Ali Lightfoot began her career in television and film production, working for filmmaker Michael Moore and then for NBC Sports in the Olympic Profiles division, creating documentaries about Olympic athletes.
In 2009, Ali moved to the rural town of Paonia, Colorado and became the program director of KVNF Community Radio. There she hosted, produced and developed several multi-media projects for KVNF, including the award-winning music video series, “The KVNF Field Sessions,” and the youth reporting project, “Pass the Mic,” which brought in a team of 8-12 year olds to report on the local economy.
She founded the Delta County Film Collective in 2011, bringing together western Colorado filmmakers to create short films and promotional videos. As part of this group, she directed and edited several films, music videos and documentaries.
In 2018, she went on to be the General Manager of KVMR in Nevada City, California. Continuing to prioritize youth involvement, she developed KVMR’s Youth News Corps, which brings high school students to the airwaves, each producing a series on important issues of the day and giving them a well-rounded experience in radio journalism while incorporating lessons in free speech, civic engagement, history, public speaking, research, ethics and digital production.
She also worked with local journalists and first responders to develop a training program for broadcasters and an emergency response team to cover the increasing wildfires and evacuations in the area.
