Thomas “Espy” Espenschied is a documentary filmmaker who joined the Knight School of Communication at Queens University in August 2023 as an Assistant Professor, having previously worked as Digital Media Specialist at Davidson College. They hold an MFA from Wake Forest University and an MS in Student Affairs in Higher Education from Miami University of Ohio. Over the last six years, they have worked on several narrative and documentary films, including a short about body image disorders and body painting, a short about the lynching of Willie Earle in South Carolina, a feature film about four African American college students at an art conservatory in the South, and a short queer horror film. They prefer to make character-centered films that include a level of advocacy and activism. To do this, they often partner with people who are passionate about advocacy, activism, and/or various social justice issues, whether they are behind or in front of the camera.