Our Team

Dani Tenenbaum

Senior Instructor

Dani Tenenbaum

Senior Instructor

Dani Tenenbaum is a storyteller and award-winning filmmaker. He attended the Minshar for Art film school in Tel Aviv, Israel, class of 2010, and graduated with honors. His thesis film Guides was screened at several major festivals and won Best of Fest at the Indieworks screening series in NYC. He also won the Cinematography Award in the 2012 48 hours film project in NY for filming Zoe. He has produced and directed two features, - Landing Up and A New Christmas, which are now available on Amazon and iTunes He recently started "The Sandbox," a directors' collective. He and his wife and dog live in Brooklyn, NY.

Yonatan Weinstein

Senior Instructor

Yonatan Weinstein

Senior Instructor

Yonatan Weinstein is a two-time Israeli Academy Award-nominated editor based in New York. His credits include: 'Waiting for Godot' – a 3-hour long experimental film starring Ethan Hawke & John Leguizamo; 'Valley of Tears' (HBO Max/KAN) – a limited-series war drama and Israel's biggest budget TV production to date; and 'Incitement' – a feature film that won Best Picture at the Israeli Academy Awards and was Israel's submission for the 2020 Oscars. Most recently, he worked on 'Angels', a documentary feature about survivors of sexual assault in childhood.

Aside from editing, Yonatan has a rich background in production and development: he has served as Director of Development for Yaron Zilberman’s ('A Late Quartet') production company; worked in development for Protozoa Pictures (Darren Aronofsky); crewed on feature film & TV sets internationally; and helmed narrative shorts that garnered exposure at festivals and online. As a writer, he has been collaborating on developing original scripted TV series and concepts, working hand in hand with some of Israel's leading production companies. His debut film, the feature documentary 'My Grandma - Frau Masha' (which he completed at age 14), was showcased in international festivals, screened theatrically and sold for broadcast on Israeli National Television.
Yonatan is a veteran of the Israeli Air Force. He is also a proud alum of NYU Tisch's Film & TV program, where he currently teaches Editing as an Adjunct Professor.

Kurt Sensenbrenner

Senior Instructor

Kurt Sensenbrenner

Senior Instructor

Kurt Sensenbrenner is an award winning documentary media maker. He began his career as an Assistant Camera and Camera Operator working on various fiction and nonfiction projects for clients ranging from Comedy Central to the New York Times. After his directorial debut, "From Mass to the Mountain,” a feature documentary chronicling drought and deforestation in unstable eastern Panama which aired nationwide on PBS ,Kurt turned his focus to documentary full-time. Currently, he's directing and producing two projects: One, is an animated documentary-comedy series about living with a rare disorder entitled “The Low-Phe Life.” The other is a live-action doc short that tells the story of two young women fighting to protect rainforest using butterflies as bioindicators to determine the health of their local rainforest.

Erin Sanger

Senior Instructor

Erin Sanger

Senior Instructor

Erin Sanger is an award-winning filmmaker who began working with the Veteran community in 2014. A Colorado native, her films have screened at festivals including SXSW, Tribeca, and Aspen Shortsfest. She is a Wasserman Award winner, Webby Award honoree, Student Academy Award nominee, Academy Nicholl Fellowship Semi Finalist, and American Film Showcase Envoy. Her directorial work has been featured on ESPN's 30 for 30 series, ABC, PBS, The Atlantic, National Geographic, and Topic. She has directed for brands including Infiniti, Häagen-Dazs, Travelers, 23&Me, Logitech, Bai, Complex, Condé Nast, Vox, and Tribeca Studios. She is a graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts.

Juan Castilla

Senior Instructor

Juan Castilla

Senior Instructor

Juan David Castilla is a Colombian writer, director, editor and videographer based in NYC. In “El Amanecer,” his first narrative feature, an exiled colombian coronel living in the U.S tries to return home. (Winner of the Golden Palm Award at the 2010 Mexico International Film Festival). In 2016, he directed the documentary, “Viaje a la Semilla,” about the role of the shaman in the tribe and how technology has affected the lives of tribes in Columbia, Peru and Brazil. He also produced the feature, “Overexposed,” about a woman who overcomes her trauma using Overexposure Therapy (2019 Los Angeles Awards, Festigious Film Festival, Film Con and the Italian Hermetic Film Festival).

Zach Timm

Senior Instructor

Zach Timm

Senior Instructor

Zach Timm is an Austin based filmmaker whose expertise spans a wide array of talents including shooting, and editing videos to writing and managing social media platforms for different brands over the past 15 years. He has been a part of PVP since 2017 and relishes in the process of working with the veterans to help bring their stories and experiences to life through the medium of film.

