Women Again Dominate Motion Picture Academy’s 2024-25 Board of Governors

The 55-member board of governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for 2024-25 will consist of 53% women and 27% members of an underrepresented racial or ethnic group. That’s the same percentage of women as were on the 2023-24 board and a represents a two-point gain, from 25%, for members of an underrepresented racial or ethnic group. The Academy announced its new board on Monday (June 10). The governors will take office at the first scheduled board meeting of the new term.

Lesley Barber was re-elected to the board, representing the music branch. Barber is best known for her score for Kenneth Lonergan’s Oscar-winning Manchester by the Sea. Her other credits include Late Night, Mansfield Park, Irreplaceable You, How to Change the World and You Can Count on Me.

Barber will join returning governors Charles Fox and Richard Gibbs in representing the music branch.

Fox has scored more than 100 films. He has received two Oscar nominations for best original song, won a Grammy for song of the year for co-writing “Killing Me Softly With His Song” and won two Primetime Emmys for his music for Love, American Style. Fox was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2004.

Gibbs’ film and TV scores include Say Anything, Dr. Dolittle, The Simpsons, Queen of the Damned, 10 Things I Hate About You and Battlestar Galactica. He has served as musical director for Chaka Khan, Tracey Ullman and The Muppets, and produced Eisley and Korn.

Incumbent governors reelected to the board (and their branches), besides Barber, are Rita Wilson (actors), Kim Taylor-Coleman (casting directors), Paul Cameron (cinematographers), Eduardo Castro (costume designers), Jean Tsien (documentary), Pam Abdy (executives), Terilyn A. Shropshire (film editors), Laura C. Kim (marketing and public relations), Brooke Breton (visual effects) and Howard A. Rodman (writers).

Elected to the board for the first time are Patricia Cardoso (directors), Jennifer Fox (producers), K.K. Barrett (production design), Chris Tashima (short films) and Andy Nelson (sound).

Returning to the board after a hiatus is Lois Burwell (makeup artists and hairstylists).

Returning governors (besides Fox and Gibbs) are Wendy Aylsworth (production and technology), Dion Beebe (cinematographers), Howard Berger (makeup artists and hairstylists), Jason Blum (producers), Rob Bredow (visual effects), Ruth E. Carter (costume designers), Megan Colligan (marketing and public relations), Paul Debevec (visual effects), Peter Devlin (sound), David I. Dinerstein (marketing), Ava DuVernay (directors), Linda Flowers (makeup artists and hairstylists), DeVon Franklin (governor-at-large), Rodrigo García (governor-at-large), Donna Gigliotti (executives), Jinko Gotoh (short films & feature animation), Chris Hegedus (documentary), Richard Hicks (casting directors), Lynette Howell Taylor (producers), Kalina Ivanov (production design), Simon Kilmurry (documentary), Ellen Kuras (cinematographers), Marlee Matlin (actors), Hannah Minghella (executives), Daniel Orlandi (costume designers), Missy Parker (production design), Lou Diamond Phillips (actors), Jason Reitman (directors), Nancy Richardson (film editors), Stephen Rivkin (film editors), Eric Roth (writers), Dana Stevens (writers), Mark P. Stoeckinger (sound), Marlon West (short films & feature animation), Janet Yang (governor-at-large) and Debra Zane (casting directors).

The production and technology branch and animation branch did not hold elections this year.

The Academy has 19 branches, each represented by three governors, except for the recently established animation branch, which is represented by two governors; the recently established short films branch, which is represented by one governor; and the production and technology branch, which is represented by one governor.  Governors, including the board-appointed governors-at-large, 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.

Representing all branches of the Academy, the 55-person board of governors is responsible for the governance, corporate oversight and strategic direction of the Academy. Governors have a fiduciary responsibility to the Academy and preserve the institution’s financial health while ensuring fulfillment of the Academy’s mission.

The board approves annual goals and the annual budget presented by the CEO, and it approves policies concerning governance, membership and awards. Governors generally attend 7 to 10 board meetings annually and serve on a board committee. Governors also serve on their branch’s executive committee and are expected to attend Academy events throughout the year.

To see a list of current 2023-24 Academy governors, click here.