The Ashland Independent Film Festival has named longtime festival staff member Nicole Gullixson its new Executive Director, marking a significant leadership transition for the 25-year-old Southern Oregon arts organization following three years of post-pandemic rebuilding.
Gullixson, who first joined AIFF as an intern in 2017 and has served as Managing Director since February 2025, assumed the ED role this past August. Her appointment was unanimously approved by the Board of Directors of the Southern Oregon Film Society (SOFS), the nonprofit organization that produces AIFF.
The promotion follows a period of renewal for the festival, culminating in its recent 25th anniversary celebration in April 2026. Gullixson has played a central role in that work, helping rebuild relationships with longtime supporters, develop new community partnerships and strengthen festival operations as AIFF reestablished its large-scale, in-person festival following the pandemic.
“Working closely with Nicole since the 2024 festival, I’ve seen firsthand the leadership, creativity and deep commitment she brings to AIFF,” said Gary Kout, president of the SOFS Board of Directors. “She has played an integral part in the festival’s renewal, and the Board has tremendous confidence in her ability to lead AIFF forward. I can’t imagine a better person to take on this role.”
Gullixson’s path to Executive Director began in 2017, when she joined AIFF as a Hospitality and Filmmaker Liaison Intern while studying Communications and Digital Cinema at Southern Oregon University. She remained involved with the festival through 2020, when the pandemic forced the event to move online. Gullixson returned to AIFF as a volunteer for the October 2024 festival, joining the box office team before taking on responsibilities supporting the festival’s monthly film series and serving as Operations and Community Engagement Manager. Promoted to Managing Director in February 2025, she helped guide the 2025 and 2026 festivals through a period of rebuilding and growth.
“When I first came to AIFF as an intern, I was struck by the way the festival brought filmmakers and audiences together. That experience stayed with me,” said Gullixson. “When I returned in 2024, I saw something with a history worth protecting and a future worth investing in. As Executive Director, I want to preserve what makes AIFF special while building a stronger foundation for the years ahead.”
Gullixson’s appointment also marks an evolution in AIFF’s leadership structure. As Executive Director, she will have greater authority over organizational operations, fundraising and staff development, supporting a governance structure in which the Board focuses on fiduciary oversight and long-term stewardship. Her priorities include strengthening AIFF’s membership and sponsorship base, expanding educational opportunities and year-round programming, deepening community partnerships, and growing the festival’s reach throughout Southern Oregon and beyond. She also plans to build on Friends of the Fest, AIFF’s community partnership program, which
connected the festival with 22 regional nonprofits and businesses in 2026. A Northern California native who has called Ashland home since 2016, Gullixson brings both filmmaking and community-building experience to the role. While studying at Southern
Oregon University, she developed a particular interest in documentary filmmaking under the mentorship of professor and filmmaker Chris Lucas, a former AIFF Board member. Her documentary work has aired on Southern Oregon PBS and screened at the Ashland
Independent Film Festival. Her professional background also includes visual design, marketing, branding, and community engagement.
Gullixson takes the helm as planning is underway for the 2027 Ashland Independent Film Festival, scheduled for April 15–18, and as the organization launches renewed membership, donor, and sponsorship initiatives. Building on the momentum of its 25th anniversary, AIFF is looking toward its next era while maintaining its longstanding commitment to independent filmmakers and the audiences who support their work.
About the Ashland Independent Film Festival
Founded in 2001, the Southern Oregon Film Society (SOFS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization doing business as the Ashland Independent Film Festival (AIFF). Dedicated to celebrating independent film and connecting filmmakers with audiences in Southern Oregon and beyond, AIFF presents an annual festival and year-round programming that showcases distinctive voices and perspectives, fosters meaningful dialogue, and brings people together through the power of cinema. MovieMaker Magazine has twice named AIFF among “The 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World” (2013, 2016) and included it in “The 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee” (2021). The 2027 Ashland Independent Film Festival takes place April 15–18, 2027.
