Byron Lafayette – Chairman
Byron Lafayette is a journalist, film critic, and author with a dynamic presence in the entertainment industry. He serves as the Editor and Lead Film Critic for ViralHare and contributes insightful pieces to WhatCulture and TV Obsessive. Byron also pens the pop-culture column Shadow & Substance for 25YL and hosts the engaging podcast Under the Lens with Byron Lafayette. As a recognized authority in his field, he is a voting member of The Celebrity Film Awards and the Online Film & Television Association, as well as an approved critic for The Banana Meter.
Scott Menzel – Board Member
Scott is the Founder of WeLiveEntertainment and The Hollywood Critics Association, Scott has been a lifelong fan of all things entertainment. He counts Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, Diehard, and The Greatest Showman as some of his favorite films. He currently serves as the Editor-In-Chief of We Live Entertainment and the Chairman of the Hollywood Creative Alliance.
Joe Leydon – Board Member
Joe has served as a movie critic for Variety. He’s served as a lecturer at the University of Houston’s Jack J. Valenti School of Communications since 2001. He also is a senior writer for Cowboys & Indians magazine, a founding member of the Houston Film Critics Society, blogger, and author of “Joe Leydon’s Guide to Essential Movies You Must See.”
JD Duran – Board Member
JD is the co-founder of InSession Film, the lead host of the InSession Film Podcast, and the manager of all the day-to-day activities. He is passionate about film discussion and creating dialogue that helps form new perspectives. Film has not only been an outlet for entertainment, he believes it’s a tool that can help foster how we look at the world. Whether it be on a mic or at the bar, those are the best conversations to have. So, as someone who has a background in broadcasting, movie podcasting/film criticism just made sense for JD. He has a B.A. in Communications from Bowling Green State University in Ohio.