Initial Council Group of 21 includes Gail Berman, Valeisha Butterfield Jones, Susan Rovner, Julianna Margulies, Ben Silverman, Michael Sugar, Modi Wiczyk & More
New York, NY, March 6, 2023 ... ADL (Anti-Defamation League), the world’s leading anti-hate organization, announced today the creation of the ADL Entertainment Leadership Council, a group of top executives, creatives and decisionmakers in film, television, music and media. The group aims to harness the power of entertainment to fight hate in society.
“As the events of the past year have shown, antisemitism and hate have saturated our popular culture. In so many ways, entertainment is how we learn about the world around us -- it’s powerful for industry leaders to come together to stop the normalization of hate and bigotry,” said Jonathan A. Greenblatt, ADL CEO and National Director. “We are incredibly fortunate that these entertainment industry leaders are joining us and committing to take the fight against hate to a broader audience.”
ADL has long consulted with entertainment leaders, advising on appropriately addressing issues of hate and antisemitism in their projects. The council will formalize and expand those relationships in a concerted effort to identify opportunities across the industry to push back against hate in society.
“While I wish the need for a group of this nature did not exist, I am humbled and honored to be a part of it,” said Modi Wiczyk, Co-Founder & CEO of the leading independent entertainment company MRC. “I look forward to working with the Entertainment Leadership Council to combat antisemitism and all forms of hate.”
“ADL is a critical leader in the fight against hate and bigotry. Their work to confront racism, antisemitism and violence has protected countless communities and held those who spread hate accountable,” said Valeisha Butterfield Jones, VP, Partnerships & Engagement at Google, Inc. “The entertainment world has a vital responsibility in this mission – and it is an honor to work in partnership with ADL and this group of industry leaders on this council.”
The initial council members include:
- Aaron Rosenberg, Partner, Myman Greenspan
- Ben Silverman, CO-CEO & Chairman, Propagate
- Blair Kohan, Board Member, UTA
- Brian Dobbins, Talent Manager & Producer, Artists First
- Eric Schrier, President, Disney General Entertainment
- Gail Berman, Chairman & CEO, The Jackal Group
- Jessica Yellin, Host, News Not Noise
- Julianna Margulies, Actress
- Karen Hermelin, EVP Worldwide Research & Strategy, Paramount Pictures
- Kira Goldberg, Vice President, Original Studio Film, Netflix
- Leslie Belzberg, Film & Television Producer
- Melissa Zukerman, Principal Communications Group
- Michael Sugar, Founder & CEO, Sugar23
- Modi Wiczyk, Co-Founder & CEO, MRC
- Nick Meyer, President Film, eOne
- Nina Tassler, Founder, PatMa
- Paul Neinstein, Co-CEO, Project X Entertainment
- Seth Oster, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, The Wonderful Company, and former UTA partner
- Stephanie Simon, Co-Founder and Partner, Untitled Entertainment
- Susan Rovner, Chairman, Entertainment Content, NBCUniversal TV & Streaming
- Valeisha Butterfield Jones, VP, Partnerships & Engagement at Google, Inc. and Honorary Chair, Black Music Collective at Recording Academy / GRAMMYs
UTA, which works with ADL broadly on a range of issues, helped the organization to secure founding members for the ELC.
ADL is the leading anti-hate organization in the world. Founded in 1913, its timeless mission is “to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.” Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of antisemitism and bias, using innovation and partnerships to drive impact. A global leader in combating antisemitism, countering extremism and battling bigotry wherever and whenever it happens, ADL works to protect democracy and ensure a just and inclusive society for all.