About Us
Shine Global’s Mission
Shine Global is dedicated to ending the abuse and exploitation of children worldwide through films that raise awareness, promote action and inspire political change.
Shine Global is a 501(c)(3) non-profit film production company. All contributions to Shine are used to produce our films and are tax deductible. Net profits are returned to the children we document through local non-governmental agencies.
Shine Global’s Vision
Shine will continue to make theatrically cinematic films and other media products that empower children to tell their stories in a manner that reveals hope within horror. Beyond providing viewers with an emotional film experience, however, we also intend to move them to social action through our partnerships with non-profit(s) working with the children documented.
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Our Story

Since our founding in 2005 as a non-profit film production company, Shine Global has given voice to some of the world’s most at-risk children, shared their stories, inspired millions of viewers, and won more than 20 major film awards, including an Academy Award nomination and Best Director Documentary at Sundance.
Its success can be traced to the dedication of its two founders. Executive Director Susan MacLaury, PhD, who is a social worker and health education professor, and Albie Hecht, chairman of the Shine Global Board of Directors, who is a producer of Oscar-nominated films and award-winning television series for children.
Together, they are building on Shine Global’s impressive achievements with future projects that empower exploited children around the world.
| Shine Global Board of Governors | Eva Longoria Parker, Actress/Activist Mike O’Malley, Actor Steve Oedekerk, Writer/Producer/Director Herb Scannell, Executive Chairman andCo-Founder of Next New Networks |
| Shine Global Board of Directors |
Susan MacLaury, PhD, LSW, Co-Founder of Shine Global Albie Hecht, Co-Founder of Shine Global and CEO of Worldwide Biggies Robert Baker, Chief Office of Political Programming, FCC Keith Brown, Sr. VP, BET News and Public Affairs Greg Griffin, First VP Financial Advisor, Morgan Stanley Global Wealth Management Emily Hellstrom, Fundraising Consultant Don Melnick, PhD, Co-Director Center for Environment, Economy, and Society (CEES) at Columbia University John Reichman, Partner, Watchel and Masyr, LLC |
| Shine Global Advisory Board |
Marla Baker, Director of Baker-Merine Family Foundation Marilyn A. DeLuca, PhD, RN Consultant, Healthcare, Policy & Philanthropy Assistant Professor, School of Medicine & Associate Professor, College of Nursing, NYU Ingrid Duran, Co-Founder/Principal, D&P Creative Strategies, LLC David Damian Figueroa, Activist/Commissioner, Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority Toufic Hakim, Principal Grants and Research Advisor, Gratuoso.org Adrienne Lopez, Film Producer Richard Marks, CEO, Paris Foods Dino Moshova, Partner, Catalog and Commerce, Inc. Mary Pearl, Dean and VP, Stony Brook University – Southampton College Maria Perez-Brown, President, Dorado Entertainment, Inc. Catherine M. Pino, Co-Founder/Principal, D&P Creative Strategies, LLC Ruth Alicia Sandoval, CEO, BusinessconX Marva Smalls, EVP, Public Affairs/Chief of Staff for Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, TV Land, and Noggin Vatsal Thakkar, MD, Director of GME Wellness Team, NYU School of Medicine |

