MEET THE CAST & CREW OF EMERGENCY PLAN

  • A mixed race Black and indigenous man with a short cropped haircut sits in a blue manual wheelchair. He has a charming smile and is wearing a jacket with asymmetric designs over a black t-shirt and white pants.

    James Ian

    Eddie

    James Ian is an award-winning singer, songwriter, actor, writer, and poet. He has Spinal Muscular Atrophy (“SMA”) Type 3, and is a passionate advocate for authentic representation of disabled artists in music, TV, film, and other media. He is the singer and primary songwriter of “SPACES,” which is a first-of-its-kind song that highlights those living with SMA. He is also a singer and songwriter of “Lift Me Up”, which is a tribute to disability rights activist Judy Heumann.

    Photo by Elliston Lutz.

  • Headshot of a white woman with a straight black bob and striking blue eyes. She is wearing a black top.

    Margo Gignac

    Jasmine

    Margo Gignac is a model and actress known for her work in The Rookie and American Crime. She has collaborated on ad campaigns with major brands like Target, Zappos Adaptive, and Resy. After a car accident in 2010, Gignac experienced a spinal cord injury, which helped shape her passion for advocacy and authentic disability representation across the entertainment industry. She believes disabled creatives belong in every space — in front of the camera, behind it, and on the glam teams shaping what we see.

    Gignac was born in L.A., raised in Miami, and lives in Brooklyn with her cats, Leroi and Omlette, and her dog, Mouche.

    Photo by Peter Konerko.

  • A white eight year old boy with straight brown hair swept to one side. He is standing with his arms crossed and is wearing a blue button down shirt over a lighter blue t-shirt.

    Charlie Steinman

    Riley

    Charlie Steinman is a NY-based actor, having made his debut in Broadway’s Merrily We Roll Along, and featured in other short film and voiceover work this year. Charlie can always be found dancing, having performed most recently with his City Center Dance Company at the Barclay’s Center for the Brooklyn Nets. He loves performing on any stage, and is grateful to have been part of this production as a proud young supporter of disability rights.

    Photo by Curtis & Cort Photography.

  • A white woman with blonde curls and blue eyes sits in a wheelchair in front of a white wall. She is wearing a white double-breasted suit with black pinstripes and beige buttons.

    Ali stroker

    Radio News Anchor

    Ali Stroker is a Tony Award winner for her role as ‘Ado Annie’ in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! She made history as the first actor in a wheelchair to appear on Broadway in Deaf West’s acclaimed revival of Spring Awakening and the first actor in a wheelchair to win a Tony. She was a series regular on the Netflix series, Echoes, and starred in the Lifetime holiday film, Christmas Ever After. Ali recurred in the final season of Netflix's Ozark and in Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building. She co-wrote the novel, The Chance to Fly and its sequel, Cut Loose!; and she wrote the children's book, Ali and the Sea Stars. She was recently seen opposite Matthew Broderick in Babbitt at Shakespeare Theatre Company in DC and played 'Lady Anne' in the Shakespeare in the Park production of Richard III. She’s performed her one woman show all over the country. Her mission to improve the lives of others through the arts is captured in her motto: “Turning Your Limitations Into Your Opportunities.”

    Photo by Jenny Anderson

  • A white woman with curly brown hair in front of a beautiful sunset. She is wearing a golden blouse.

    Anna Pakman

    Director/Writer/Producer

    Anna Pakman is an award-winning NYC-based filmmaker with Cerebral Palsy (CP) whose work has screened at HollyShorts, Heartland Film Festival, and Indy Shorts. A veteran of the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge, she previously directed Wheelchair Money (2024) and Cripfished (2023).

    Anna is passionate about elevating stories that accurately and positively portray the lived experience of people with disabilities in fresh and unexpected ways. Anna spent several years working in television at NBC Universal and Current TV before transitioning to her current role as head of digital marketing for New York State's economic development agency, where she oversees digital marketing and content strategy for the iconic I LOVE NY campaign and helped develop I LOVE NY’s nation-leading accessible tourism initiative. Anna holds a BS from New York University, an MBA from Columbia Business School, and a certificate in sketch writing from the Upright Citizens Brigade.

  • A smiling Filipino man with short black hair. He is wearing a dark blue-grey polo shirt.

    John Floresca

    Director of Photography

    John Floresca is a member of the local 600 Cinematographers' Union with credits including SNL, Ali Wong Comedy Standup, and The Daily Show. John is a full-time wheelchair user.