Lisa Simmons

Lisa Simmons is the Executive and Artistic Director of the Roxbury International Film Festival (ROXFILM), whose mission is to present films that celebrate people of color around the world and to support filmmakers who are creating media aligned with the mission of ROXFILM. The festival, now in its 28th year, has screened over 1400 films at its annual June festival Ms. Simmons has also produced theater and film in the Boston area and has published and presented about the Boston’s WPA Negro Theater Project which produced theatrical shows between 1935-1939. In addition, Ms. Simmons is the Program Manager for the Communities Initiative at the Mass Cultural Council overseeing the administration and grant funding for various programs across the state. She is the recipient of several awards including: GK Top 100 Influential People of Color, Image Award from Women in Film New England, The President’s Award for Leadership from Dimock Community Health Center, the Community Award from Boston Arts Academy, and most recently, The Dream Award from The Loop Lab and The Common Good award from Mass College of Art & Design In addition, she is a contributing guest on WGBH’s The Culture Show.