The Television Academy Foundation has appointed Anne Vasquez as its executive director effective May 13. She will oversee daily operations and provide strategic leadership of its programs and fundraising to fulfill the charitable organization’s mission to identify, advance and empower future television leaders while honoring TV’s legacy.
Vasquez is a veteran media and nonprofit executive who will step down as CEO of EdSource, Inc., an award-winning California nonprofit news organization with the state’s largest newsroom devoted to education. During her five years at EdSource, she established groundbreaking new partnerships, expanded funder and donor support by more than $2 million, oversaw a website redesign and brand refresh, as well as led the organization through a strategic plan to position it for the future.
Prior to her time at EdSource, she served as sr. VP of strategic initiatives and chief digital officer at Tribune Publishing, where she led digital strategy across 10 news markets. Before that, Vasquez was managing editor of the Sun Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale, FL, when the newsroom won its first Pulitzer Prize–the 2013 Gold Medal for Public Service. She’s also an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California (USC) where she teaches a graduate course in narrative storytelling.
The daughter of Cuban immigrants, Vasquez was raised in Miami, FL, and began her career as a reporter for The Miami Herald and later for the San Jose Mercury News in California. A passionate champion of diversity and inclusion, she became the editor of one of the country’s first race and demographics teams.
Vasquez has served on the boards of the American Society of News Editors and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. She is on the Leadership Council of the Kopenhaver Center for the Advancement of Women in Communication at Florida International University, Vasquez’s alma mater.
Vasquez will report to Television Academy Foundation chair Tina Perry and Television Academy president and CEO Maury McIntyre.
“Anne’s background championing education will be critical as we look to expand the scale of the Foundation’s programs, focusing on the impact we can make in nurturing and developing the next generation of television leaders,” said McIntyre.
Perry commented, “With her expertise in the nonprofit, education and media sectors, Anne is uniquely qualified for the Foundation’s executive director role. Her perspective and experience will be instrumental in driving the Foundation’s mission to educate and inspire students, promote diversity within the industry, and preserve the oral history of television.”
“I am thrilled and honored to be joining the Television Academy Foundation,” Vasquez said. “It’s never been more important to tell the stories of our time with nuance. I’m eager to lead the Foundation in its mission to support and prepare emerging talent from all walks of life while also preserving television’s rich history.”
Alec Baldwin Urges Judge To Stand By Dismissal Of Involuntary Manslaughter Case In “Rust” Shooting
Alec Baldwin urged a New Mexico judge on Friday to stand by her decision to skuttle his trial and dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against the actor in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of a Western movie.
State District Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case against Baldwin halfway through a trial in July based on the withholding of evidence by police and prosecutors from the defense in the 2021 shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film "Rust."
The charge against Baldwin was dismissed with prejudice, meaning it can't be revived once any appeals of the decision are exhausted.
Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey recently asked the judge to reconsider, arguing that there were insufficient facts and that Baldwin's due process rights had not been violated.
Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer on "Rust," was pointing a gun at cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a rehearsal when it went off, killing her and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin has said he pulled back the hammer — but not the trigger — and the revolver fired.
The case-ending evidence was ammunition that was brought into the sheriff's office in March by a man who said it could be related to Hutchins' killing. Prosecutors said they deemed the ammunition unrelated and unimportant, while Baldwin's lawyers alleged that they "buried" it and filed a successful motion to dismiss the case.
In her decision to dismiss the Baldwin case, Marlowe Sommer described "egregious discovery violations constituting misconduct" by law enforcement and prosecutors, as well as false testimony about physical evidence by a witness during the trial.
Defense counsel says that prosecutors tried to establish a link... Read More