Marian Gagnon, Ph.D., has been making documentaries since 2004. She founded Goodnight Irene Productions: An Indie-Documentary Film Company in honor of her mother, Irene. Her background and 15 years experience as an award-winning journalist have paved the way for her avocation as Writer, Director and Producer of documentaries. She serves on the board of Communipod Media Arts, Inc., and is an active member of the Women’s Documentary Collective in R.I. Marian also is a full-time Professor in the School of Arts & Sciences at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, teaching film studies, journalism, visual literacy, speech communications and literature. Her first documentary – HERstory: The Founding Mothers of Johnson & Wales University – was nominated for a New England Emmy in 2004 and continues to air on R.I.’s PBS station. Men of Vision, her second documentary on the unique history of that institution, was produced in 2008 and in December 2010, she completed the third and final documentary for the Johnson & Wales trilogy. All three films consistently air on R.I. PBS. Marian is currently working on a new film project: America’s Forgotten Heroine: Ida Lewis, Keeper of the Light about a 19-century lighthouse keeper and heroine from Newport, R.I. This documentary, being produced in high-definition, brings to life the extraordinary story of Ida Zoradia Lewis, America’s most famous woman lighthouse keeper. Hailed as the "bravest woman in America," Ida Lewis tended the light on Lime Rock for more than 50 years and single-handedly saved 18 people from certain peril. Despite her age, gender, class, and lack of education, Ida managed to transcend the implicit and overwhelming bias and discrimination against women and fulfill her true potential and her life’s work. Yes, the "light" was "her child" at Lime Rock, but more importantly, despite society's pressures and expectations, she gave herself permission to be the strong, independent, fearless woman of which she knew she was capable. Marian is working with Jim Karpeichik at Ocean State Video as DP and Editor. Marian was born and raised in Manchester, N.H. but has lived the majority of her adult life in southern Rhode Island. She has a B.A. in Journalism, a M.A. in Teaching, and a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on Media Studies and the Documentary Genre.