifer, Jonathan, Katie, and Susan bring deep knowledge and a shared commitment to advocacy for documentary filmmakers,” commented board president Ina Fichman. “With eleven new members in the last eighteen months, spanning seven countries, our board represents more areas of expertise and experience than it has in years — better positioning us to represent the full breadth of the community we serve.”
Dominic Asmall Willsdon serves as executive director of the IDA. In a statement, he said, “The documentary community is navigating real pressures right now — on creative freedom, on the ability to reach audiences, and the safety of filmmakers doing dangerous work. The experience and commitment of this board make IDA better equipped to defend the needs of the field.”
International Documentary Association
The IDA, headquartered in Los Angeles, supports the nonfiction filmmaking community through multiple programs: it provides production and development grants directly to documentary filmmakers, helps them fundraise for their projects through its Fiscal Sponsorship Program, hosts year-round events featuring conversations “with seasoned filmmakers and industry leaders, as well as educational seminars for documentarians of all experience levels to grow professionally by enhancing their knowledge of the craft and business of nonfiction filmmaking,” according to the nonprofit’s website.
It publishes Documentary magazine, hosts the annual IDA Documentary Awards and mounts the biennial Getting Real conference, “the only peer-to-peer gathering of its kind in North America.” Additionally, “As an advocate for documentary artists, activists and journalists, IDA issues statements, calls to action and op-eds, and coordinates with other organizations, networks and individuals, depending on the issues being addressed.”
Background on the four new IDA board members:
Jonathan Gray has been an attorney, producer, and advisor in the documentary film community for over 30 years. He has produced and executive produced numerous documentary films, including Anxiety Club (2024); Beyond the Gaze: Jule Campbell’s Swimsuit Issue (2024); Afghan Dreamers (2022); Truman and Tennessee: An Intimate Conversation (2020); and Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel (2011).
Susan Margolin is an award-winning documentary film producer and a pioneer of digital distribution, with over 25 years of experience in independent film and media. She co-founded New Video/Docurama Films in 1992, growing it into a leading distributor of independent films, series, and documentaries before selling the company to Cinedigm in 2012. In 2016, Margolin founded St. Marks Productions, producing critically acclaimed feature films including HBO’s A Tree of Life: The Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting and Academy Award-shortlisted Desperate Souls, Dark City, and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy (directed by Nancy Buirski).
Jennifer Tiexiera is an award-winning filmmaker and co-founder of Lady & Bird, a female-led documentary production company focused on telling stories from underrepresented voices. She is known for directing Speak! (2025), Rebbeca (2025), Emmy-nominated HBO series Unveiled: Surviving La Luz del Mundo; Subject (2022), and PS Burn This Letter Please (2020). Her upcoming documentary The Jet examines the life of kickboxer Benny “The Jet” Urquidez.
Katie Townsend is a partner in the Los Angeles area and Washington, D.C. offices of Gibson Dunn, a member of the firm’s Litigation and Media, Entertainment & Technology Practice groups, and Co-Chair of the firm’s First Amendment and Free Expression Practice group. An accomplished litigator with extensive experience in media and First Amendment law, Townsend’s practice focuses on representing and advising individual and corporate clients in the media, entertainment, and technology industries. Townsend previously served as the Deputy Executive Director & Legal Director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, overseeing the non-profit organization’s legal services portfolio.
