Mindy C Van Kuren is a transplant to Arkansas via her parents’ military service which provided the opportunity to travel the world and be exposed to various art and culture throughout her childhood and grew into a continued love of global adventuring. She graduated from North Pulaski High School then the University of Arkansas at Little Rock before pursuing a Master’s Degree from UAMS. Mindy worked in the Pulaski County School District as a substitute teacher in college and then as a Speech Language Pathologist working with pre-school thru high school students in the district, in addition to working in pediatric long-term care, adult rehab and assistive living facilities. She also has experience mentoring creatives at Westwind School for Performing Arts, Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School, and University of Central Arkansas on a variety of theater, AV, and film projects.

Mindy leverages her Master's degree in Communicative Disorders and her skills in communication and interpersonal communication to facilitate out-of-the-box thinking and collaboration among diverse stakeholders. She has worked on both sides of production in a wide range of films, commercials, and videos, and is currently involved in several exciting projects. She was the Assistant to the Producers on Arkansas native and Filmland 2022 Audience Choice and Panavision Grant recipient, John Michael Powell’s feature, Violent Ends, which shot in Northwest Arkansas in the fall of 2023 and is currently in post-production on the indie feature, psychological drama Abigail Before Beatrice, which she co-produced with writer/director, Filmland alum and winner of the same award in 2023, Cassie Keet (Scream Therapy) and Benjamin Dunn, Associate Producer of the 2024 SXSW Narrative Spotlight award winning feature, My Dead Friend Zoe. Mindy is in pre-production on two indie features and two indie shorts, all set to be filmed in Arkansas, and is developing two docuseries that showcase the stories of inspiring individuals and communities, both at home and abroad.

She worked as Conference Center Coordinator then handled Operations for the Oxford Film Festival, in Oxford, Mississippi, intermittently since 2016. Mindy is also the former Director of Development and Interim Executive Director for the nonprofit Film Society of Little Rock (FSLR) and Kaleidoscope LGBQT Film Festival, former Operations Director for the world renowned Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival (HSDFF), and was the Assistant Festival Director of the Fantastic Cinema Film Festival in Little Rock, Arkansas. She served as moderator for the panel, Women in Film: A Female Storyteller Discussion, for the Magnolia Film Festival in Mississippi. She also served as a juror for the 24 FPS Film Festival in Abilene, Texas and Fort Smith International Film Festival and was a selection committee member for Filmland, prior to stepping into her current role.

She works with media partners, organizations, and like-minded producers to create unforgettable original content that spreads innovative thinking through storytelling. Mindy's mission is to shine the light on change-makers and spark positive advances through the power of film while providing educational opportunities for working and aspiring  filmmakers of all ages.