Recipient of the inaugural CHIEF New Era of Leadership Award for Purpose, which recognizes women who use their influence for good, and Inside Philanthropy’s “Most Powerful People in Entertainment Philanthropy,” Jones is a seasoned executive in corporate philanthropy, CSR, Social Innovation and Impact. Jones is Partner and Chief of Social Impact at United Talent Agency (UTA), a premier global media agency representing many of the world’s most acclaimed figures in entertainment and media. Her professional background includes establishing the highly successful UTA Foundation with expertise in management, communications, and building successful initiatives and effective partnerships. She is a leader in the Corporate Social Responsibility space having strong relationships with influencers in entertainment, NGO/non-profit, tech, and corporate sectors. She counsels UTA’s clients to develop philanthropic engagement and social impact strategies. In addition, she’s played a central role shaping UTA’s employee culture. Jones speaks regularly on Social Impact and Social Innovation and advises non-profit organizations on best practices for effective entertainment industry engagement.
Bob Beitcher has been President/CEO of MPTF (Motion Picture & Television Fund) since 2011. Prior to that, he was a senior executive in the entertainment industry for 30 years, holding leadership roles at Lucasfilm, Jim Henson Productions, Paramount Pictures, CFI, Technicolor, and Panavision. Beitcher has been an MPTF board member since 2007.
In accepting the appointment, Beitcher said, “”I love this organization, what it stands for, and all that it does for our community. I am absolutely committed to doing everything I can to enhance MPTF’s ability to meet the growing need for health care and social services now and in the future, and to continuing the charitable mission of MPTF. With the support of its outstanding staff, MPTF has an exciting opportunity to address the growing well-being needs of our industry members in innovative and progressive ways.
Carly Roman-Woo, PhD (she/her), is a gerontologist who builds bridges across generations to advance equity, dignity, and connection as we age. She currently serves as Program Director of Strategic Initiatives at Archstone Foundation, where she leads initiatives to strengthen community infrastructure, partnerships, and civic engagement so older adults can thrive. Prior to joining Archstone Foundation, Carly served as Innovation Manager at the Motion Picture & Television Fund, where she launched intergenerational mentorship and technology initiatives to support the well-being of older adults in the entertainment industry. She is also a three-time chapter founder and current Advisory Council member of GlamourGals, a national nonprofit that connects students with older adults in senior living homes for social engagement and complimentary makeovers and manicures. Carly holds a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Southern California Leonard Davis School of Gerontology.
Trent Stamp was appointed CEO of The Eisner Foundation in 2008, and championed the foundation’s shift to investing solely in intergenerational solutions in 2015.
Trent is a recognized national leader in intergenerational programs, healthy aging, nonprofit governance, and philanthropy. He has been published in the Harvard Business Review, Forbes, The Washington Post, and The Chronicle of Philanthropy, among others. He is a regular speaker at national forums including the Milken Institute’s Global Conference, SXSW, Aspen Institute’s Ideas Festival, and more.
Previously, Trent served as the founding President of Charity Navigator, Vice President of Communications for Teach For America, and a Presidential Management Fellow for the Social Security Administration.
Trent received his Master’s in Public Policy from Duke University and his B.A. in Law and Society from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Marcus Strother is the Executive Director of MENTOR California, the California affiliate of MENTOR: The National Partnership, the unifying national champion for expanding quality mentoring relationships for young people.
A father, husband, career educator, youth and community advocate, he has over two decades of experience in public education. Marcus spent eight years in the classroom and nine as a high school administrator, most recently as Director of Youth Development at Sacramento City Unified School District (SCUSD). At SCUSD he oversaw the district’s Expanded Learning Programs, Summer Programming and Boys and Girls of Color initiatives, which included the coordination of the Men’s Leadership Academy (MLA) and Women’s Leadership Academy (WLA). The program focused on supporting youth in the development of their personal social justice framework through civic engagement and community building.
Outside the traditional classroom, Marcus provides professional teacher training in the Freedom Writers Methodology as a Freedom Writer Teacher and is building a movement in education, mentoring and youth development around the ideology he describes as “Life Data.” Human testimony is assessment! He and his wife have also traveled abroad with students to support the building of 3 schools in the Dominican Republic and a medical clinic in Peru, working with the Yanesha people.
