Team Members - Kenya (SVQF)

Jody Zellman is a junior at Columbia University and the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. He is majoring in Anthropology and Modern Jewish Studies. Jody enjoys traveling and working with the visual arts, and hopes that the two can eventually be integrated into a career. He also hopes to achieve his ultimate goal of becoming a documentary filmmaker.

Verneva Ziga is a junior majoring in Anthropology and Human 
Rights at Barnard College. She is most interested in studying 
access to education for disadvantaged groups. She hopes to continue her studies in graduate school. Verneva has never
 worked professionally as a photographer, but has been pursuing 
photography as a hobby for the last two years. She is also
 interested in film as an accessible medium to spread awareness 
about various underrepresented issues.

Esha Gupta is 21 years old and a junior at Columbia University in New York City, where she is officially studying psychology and unofficially studying film, art, thought and life. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking delicious vegetarian meals from scratch, dancing (in her PJs with her suitemates and at the studio), painting, photographing, laughing, eating dark chocolate, watching movies (and making them!) and spending time with loved ones. She was born and raised in Shawnee, Oklahoma, and she hopes to one day live somewhere on the Pacific Ocean, where she can surf and eat ripe mangoes every day.

Katie Mitchell is a sophomore majoring in Political Science and English, aspiring towards a career in international law and conflict mediation. Additionally, she is a member of Columbia University’s Varsity Rowing team. Having spent a portion of her childhood living overseas, Katie has always had a passion for immersing herself in other cultures. The trip to Kenya will mark her first time to the African continent and she is thrilled to serve as the team’s interviewer.

Tim Nesmith is first and foremost really excited to be involved with this production. He is a sophomore film major at Columbia University and hopes to eventually become a director. He has also been passionately involved in social work for his entire life and is really happy to have the opportunity to combine two of his passions for a good cause.