RTF Staff

Rachel Walker

Administrative Manager
E-mail: rachel.walker@austin.utexas.edu
Office: CMA 6.120D
Phone: 512-471-4058

Fall 2022 Schedule:

• On Campus: Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday (9 am–6 pm)
• Remote: Monday & Friday (8 am–5 pm) 

Rachel Walker assists the Department Chair, managing all of the administrative functions of the Department. She is responsible for the instructional budget, course scheduling, human resource management, faculty promotion and award nominations, and miscellaneous projects of all kinds. Rachel also works closely with the College's academic advisors for academic planning and course management. Rachel earned her B.A. in English from the University of Texas. An avid music fan, she can often be found in the front row of a live show around Austin. She lives in a log cabin east of town and loves fussing over her chickens, ducks, cats, sheep, honeybees and Great Pyrenees dogs.

 

Wendy Stuessy

Financial Analyst
E-mail: Wendy.stuessy@austin.utexas.edu
Office: Remote
Phone: 512-471-4136

Fall 2022 Schedule:

• On Campus: Monday & Tuesday (6 am–3 pm)
• Remote: Wednesday, Thursday & Friday (6:30 am–3:30 pm)

Wendy serves as a full-time accountant and purchaser for all the department accounts.

Teresa Warner

Graduate Coordinator
E-mail: teresa.warner@austin.utexas.edu
Office: CMA 6.116
Phone: 512-471-3532

Fall 2022 Schedule:

• On Campus: Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday (9 am–6 pm)
• Remote: Thursday & Friday (9 am–6 pm)

Beginning in August, 2022, Teresa transitioned from the role of RTF Office Manager, which she served in for six months, to the role of RTF Graduate Coordinator.

Teresa received her MFA in Screenwriting from The University of Texas at Austin Department of Radio-Television-Film in 2014. She’s worked in LA for the NFL Network and the DGA, but was called back to Austin by breakfast tacos.  She’s excited to be a part of the department again and looks forward to working with and supporting the faculty, staff, and students.

Lee Sparks

Administrative Associate/Media Librarian
E-mail: Lee.Sparks@austin.utexas.edu
Office: CMA 6.120B
Phone: 512-471-1906 

 

Fall 2022 Schedule:

• On Campus: Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday (9 am–6 pm), Friday* (9 am–2 pm, remote 3 pm– 6 pm)
• Remote: Thursday & Friday* (9 am–6 pm)

*Every other week

Lee, a 1997 Summa Cum Laude graduate of RTF, has served as the RTF Media Librarian since 1998. In addition to serving the RTF Graduate and Faculty communities, he coordinates RTF film and video class screenings and is the RTF Media Library purchasing agent. Lee also manages faculty travel, visiting speaker arrangements, reimbursements, pro card purchases, and vendor payments. Recreationally, Lee is an avid consumer of American comic books and hates the pretentious term 'graphic novel.' When not enjoying genre films from other countries, he cleans up after his cats.

Elana Wakeman

Senior Programs & Communications Coordinator
E-mail: ewakeman@austin.utexas.edu
Office: CMA 6.104
Phone: 512-471-6617

Fall 2022 Schedule:

• On Campus: Tuesday & Thursday (8:30 am–5:30 pm), Friday (9 am– 2 pm)
• Remote: Monday & Wednesday (8 am–5 pm), Friday (3 pm–6 pm)

Elana manages the RTF website, all aspects of department-sponsored summer camps and workshops, RTF’s social media channels, and The Hub (with help from talented student workers!). She also produces promotional materials and coordinates the Longhorn Denius showcase and other RTF initiatives and events. She has a background in film and has worked in the industry in various roles. She earned her M.F.A. in film production from Florida State University and holds a B.A. in English, with a concentration in film studies, from Duke University. Before coming to the department in August of 2012, she worked for 12 years as the Publications Manager at UT's Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk.  She has played poker with two Academy Award-winning actors (lost to one, beat the other).

Teresa Valente

Office Manager
E-mail: teresa.valente@austin.utexas.edu
Office: CMA 6.120
Phone: 512-471-4191

Fall 2022 Schedule:

• On Campus: Monday, Tuesday & Thursday (9 am–6 pm), Friday* (9 am–2 pm, remote 3 pm– 6 pm)
• Remote: Wednesay & Friday* (9 am–6 pm)

*Every other week

Teresa earned her B.A. in communication with a focus in Media production from the University of Houston and has 9 years of film experience. Some may call her a Disney addict…When she is not planning her next Disney trip she is spending time with her family or relaxing at home with her dog, Charlie.

Teresa serves as the first point of contact with students, faculty, visitors, and the general public, responding to inquiries via department phones, email, and walk-in traffic. For RTF students, the office manager helps them find campus filming locations and obtain production insurance, and manages the student engagement website/social media pages. For faculty, the office manager provides support with obtaining room keys and business cards and organizing calendars, course instructor surveys, grade reporting, and peer teaching reviews. RTF's physical space is the office manager's domain as well, managing room reservations, furniture requests, office equipment maintenance, and supply orders.