Co-Directors

Osiris Castañeda
Founder & Director

Castañeda has 13 years experience as an accomplished director, producer, editor, production designer and actor. He was a producer for the award-winning documentary, Zapatista, a Cannes Film Festival "Emerging Filmmakers Series" selection. He has directed distinguished actors such as Edward James Olmos, Daryl Hannah, and Zach de la Rocha, lead singer of the band Rage Against the Machine.

Castañeda also co-founded the Latino CineMedia Film Festival, a side bar of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. The sidebar is now a mainstay at the International Film Festival. Each year YCM screens its student-produced projects at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival and provides opportunities to students to interview actors on the red carpet, such as Clint Eastwood and Kate Winslet.

Castañeda has provided college level media technology instruction to at-risk youth for over eight years at juvenile facilities, continuation high schools, churches, community centers and in hard-core neighborhoods. Castañeda teaches the fundamentals of movie and documentary production.

Regina Ruiz
Director of Programming & Development

Ruiz holds a Masters Degree in broadcast journalism from the distinguished Newhouse School of Journalism at Syracuse University and has ten years experience in professional media outlets. She is also a Cum Laude graduate of the University of New Mexico holding a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Journalism with a minor in Spanish.

Ruiz has reported for major affiliates ABC, CBS and NBC in New York, Santa Barbara, Las Vegas and Albuquerque, NM. She also has experience in print journalism at The Santa Fe New Mexican and The Daily Lobo. During her time at Syracuse University Ruiz began reporting , at WWNY-TV, in Watertown, NY. Ruiz had many responsibilities including anchoring, reporting, and photography.

Ruiz has also worked for the Olympics in Greece for NBC, and produced highlights for SportsCenter as an ESPN intern. She is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.