The American Film Institute (AFI) has appointed Sandra Chen Lau as its new chief advancement officer. Chen Lau brings over 20 years of experience in arts, culture and education and a track record of leading successful fundraising programs, most recently as the chief development officer at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. Chen Lau will serve on AFI’s senior management team, leading the development strategies for the Institute’s national arts and education programs.
“AFI’s future shines even brighter with Sandra joining our leadership team,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President & CEO. “Her unparalleled experience in development strategy has proven transformational, and this, coupled with her lifelong commitment to arts, culture and education, will ensure AFI’s national mandate grows even stronger in the years to come.”
“I am delighted to join AFI at a time when how stories are told and who tells these stories are so important in moving culture forward,” said Chen Lau. “AFI has dedicated itself to excellence in educating generations of storytellers and inspiring audiences all over the globe, and I am excited for this opportunity to advance the mission of the Institute, and to work in partnership with its leadership.”
Prior to her tenure at the Japanese American National Museum, Chen Lau served as a senior member of University of Southern California’s advancement team and worked on USC’s $6B fundraising campaign. In this capacity, she spearheaded the advancement programs at USC School of Architecture and USC Pacific Asia Museum. She has also led fundraising at University of California Los Angeles’ Luskin School of Public Affairs as part of UCLA’s $3 billion campaign and at Pacific Oaks College and Children’s School. Chen Lau holds a Master of Arts in urban planning from UCLA with a specialization in leadership, civil society and nonprofit management, and Bachelor of Arts in political science from University of California, Riverside. An advocate for education, she was elected to serve on the Governing Board of Pasadena Area Community College District and is a board member on the Los Angeles County School Trustees Association.
SMPTE elects board officers, regional governors
SMPTE®,the home of media professionals, technologists, and engineers, has revealed the board officers and regional governors who will serve terms beginning in January 2025.
Three new officers--Richard Welsh as SMPTE president, Eric Gsell as SMPTE executive VP, and Polly Hickling as SMPTE Education VP--have been elected for a two-year term from Jan. 1, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2026. One SMPTE officer, Lisa Hobbs, will be continuing her service as SMPTE secretary and treasurer for another two-year term. Additionally, Raymond Yeung will be stepping into the role of standards VP on Jan. 1, 2025.
“SMPTE’s membership has spoken,” said SMPTE interim executive director Sally-Ann D’Amato. “These officers have been tasked with an important responsibility, one each of them is prepared to tackle head-on. These next two years are looking bright for SMPTE!”
In addition to the officers, 10 regional governors were elected by the Society to serve two-year 2025-2026 terms.
These include the following regional governors, re-elected to continue their service:
Asia-Pacific Region Governor
Tony Ngai, Society of Motion Imaging Ltd.
EMEA - Central & South America Region Governor
Fernando Bittencourt, FB Consultant
United Kingdom Region Governor
Chris Johns, Sky UK.
USA - Central Region Governor
William T. Hayes, Consultant
USA - Eastern Region Governor
Dover Jeanne Mundt, Riedel Communications
USA - Western Region Governor
Jeffrey F. Way, Open Drives
Also elected were four newcomers to the SMPTE Board:
Canada Region Governor
Jonathan Jobin, Grass Valley
USA - Hollywood Region Governor
Allan Schollnick, Voxx... Read More