Trey Wodele

Founder

Trey Wodele is one of the Twin Cities’ leading educators and advocates for youth in digital arts. Trey started his career in media education as the Coordinator and founding teacher at Minneapolis' MTS Digital Media Academy, a high school for digital arts. Under his leadership, the academy grew from a loose collection of electives to a thriving career academy and a destination school for digital media, particularly for under-served, at-risk youth.

In 2018, Trey and creative partner, Richard Hansen, co-founded the Northern Film Alliance (NFA), a non-profit whose mission supports the goals of its member festivals while serving as a conduit for film exhibition, education, and production. The Northern Film Alliance produces the EDU Film Festival, Horror High Film Camps, the Duluth Superior Film Festival, the Minnesota Web Fest, and the North Star Story Summit.

Trey serves as the Founding Director for the Northern Film Alliance as well as a Producer/Educator for Horror High Film Camps.

Mike Gonzalez

Director

Mike brings excitement and passion for media arts to the Northern Film Alliance as the Director of the EDU Film Festival. Mike has a unique background working alongside clients in the corporate community for over two decades, contributing with his gifts of generosity and empathy to help teams get from point A to point B.

Mike is a multi-faceted professional with experience as a live audio engineer, camera operator, producer, and production assistant for film and corporate projects.

Zoe Esser

Producer

A Minnesota native, Zoe brings her passion for film and dedication to every team she joins. With extensive experience in production, Zoe excels in collaborating with clients and agencies, ensuring the success of each project. Her work spans local broadcasts, feature films, and major brand collaborations.

Zoe is committed to nurturing young talent and fostering the growth of Minnesota's film and entertainment industry. Her enthusiasm and expertise make her an invaluable asset to the festival.

Mo Perz

Festival Youth Internship Program

Mo is a talented emerging artist with a keen eye for capturing images that engage and inspire viewers, and his journey as an editor has not only honed his technical skills, but also enriched his storytelling abilities. Through his work, Mo weaves together visuals and narratives that reflect his unique perspective and life experiences.

His youthful energy and fresh perspective bring a dynamic and vibrant element to every project, and as the first member of the EDU Festival Youth Internship Program, Mo’s influence adds a valuable dimension to the look and feel of the festival.

Ben Prescott

Art Director

Ben Prescott is an educator, designer, and entrepreneur. His creative work ranges from graphic and fine arts to furniture design, screenprinting, and streetwear design. Ben is the co-owner of SECT Wear a web-based production design and collaborative clothing company.

Ben was a founding teacher at Minneapolis' Digital Media Academy, a digital arts career academy that was a leading provider of sound, video, and graphic design instruction to Twin Cities high school students. At the DMA, in addition to teaching screenprinting and graphic design, Ben served as a classroom instructor for the BrandLab program, a nonprofit whose mission is to introduce, guide and prepare students of all races or socioeconomic backgrounds for careers in marketing and advertising.

Ben has been the creative force behind the EDU Film Festival since its inception, working with student artists to design unified marketing themes for video, print, and the web.

Penn Pauletich

LGBTQ+ Programmer / Horror High Producer

Penn Pauletich is a director/writer/producer/editor living in the suburbs of St. Paul. His interest in filmmaking started at age eight when his family took him to Universal Studios in Florida where he experienced a ride called “Disaster.” Penn rode the interactive experience, where the patrons could make a trailer for a disaster movie, 12 times that day. It became clear that he had a calling.

Penn started his career path by obtaining a BFA in Digital Film and Media Production at the Institute of Production and Recording In Edina, MN. He has written and directed over 20 short films. He served as an Associate Producer on the Paramount Pictures film, The Infernal Machine, staring Guy Pearce, Alice Eve, and Alex Pettyfer.

Penn currently works full time as an editor in the Twin Cities and is in development of a web series that he will write, produce, and direct.