The Location Managers Guild International (LMGI) has announced its 2026–2027 Board of Directors, marking the first significant leadership transition in five years.
Danny Finn, an award-winning location manager (Hacks, Freakier Friday, HER), was unanimously elected Board president. This marks a critical moment for the LMGI as it enters a new era of international growth, location-driven storytelling, and technological advancement.
Finn, based in Los Angeles, brings a wealth of institutional knowledge to the role, having previously served as the Guild’s 2nd VP. He was instrumental in overseeing communications and marketing strategies and represented the LMGI on global platforms, including featured panels at Comic-Con International. Finn takes the helm with a clear mandate to accelerate international membership growth and strengthen the Guild’s global outreach.
Joining Finn is a newly elected team of executive officers: Robin Macdonald (1st VP), Ryan Schaetzle (2nd VP), Andrea Keener (secretary), and Edward Mazurek (treasurer), who is returning for a second term.
“We are experiencing historic, industry-wide changes, with ‘grey stages’ and generative AI positioned as alternatives to the real-world work our members do every day. This underscores the urgency of our work as a guild,” said Finn. “The Location Managers Guild International is focused on championing that work, celebrating our members, elevating their creative contributions, and continuing to push for authentic, location-driven storytelling. Technology can imitate what’s already been seen, but it cannot discover what hasn’t been found. We venture out every day, finding new worlds, building lasting relationships with communities, and helping bring enormous economic impact to the areas where we work.”
The newly seated 2026–2027 Board reflects leadership and momentum across the Guild’s established domestic and international network and is dedicated to the craft of location management and to advocating for its members worldwide.
Returning to Board service are founding members Mike Fantasia (Top Gun: Maverick, Killers of the Flower Moon, Memoirs of a Geisha) and Stevie Nelson (Why Women Kill, 13 Reasons Why, House), whose work has helped define the craft across film and television. Additionally, Ken Brooker (Resident Alien, Bates Motel) is returning to Board service.
Re-elected directors include Michael Glaser (One Battle After Another, Licorice Pizza, Euphoria), Eric Klein (The Equalizer, The Crowded Room, The Flight Attendant), and Schaetzle (The Blind Side, Loki, Peacemaker), providing continuity across major production markets.
Directors currently in the second year of their terms include Keener, Angus Ledgerwood, Macdonald, Mazurek, Mo Qazzaz, Scott Trimble, and Kay Pointing Wilson. Newly elected director Hannah James-Johnson (Wales, UK) is recognized for her leadership in sustainable production practices and brings a strong international perspective that aligns with the Guild’s ongoing global engagement.
The LMGI extended its appreciation to outgoing Board member John Rakich, an elite location manager, for his leadership as president over the past five years. This period included guiding the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic and expanding its membership and visibility across the global production community.
The Guild also thanks outgoing Board members David McKinney, Lisa Scope, and Michael Wesley for their service and contributions.
