Beth Brickell is president of Luminous Films, Inc., and is the writer, producer and director of a trilogy of movies, A Rainy Day, Summer's End and Mr. Christmas, that has won twenty-five film festival and television awards and been broadcast on PBS, Showtime, A&E and Nickelodeon. Formerly an actress, she starred in the CBS television series Gentle Ben and received Emmy consideration for guest starring roles on Bonanza and Hawaii 5-0. She also has a newspaper background as an investigative reporter and has utilized those talents to research and write William and Mary Brickell: Founders of Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Beth has a BA degree in history and political science from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and an MFA degree in film from the American Film Institute in Los Angeles. She lives in Beverly Hills, California.