Our Team
Unearthing Sefarad's Hidden Heroes
Lance Toland Entertainment is dedicated to exploring and producing hidden and forgotten stories from Sefarad, highlighting the heroic tales of those who escaped the Inquisition and European persecution to help found the United States of America.
Lance Toland: Executive Producer
Lance came to the world of TV and Podcast production through a circuitous route. He spent his early career as a freight pilot for Academy Airlines. He discovered a pressing need in the aviation business for a better approach to insuring private planes, so he started Lance Toland Associates. Today, Lance is a regular guest speaker at many aviation-related events and participates in industry expert panel discussions. Lance is a published author, and he discovered in the last few years his love of good stories to reveal hidden truths about history. In 2023, he began Lance Toland Entertainment.
Mark Simon: Producer and Director
Mark has served the motion picture industry for four decades. He relocated to Atlanta to pursue a better quality of life for his wife and two children following the devastating Northridge Earthquake in 1994. After a brief stint in his native Chicago, he relocated to Atlanta in 1996, while his career in motion picture production remained deeply rooted in the Chicago and Hollywood mainstream of feature films, television, and national television commercials. Mark founded an Atlanta-based production company, Fizz City Films, in 1998 and has since produced thousands of TV commercials and radio spots over the last 20+ years.
Richard Stone: Writer and Creative Director
Richard has been writing fiction and non-fiction for the past forty years.
Books and other writing include Story Intelligence co-written with Scott Livengood, The Healing Art of Storytelling, Stories: The Family Legacy, The Kingdom of Nowt, On the Spot – A Feature Length Romantic Comedy co-written with Syd and Enid Jackowitz, Sprinkles – A Sitcom co-written with Syd and Enid Jackowitz, The Maggid – A Feature Length Film which Rick has also developed into a one-man performance piece, and two children's books awaiting publication: It Can Be Almost Anything and The Fairtale Factory.
Dave Wilson: Editing Music & SOund Design
Dave Wilson heads up CueTone Productions and is a lifelong audiophile. Dave has lent his ear to countless successful productions over his 30 years as an audio professional, including feature films like Mad Max: Fury Road, The Maze Runner, and Gemini Man and ADR on popular TV series such as Walking Dead, Outer Banks, and Dirty Jobs.
Gracie Ortiz: Creative Consultant
Gracie Ortiz had a long and successful acting career, appearing in films like Coma, One Way Out, Final Etiquette, Eros, TV shows It’s Supernatural and Drop Dead Diva, and numerous television commercials. After a career pivot seven years ago, she became the Chief Operating Officer of DataSeers Incorporated, building a cast of talent for this international fintech company and playing an integral role in catapulting the company's success. As a creative consultant for Flames of Freedom, she has brought this same savvy approach to running a successful business by guiding Executive Producer Lance Toland to assemble the right cast of talent to write and produce this award-winning show.
Kayla Barbee: Producer & Creative Coordinator
Kayla Barbee is currently pursuing an Interdisciplinary Art degree at the University of Georgia, with an anticipated graduation in Fall 2024. Her passions include graphic design, photography, and freelance design, backed by a solid foundation in Adobe Creative Cloud. In addition to graphic design, Kayla has explored the animation world, contributing storyboard designs and animations for various projects, including promotional videos and educational content. Her dedication extends to marketing and social media management, having managed platforms for the Alpharetta Arts Center and supported videography and photography for Rowan Media Design. Beyond academics and professional pursuits, Kayla actively engages in the arts community, showcasing her character design work in exhibitions like Earthbound Gallery and Whimsy Gallery at the Alpharetta Arts Center. With a blend of creativity, technical skills, and a collaborative spirit, Kayla continues to explore new avenues in art and design, embodying a commitment to innovation and visual storytelling.
