Meet the 2023–24 Film, Media, Theater department liaisons

Get to know our liaisons:

Maya Paster ’25 (she/them)

Maya lives in Nova Scotia, Canada but grew up in Burbank, California surrounded by film and TV influences. They are a junior majoring in Film Media Theater. They focus mainly on film and theater but are very interested in how media intersects and influences culture. Maya learned about TV editing from their father, a reality TV editor, who continues to inspire many of their film aspirations. On campus, they are involved with WMHC and the Mount Holyoke Film Society. Maya likes to take photos of nature, people, and pets in her free time. They can usually be found analyzing films or learning about early Hollywood when they have a break from schoolwork and extracurriculars. Maya aspires to become a film producer or editor after college.

Carmen Mickelson ’24 (they/them)

I’m from Ossining, NY and am currently a senior double majoring in FMT and Psychology with an overall focus in film. In terms of my background, I’ve been working as an Assistant to Directors for Journey Home Productions (based in my hometown) for nearly three years, and thus have gained a ton of experience in a range of pre and post production tasks in the realms film, television, and social media. For example, I have worked with multiple clients for various projects including a feature film, comedy show, as well as a network television series. For many years, filmmaking has been a passion of mine and I am always working to develop my creative process largely through writing, filming, and editing. I also take pride in my love for photography and music, which I’ve exercised through continuing with personal projects alongside working with MHC’s very own Mount Holyoke News and WMHC radio. 

Emma Platt ’26 (she/her)

I am from Rhode Island and majoring in FMT, focusing on acting and directing. I have participated in FMT productions as assistant stage manager, light board operator, and lighting prep crew, as well as assistant directing The Wolves, the first play of the 2023-2024 season. I have also acted in scenes for the directing class and various student films. Outside of Mount Holyoke, I have worked in a variety of areas of theater. This summer, I acted in the ensemble of a musical, served as a musical director and director respectively for two shows at my high school's summer theater program, stage managed for the Providence Fringe Festival, and saw my original musical performed by a summer camp on a professional stage.

Tara Monastesse ’25 (she/her)

Tara Monastesse is a junior double majoring in Film Media Theater and English. She is an aspiring journalist interested in multimedia storytelling, and has pursued internships and employment at Rhode Island PBS, the Warwick Beacon newspaper, and the Princeton Summer Journalism Program. She is passionate about helping first-generation, low income students at Mount Holyoke break into the film and journalism industries. On campus, she will serve as Managing Editor of Content for the Mount Holyoke News for the fall semester. She will also be working as a News Intern for New England Public Media in Springfield this fall. She was the recipient of a 2023 Washington Media Fellows Scholarship, and was awarded the Bob Fish Memorial Scholarship in both 2022 and 2023. She also studies Italian and creative writing.

Naomi Jadotte ’24 (she/her)

Naomi Jadotte is an F.M.T. and French double major. She has worked primarily within the theater side of the department learning about technical production and has a strong love of stage management.

Nikki Hollis ’25 (they/them)

I am a junior majoring in FMT and Critical Social Thought/ Critical Race and Political Economy. I am passionate about productive representation and filmmaking as a tool for hope and justice. Please feel free to reach out with any questions!