Chicken & Egg Pictures is thrilled to welcome two new Program team members to our Nest: Senior Program Manager Elaisha Stokes and Industry & Artist Development Manager Tobi Phang-Lyn.
Elaisha and Tobi are joining our team at a pivotal moment for our organization. As outlined in our Strategic Plan for 2023-2025, we’re expanding our efforts to support women and non-binary filmmakers. By 2025, our goal is to increase the number of supported filmmakers and the amount of grantmaking by 50%. Learn more about our new team members below.
As the Senior Program Manager at Chicken & Egg Pictures, Elaisha oversees the Chicken & Egg Award and the Research & Development grants for mid-career filmmakers. She believes that the documentary craft is a means to increase gender diversity and inclusion, both in the arts and in the zeitgeist.
Previously, Elaisha served as a Senior Producer for CBS Original Documentaries, where she oversaw several documentary series for Paramount+ and other streaming platforms. Her documentary work has been featured on National Geographic, CNN, The New York Times, and Vice and her films have screened at BFI London, the Maryland Film Festival, Brooklyn Film Festival, London Shorts and Planet in Focus. She has received awards and grants from the Nation Institute, the Pulitzer Family, the Emmy® Foundation, and the Ontario Arts Council. In 2018, she was a Sundance New Voices fellow and a Cine Qua Non screenwriting fellow. Elaisha holds an MA in Documentary Filmmaking from the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism.
“Making documentaries is challenging work. Filmmakers must rely on their creative vision and their perseverance to see the film through to completion. Despite assumptions that mid-career filmmakers have the necessary connections and resources to fund their projects, few organizations actually support them. Chicken & Egg Pictures is filling this industry gap by providing mentorship and funding opportunities to mid-career filmmakers, with the aim of elevating diverse voices and narratives in the documentary space. It is an honor to join this team and work to support beautiful, dynamic, and timely films by women and non-binary artists.”
As the Industry & Artist Development Manager, Tobi Phang-Lyn works closely with the Program Director and Program team to provide filmmakers supported by Chicken & Egg Pictures with career-building opportunities, new networks, resources, and a vibrant community to deepen their craft and further develop their projects. She oversees the AlumNest and DocNest programs and is responsible for strengthening relationships between filmmakers and industry professionals.
Prior to joining Chicken & Egg Pictures, Tobi was the Membership & Marketing Manager at The Gotham Film & Media Institute where she oversaw Gotham Membership and public programming, helping independent filmmakers make valuable industry contacts, find collaborators, and advance their projects. She also led marketing efforts for the organization year-round and for the annual Gotham Week and Gotham Awards.
“I’m so inspired by how the Chicken & Egg Pictures team has imbued every part of their work with a commitment to core values surrounding equity, access, and social impact, and I’m looking forward to continuing to champion and provide filmmakers in our community with the support and resources they need.”
