About The Crew

KJ

KJ is a gender-queer, multi-disciplinary artist and filmmaker who has worked in the Pacific Northwest for over a decade with the elderly and disabled community in theatre and film.  They have won multiple awards including Best Narrative Short at the Beaumont Film Festival and Best Narrative Short at the El Paso Classic Film Festival, two years running. 

They have partnered with non-profit organizations in the Portland, Oregon metroplex to promote and showcase their works in the community including Architectural Heritage Center and Wisdom of the Elders.  In 2022, they featured Trauma Intervention Program Northwest (TIPNW) for an informational short documentary called “Final Expenses” about the financial impact of death and dying to Americans.

More recently, they have been collaborating with Wisdom of the Elders on their Indigenous Archive Initiative legacy project, which seeks to preserve Indigenous Elders’ interviews and cultural knowledge.  

Their primary focus is storytelling and oral history through documentaries.

Tim

Tim Keenan Burgess is a Portland OR based multi-disciplined Native American artist (Shoshone/Paiute), working primarily in video/film, photography, and music. He is the Multimedia Programs Director for the non-profit Wisdom of the Elders, providing peer mentor training for emerging Native Americans interested in Multimedia. Director of the Indigenous Archives Initiative (IAI) archival program and Co-Director/Producer of Wisdom’s documentary film series. The documentary “Native Wisdom- the Peoples of Eastern Oregon” won numerous awards on the Film Festival circuit and was nominated for best documentary at the 45th annual American Indian Film Festival (2021). He is also a long-term videographer contractor for Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB).

Program Director of the “Communities Connecting Heritage” cultural exchange between Wisdom of the Elders and Musrara- the Naggar School of Art and Society (based in Jerusalem Israel). Six years as Grant writer with over two million dollars achieved. Art show Producer for Portland Institute of Contemporary Art. He worked on over 150 episodes of House Hunters, Gordon Ramsay’s Hotel Hell, CNN’s United Shades of America, and Morgan Spurlock’s Inside Man among others, and served as Associate Producer for The Learning Channel TV show Little People Big World. Achieved Degrees in Multimedia and Video Production from Portland Community College and documented the Northwest art and music scene for many years. Directed music videos for Uada, Bewitcher, and Kunu Bearchum among others, and had his photography featured in numerous magazines, advertisements, and music albums.

Tallon

Ke-ash (cultural name red-tailed hawk) is an enrolled member of the Klamath Tribes and an Indigenous filmmaker based in Portland, Oregon. He is committed to elevating Native voices through culturally rooted storytelling. He received his media training at Open Signal Community Media Center, where he developed a passion for documentary work that highlights Indigenous identity, resilience, and healing.

He brings a philosophy of resourcefulness to his work, valuing mindful production practices and creative problem-solving that support both community and environment.

His filmmaking is grounded in the belief that Indigenous peoples are the first storytellers and caretakers of this land, and he strives to honor that tradition in every project.

Carmelina

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Damien

Damien brings a versatile blend of web design, multimedia production, and technology support to the team. With experience spanning website development, UX-focused redesigns, IT troubleshooting, digital communications, and creative content strategy, he helps bridge technical systems with engaging storytelling.

Trained in film editing, producing, and cinematography, Damien also contributes to video projects, multimedia training, and digital storytelling initiatives. His passion for community, creativity, and impactful communication drives his work across web, film, and technology.