Steve James' affiliation with Kartemquin began in 1987 with the start of production of Hoop Dreams, for which he served as director, producer, and co-editor. He has since then become one of the most acclaimed documentary makers of his generation, with noted works being Stevie, The New Americans, The War Tapes, At the Death House Door, The Interrupters, and most recently, Life Itself.

Artistic Director and founding member of Kartemquin Films, Gordon Quinn has been making documentaries for over 50 years. Roger Ebert, of the Chicago Sun Times, called his first film Home for Life (1966) "an extraordinarily moving documentary." With Home for Life Gordon established the direction he would take for the next four decades, making cinéma vérité films that investigate and critique society by documenting the unfolding lives of real people. 

Gita Saedi Kiely was the series producer and story editor for Kartemquin Films’ acclaimed series The New Americans, a three-part, seven-hour series following five immigrant families' journey to and first years in the U.S. Prior to The New Americans she served on producing teams for Channel 4 in the UK, CBS and PBS in the U.S. and RTE in Ireland. Her other work includes line producing Reel Paradise, a feature documentary about indy film guru John Pierson and his family’s adventure on a remote island in Fiji; and Jailed For Their Words, a one-hour documentary on free speech and the Montana Sedition Act of 1918. Aside from production, Gita is an adjunct lecturer at the University of Montana School of Journalism and was the 2013 Festival Director of the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival.

Jerry Blumenthal, one of the founding partners of Kartemquin Films, was a director, producer, editor and sound recordist with Kartemquin from 1967 until his passing on November 13, 2014. His most recent completed work was as Editor on Kartemquin's 2010 documentary, Prisoner Of Her Past. Blumenthal's previous film, Golub: Late Works are the Catastrophes (2004), co-produced with Gordon Quinn, revisited the great American artist thirteen years after the award-winning Golub (1988) and was a selection at the 2004 IDFA.

Fenell Doremus has worked in documentary film since graduating from the University of Wisconsin with a BA in Sociology. She began her career as an Assistant Editor on the award-winning Hoop Dreams. She went on to serve as staff Producer at Kartemquin Films for the next eight years. While at Kartmequin, Doremus was Segment Producer and a Segment Editor (Palestinian story) of The New Americans. Hailed as "Totally engrossing...filled with many unexpected riches..." by The New York Times, the series was nationally broadcast on PBS in 2004 and won multiple awards at festivals worldwide.

David E. Simpson is a highly-awarded filmmaker who brings to his projects a collaborative spirit, proven storytelling chops and formidable attention to detail. Films he has produced, directed or edited have garnered two Emmys, two DuPont-Columbia batons, a pair of Peabody awards, an Oscar nomination, a Sundance jury prize and best in category at countless festivals. He has worked in close association with Kartemquin Films since 1997.

Leslie Simmer is Kartemquin's Director of Editing as well as Senior Editor on staff.

Norman Arnold has composed and produced music for some of the highest-rated programs on television. He has also created music and themes for several award-winning documentary films that address our Nation’s most important issues including: The War Tapes; Ask Not; The New Americans; Beyond Conception; and Big Joy. Television programs include The Ellen DeGeneres Show; Anderson Cooper Live; CNN New Day; The Bachelor; National Geographic Presents; and Modern Marvels. Norman has created music for 6 Warner Bros., Disney, ABC, NBC Universal, CNN, Turner, PBS, The Discovery Channel and National Geographic network with subjects ranging from immigration, the Iraq War, low-income workers and the Fight for 15 to increase the minimum wage, the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy, and LGBT issues.

Zak is an Emmy-winning Documentary Producer who previously served as Director of Production at Kartemquin Films for more than a decade. Most recently, he produced Saving Mes Aynak, which follows an Afghan archaeologist as he and histeam race to save a 2,000-year-old Buddhist archaeological site in Afghanistan from imminent demolition by a Chinese copper mine. Zak also produced the critically acclaimed film Life Itself.

Aaron Wickenden is a multiple Emmy and ACE Eddie nominated editor with extensive professional experience in many aspects of the independent filmmaking process. He is regarded for bringing a tireless work ethic and playful spirit to each of his creative collaborations... including the Oscar nominated film Finding Vivian Maier. In 2014 he was recruited by Oscar winner Morgan Neville (20 Feet From Stardom) and acclaimed author Robert Gordon (Respect Yourself) to edit their film Best of Enemies, which had its world premiere in competition at Sundance 2015 and was acquired by Magnolia Pictures/Participant for theatrical release. In a recent interview Neville describes hiring Wickenden: "Docs, in general, are made in the edit bay, archival docs even more so...