Team Members

Ruth Golden’s passion for documentary storytelling was sparked in 1990 when she landed a dream job in the MTV News and Specials department working on Rockumentaries, a ground-breaking documentary series that revealed many stories that are now considered legends. Since then, she has worked on numerous productions in live, studio, and reality formats. Career highlights include her role as coordinating producer on Rolling Stone magazine’s 90-minute 25th anniversary special for MTV, being part of the launch team for the FX network and its live morning show Breakfast Time with host Tom Bergeron, and show running three seasons of CMT’s Redneck Weddings. Ruth is now devoted to combining her professional expertise with her personal experience to create a film that can touch many in a hopeful, helpful way.

Jamie L. Smith has four decades of documentary and reality television credits including those of executive producer, writer, and director. Beginning her television career in New York at CBS News, she went on to PBS’s Emmy and Peabody award winning series A Walk Through the Twentieth Century with Bill Moyers followed by ABC’s news magazine 20/20. After moving to Los Angeles, career highlights include the ten-hour syndicated documentary series The Wild West and Buena Vista Television’s groundbreaking news magazine The Crusaders. As a series writer, she helped give voice to Travel Channel’s Emmy Award winning The Relic Hunter with Ian Grant and a number of Emmy nominated specials for Animal Planet. Most recently, she was the co-executive producer of America Now, a syndicated information and life-style show hosted by Leeza Gibbons and Bill Rancic.

Jonathan K. Bendis began his creative journey as a guitarist, recording and playing with artists including Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Joe Walsh, and Rosanne Cash. That path led him from his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio to New York City in the early ‘80s where an MTV producing gig literally fell into his lap and allowed his natural talents as a producer/director and curiosity about the visual medium to flourish. He stayed with the network as its supervising producer of MTV News and Specials wherehe was instrumental in creating long-form specials and series, including the original roc-doc series, Rockumentaries. He was also the co-creator and executive producer of the seminal sketch comedy series, The State, on both MTV and CBS. Post MTV, for over 20 years, Bendis created and supervised induction films for the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame ceremonies and produced a series of three-screen films installed at the Hall of Fame’s museum theater. He continues to create, direct, produce, edit, and consult on numerous projects for networks including: ABC, CBS, HBO, A&E, AMC, Bravo, and Disney. Never satisfied with conventional formats or storytelling, he always seeks out new and unique ways to approach a topic.

Chris McDaniel followed his passion for cinema and cinematography that began when he co-opted his parents’ new video camera at age 8 to Full Sail University film school. Since graduating in 2000, he has had an extremely busy and successful career behind the camera on documentary/reality television programs including Bravo’s Real Housewives of Miami, HBO’s Hard Knocks Miami Dolphins, and VH-1’s Hogan Knows Best. As a DP, Chris is taking his artistic bent to more creative projects such as independent documentaries, music videos, commercials and promotional videos for clients including HBO, Travel Channel and the WWE. Chris is dedicated to keeping up with the latest technology and trends and constantly strives to create cinematic images that help tell each project’s story.

Abbie S. Fink is president of HMA Public Relations. She has been with the firm since 1993, most recently serving as vice president/general manager.  Her varied marketing communications background includes skills in media relations, digital communications/social media strategies, special event management, community relations, issues management and marketing promotions for both the private and public sectors, including such industries as healthcare, financial services, professional services, education, economic development and real estate, government affairs and tribal affairs, as well as not-for-profit organizations.