Bio 👇

Actor Douglas Vermeeren lighting up the indie circuit in 2023.

This year has been an eventful year for filmmaker/actor Douglas Vermeeren who stars in a number of independent feature films throughout North America.

Currently, on the Film Festival circuit, the compelling horror anthology feature Tenants recently premiered at the LA Film Festival, winning Best Horror Anthology. It isn’t the first win for the feature, which also took home the coveted Best Picture award at the LA Crime & Horror Festival.

Directed by Buz Wallick, Sean Messer, and Johnathan Louis Lewis for Exit 19 Productions and Wallick Productions, Tenants takes viewers on a unique horror anthology in an apartment building with bizarre situations that provoke several unusual supernatural suspense stories. Filmed in Los Angeles, Douglas has the role of Leonard, the manager of this strange apartment building - a position that has put him in dangerous situations that end in tragedy.

Of the film, Douglas said: "Tenants is a film that brings to mind many of the great horror anthologies from the past like Stephen King's Cat's Eye, Twilight Zone: the Movie, and Creepshow. However, Tenants takes a very unique approach in how the stories are all interconnected. That's something that hasn't been done before in this way for an anthology.”

Elsewhere in the indie world, Douglas plays Billy Lachance, the villain in the Canadian feature film Jack Knife, now in post-production. After Billy’s brother is accidentally killed and his drugs are stolen, he embarks on a determined path of revenge.

Filmed in and around Toronto, Jack Knife is a co-production with Adam Jack’s Eat Your Eggs Production and Jason Lumpish & Erica Sherwood’s Jarico films. Multiple award-winning filmmaker Adam Jack (The Lurker, An All-American Fairytale) wrote the screenplay and directed the film. Erica Sherwood (Fight! A Kind of Wonderful Thing) and Douglas star alongside first time teen actors Tivon Charles and Payton Mills.

In Jack Knife, a fun afternoon of fishing turns frightening when a young black brother and sister are attacked in the woods by a drifter. While fighting him off, the brother accidentally kills their would-be molester with a jackknife. The film deals with many of the current race issues in our world and an incredible case of mistaken identity.

Douglas states,” This was a very special film to work on. It was very strong in its portrayal of the racial challenges, stereotypes and misunderstandings that so often happen in our society today."

In the feature Fresh Meat, a group of influencers break into an abandoned prison and release an evil that has intentionally been locked away far from the public and now no one will be safe. Douglas plays Sherriff Bellamy in the film, who is dedicated to keeping the influencers out of the prison and when that fails, he must decide how to contain the evil which has escaped. Produced by Pageman Productions and directed by Daniel Turres the film is currently in post-production. Other actors include Mika Amonsen (Thanksgiving, Impulse, Reacher, Designated Survivor), Jorja Cadence (Priscilla, Reacher, Rabbit Hole, Sex/Life), and Hannah Galway (Sex/Life, Under the Banner of Heaven, Guillermo Del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities).

“Fresh Meat was a very bloody project. It is a project that definitely lives up to the name. What you see on the label is definitely a reflection of what you experience in the project. Fresh Meat is destined to become one of the classics in horror slasher films right up there with Friday the 13th, Halloween and others,” says Douglas.

Also in post-production, Black Creek is a feature directed by Shannon Lanier for the production team of CRRC Productions and the Marlowe-Pugnette Co. Inc. filmed in Tuscan, Arizona. A sheriff's sister seeks revenge against the terrifying leader of a group of outlaws after discovering he brutally murdered her brother, his wife, and other family members in a gritty southwestern town.

Douglas plays Hank Winslow, a slimy corrupt businessman in the town of Black Creek and the right-hand man of the sadistic villain, Damien Sinclair (Richard Norton), who runs the gambling and bare-knuckle-brawling ring of Black Creek. Hank Winslow has a very special and unique position in this martial arts film. He runs the fighting ring and plays a central part in antagonizing the fights.

Martial arts legend Cynthia Rothrock (The Martial Arts Kid, In Search of the Last Action Heroes, Diary of a Lunatic) who has been featured in over 70 films is joined by many legends of the martial arts film world including Don "The Dragon" Wilson (Batman Forever, Ring of Fire), Benny Urquidez (Con Air, Grosse Point Blank, The Contract, 1408), R. Marcus Taylor, (Straight Outta Compton, Baby Driver, Luke Cage) and Keith Cooke (Mortal Kombat, Alita: Battle Angel) in the film.

Not one to slow down, Douglas is in talks with international filmmakers for a number of new feature films in pre-production alongside some very recognizable names - so stay tuned for what’s next for this talented filmmaker.

My guest is often remembered for being featured in the global sensation The Secret, Marie Diamond has built an incredible worldwide following. She has taught more than one million students over the past 30 years and is a sought-after speaker in more than 30 countries. She is a personal, business, and spiritual mentor and consultant to a who’s who of celebrities in film, music, C-suites, global leadership, sports and even in royal palaces. Counted among her clients are Steven Spielberg, Jodie, Foster, Dan Aykroyd, Big Sean, Paula Abdul, Jason Bateman and luminaries Jack Canfield, the late Bob Proctor, Dr John Gray, Marianne Williamson, Rhonda Byrne and Vishen Lakhiani. Marie’s latest book is: Feng Shui Your Life: A Beginner’s Guide to Using Your Home to Attract the Life of Your Dream. 