Michal Barhaim

Senior Instructor

Michal Barhaim

Senior Instructor

Michal is a digital media designer, boasting over 15 years of expertise in educational media, TV production, and leadership development. With a Bachelor's in Psychology and Media from Haifa University and a Master of Arts in Digital Media Design for Education from NYU, she passionately leverages her diverse background to empower individuals in their personal and professional growth journeys. Her service as the first-ever combat female in the IDF K-9 unit (Oketz) from 2001 to 2004 adds a unique perspective to her commitment to inspiring and supporting others.

José Venutolo

Senior Instructor

José Venutolo

Senior Instructor

José is a Venezuelan filmmaker with 14 years of experience in the field, often wearing different hats in productions, ranging from Directing, Editing, Producing, DIT, and even Acting. He’s currently a filmmaking instructor and Youth Programs Director at the New York Film Academy,

Over the course of his career he has worked on short and feature films, music videos, institutional videos, commercials, conceptual videos, documentaries, and TV shows. He’s fluent in Spanish, English, and Italian.

Sutton York

Senior Instructor

Sutton York

Senior Instructor

Sutton York is a seasoned editor and filmmaker specializing in documentary storytelling. With a BA in Creative Nonfiction Film Production from Cal State Long Beach, she excels in crafting compelling narratives that bring people's stories to life. Sutton has worked on several short documentary series for Facebook Watch and local independent news organizations, and has also contributed as an assistant editor for feature documentaries. In the commercial realm, she has edited for a diverse range of clients, including VRBO, Google, Netflix, Curology, Visa, Capital One, Nike, and Pinterest. Currently, Sutton is editing her first feature-length documentary. In addition to her editing expertise, she is a skilled one-woman band, shooting and producing numerous short independent documentaries.

Alexandra Bock

Senior Instructor

Alexandra Bock

Senior Instructor

Alex Bock is a cinematographer and graduate of Florida State University’s College of Motion Picture Arts. Her work includes narrative filmmaking, music videos, and commercials. Alex's visuals stems from a strong passion to craft images in a thoughtful way through the use of camera movement, lighting, and color.

Her latest short film titled “Supercritical” was an official selection at Dances With Films Film Festival and she has recently completed principal photography on a project titled “Losing Lisa.”

Jonathan Mejia

Senior Instructor

Jonathan Mejia

Senior Instructor

Jonathan Mejia is a US Army veteran and experienced filmmaker with a strong background in camera operation and lighting, having worked on professional sets for companies like Netflix, MTV, and more. After years of gripping on set, Jonathan used his GI Bill to earn a B.S. in Film from Full Sail University, where he discovered his passion for filmmaking and helping others learn through that medium.

Drawing from his own journey, Jonathan is committed to guiding veterans in finding their voice through the art of storytelling. His teaching style balances professionalism with approachability, creating a space where students feel empowered to explore and develop their creative vision. Outside of filmmaking, Jonathan is an avid long-distance runner who trains both mind and body with discipline and focus—a philosophy he brings to his craft and teaching. Inspired by the motto “hunt the good stuff,” he encourages others to seek out and celebrate the moments that bring every story to life.

Jacki Moonves

Senior Instructor

Jacki Moonves

Senior Instructor

Jacki Moonves is a Los Angeles based Director of Photography. Originally from the DC area, she studied Cinematography at Emerson College before moving to LA. Since then, she has filmed on six continents and in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, primarily working on music videos, narrative shorts, and sketch/experimental comedy. She was a mentee in the 2022-2023 ASC Vision mentorship program, and has been a longtime member of the ICF+C. Her recent DP work includes the short film “Perfect Ten” (Tribeca 2024), and an in-progress documentary feature about children of Catholic priests.

Moonves thrives in environments that are challenging and off the beaten path. From spending a month at sea with a team of oceanographers to fending off monkeys in the treetops of a Singaporean jungle, she is most comfortable outside her comfort zone. She is especially enthusiastic about participating in films that create meaningful impacts, whether it’s bringing an important issue to light, helping people reframe trauma into something manageable, or simply making people laugh so hard that they forget about their problems.

Taylor Gruver

Senior Instructor

Taylor Gruver

Senior Instructor

Taylor Gruver is an independent filmmaker whose career spans narrative films, documentaries, commercials, and branded content. With a background in both directing and producing, she has brought her storytelling skills to projects across Hawai‘i and beyond, collaborating with brands like Disney, Hawaiian Airlines, First Hawaiian Bank, and Chase Sapphire. Taylor has written, directed, and edited award-winning short films while also serving in key leadership roles as a First Assistant Director, Producer, and Editor on feature films, documentaries, and commercial campaigns. Her versatility, ranging from sound design and cinematography to choreography and production coordination, reflects her deep commitment to every aspect of the creative process.

