The [M] Team
Meet the team that brought “The [M] Factor” to life
Jacoba Atlas
Director & Writer
Jacoba Atlas is an award-winning documentarian and broadcast executive. Her extensive list of credits includes an Emmy and a Peabody for her work in projects including “Survivors of the Holocaust,” executive produced by Steven Spielberg. She co-wrote and executive produced “Birthing Justice,” and co-wrote and directed “PUSHOUT: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools,” with Women in the Room Productions.
Her other well-known projects include “Dying to Tell the Story,” which was shortlisted for an Oscar, and profiles of extraordinary women for OWN, hosted by Julia Roberts. She has written, produced, and directed seven prime-time PBS documentaries, including: “Too Important to Fail,” which details the education crisis facing Black boys; “A Call to Conscience,” a deconstruction of Martin Luther King Jr.’s pivotal Vietnam Speech; and “Conducting a Life,” a profile of conductor Gustavo Dudamel.
From 2000 to 2006, Jacoba was head of national content for PBS. For the Turner networks, she wrote and produced the six-part, Emmy-nominated landmark series “A Century of Women” about the history of American women in the 20th century. The research and complete interviews from this series are archived at the Schlesinger Library at Harvard University. Jacoba began her career at NBC News.
Denise Pines
Executive Producer
CEO, author, speaker, filmmaker, and health advocate, Denise Pines is a media pioneer, award-winning marketer, serial entrepreneur and community health advocate. She served more than 14 years as a creative consultant for talk television and radio shows (PBS/NPR) and as executive producer on 12 social justice documentaries. As co-founder of Women in the Room Productions, she is committed to diversity in front of and behind the camera.
Denise’s work includes thought-provoking documentaries and engaging live programs for PBS, including the award-winning “Birthing Justice” on the Black maternal health crisis; the NAACP-nominated “PUSHOUT: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools”; the “Fight for $15” and its impact on small business; “Too Important to Fail” on the school-to-prison pipeline; the plight of New Orleans’s residents on the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina (directed by Academy Award winner Jonathan Demme); and a “one-night-only” Prince concert at the Conga Room in Los Angeles.
Denise is the president of the Osteopathic Medical Board and past president of the Medical Board of California. She serves on the executive board of the Federation of State Medical Boards.
Tamsen Fadal
Executive Producer & Producer
Tamsen Fadal is an award-winning journalist, menopause advocate, filmmaker, and a content creator. She recently left her 30-year career as a news anchor to dedicate herself to rewriting the narrative for women in midlife. As the head of an innovative multimedia company, she co-producer of the documentary “The [M] Factor: Shredding the Silence on Menopause,” premiering on PBS in October 2024.
eur and community health advocate. She served more than 14 years as a creative consultant for talk television and radio shows (PBS/NPR) and as executive producer on 12 social justice documentaries. As co-founder of Women in the Room Productions, she is committed to diversity in front of and behind the camera.
Her advocacy for women in the workplace aims to create comprehensive policies that address menopause and its impact on career women. Her goal is to eliminate the stigma of menopause and foster a work environment where women feel comfortable discussing and managing their health journeys, no matter their ages. Tamsen is also a certified integrative nutrition coach.
Her newest book, “How to Menopause” (Hachette Book Group, 2025), is the girlfriend-vetted guide to taking charge of your health, reclaiming your life and feeling better than ever before.
Joanne Lamarca Mathisen
Executive Producer & Producer
Joanne LaMarca Mathisen is a former broadcast network executive and a multi–Emmy award–winning journalist and television producer. She was instrumental in the launch of the original “3rd Hour” on NBC’s “Today” and is the former executive producer of the fourth hour with Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager, where she navigated the challenges of broadcasting during a pandemic lockdown.
Prior to NBC, Joanne launched a nightly business show at CNBC while also writing a weekly business column for Times Mirror–Tribune Company. Joanne’s career has focused on financial, national and international issues, with an emphasis on women and children and health. As a women’s health advocate, Joanne pivoted to focus on a menopause research agenda and to shine a light on treatments and solutions to help other women advocate for themselves.
Jeanne Dresp Knappmiller
Supervising Producer
Jeanne Dresp Knappmiller is an entertainment production executive with over 20 years’ experience across multiple television, film, and online platforms, including studio, docu-reality, formatted reality, talk show, build show, competition, dating, adventure, specials, scripted, feature film, online digital and documentary.
As an executive in charge of production, director of production and line producer, Jeanne is experienced in all aspects of production management and budgeting; she has overseen all financial and logistical aspects for over 100 projects. Most recently, Jeanne was the EIC on the Netflix reboot of “Unsolved Mysteries,” responsible for all budgeting and cost control, scheduling, insurance, and business and legal affairs of the entire three-season run. She also recently finished high-budget documentary projects with Apple, Paramount+ and Max. An innovative problem solver and collaborator, Jeanne lives to bring great stories to the audience by overseeing and delivering any type of project worldwide.
Beth Segal
Editor
Beth Segal has worked in film and television for the past 20 years. She has edited a range of American and international projects including television series, documentaries, and fiction films. “The Times” of London touted her “scalpel-sharp editing” on the A&E series “The First 48,” and her programs have consistently drawn high ratings nationwide and internationally.
Now based in Portland, Oregon, Beth has worked in Hong Kong, New York and San Francisco. Her work has been featured at multiple festivals including Los Angeles Film Festival, the Ashland Independent Film Festival, Human Rights Watch Film Festival and The Sedona International Film Festival, and has aired on PBS, Netflix, Apple, Discovery and A&E.
Beth is passionate about editing as a form of storytelling that can reach wide audiences. She enjoys working closely with directors to enhance narrative and structure through both scripting and storytelling with images. Sound plays a fundamental role in Beth’s work and serves to underscore emotion and drama.
In her spare time, Beth is an avid runner, a great traveler and number one fan of her 16-year-old son, Max.
Eddie Lebron
Director of Photography
Eddie Lebron Jr. is an three-time Emmy Award–winning editor, cinematographer and director. He has been active in the industry for over 16 years, and he is currently working in the Manhattan tri-state area.
A graduate of The School of Visual Arts, with a BFA in Film and Video, Eddie has worked for Jergen, BET, Viacom, PBS American Eagle and NBC. Eddie’s work both behind the camera and in postproduction has been seen in screenings and festivals around the world, including Tribeca Festival.
Presenting Producers
To bring the director and/or producers to your next event, virtual or in person, please email TheMFactorFilm@gmail.com for price and availability.
