Meet our Team

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: PHIL BUSSE

For the past 15 years, Executive Director Phil Busse has worked as a college instructor, a journalist, media producer and political advisor. Phil serves as an adjunct instructor for Portland State University and has written for publications like salon.com, The Believer, and The Oregonian.

Before starting the Media Institute, he helped launch the Portland Mercury in 2000 and served for six years as the Managing Editor. He helped build the weekly newspaper into a successful publication and one of the most popular sources of news and entertainment in Oregon. As a spin-off from his political reporting and columns, Phil ran for mayor of Portland in 2004. Out of 23 candidates and outspent by the lead candidate by $1 million, Phil placed third behind a two-time city council member and the former police chief.

Phil graduated from Middlebury College in 1992 and earned his law degree from the University of Oregon in 1997.

manager and producer of The Non-Profit Hour: rachel miller-howard

Rachel joined the Media Institute with a background in arts education and documentary story development. While sustaining the spirit of a Michigander, she lived in Connecticut, New Mexico, Alaska, and Antarctica, before settling in Portland. Her geographic agnosticism has somewhat dissipated, and she's committed to micro-explorations in the Pacific Northwest, and of course, supporting media makers who believe in the power of careful observation. She's in the nascent stages of developing a digital outpost dedicated to women documentarians, called Doxx Magazine. Rachel graduated from Wesleyan University with a degree in anthropology. She's obsessed with nonfiction almost as much as she adores fried foods.

MANAGEment consultant: ROSE HOLDORF

Rose is a 2009 Media Institute alumna with a degree in Humanities and Media and Cultural Studies from Macalester College in 2011. A native to Oregon, Rose returned to Portland in 2014 and currently also works at the Northwest Film Center and for an organic produce farm as a Market Manager. With a strong background in media production and non-profit work, she took on the Program Manager position for the 2014 Documentary Program and loves working with students to discuss and develop their summer projects. Rose hopes to continue to empower aspiring media makers and strengthen our Portland community in her role at the Media Institute for Social Change. Rose is on sabbatical this year while she participates in a craft and education fellowship at North House Folk School in Minnesota.

PROGRAM MANAGER: JOSH KLETZKIN

Josh Kletzkin is an editor and cinematographer based in Portland. He recently directed the documentary feature ‘A is for ASH’ about Irish rock legends Ash, and co-produced ‘Throw Down Your Heart,’ a documentary about musician Bela Fleck’s journey to Africa in search of the roots of the banjo. His recent credits as an editor include Bravo’s ‘Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style,’ Nickelodeon’s ‘The Wonder Pets’ and MTV’s ‘True Life.’ As cinematographer, Josh has shot music videos and live concert footage for artists including The Punch Brothers, Panic at the Disco, The Terrordactyls, and The Panama Kings. He was also camera operator for Live@MTV, a web based performance series that has featured Bjork, Fall Out Boy, John Mayer, and others. Josh graduated from Wesleyan College in 1995.