American Movie Industry Legend Diane Raver Awarded by NJSBDC

• Diane Raver of Sea Girt received the 2025 Women Entrepreneurs Rock Humanitarian and Badassery Award
• The award was presented by the New Jersey Small Business Development Center (NJSBDC) at Brookdale College

Diane Raver from Sea Girt has received the 2025 Women Entrepreneurs Rock Humanitarian and Badassery Award, which was presented by the New Jersey Small Business Development Center (NJSBDC) at Brookdale Community College.

Diane is recognized for fundamentally impacting both culture and business throughout the state of New Jersey and for her tremendous support developing and maintaining the Garden State Film Festival.

She started the Garden State Film Festival in 2002 with Robert Pastorelli and produced the first festival in Asbury Park in 2003.

The Garden State Film Festival has grown into a festival well-known worldwide, with celebrity guests, and business professionals, and attendees from around the world.

In the letter informing Diane about the award, Dr. Jackeline Mejias-Fuetes, Regional Director for the NJSBDC, described her characteristics as leadership, creativity, passion, and motivational ability.

Diane has had a lengthy career in television and film. In 1987, she was the first female president of a commercial production company within New York City, heading up The Madison Group.

Her involvement with the Garden State Film Festival has consisted of sponsorship development, grant writing, film selection, and volunteer coordination.

Diane is currently the Director of the Brookdale Community College's New Jersey Film Academy. He has established relevant collaborations with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) to create accessible points of entry for the industry as he unites education, workforce, and public-private collaboration to enhance New Jersey's competitiveness in the field of entertainment.