Joseph Matina (Chair):
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Joseph Matina is deeply committed to promoting multiculturalism and preserving the history, culture, and languages of diverse ethnic communities. His goal is to ensure that future generations have access to these archives, fostering appreciation and understanding of cultural heritage.

Although Joseph’s professional background is in finance, he has a strong passion for the arts. He enjoys photography and cinematography, often creating projects that capture authentic, real-life stories. Music is another source of inspiration for him; he plays the keyboard as a way to relax and express creativity.

Fluent in three languages, Joseph also works as a translator specializing in aged care services. His vision is to unite cultural groups worldwide, creating a harmonious environment where traditions and customs can be shared and celebrated. Through this effort, he hopes to build a world that values diversity and promotes mutual respect across all backgrounds.

Luis Gaitan:

Luis Gaitan is a Digital Producer and Media Specialist who creates visual and audio stories to support engaging, effective teaching and learning.

With over 20 years’ experience across film, television and digital media, Luis has worked internationally in commercial, public broadcasting and higher education contexts. His work has received numerous awards, including an Emmy–UNICEF Award, the Chicago Children’s Film Festival Award, the India Catalina Award, and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Best of Asia Pacific Awards.
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Since 2015, he has led and directed digital media projects at the University of Melbourne and is a Fellow of Advance HE, recognising his contribution to teaching and learning. Luis is also Co founder of the University of Melbourne Latin American Professional Network, fostering community, diversity and meaningful engagement.

Matthew Keisoglu:

Matthew Keisoglu is an Armenian-Australian filmmaker, practice-based researcher, and festival director whose work explores mental health, culture, and identity through emotionally resonant storytelling.
 
Matthew is the Festival Director of the Mental Health Foundation Australia’s Multicultural Mental Health Film Festival (MMHFF), founded and presented by the Mental Health Foundation Australia. Now in its third year, the festival was held in 2025 at ACMI as part of the New Voices in Australian Cinema program. Since its launch in 2023, MMHFF has evolved into a respected international platform for multicultural mental health storytelling, reaching more than 3 million people globally and showcasing filmmakers from over 35 countries.

A multi-award-winning filmmaker and Deakin University graduate currently completing a Master of Arts, his short films have screened nationally and internationally and have been discussed in The Armenian Mirror-Spectator, Neos Kosmos, SBS Armenian, The Armenian Weekly, and The Tehran Times. He has made media appearances on Radio 3CR, SBS Armenian, and Phoenix FM Bendigo.
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He is committed to using film as a tool for representation, connection, and mental health advocacy, centring lived experience, cultural heritage, and marginalised voices.

Mojdeh Kashani
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​Mojdeh Kashani is a journalist, broadcaster, and media professional with a strong focus on representation, community connection, and social impact. She cares deeply about how media can be used responsibly to reflect lived experiences and create space for voices that are often unheard.

She works as a journalist and radio host with SBS and is the Managing Editor of Talkback magazine, where she helps shape editorial direction and supports thoughtful, inclusive storytelling. Mojdeh has also worked as a Master of Ceremonies across a wide range of cultural and community events, including the Multicultural Mental Health Film Festival and the International Film Festival Australia, where she facilitates conversations that are engaging, respectful, and accessible.

Through her work, Mojdeh brings a strong understanding of audience trust, ethical storytelling, and the long-term value of community-led media. She is committed to supporting sustainable platforms that nurture diverse talent and reflect the richness of Australia’s multicultural society.

Steve Spangaro:

Steve Spangaro is a versatile producer/director/designer specialising in factual, multicam, immersive and convergent media. His boutique production company Worldview works with clients such as Volvo, Transurban, ABC-TV, Melbourne International Film Festival and the Magistrates Court of Victoria. Projects delivered have spanned educational multicam drama (for Phoenix Australia/Vic Dept of H.H.S), an e-sports gameshow pilot (with Epic Games via Hollywood/CAA dealings), 360 (music) videos for Basement Jaxx’s label (‘Awaken’ on Atlantic Jaxx) and the design and operation of groundbreaking VR exhibition spaces (MIFF VR 2016-19).

Prior to Worldview, Steve was a key stakeholder in the design and install of ACMI’s production infrastructure whilst writing, producing and directing some of the museum’s feature turnstile locationbased experiences (eg ‘Fairytales and Fantasies’). Steve has been a television Segment Producer for Network 10 (‘Planet X’), Sportsbrand Media Group (‘Sportsworld’) and ABC-TV (‘Recovery’) as well as a cofounder of the (former) Fitzroy video post-production facility Digitools.

Steve spent much of 2005-2013 as an independent TV format devisor - residing in Los Angeles/San Francisco for two years - and on four occasions attending the world’s premiere television market, MIPCOM/MipTV in Cannes.

Steve has taught the Digital Narratives unit for Swinburne’s B. Screen Prod. and since 2018 has served on the Industry Advisory Committee for the B. Design (Digital Media) course at RMIT.

Producing and directing arts and social issues documentaries for RMITV and SKA-TV throughout 1990-91 lured Steve to the CTV cause. While continuing to make community television, he served on the SKA-TV Board, the first MCTC Board (as SKA-TV rep) and first CBAA (then PBAA) CTV Standing Committee. He was also Australasian representative to the ‘International Coordinating Committee of the VideOlympiade’ which included successfully pitching Australia as a future VideOlympiade destination to the global community media organisation Videazimut.

Steve had a hand in drafting the MCTC’s first Constitution and Programming Policy. Prior to that he was an author of ‘Introducing Australian Community Television’ being the PBAA (CBAA) CTV Standing Committee’s response to the House of Representative’s inquiry named ‘Possible Uses of the Sixth High Power Television Channel’. The successful ‘Sixth Channel’ outcome enabled MCTC to commence metropolitan wide broadcast in 1994.

Steve established the MCTC Promo Department and was employed as Station Promo Producer (Oct ‘94-Sep ’95 and again in 1998). Steve wrote/produced/directed the MCTC’s first in-house TV programs being ‘Public Television: It Could Happen to You’ (1991) and the Australia Council funded ‘Whose Television?’ (1994). ‘Whose Television?’ won an international ‘VideOlypiade’ award for its showcasing of Australian community television and was the first pre-recorded program played on Channel 31’s launch broadcast on October 6th 1994. In 1995, Steve was Series Producer of MCTC’s first TV show co-produced with a  community sector partner (the ‘Fringe TV’ series for Melbourne Fringe).