Meet the Team

Filmmaker Cynthia Salzman Mondell has put together a dynamic team to work on the SOLE SISTERS project.  “These are bright women who come from different backgrounds, who understand about building a community.  It is exciting to work with a great SOLE SISTERS team.”

Valen Chavez, born and raised in San Antonio, first realized the power behind her shoes as a dancer, when she was classically trained in ballet at the young age of three. She then moved on to jazz and tap and later on to Flamenco and Folkorico, where she found her true passion in the more colorful and intricate footwork. It was through dance that she learned about the stories and lives of Mexico’s rich tradition, and just how far back in history her steps dated. What intrigued her was that many of the dances signified battles, victories, losses-especially those of the heart but also a chance for the uneducated masses of rural villagers to pass down their oral tradition the only way they new would survive-through dance.

This unleashed a new found interest in her, for people’s lives and experiences through out history, especially from the marginalized or unfamiliar perspective. She fostered this interest in people’s stories and lives through her environmental portrait and photo-journalistic work throughout her college career where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Photography and Minor in Sociology at Texas A&M University-Commerce. She was able to fuse her two passions together by documenting people’s stories through her art. Valen is now the Community Outreach Director at Media Projects, where she continues to access women and girls stories through therapeutic writing and art projects to be used for the SOLE SISTERS FILM.

Please visit our Community Outreach page to find out about the amazing stories she has collected thus far and learn how you can help share your own!

Alyx Martinez

Alyx Martinez lives and dreams by the theory that “some days your clothes just don’t fit or you can have a bad hair day, but your feet never let you down!” Originally from Gregory, TX a small town just north of Corpus Christi, Alyx has known since age 11 that she wants to become a shoe designer, she gained a Bachelors in Merchandising from UNT in 2009 and is now back in school studying Fashion Design at Wade College to as she puts it “take what’s in my head and put in on paper.” Aside from learning as much as possible from everyone she meets, she uses her knowledge of fashion, creative ideas and love of shoes as her basis of inspiration. She is currently working on a program around our community partners that will use a mix of arts and fashion to go alongside the Jean-Paul Gaultier exhibit this fall at the Dallas Museum of Art.

Kristen Lovell

Kristen Lovell recently graduated from Trinity University (San Antonio, TX) with a double major in Drama and Communication and minor in a Film Studies. At Media Projects, Inc. Kristen assisted Allen Mondell on Waging Peace: The Peace Corps Experience as well as worked with the SOLE SISTERS team. Kristen may be leaving Dallas for Los Angeles, but her work with SOLE SISTERS will continue with the help of her beloved camera. She loves video editing, cinematography, and finding rare stylish shoes which don’t require the sacrifice of comfort.

Lan Do

Lan Do is our ExxonMobil Community Summer Jobs Program – Social Media Marketing intern. She has hung up her safety goggles and retired her soldering iron for good. After having finally seen the light, this former electrical engineer switched gears and is now a Marketing and Business Administration double major at the University of Texas at Dallas. Food is the easiest way to her heart, as is a good book and a shopping spree. She has an affinity for all things that sparkle and lives vicariously through the blogs of travelers, hoping to one day trek through Europe herself.

Nadia Mansour

Nadia Mansour is our Summer Social Media Intern.  Her mother is English and her father is Palestinian, giving her a very eclectic upbringing.  Originally from London in the United Kingdom, she moved to France, the fashion capital of the world at the tender age of 4 where she spent her time exploring French cuisine and classical literature.  She came to Dallas, TX in 2009 to pursue a Bachelors degree in Psychology and Advertising at Southern Methodist University.  She is best known for sporting brightly colored lipsticks, speaking in a pompous accent and bringing the culture of afternoon tea to residents across the pond.  Nadia has a love for all things animal print and enjoys parading around in super high heels.

Leigh Uranga

Leigh Uranga is a student in high school who plans to major in Arts, Audio, and Communications which is why, when she discovered SOLE SISTERS, she thought it would be smart to intern for the documentary. Leigh primarily handles a younger viewpoint for the documentary – collecting stories from teenagers and young adults. She enjoys watching the SOLE SISTERS project grow and witnessing the core of the project being reflected in every day life: how a simple thing such as wearing shoes, can impact a woman’s attitude.

James Nguyen

James Nguyen has the Sole, just not the Sister. He is our web consultant that lives on the intersection of Science and Liberal Arts. He draws upon both sides of his brain to balance his life as an undercover geek and artist. Keyboard/Photographer/Sarcasm extraordinaire, and pretty darn good at Guitar Hero too!