American Documentary Welcomes Monica Ma as New Development Officer for External Affairs

American Documentary (AmDoc) has announced the addition of experienced development and documentary professional Monica Ma as the Development Officer for External Affairs. She officially began in early April and will help strategize and implement AmDoc's development initiatives, donor cultivation and fundraising efforts for the organization.

Monica is a development specialist and documentary filmmaker based in Texas. Before joining AmDoc, she worked with international organizations focused on global peacekeeping, foreign policy, research and accountability. Among her experiences include time in Washington, D.C., working with the Syria Justice and Accountability Centre and managing partnerships and grants for Carnegie China, a center of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Ma, a first-generation Chinese American from Los Angeles, has worked, studied, and volunteered across Europe and Asia—including in Turkey, Switzerland, China, Azerbaijan, and Thailand—and has traveled to more than 40 countries. Through her professional and personal experiences, she developed a foundational belief in the power of documentary films to broaden perspectives, inspire empathy, and uplift voices from a wide range of communities. For her, documentary film is a way to foster curiosity, empowerment and exploration of ideas, places and people.

She earned her B.A. in History from UCLA and an M.A. in International Development from the Geneva Graduate Institute in Switzerland. Monica began making her own documentaries in 2023 and co-founded Croma Pictures, a production company devoted to developing documentary film. She participated in Austin Film Society’s Creative Careers program in 2024 and continues to pursue new projects and cultivate her interest in producing and directing documentary film.

"We are thrilled to welcome Monica Ma to our organization and excited about how she will help us achieve our mission of supporting independent documentary film. She’s a welcome addition to the team and we know she’ll do great work in support of AmDoc’s vision for growth in this new era of public media,” said Erika Dilday, executive director of American Documentary.

"I’m a big fan of AmDoc’s POV and America ReFramed series, and their role in making the most poignant documentaries of our day accessible to the American public. It’s an honor to join an institution with such a rich legacy—and a team of passionate filmmakers and change-makers. I look forward to helping AmDoc strengthen its philanthropic partnerships and expand its programs, so documentaries can continue to spark dialogue and drive positive change across our country,” says Ma.

In her new position, Ma will work closely with and report to Cecilia R. Mejia, AmDoc’s VP of External Affairs and the leadership team of Erika Dilday, Executive Director, Executive Producer, Chris White, and Asadullah Muhammad, VP of Impact & Engagement as well as the board of directors, funders and the community of AmDoc filmmakers. As she builds upon strategic growth priorities, she will collaborate with Anna Graizbord, Director of Marketing & Communications, on special events.

‍