about the filmmakers

Laura Wing-Kamoosi (Director, Writer, Producer) is an Emmy-nominated director and writer. She started her career at ABC News, where she wrote and produced advertising for “Good Morning America”,” Nightline”, and “20/20”. Laura has written, produced and directed advertising, editorial, and branded content for numerous clients including GE, Adobe, CoverGirl, Sephora, Cartier, HGTV, Diageo, The Spruce, and Fresh Direct. Born and raised in Detroit, Laura lives in Brooklyn, NY with creative partner/husband Jim, their daughter Maisie, and dog Toki. Reclaim Idaho is her first feature. 

Jim Kamoosi (Director, Director of Photography, Producer) has been working in film, television, and digital media for over 20 years. With a background in communications and design he began his career with ABC News. He has since worked as a studio head, director, cinematographer, editor and post production supervisor, creating branded and editorial content. Clients include Disney, Lifetime, HGTV, GE, Adobe, Cartier, L’Oréal, Procter and Gamble, Diageo, Mondelēz, Sephora, Hershey’s, Fresh Direct, JetBlue, Kiehl’s, and more. He lives and works in Brooklyn, NY with his creative partner and wife Laura, their eight year old daughter Maisie, and chihuahua Toki. Reclaim Idaho is his first feature. 

Edith E. Newman (Editor) got her start editing arts documentaries for one of the first online streaming services, Pseudo Programs, in 1999. She went on to edit broadcast segments for PBS’ “Life 360”, ABC’s “Nightline” and “20/20”, “Inside Edition” and “Rachael Ray”, and promotions for “The View.” Corporate clients include Food Network, GE, Jet Blue, Diageo, Neutrogena, Hershey’s, Dove Chocolates, Heinz, V8, Fresh Direct, Bare Minerals, Clairol, Aveeno, L’Occitane, Wacoal, Crate & Barrel, Glade, Valspar, Ace Hardware, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, ExxonMobil, Goldman Sachs, Payless and YoYo Ball. She lives in Brooklyn with an opinionated chihuahua.

Michael J. McCurdy (Original Score) is a drummer and percussionist based in New York City. He is a co-founder and artistic director of the percussion sextet Mantra Percussion. Mike has played with rock bands including Hi Red Center, The Knells, Lanz, and recently Thee Reps and Graham Reynolds. Mike has collaborated with artists including Ian Williams (Battles), Greg Saunier (Deerhoof), Squarepusher, Xiu Xiu, Ikue Mori, Brian Chase (Yeah Yeah Yeahs), and has commissioned more than 40 works for percussion over the past decade. Mike also manages Red Poppy Music — publishing, promoting and managing the works of Michael Gordon, David Lang and Julia Wolfe, the co-founders of Bang on a Can.

about the cast

Emily Strizich got tired enough of watching the system needlessly hurt people that she decided to do something.  Now, she works as an occupational therapist at a hospital in rural North Idaho where her work puts her in frequent contact with those who have finally been able to access needed care through the expanded medicaid program.  She earned her Masters of Science from Columbia University before returning to Idaho to improve health access and to ruffle the feathers of the Idaho Legislature.  She is the proud mom of two daughters and proud owner of a green 1977 RV. She can be found in the mountains with her girls or teaching them to look for bugs on the banks of river. 

Garrett Strizich grew up in Sandpoint, Idaho, and after training in public health at Columbia University in New York, he returned to his hometown to pursue a career in rural medicine. He is currently in his fourth year of medical school at the University of Washington and will be starting his residency this summer. His patients’ everyday struggle to access care continually motivates him to work for a more just health care system.

Luke Mayville grew up in Sandpoint, Idaho. He has a PhD in political science and recently taught political philosophy at Columbia University and authored a book on President John Adams. In 2017, he co-founded Reclaim Idaho, a grassroots organization that works to secure fully-funded public schools, protected public lands, and healthcare for working families. Reclaim Idaho filed the petition to put Medicaid Expansion on the ballot in Idaho and then led the successful “Medicaid for Idaho” petition drive, which eventually resulted in Medicaid coverage for over 100,000 Idahoans. 

Timothy Faust has written for Splinter, Jacobin, and Vice, among others. He has worked as a data scientist in the healthcare industry, before which he enrolled people in ACA programs in Florida, Georgia, and Texas, where he saw both the shortcomings of the ACA and the consequences of the Medicaid gap firsthand. Since 2017, he’s been driving around the United States in his 2002 Honda CR-V talking to people about health inequity in their neighborhoods. He lives in Brooklyn.