Ernest (Ernie) Stevens is a published author with a #1 selling book on Amazon titled: Mental Health and De-escalation: A Guide for Law Enforcement Professionals. Ernie was also a contributing author for, Police Mental Barricade. Ernie was a police officer for 28 years, serving 26 of those years with the San Antonio Police Department where he was a founding member of the Mental Health Unit. Ernie has been featured on the Emmy Award Winning HBO Documentary, Ernie and Joe: Crisis Cops. He has also been featured in NBC’s documentary, A Different Kind of Force. Ernie was interviewed by ABC’s Nightline’s Byron Pitts and featured on officers trained to respond to mental illness calls. Ernie has been featured in over 30 publications and deemed an expert in Crisis Intervention Training. He is a graduate of Wayland Baptist University and holds a B.S. degree in Criminal Justice. He is married to his wife Lisa who he attended school with since elementary school. He has two incredible children, Reed, and April. Ernie continues to assist communities build and program manage multidisciplinary response teams in his current position as deputy director for the Council of State Governments Justice Center.

Tosha is a designer, inventor, textile technologist, serial entrepreneur, and writer specializing in the development of innovative, commercial products in the fiber, textile, soft goods, and digitally connected wearables industries. Tosha has invented and designed iconic products for SPANX, brrrº, and the world’s first digital to physical backpack with JanSport. Tosha won Women Wear Daily’s Fresh Face Award for design, holds 12 patents, and was named one of The University of Georgia’s 40 under 40 for professional achievement in 2013.

Developing innovative, commercial ideas in a variety of consumer product categories with a specialty in fiber, textile, soft goods, and digitally connected wearables is Tosha’s sweet spot. Tosha co-founded three startups, building them from zero to exponential growth, and has been hired into start-up teams of numerous others. She understands the business of innovative consumer products and holds advisory roles within multiple organizations. She has deep expertise in product areas where hard and soft component integration and electronic system integration requirements are necessary and need software communication.

Tosha has held design, leadership, and executive positions with SPANX, Tommy Hilfiger, Bella Freud, brrrº, Tosha Hays Children’s Collection and Couture, and university institutes like MIT’s AFFOA striving for groundbreaking technology in fabrics. Currently, Tosha is Co-Founder of Hurdle Apparel.

Her professional side is a devotion, passion, and speed for product making and know-how. Her personal side is one of constant learning, traveling, running, writing, and spending time with her partner and three sons.

For the past twenty-six years, Ann Marchetti has held leadership roles in several successful nonprofit agencies towards a singular goal-- to improve the health and well being of children, youth and families. Drawing upon her unique combination of public policy, business and creative skills, Ann has assisted these nonprofits in optimizing their business models while building organizational capacity and developing sustainable programs.  In 2008, Ann was awarded the Distinguished Service Award for Outstanding Service to Children and Youth by the National Child Labor Committee.  This body remarked, “Ann has been at the forefront of action and has been the voice to improve the health, education, well-being and futures of millions of children.”

Ann founded AW Marchetti Consulting in 2008.  Her firm is dedicated to empowering a new generation of leaders to develop effective systems for capacity development and program delivery.  Ann believes that collaborative solutions enhance sustainability and build shared and lasting solutions for a brighter and healthier nation and world. As such, Ann serves as the Consulting Director of FORWARD DuPage. For ten years she has been responsible for providing leadership in building the organization’s marketing, finance, human resources and board governance capacity while expanding solutions to address the complex issue of obesity prevention.

Obesity remains a severe public health crisis.  For the past ten years, FORWARD DuPage has ensured that healthy lifestyles and obesity prevention remain a top priority in DuPage County. Through its leadership and partnerships, FORWARD DuPage has leveraged expertise with state and national obesity prevention experts and initiatives.  We convene, educate, connect and share best practices in nutrition, physical activity and built environment across a range of leaders and stakeholders. They in turn start new initiatives and programs, adopt practices, and change policies that improve the health of the citizens of the county. Between now and 2021, FORWARD DuPage will build on its history by targeting its resources to an area of urgent need - DuPage County children aged 0-11 years.  Currently DuPage County children aged 2-4 years show obesity rates higher than the national average.  Establishing a healthy lifestyle foundation when children are young, help ensure healthy habits for a lifetime.  Together we can make a difference!

Ann earned her MS degree from Radford University.

Ann not only brings infectious energy and determination to her work by developing creative and sustainable solutions for today’s complex social and business issues, but she is dedicated to creating a healthy and sustainable world by example. She regularly volunteers on local and national Boards and at community events, established a Farmers Market and bee apiary in her local community, and she serves as a Guardian Ad Litem/Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for several foster children.