
Jule Gilfillan
Jule Gilfillan is an award-winning producer for OPB's Science and Environment series “Oregon Field Guide.” Since coming to OPB in 2010, she has received a Society of Professional Journalists award, more than a dozen Northwest Emmys and a Gracie Award from the Alliance for Women in Media.
As a student, Jule’s work was recognized with a Golden Reel (Motion Picture Sound Editors), a Cine Eagle and a Student Academy Award. She then spent several years working in Los Angeles and Beijing as an independent director, writer and producer, making documentary programs for national networks. For this work she was nominated for two Daytime Emmys. Jule wrote and directed several narrative films that showed at festivals in New York, Telluride and Venice. Her feature film “Restless” was the first U.S.-China co-production and was released theatrically in 2001.
A fluent Mandarin speaker, Jule holds a bachelor of arts in Asian studies from California State University and lived in China and Taiwan for six years. She earned a master of fine arts in cinema and television production from University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts and attended the Beijing Film Academy.
Jule was born and raised in Oregon and is an enthusiastic music lover, hiker and skier.
Latest Stories
Oregon bronze artist Pete Helzer creates a tribute to Black pioneer Louis Southworth
As artist Pete Helzer's long and distinguished career wraps up, he reflects on his life in art and one final project close to his heart — a statue of Oregon pioneer Louis Southworth.
This hospital in Bend gives wildlife a second chance
If you get sick or hurt in central Oregon, there's always a hospital and rescue crew to help. If you're a wild animal, there's Think Wild.
Meet the man who makes Oregon sunstones sparkle
Ever wonder what makes gemstone sparkle? It starts with the way a crystal reflects and refracts light. Gemstone cutters must choose a design with the right angles for that stone, so that light passes through, bounces back to the top and catches the eye of the beholder. Karl Ziltener of the Columbia Willamette Faceters Guild shows us how he turns a raw Oregon sunstone into a glittering jewel.
Washington artist maps the colorful world of Northwest mushrooms
Fiber artist Julie Beeler loves mushrooms so much that she's cataloged a rainbow of the colors they can produce as natural dyes to create the Mushroom Color Atlas.
Oregon bonsai creator captures nature in a bowl
After a traditional apprenticeship in Japan, Oregon bonsai professional Ryan Neil is capturing the West's rugged landscape in bonsai form. We follow one tree over the course of a year, as well as venture into the wilderness with Neil to see humanity's relationship with nature through his eyes.
Christmas spirit comes to life in Sumpter, Oregon
The Eastern Oregon mining town of Sumpter is officially known as a "ghost town." But every Christmas, the old steam engines of the Sumpter Valley Railroad bring the spirit of the season to life for hundreds of visitors.

The enchanted world of Portland artist Carolyn Garcia
In her intricate paintings and illustrations, Garcia summons charmed settings.
This Oregon artist uses ancient process of lost-wax bronze casting to make fine art bowls
Robert Anders makes solid new works that look surprisingly delicate.
Amy Lay’s fine art from rural roots
Growing up on her family’s remote homestead in the Wallowa Mountains, fourth-generation Eastern Oregonian Amy Lay found companionship with the animals around her. Today, that intimate familiarity with animals makes Lay one of the most successful contemporary wildlife artists anywhere.
Oregon sunstones shimmer with mysteries
Oregon sunstones come in a variety of colors. But that's just one of the many intriguing things about our official state gemstone.