Stephanie Nicora Byars is a co-founder of Mountain Lights and a CPA. She has a rare blend of creative and financial expertise. She began her career in an independent movie theatre and now co-runs a documentary production company. She has built brands from scratch, shaping their creative direction while guiding the financial strategy that helps them grow. Her work spans film, media, and other ventures where strong ideas and smart execution meet.

Adam Brantley Hobbs is a co-founder of Mountain Lights and an award winning filmmaker. His work has premiered at Sundance and Tribeca, including Finders Keepers, Gay Chorus Deep South (Tribeca Audience Award), and Chasin Butteries (Best of Fest at Nevada City, SCAD). Adam’s voice is in authentic storytelling about misunderstood people and places. The “grey space” as he often calls it. Professionally he has worked in-house on creative teams at technology brands such as Airbnb and Slack. A native of the Asheville, he co-founded Mountain Lights to celebrate the complex, nuanced stories that define the true character of the South.

Jacqueline Smith is the Outreach & Logistics Coordinator for Mountain Lights, she brings expertise in community-building and sustainable agriculture to the festival's mission. As Director of the Black Mountain Tailgate Market, she connects farmers, food producers, and local artists in meaningful collaboration. Jacqueline and her husband Jason tend a 2-acre mini-farm in Marion, North Carolina, and co-founded the Mountain Lights Impact Fund's partnership with local farmers—reflecting her belief that healthy communities begin with healthy land, air, and water. Her background includes working at The Grain Place Foundation Farm, a pioneer in regenerative organic agriculture, and co-owning WunderHaus, an award-winning farm-to-table restaurant in Arkansas. Jacqueline is passionate about the interconnectedness of food, art, and community, viewing the festival as a natural extension of cultivating spaces where regional voices are uplifted and neighbors gather in celebration.

This is Dolly Parton. She doesn’t work as an advisor for Mountain Lights but we sure wish she did. What a badass. Real talk… We have an exciting list of advisors that include former festival directors, industry professionals, and creative mentors. As soon as we get our act together and get there image and bio it will be listed here.