Chelsea Bennington
Chief Marketing Officer
Chelsea Bennington is a digital marketing specialist with experience developing digital communications strategies and content marketing campaigns for nonprofit organizations. She works with GARF on digital marketing and fundraising campaigns in her role as chief marketing officer. Chelsea also co-leads two horror-inspired improv troupes in New York City, “Final Girl” and “Spooky Doings” (and produces the podcast of the same name). She loves horror films and is excited to bring that passion into amplifying the GARF’s presence within the horror community.
Christian Stavrakis
Historian
Christian was fortunate enough to have been “grandfathered” into the Romero film family by his brother Taso, who worked on several of George’s productions. The creative influence of Taso, Tom Savini, and George himself proved irresistible, and Christian grew up steeped in cinema culture and lore. He gravitated towards the arts from an early age, particularly sculpture, painting, and (of course) film. Christian created the memorial bust of George A. Romero on display at Monroeville Mall, and his locally produced 2013 film Mortal Remains has been inducted into the University of Pittsburgh Horror Studies collection.
Colin Corcoran
GARF Global
Colin is from and based in the United Kingdom, and is the George A. Romero Foundation’s UK & European ambassador. A lifelong George A. Romero fan, Colin is very excited to be the voice of the Foundation in the UK. Colin will establish the Foundation’s presence, promote and attend events, and ensure George’s legacy is well known in the UK. Furthermore, Colin will assist the Foundation in building a digital presence across the website and social media, in addition to assisting with virtual and US-based events. Colin is an avid horror fan, convention organizer, and attendee. When not enjoying George’s work, horror, or conventions, Colin is a keen runner, reader, and coffee table book collector.
Eric Kent
Webmaster – GARF Network
Eric is the co-host of GARF 247, a web series hosted by the GARF Network, and the webmaster for the Foundation’s official website. He has been a fan of George A. Romero since childhood and began volunteering for the Foundation in 2020. After working for two decades in law firm administration, he graduated from Florida State University with a bachelor’s in creative writing and is now a content creator and developer for a web development company. Eric enjoys spending time with family, walking outdoors, collecting movie props and memorabilia, playing guitar, traveling, and working on audio/video content when off the clock.
Gene Blair Jr.
Videographer
Gene is a writer and filmmaker based in Sharon, Pennsylvania. Gene (better known as Geno by his friends) has had an obsession with the craft of filmmaking his entire life. For nearly two decades, he served individuals with special needs, and drawing from the life experiences he encountered, Gene created an inclusive production company, “Get-2-Work Productions,” in which he taught them the language of filmmaking. He now works as a freelance filmmaker. Gene is the cameraman and editor for The Casey Malone Show, a television program based in Youngstown, Ohio. He also helps local businesses and organizations create industrial short films and visual content. He is a Board member for the Mercer County Creative Arts Foundation and a proud volunteer with The George A. Romero Foundation, where he films and edits visual content for the website, social media, and special events.
Jason Lupoi
Newsletter Coordinator
(Bio coming soon)
Jeff Whitehead
Chief Operations Officer
By day, Jeff works in higher education. By night, he is an avid horror screenwriter. Some of Jeff’s fondest childhood memories are of sleepovers that included classic horror movies, role-playing games (RPGs), comic books, and junk food. George’s work always featured prominently, and Jeff cannot remember when such an occasion did not screen Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, or Day of the Dead. Jeff is honored for the opportunity to give back to the legacy by assisting with GARF operations. By doing so, Jeff hopes to help George and his work have an impact for a very long time to come.
Lisa “LB” Bradley
Creative Director
Lisa Bradley is the Creative Director of the George A. Romero Foundation and has spent more than 15 years in video production and entertainment as a producer, editor, camera operator, motion graphics artist, and graphic designer. Her work spans broadcast, digital, social, and branded content for companies and brands including Hasbro, Magic: The Gathering, Disney, Star Wars, Marvel, Bose, CVS, Chime, Mastercard, and more. At GARF, Lisa leads the organization’s creative vision and marketing initiatives while helping preserve George Romero’s legacy and supporting the next generation of independent horror creators. She also spearheaded GARF’s Women in Horror campaign, launching the initiative in 2024 to celebrate and elevate aspiring and underrepresented filmmakers and artists within the horror community, a genre she has loved her entire life.
Matt Blazi
GARF Network
Matt Blazi is a lifelong admirer of horror and independent films and has attended film conventions for over 20 years. Being a fan of George A. Romero’s films helped Matt discover the world of horror and the filmmaking process. Matt’s love of independent filmmaking led him to learn all he could about the making of The Blair Witch Project (1999). In 2013, Matt established The Blair Witch Experience, an annual event celebrating The Blair Witch Project by taking fans on in-depth tours of the locations used in the film. In 2019, he published his first book, 8 Days in the Woods: The Making of the Blair Witch Project.
Ramona Streiner
Secretary & Treasurer
Ramona is honored to be part of the George A. Romero Foundation team. She brings creative energy in her work to help preserve George’s work and legacy. Ramona moved to Pittsburgh from Germany and is quickly becoming at home in the local creative community. In addition to working as an officer of the GARF, Ramona is writing a series of children’s books and is collaborating on a screenplay. High on Ramona’s list of interests are travel (especially Paris and Scotland), video game design, charitable work, assisting her husband in his film work, and her four cats.
Ryan Carr
Artist In Residence
Ryan Carr earned his Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts in Illustration from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Ryan’s artistic interests lean toward more figurative and anatomical subjects, with an emphasis on drawing and fine-line detail. Ryan is delighted to join the GARF as its artist-in-residence. He provides original artwork for the GARF newsletter and is currently working on several future projects for fans to enjoy.
Victoria Timpanaro
Media Specialist
Victoria Timpanaro is a filmmaker, musician, and educator, as well as a PhD Candidate at Rutgers University. She is currently working on a dissertation on female representation in the Living Dead films of George A. Romero. Victoria serves as a volunteer for the GARF as a media specialist, focusing on our Women in Horror initiatives. She has also written for several digital and print magazines and is the host of both The Horror Academic and indie/cult/horror on YouTube.