Festival Board

Barry Cobbs, a Rogers native, is a Writer, Director, and Producer of film and television. He began his career in Los Angeles at 20th Century Fox Television on shows including In Living Color, King Koopa, and The Arsenio Hall Show for Fox, Three Blind Dates for MTV, Mama's Family and Hollywood Squares in syndication, and Double Dare for Nickelodeon. Barry’s Producing credits include Totally Hidden Video for Warner Television, pilots and specials for NBC Productions, Disney, and CBS, TV.COM for USA, CNET Central for CNBC, and concert broadcasts of The Zac Brown Band, Blink 182, Gym Class Heroes, My Morning Jacket, and KISS for AT&T. StudioChunky is a proud sponsor of the Rogers Short Film Festival, where Barry serves as Festival Director.

MIKE DAY (he/him) founded DAYVISION in 2015 and has directed several short films and a short documentary that appeared and won recognition at film festivals nationwide. In 2022, Day was nationally recognized as one of AT&T’s Dream in Black Future Makers, was awarded the Leading with Excellence Award by Black Action Collective in Northwest Arkansas was part of the Ones to Watch Class by Celebrate Arkansas. In 2023, he was awarded the Rodney Momon Youth Award at the MLK Council’s Salute to Greatness Ceremony in recognition of his character, leadership, and service to the community. Recently, Day was awarded the Oscar Micheaux Legacy Filmmaker Award at the 2025 Bare Bones International Film Festival in recognition of continuing the legacy as an African American filmmaker. Day hopes to create a platform for Black actors and filmmakers in Arkansas, allowing future generations to dream outside their environment while learning the rich history of African Americans in film.

Aaron W. Jones is an artist, Arts Administrator and a self professed “dangerous dabbler”. He has 30 years of experience in the arts, arts education, museum profession, and arts administration. Currently he serves as the Director of Arts Integration and Museum Partnerships at Arkansas Arts Academy. Prior to his position with the Academy he worked in the museum field, Interpretation Manager and Guide Program Manager for Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art; University professor of art history, studio, humanities and art education at Oklahoma Baptist University and the University of Oklahoma; K-12 public art teacher as well as SPFX artist for some really low budget films from the ‘80’s.

Spade Robinson is the owner of Atlanta Film Project, a full service story consulting firm, where she consults with individual screenwriters on telling the most compelling version of their stories. AFP also works with non-profit artist support organizations, such as Sundance Institute, Film Independent and Women In Film, as well as for-profit companies and networks, such as FOX, HBO and DISNEY.

Kathy K. McClure is a retired Mortgage Lender, having working in the industry for * years. Currently, she enjoys substitute teaching in the Rogers Schools, singing in the choir of the First United Methodist Church, and getting her flower beds ready for summer. In the past, she has appeared at Arkansas Public Theatre in musical theatre roles such as Sunset Blvd, The Wedding Singer, Mame, and Les Misérables. She is mom to Zachary Denison, three furry kids: Minnie, Maggie and Ricky, and wife of Ed McClure.

A native Texan travelling to Northwest Arkansas since the 1960’s, finally making the permanent move to Rogers in 2021. An experienced commercial real estate broker & advisor since 1982 having completed $800mil+ in transactions. Along the way, David’s love to hear himself talk led to creative endeavors in sports radio broadcasting and producer/host of a popular magazine format television show, winning a Tele Award for his efforts. Soon after arriving in Rogers, he and his adored wife of 30 years, Donna, attended the Rogers Short Film Festival in 2022 and became immediately hooked on the presentation and the unique impact the event can have on the NWA community. He offered to become a sponsor in 2023 and has been a Gold Sponsor ever since and honored to join the Board of Directors in 2024. David is also proud to have recruited 3 of his 4 children, including 2 grandchildren, to relocate to NWA. They are proudly serving as festival volunteers, primarily to keep a watchful eye on their Dad.