Before turning her focus fully to filmmaking, Taylor served nearly a decade in the U.S. Coast Guard as an Intelligence Officer and Deck Watch Officer, where she honed her leadership, organizational, and problem-solving skills under high-pressure conditions. She later transitioned into film and media, building on her early work as a sound effects editor on Sundance-recognized documentaries. Whether leading a film crew, shaping stories in the edit bay, or amplifying voices through documentary work, Taylor approaches each project with passion, precision, and a dedication to impactful storytelling.

Matt Lepley

Senior Instructor

Matt Lepley

Senior Instructor

Matt had a winding career in software development and education before finding/forcing his way into a career doing what he always wanted: animation, visual effects and working with video. He is largely self-taught and primarily works as a motion graphics & visual effects artist, but has also produced, shot and edited client projects and his own work. He has been a judge for the Telly Awards and the Collision Awards.

Matt was drawn to the Patton Veterans Project because of his family’s history of military service and a desire to teach again — this time doing something with an impact on mental health and well-being.

Jonathan Hepner

Senior Instructor

Jonathan Hepner

Senior Instructor

Jonathan Hepner is a filmmaker, director, and creative lead working at the intersection of storytelling, brand, and culture. His experience spans cinema, advertising, and strategic branding, as well as extensive work with well-resourced, high-growth technology companies. He develops ideas from concept to execution, translating complex messages into clear narratives and strong visual language across film, digital, and experiential formats.

Alongside his creative and go-to-market work in fast-moving environments, Jonathan draws on his cinematic practice to facilitate guided video-based therapeutic sessions for individuals coping with PTSD, using film language as a tool for reflection, processing, and emotional regulation. He brings strong entrepreneurial experience, a proven ability to execute end-to-end, and leadership shaped by his service as a former officer in an elite unit of the Israeli Defense Forces.

Maya Baran

Instructor

Maya Baran

Instructor

Maya Baran is a Brooklyn-based award-winning photographer and filmmaker. After a two-year military service in the IDF as a Military intelligence photographer, She attended The Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem, Israel. She has worked with cancer patients, people with mental challenges, and endangered youth and has helped them express themselves through film and image.She also graduated with an MFA from the Hunter College studio art program, specializing in experimental Cinema and photography. She relates to the camera as a powerful, all-seeing machine and uses it to look at light and place with a focus on human beings and their presence within both.

Roi Vissel

Instructor

Roi Vissel

Instructor

Roi Vissel is a Dutch-Israeli cinematographer with over 10 years of experience in film, television and commercial work. Over his career, Roi has worked on such programs as Tyrant, Game of Thrones, and many others. His work has been screened around the globe including at the Cannes Film Festival and the London Worldwide Comedy Short Film Festival. In 2018, he was selected as the first cinematographer to be recognized as a BAFTA "Newcomer." Roi graduated from the American Film Institute’s Master of Fine Arts Program in Cinematography. Previous to his native film work, Roi served in the Israeli Air Force as Chief Aerial Combat Cinematographer.

Tal Shamir

Instructor

Tal Shamir

Instructor

Tal Shamir has directed, produced, written, and edited dozens of films that have been presented at a wide range of film festivals, galleries, and museums. His work has garnered several awards including a Gold Medal from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences’ 2011 Student Academy Awards. He holds a Ph.D. in philosophy, film, and media from the European Graduate School, and is the author of the 2016 book, Cinematic Philosophy.

David Israeli

Instructor

David Israeli

Instructor

David Israeli is an actor and filmmaker based in NYC. He graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts in 2016 with a BFA in Film & Television with a focus on directing and screenwriting. David spent his years post-NYU working in film and production both in the United States and abroad. He has helped produce films in Myanmar, worked on documentary projects that have spanned over 20 countries, and created work here in NYC. His next film, Lev’s Barbershop, Unisex, is set to premiere at the New York Shorts International Film Festival this fall!

Yarden Levi

Instructor

Yarden Levi

Instructor

After completing my military service as a video editor, I began working in the industry, first as a news and promo editor, and later transitioned to advertising, short films, music videos and documentaries.

I try to bring an emotional, youthful, and insightful touch that helps maximize the potential of each project I’m involved with. I take pride in my ability to collaborate on multiple levels, bringing passion, patience, love, and professionalism into the edit room to create a finished product that’s as satisfying to watch as it was to create.

I have a particular love for working with sound, rhythm, and music — especially when these elements meet powerful storytelling and strong content.