LOS ANGELES, CA – Film producer Janet Yang was re-elected president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences by the organization’s Board of Governors.
Also elected to officer positions by the Board of Governors:
- Bonnie Arnold, Vice President (chair, Membership Committee)
- Howard Berger, Vice President (chair, Museum Committee)
- Brooke Breton, Vice President (chair, Education and Outreach Committee)
- Tom Duffield, Vice President/Treasurer (chair, Finance Committee)
- DeVon Franklin, Vice President (chair, Equity and Inclusion Committee)
- Lynette Howell Taylor, Vice President (chair, Awards Committee)
- Howard A. Rodman, Vice President/Secretary (chair, Governance Committee)
- Kim Taylor-Coleman, Vice President (chair, History and Preservation Committee)
“I am thrilled to welcome this year’s board officers. Under Janet’s esteemed leadership, these dedicated governors will guide the Academy’s ongoing efforts to elevate the work of our global membership and film community, highlight our industry’s rich history, foster meaningful dialogue, and continue to build equity and inclusion in every aspect of our organization,” said Academy CEO Bill Kramer.
Yang is beginning her second term as president and her fifth year as a Governor-at-Large, a position for which she was nominated by the sitting Academy President and elected by the Board of Governors in 2019 and 2022. Howell Taylor and Taylor-Coleman were re-elected as officers. It will be the first officer stint for Berger, Breton, Duffield and Rodman. Arnold previously served as an officer in 2019-20 and Franklin in 2021-22.
Yang’s extensive film producing credits include “The Joy Luck Club,” “The People vs. Larry Flynt,” “Zero Effect,” “High Crimes,” “Dark Matter,” “Shanghai Calling” and the Oscar®-nominated animated feature “Over the Moon.” She won an Emmy®for the HBO film “Indictment: The McMartin Trial.” A member of the Academy’s Producers Branch since 2002, Yang previously served on the Board as vice president and chair of the Membership Committee and prior to that, the Membership and Governance Committee.
Academy board members may serve up to two three-year terms (consecutive or non-consecutive), followed by a two-year hiatus, after which eligibility renews for up to two additional three-year terms for a lifetime maximum of 12 years. Officers serve one-year terms, with a maximum of four consecutive years in any one office.
The Board of Governors sets the Academy’s strategic vision, preserves the organization’s financial health and assures the fulfillment of its mission. For a complete listing of the Academy’s 2023-2024 Board of Governors, click here.
From Outsider To One Of The Most Powerful People In Hollywood
Earlier this year, Ms. Yang, who grew up on Long Island and is 66 years old, told MSNBC that she never thought a career in entertainment was obtainable and she never saw anyone who looked like her. “I think the first Asian person I saw on TV was Bruce Lee, and that’s it,”, Ms. Yang said.
On her website, the following informs us of Janet Yang’s path:
Janet Yang came to prominence through her collaboration with Steven Spielberg on Empire of the Sun followed by partnerships with Oliver Stone and Lisa Henson. Her extensive Film and TV credits include The Joy Luck Club, The People vs. Larry Flynt, Shanghai Calling and High Crimes. Janet Yang came to prominence through her collaboration with Steven Spielberg on Empire of the Sun followed by partnerships with Oliver Stone and Lisa Henson. Her extensive Film and TV credits include The Joy Luck Club, The People vs. Larry Flynt, Shanghai Calling and High Crimes.
Source: Janet Yang website.
On Twitter, Praise For Ms. Yang Poured In
Janet Yang is the 4th woman to be named Academy President. The others were Bette Davis in 1941, Fay Kanin from 1979-83 and Cheryl Boone Isaacs from 2013 to 2017.
Stay tuned.