Jacob Burns Film Center Elects Three New Members To The Board of Directors

The Jacob Burns Film Center (JBFC), a nonprofit five-screen cinema and education center and one of the most successful suburban art houses in the country, announced today that Dori Berinstein, Stephanie Lynn of Ossining, NY and Michael Lombardi of Chappaqua, NY have been elected to its Board of Directors for a three-year term. The JBFC Board is committed to the growth of the JBFC's pioneering education programs and initiatives that offer a creative approach to visual literacy.

"It is an honor to welcome these three individuals to our board of directors," noted JBFC Board Chair Janet Benton. "Each new board member has a prolific and successful background in the arts, education, and non-profit community, bringing with them something new and exciting as we move into the new year."

Dori Berinstein is a long-time fan, friend, and supporter of the JBFC. Since 2017, she has been the curator and moderator of ongoing JBFC series Life on the Stage, which is presented in partnership with The Actors' Fund. As a four-time Tony-winning Broadway producer and an Emmy-award-winning director, producer, and writer of film and television, Dori has a strong commitment to the arts and extending Broadway BEYOND the Theater District. Dori's Broadway productions include Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (Tony Award); Legally Blonde: The Musical (Olivier Award), and Thoroughly Modern Millie (Tony Award). Her current Broadway musical is The Prom (directed by Casey "Book of Mormon" Nicholaw), which opened in November 2018. As a documentary director, her films include Marvin Hamlisch: What He Did For Love (Emmy Award) and Carol Channing: Larger Than Life.

Stephanie Lynn is the Vice President of the board of trustees of the Sing Sing Prison Museum and a founding board member of Ossining MATTERS education foundation. Through her participation in the nonprofit group Children's Literature New England, motivated by her desire to share the "power of story," she has arranged for a number of authors and storytellers to visit local schools.

Michael Lombardi is heavily involved in the not-for-profit world and has been committed to a variety of organizations for the past 15 years. Following a 25-year career in the media industry, where he held senior finance positions at ESPN, Madison Square Garden, NBC, and Showtime Networks, Michael shifted his attention to leadership in philanthropic and leadership roles. He served as the Chief Financial Officer at Sesame Workshop, which produces SESAME STREET and other educational programming, and also worked as the Director of the Adirondack Museum. In addition, he has consulted for several other non-profit organizations. A long-time member of the Board of Directors for the Mental Health Association of Westchester, Michael served as its Board President from 2013-2017.

Over the years the JBFC has selected a variety of notable industry leaders to sit on their board, including Ron Howard, Mark Harris, Steven Spielberg, and many more. Through this diverse leadership, the JBFC continues to grow as an entertainment destination, education center, and economic driver in the region

The Jacob Burns Film Center is a nonprofit arts and education HUB located on a three-building campus in the New York Metro area. The JBFC brings the transformative power of film to the surrounding community through unique programming and discussion, shared experiences, and educational initiatives. Since opening in 2001, over 3,000,000 people have enjoyed the best of current American and foreign cinema, unique film series, and special events at the five-screen theater complex. A pioneer in visual literacy education, the JBFC offers courses in filmmaking, screenwriting, animation, and more for students of all ages at our state-of-the-art Media Arts Lab, and develops media literacy curricula for schools throughout the region.

To learn more about the Jacob Burns Film Center and Media Arts Lab, visit www.burnsfilmcenter.org.

Photo: Stephanie Lynn

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