The ATF Team
Shiloh Strong
Founder and CEO
Shiloh Strong is a filmmaker, writer, and photographer who has worked in the entertainment industry for over 30 years. His career spans directing award-winning short films, writing, producing and selling projects and to studios like Amazon and Lionsgate. He is a proud member of the DGA, WGA, and SAG-AFTRA.
In 2009, Shiloh lost his home in a wildfire. That experience stayed with him—not just the physical loss, but the creative paralysis that followed. Years later, after watching fires tear through Southern California again, he realized that what artists often need most isn’t just housing or insurance—it’s the chance to create again.
That realization led to Ashes to Films, a nonprofit film fund and festival designed to help filmmakers and creatives turn disaster into opportunity. Shiloh’s mission is to make sure no artist feels alone in the aftermath of crisis, and to help spark a creative renaissance in Los Angeles and beyond.
Alyssa Dudek
Executive Director
Alyssa Dudek is the Senior Director of Programs and Festival for Ashes to Films. As a member of the founding executive leadership team, Alyssa is instrumental in building the program and festival infrastructure, co-leads development efforts, and helps oversee operations of the program and the upcoming inaugural Ashes to Films Festival.
Dudek brings years of experience in social impact and advocacy. As a nonprofit professional, she has worked in the fields of mental health, domestic violence, food insecurity and nutrition, and the arts. Alyssa has also worked in local and national politics, focusing on advocacy efforts around major policy and voting issues and assisting with multimillion dollar-fundraisers.
In her most recent role leading programming at the national arts nonprofit The Creative Coalition, Alyssa produced events at the Sundance, Cannes, Tribeca, and Toronto International Film Festivals, during the White House Correspondents' Dinner weekend in Washington, D.C., and at both national political conventions in Milwaukee and Chicago in 2024. She also routinely organized and prepared cohorts of leading executives and celebrities to advocate for public funding for and public access to the arts during meetings on Capitol Hill and at The White House.
Dudek graduated Cum Laude with Honors from the University of Oklahoma and has called Los Angeles home since 2014.
Ariston Anderson
Vice President of Marketing
Ariston is the founder of AnyPresse, a double-sided platform that instantly connects brands and media through targeted AI matchmaking. With more than two decades of experience working in media, she created AnyPresse out of a deep desire to make her industry more efficient for both press and brands.
AnyPresse gives brands and individuals instant access to top-quality media through individualized pitch matchmaking. The platform offers press and creators access to vetted sources and new story and revenue opportunities. Rather than spamming inboxes with lengthy press releases, AnyPresse only matches press with stories that align with their beats.
AnyPresse offers a completely different way of doing public relations, focused on finding brands and media the best and most efficient matches, period. Its mission is to make public relations easy, accessible, and effective.
Ariston has led communications, content, and strategy for brands including Allergan, BMW, Electrolux, Red Bull, HBO, HUGE, Pepsi, TED and Marriott. She was previously an international correspondent for The Hollywood Reporter. Her work has appeared in BBC, Billboard, CNN, Coolhunting, Village Voice, the L.A. Times, and Filmmaker Magazine among others. She graduated magna cum laude from Columbia University.
Dylan Keeffe
Head of Social Media
Dylan Keeffe is a filmmaker and creative producer based in Los Angeles, currently pursuing his B.F.A. in Film & Television Production at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts. As Head of Social Media for Ashes to Films, he crafts the visual and editorial tone of the organization—designing campaigns, building engagement, and helping shape the public face of ATF across platforms.
He is the founder of Keeffe Films, a creative studio focused on boundary-pushing short-form work across film, fashion, and experimental media. His work has screened at festivals and is marked by a distinct blend of psychological tension, visual boldness, and surreal world-building. In addition to his work as a director and producer, Dylan brings years of experience in high fashion and visual branding to his creative practice.
Through his role at Ashes to Films, Dylan is committed to empowering artists to tell stories that challenge, resonate, and endure.
Matt Harbicht
Director of Young Filmmakers Program
Matt Harbicht is a Photographer and Cinematographer with over 20+ years of commercial industry experience. Matt spent his formative years fixing broken cameras, frequenting art house cinemas, and working backstage at local theatrical productions. He holds a BA in Advertising Photography from Brooks Institute of Photography and an MFA in Film, Television, & Photography at Mount Saint Mary’s University.
He spent the 1990’s honing his craft in high school and college darkrooms, before spending the early 2000’s embracing the film to digital switchover happening within the industry. This foundation in analog shooting and lighting established a “fix it on set rather than in post” approach to projects. He’s photographed Academy Award winners, the Mars lander team at JPL, and has produced commercial content for clients like: UCLA, JP Morgan Chase, and Warner Bros - Discovery.
Matt has developed mentorship programs at colleges and has connected local visual arts students with industry mentorships, giving them access to on set experience along with connections to industry resources. Constantly inspired by the wonder within new artists, Matt considers educating and fostering the next generation of artists as a responsibility within our industry. He is thrilled to help with student and emerging artist outreach within the Ashes to Films family.