Rosie Stallman sees a lot of magic in the Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. The new executive director of the 21-year-old organization has only been on the job for two weeks, but she has big plans and even bigger respect for the institution.
“I went to the festival last fall and I absolutely fell in love with it,” said Stallman, who previously worked for the NCAA in Indianapolis. “I fell in love with the whole atmosphere, the interaction from the streets to the theater. In my mind, the entire experience was magical.”
Less than a month after the close of the 20th TIGLFF, Stallman said she learned about the opening for its executive director, which was vacated by Chuck Henson. Henson held the position for three years and recently became the full time traffic reporter for Bay News 9 on Bright House Networks.
“I was still on a high from the festival when I learned about the position and I was like, ‘This is perfect,’” Stallman said. “I knew this is where I would love to be and to have the opportunity to be a part of something so special.”
Stallman said that she and Henson have worked closely since she took the position and she appreciates his contributions to TIGLFF.
“Chuck has connections and his social networking, media and outreach skills are awesome,” Stallman said. “He’s a kind guy who has made so many people aware of the film festival. The difficulty is following Chuck. He’s really good and everyone knows him. He’s so accessible and helpful.”
Stallman said that when she met Henson the first time, she insisted on a photo with him.
“I was star struck,” she laughed.
Stallman was born near Shreveport, La., but lived most of her formative years in Minnesota. She graduated from St. Cloud State University with degrees in teaching and coaching. She received her masters in administration six years later from the same school and served as athletic director for Texas Wesleyan and Eastern New Mexico University.
“A part of all that life is recruitment and development,” Stallman said. “I enjoy building relationships and I see that as a bridge from the film festival to branch out and build relationships that may not be typical.”
Stallman said she has always been a fan of art and remembers the Eastern New Mexico University president approaching her while she was admiring some art on the campus.
“He said he never had seen an athletic director so interested in art,” she said. “I’ve always had one foot in sports and one in the arts.”
Stallman and her partner of five years, Sue Sears, live in Palm Harbor. She said her first love is her relationship, but as the new face of TIGLFF, she plans to reach out to past and current donors, fans and sponsors of the film festival.
“My strength is to share the message of the festival with those who have never attended or may not feel connected,” she said. “I plan to find those people and blend them in. I have a few ideas in the planning stages and I’m excited about them.”
Stallman said she remains a fan and is excited to meet other fans in her new role.
“I love how technology and the internet make films and art so accessible so fast,” she said. “But there’s something very different about the energy level of being around those experiencing the same film at the same time. It’s contagious.”
To contact Stallman, visit TIGLFF.com or e-mail her at Rosie@TIGLFF.com.
