Leadership
St. Louis Filmworks co-founders, Mary Kay Sheets and Shad Schoenke, have an impressive veteran track record in the business and content development. Together, the co-founder brings over 50+ years of experience in the fields of creative development in the advertising, entertainment, marketing and civic development. Their core leadership team is comprised of a group of experienced individuals in the St. Louis film and creative industries.
Shad Schoenke Co-Founder/Creative Director
A creative designer ane writher with 30+ experience in advertising and marketing across numerous industries including beverage, financial, healthcare, pet food, automotive agriculture, CPG and B2B products. Area of focus also includes consumer experience and brand interaction from the customer/consumer point of view. Project and campaign experience includes sponsorship of entities including NASCAR, NFL, NCAA and the Olympics.
Shad’s experience with Coca-Colas’ sponsorship of the 2008 and 2010 Olympic Games, forged a relationship with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee that lead to the creation of the St. Louis Olympic Legacy Committee with the St. Louis Sports Commission. The Legacy Committee worked with the IOC to erect the Olympic Rings spectacular at Washington University.
Mary Kay Sheets Co-Founder/Fractional C-Suite Executive, Executive Producer
Mary Kay Sheets has more than twenty-five years of experience as an award-winning “Go-To - Get-it-Done” serial entrepreneur having founded five companies, two non-profits and advised hundreds of business owners as a fractional c-suite executive in all aspects of starting and growing a business. She specializes in company-wide gap analysis, foundational business development, emerging trend planning and integration as well as industry-side initiative leadership. Mary Kay is also an author, speaker and a catalyst for pioneers in their field who seek to bring forth change for the greater good.
Monica R. Butler Owner, The Butler Group & Archview Media
Monica R. Butler, owner of The Butler Group and founder of Archview Media,
has been a part of television, theatre and film production for over 25
years. With passion and compassion, she has produced for Black Entertainment
Television working with Bobby Jones Gospel, Tyler Perry stage play
production and served as producer at The Word Television Network. Ms. Butler
has worked on many notable films such as Jurassic World and John Wick, and
has produced her own projects through The Butler Group and just completed a
successful summer preparing the next generation of young creatives with
"Film Camp USA," where they showcased their student-made film at the
historic Chase Park Plaza Cinema. A passionate fan of gospel music, she is
developing the Gospel Music Hall of Fame of Missouri in partnership with the
Lawrence Group and the Inspired Lives Foundation, of which she is
co-founder. She serves on the Board of Directors of MOMMA and St. Louis
Filmworks, and is a proud member of IATSE 493 Studio Mechanics.
Alison Niermann Actress/Producer/Business Development
Alison Niermann has over twenty years of experience partnering with business owners, and C-suite leaders, translating business vision into scalable strategies. Alison launched the area's first digital parenting publication directing all staff, editorial, sales, and media partnerships. She grew up acting and had multiple albums recorded by her teen years. As an adult, she has worked with productions including Gone Girl and NBC's America's Got Talent. Blending her success in business operations and passion for storytelling, Alison believes in its impact on people's lives, economy, and communities.
Alison holds a bachelor's with continued education from Cambridge University. She and her husband spend time volunteering, coaching, and working with her three children to create fundraising events benefiting other kids.
Bill Higley Aegis Law
William Higley is a highly experienced attorney with over thirty years of practice in corporate and family estate planning law. He has also had extensive litigation and trial experience, including complex personal injury and chemical exposure lawsuits at both the Federal and state level. Bill’s practice also includes substantial experience in the areas of trusts, estate planning and taxation, and the licensing of intellectual property.
Bill previously worked in the law department of Monsanto, where he managed complex and multi district environmental insurance coverage litigation, and was responsible for Superfund environmental remediation projects at over one hundred thirty state and federal project sites. This level of exposure was reportable in the Company’s annual report to shareholders. Bill also handled regulatory matters, permits, and enforcement actions in all environmental media, OSHA, Industrial Hygiene, and internal compliance audit functions of the Company.
In addition to his legal career, Bill is also the current President of the Board of Directors for Jazz St. Louis, an organization that promotes jazz music in St. Louis and brings live performances to the community. Bill’s passion for jazz music and his dedication to the community make his leadership of this organization particularly meaningful.