Alumna’s Studio Wins Oscar for ‘Last Repair Shop’

This month, as we celebrate the remarkable achievements of women, the legacy of Ruth Kerr, who co-founded Westmont in 1937, continues to shape lives with a vision ahead of its time. She encouraged women to embrace the world beyond the idyllic Montecito campus, inspiring them to pursue their dreams and make a difference on a global scale. Her boldness and determination continue to inspire generations of alumni and students today. 

One of those, alumna Dawn (Carson) O’Keeffe (‘82) is vice president of finance for Breakwater Studios, which won its second Oscar for Best Documentary Short Film with “The Last Repair Shop.”

O’Keeffe, who’s been involved in the industry for nearly four decades, says the film touches on many incredible elements that enhance humanity. It profiles several devoted workers who repair musical instruments for 80,000 students in Los Angeles.

“It’s about repairing these free school instruments, but it’s more about these individual, personal stories that touch on so many different important themes,” she says.

Breakwater won an Oscar in 2022 for another short documentary, “The Queen of Basketball,” which chronicles the storied life of basketball legend Lusia Harris. Shaquille O’Neal and Stephen Curry served as executive producers.

“I started with Breakwater when there were four employees and me,” she says. “Now, there’s 20 staff, and I just finished 1099s for 151 freelancers.”

Prior to joining Breakwater in 2017, O’Keeffe co-founded Blue Field Productions, which made an award-winning documentary, “GO PUBLIC: A Day in the Life of an American School District,” that aired nationally on PBS.

“My Westmont education was wonderful on so many levels,” she says. “I took advantage of several unique programs and looked for opportunities outside of Westmont to continue to deepen my knowledge.”