Marcus is a graduate of the University of Arkansas @ Pine Bluff and has earned two graduate degrees in education from Olivet Nazarene University. Marcus is an award-winning educator and has been named Illinois Public Citizen of the Year, Illinois 40 Under 40, Sacramento Kings/Wal-Mart Community Playmaker, Golden State Warriors Impact Warrior, Los Angeles Clippers Community Hero and in 2025, his organization, MENTOR California was awarded the Dr. Martin Luther King Community Impact Award by the Sacramento Kings Foundation. He lives with his wife, twin sons and daughter in Elk Grove, California.
Heidi Basch-Harod serves as the Executive Director of Women’s Voices Now (WVN), using film to drive social change that advances girls’ and women’s rights globally. She is responsible for the vision, strategy, and international fundraising efforts that sustain and grow WVN’s programs, locally and globally. She is a nonprofit leader, writer, educator, and advocate for girls’ and women’s rights. A two-time Emmy nominated, and one-time Daytime Emmy winning Producer, Heidi regularly sits on, and moderates panels about the power of film to make social change; and facilitates dialogue on divisive socio-cultural issues where more listening is needed. She engages with diverse communities to combat antisemitism and other forms of hatred through interactive workshops, primarily with youth. She is a Middle East History scholar, a published author on topics relating to global women’s rights movements, and participates in interfaith dialogue initiatives.
Lois Walker is a retired Production Coordinator, having worked for over 40 years on both feature films and television productions in Los Angeles and New York.
After graduating from Hofstra University, she was employed on the TODAY SHOW in New York City. Then upon moving to Los Angeles, she began working as a freelance Production Coordinator. Some of Lois’ credits include the original BAD BOYS film, BRUCE ALMIGHTY, EVAN ALMIGHTY, JARHEAD, and 4 seasons of the CBS-TV show SCORPION. She also held the position of Manager of Production for the MGM Motion Picture Group.
Lois began mentoring at Western Carolina University as a Guest Artist. In addition, she has been with the MPTF PASSING THE TORCH program since its inception.
She is a member of the Producers Guild of America and IATSE Local 871.
Monty Marsh is a director, producer, photojournalist, and executive with over two decades behind the camera. He builds workforce programs for Black and Brown youth in South Los Angeles.
In 2018, the Commercial Directors Diversity Program, powered by the DGA and AICP, chose him as one of six directors from nearly 400 applicants. Through the program, he made an Afrofuturist spec film for adidas Originals that Adweek featured and Ad Age lauded as one of the Top 5 Creative Ideas of the Week.
His next workforce program, Crenshaw Forward, will pair young filmmakers with neighborhood elders. The elders bring the history. The filmmakers bring the cameras and AI.
He founded GUAPY, the consent and licensing infrastructure for your face, voice, and persona. A recent graduate of UCLA Anderson’s Venture Accelerator and a new founder in UCLA Ventures, the university’s startup program, Monty connects his workforce efforts with his startup by treating likeness protection as a career skill.
Fanshen Cox (she/they) is the founder of TruJuLo Productions and a consultant and educator in film and media strategy. She is also the co-creator and executive producer of the popular podcast Sista Brunch. A co-author of the Inclusion Rider and former DEIA Manager at the California Film Commission, they advise independent filmmakers, studios and jurisdictions on financing, tax credits, and inclusive production.
Allison Smartt is a Union Organizer for IATSE Local 839 (The Animation Guild) and former International Representative with IATSE. She is dedicated to securing better working conditions and fair pay for entertainment professionals and has successfully organized workers at institutions like DreamWorks and LA Opera, defeated Disney in a landmark NLRB hearing, and negotiated with major and independent employers like Netflix, NBCUniversal, Utah Opera and LiveNation.
As the founder of Smartt Productions, she developed and produced boundary-pushing, social justice-focused theater, dovetailing her background as a sound engineer, designer, and creative producer into educator and has taught at Wayne State University, CalArts, and Mount Holyoke College. She serves on the Board of Directors for First Entertainment Credit Union and the MPTF NextGen Board. A graduate of Hampshire College, she holds an Advanced Labor Academy Certificate from Wayne State University and is a member of OPEIU 537 and IATSE Local 232.
Kristiina Hackel is the Director of Academic Innovation and Strategic Partnerships for the College of Arts & Letters, Associate Chair and Professor in the Department of Television, Film, and Media Studies, and a Fall 26 Fellow for the Center of Effective Teaching and Learning at California State University, Los Angeles. An award-winning filmmaker, her last series Speedie Date, was a Webby nominee. As a scholar, she has contributed to Intellect Press’ World Film Location series and Women Screenwriters–An International Guide. Kristiina received her PhD in Comparative Literature and her MFA in Film Production from USC.
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