MEET THE TEAM - FIRST CITY FILM FESTIVAL FOUNDATION

Director - Tisha Swart-Entwistle

Tisha Swart-Entwistle is a single mother, a widow and a military veteran from Leavenworth, Kansas. Tisha is also an artist, local stage and film actress and an award-winning photographer and journalist.

After graduating from Leavenworth High School, Tisha spent a few years traveling the globe with the military before returning to the Leavenworth area to work and raise her children.

Tisha has volunteered with many local organizations including the Leavenworth Historical Society, Leavenworth High School Alumni Association, Leavenworth County Relay for Life and the Leavenworth/Lansing Chamber Military Affairs Council.

Tisha has also served on the board of directors for the River City Community Players, Leavenworth/Lansing Chamber of Commerce, the Women's Division of the Chamber and Leavenworth Main Street.

She is a member of the Leavenworth Lions Club and currently on the board of directors for the Mid-Life Players Community Theater group based out of Kansas City Missouri.

The First City Film Festival’s ‘Andy Entwistle Spirit Award,’ is in honor of her late husband who passed away in 2015. Tisha is currently the Public Affairs Specialist for the Combined Arms Center-Training at Fort Leavenworth. She lives in Leavenworth and has two children. Her daughter is attending Washburn University and her son is a Junior at Lansing High School.

Holly Shehorn Pittman

Holly Shehorn Pittman grew up in Leavenworth and loves her hometown.   Holly has a B.S. in Public Health from the University of Kansas and was a Price Fellow at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia.  She is married to Sen. Jeff Pittman and has three children. Professionally she is the Executive Director of the Healthy Living Project, a non-profit organization. Holly serves the role as the Campaign Manager and Chief of Staff for Sen. Pittman and works as a Property Manager for her parents company G&W Properties.

Holly serves as the Secretary of the Leavenworth Education Foundation, Vice President of the Leavenworth Main Street, Membership Chair for the Leavenworth Lions, Co-Chair for the Leavenworth High School Alumni Association and serves on the following Board of Directors for CASA, Richard Allen Cultural Center, Riverside Resources INC, Salvation Army, and Unity in the Community. Holly has worked with Richard Allen Cultural Center on their annual Golf Tournament  (May 2016 & 2017) and chaired the Youth Achievement Center Leavenworth Lip Sync Battle (June 2016), Leavenworth County Historical Society Wild West Casino Night (June 2017), VFW Benefit Concert (May 2017) and the Leavenworth Alumni Homecoming Committee (October 2017).  Holly is a member of the Leavenworth/Lansing Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals, Women’s Chamber, Leavenworth/Lansing Leadership Class of 2017 and the Ambassadors Program.  You'll often see Holly volunteering at the local VFW to call Bingo, campaigning for her husband, or cheering for the Leavenworth Pioneers (once a cheerleader, always a cheerleader).  Holly loves supporting all our local stores and restaurants of Leavenworth. 

NATALIE JONES

Natalie Jones is a creator of film and theater productions with a degree in business finance from the University of Kansas. She grew up in Leavenworth and Lansing before moving to Los Angeles. Co-writer and producer of the acclaimed indie horror film ‘The House on Pine Street,’ Natalie has recently focused on immersive theater projects with her partners at E3W Productions. Their first show, ‘In Another Room,’ was a surprise hit that sold out in 3 days. She is currently in production on their next immersive play, ‘Bitter at the End.’