Maryann Manelski is a filmmaker, podcaster, and writer.

Her early works include the political documentary, Running in High Heels, which followed the implosion of a candidate for New York State Senate.  The film premiered in 2006 and quickly was adopted into the curricula at hundreds of colleges and universities across the United States and launched her into educational production and later explainer video production.  

After years of caregiving for her father and sister during illnesses in their final years, Maryann’s work took a decidedly personal turn.  Her “Secret Maps Projects” produced a series of documentaries about grief and bereavement including features the Grief Monomyth and the Secret Map of Surviving Loss and several accompanying educational shorts and articles.  

Maryann began her career at the Bottom Line nightclub in New York City while earning a BFA in Film and Television from New York University and interning at places like MTV.  She went on to work at the William Morris Agency (now WME) and produce for various video divisions at Atlantic Records, Time Warner and BMG Entertainment. She also served as the head of DVD production at Fox Lorber/Winstar/Wellspring (which later became the Weinstein Co.)

Maryann’s current work explores near death experience, mediumship, science, and recovering from grief.   You can find her at the Journeying Soul podcast.