Salli A Newman

Salli was born in Silverton, Oregon, on July 25, 1958, the fourth child of Rod Larocque Newman and Jessie Etna Newman (nee Rice).

After graduating from high school in Butte, Montana, and attending a year at Montana State University in Bozeman, Salli moved to the Los Angeles area at the age of 19, where she began her career in the entertainment industry, first training as an actor and stuntwoman, and working as a secretary/assistant at Consolidated Film Industries.

Salli soaked up all the knowledge she could from industry veterans, and worked hard to learn her craft. She created Firebrand Productions in 1990 and spent the next 30 years as an independent producer, working on both made-for-tv movies and feature films, plus several series for both networks and streaming services.

Her goal at Firebrand Productions was stated as “making quality movies that make noise - movies that make you feel better for having seem them – movies that inspire – movies that liberate the human spirit.”

In 2020, Salli was hired as a Senior VP of Television Production at LionsGate Films in Santa Monica, where she worked until her death in December 2025.

Salli is survived by sister Cherie Newman, Bozeman, MT; sister Lori Newman, Albuquerque, NM; sister Gina Clugston (Dale), North Fork, CA; sister Cathie Heier (Vince), Belgrade, MT; brother Brian Newman (Janis), Kent, WA; brother Ted Newman (Larene), Poulsbo, WA; step-mom Joan Newman, Missoula, MT; step-brother Brady Anderson-Wood (Elaine), Missoula, MT; step-sister Gwen Gatzemeier, Billings, MT; step-brother Glenn Nelson (Becky), Bozeman, MT; step-brother Grant Nelson (Lori), Butte, MT; step-sister Gail Piegat (Tim), Laramie, WY; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Salli was preceded in death by father Rod Newman in 2019, mother Jessie Newman Nelson in 2021, and step-father Irving “Bud” Nelson in 2010.