Broward County Film Commissioner Sandy Lighterman will serve another term as president of Film Florida. The statewide entertainment production association announced her re-election alongside its 2025-2026 board of directors at its annual meeting.
Lighterman runs Film Lauderdale, Broward’s official film commission. She spent nearly 14 years as Miami-Dade County’s film commissioner after a 25-year career producing television commercials and independent projects. Her re-election keeps South Florida leadership at the front of Florida's push to recruit television and movie productions.
South Florida representatives secured key positions across the organization's regional councils. Chad Newman of the Florida Keys & Key West Film Commission serves as vice chair of the Film Commission Council, while Michelle Hillery of the Palm Beach County Film and Television Commission serves as an alternate. On the education council, Miami-Dade College administrator Josh Ellis takes the vice chair post, with Saliha Nelson of Urgent, Inc. joining as an alternate.
Labor representation on the board includes Leah Sokolowsky of Teamsters Local 769 and Michael Viera of SAG-AFTRA, who serves as board secretary. Traveling Dog Films founder Matt Wohl steps in as first vice president.
Florida offers no statewide film tax incentive program, placing the burden of recruiting commercial shoots and feature films on regional commissions and industry advocates. Lighterman said the organization plans to focus on marketing local crews, filming locations, and production services to bring projects to the state.
"Our goal remains clear: to reinforce the message that Florida is open for business with skilled crews, diverse locations, and a strong network of support services for the industry," Lighterman said. "We're committed to competing for high-wage jobs in this sector."
