Elisa Cota-Francis' indigenous roots trace back to a time when Tucson, Arizona was still Mexico. Endowed with a dynamic and voracious love of learning, she spent her childhood consuming knowledge and exploring the desert. She was raised with a deep respect for her family’s indigenous Latin culture and rich heritage within Southern Arizona. This reverence would be the foundation for her love of the outdoors and her innate desire to explore. Elisa’s family history of exceptional intelligence pushed her to think critically and constantly challenge herself to learn from every situation and environment. This upbringing instilled an immense curiosity about the world and drove her to be an ardent learner who consumed literature and sought out continual education. Born with pen in hand, Elisa began expressing her creative nature early as a young talented poet. She excelled as a gifted writer and continued to cultivate her skills into true expertise as a storyteller. Before graduating with honors from high school, Elisa received early acceptance to the University of Arizona, considered one of the top 50 film schools in the US. While in college Elisa was recruited to work for the award-winning local PBS affiliate, Arizona Public Media. At AZPM Elisa began working with multi-award-winning documentary filmmakers who recognized her natural aptitude and potential early. They helped develop her skill sets as they mentored and guided her. Elisa was taught in real-world situations and on practical film sets that her primary responsibility was to create a safe and protective space for her subject. By establishing a secure environment she learned that this would allow each person a place to be truthful and vulnerable. As Elisa continued her film school education and with her new position at AZPM she discovered an exceptional adeptness for sound and sound mixing. This new talent spawned a love for the art of sound and she decided to become a specialist. This success pointed her to launch her freelance career as a production sound mixer and she began to travel, working with documentary crews and on narrative projects as she continued to attend college. Brought up in a family of entrepreneurs and driven professionals, Elisa knew that to succeed in such a competitive industry she could not specialize in just one field. She pushed her professors and mentors to share their wealth of knowledge about all aspects of film production with her. They helped her to become an expert producer, director, camera person, nonlinear editor, and scriptwriter all while earning her bachelor's degree. After graduating college Elisa continued to gain experience in the film and television industry. Her remarkable work ethic and ability to attract others who share her positive attitude, talent, and workplace philosophy have been the key ingredients of her continued longevity within her field. Elisa is determined to leave a legacy whose foundation is built on respect, inclusivity, equity, and kindness. Her drive, dedication, and determination led her to become a multi-award-winning filmmaker and accomplished CEO of her very own media production company, ArcLight Pictures. For Elisa, her commitment to her client’s profitability and success is the key to her company’s achievements.