Sundance Institute Adds Four to Board (Exclusive)

Four new members have been appointed to the Board of Trustees at the Sundance Institute: David Nevins, a seasoned TV executive and producer, Scott Frank, an accomplished screenwriter, Greg Sarris, both an author and academic, and Blair Ligelis Stein, a marketing professional.

In the face of continuous shifts within the realm of autonomous cinema and media, the knowledge and skills of our board members hold immense value, according to Amanda Kelso, who serves as the Acting CEO of the Sundance Institute.

Ebs Burnough, Chair of the Sundance Institute’s Board, stated, “We are thrilled to welcome Greg, David, Scott, and Blair to our team. Their unique experiences and accomplishments in their respective fields – Greg’s storytelling grounded in his Native American roots and literary successes, David’s industry knowledge as a producer, Scott’s esteemed career as a screenwriter and director, and Blair’s global marketing and brand strategy expertise – will significantly contribute to our mission of backing and promoting independent artists.”

Ebs Burnough, the head of Sundance Institute’s Board, is pleased to introduce Greg, David, Scott, and Blair. They have impressive backgrounds in areas like storytelling (Greg), production (David), screenwriting/directing (Scott), and global marketing/brand strategy (Blair). Their diverse skills will greatly help us support and promote independent artists.

Nevins, who was previously in charge at Showtime Networks, Paramount Premium Group, and Imagine Television, expressed delight about joining the Sundance Institute’s Board of Trustees. He noted that he is eager to apply his knowledge of the shifting television industry to aid the Institute’s crucial goal of fostering independent storytellers across various platforms. As a recent CEO of North Road Company, Nevins has a track record in hit shows like ‘Homeland’, ‘Billion$’, ’24’, and ‘Friday Night Lights’.

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Frank is the creator who has directed and written movies such as “Minority Report,” “Get Shorty,” and “A Walk Among the Tombstone.” He’s also worked on TV shows like “The Queen’s Gambit” and “Godless.” He won two Emmy Awards for his directing and producing roles in “The Queen’s Gambit,” and he earned two Academy Award nominations for writing the scripts of “Out of Sight” and “Logan.

Frank remarked, “Over the past four decades, I’ve witnessed Sundance Institute provide critical support to numerous groundbreaking and influential filmmakers. The list of renowned artists who have passed through their programs is truly impressive.

At present, Sarris holds the position as Chairman for the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria. Previously, he had academic roles at UCLA and LMU in the departments of English and creative writing. Currently, he is an Emeritus Graton Endowed Chair in Native American Studies at Sonoma State University, held in high esteem. He is the writer behind Grand Avenue, which he later developed into a film for HBO, with Robert Redford serving as executive producer. Additionally, Sarris has taken on the role of executive producer for the documentary Joan Baez: I Am a Noise. Being a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, he has also contributed to this film in a similar capacity.

Sarris expressed his deep respect for Sundance Institute, stating that he had cherished the opportunity to participate in their Writers Lab and work alongside Robert Redford on adapting his novel Grand Avenue. He acknowledged Sundance’s enduring dedication to elevating a variety of voices and nurturing genuine storytelling.

Ligelis Stein expressed her excitement about becoming part of the board of trustees, eager to utilize her extensive background in brand strategy and distribution to amplify the influence and success of independent films and their skilled creators,” stated Ligelis Stein, a marketing VP specializing in U.S. distribution at Paramount. With more than 15 years in media, marketing, and brand strategy under her belt, Ligelis Stein previously served as a brand strategy consultant at Interbrand and a marketing strategist at Ogilvy & Mather prior to joining Paramount.

Four fresh board members are set to join the Sundance Institute during a time of transition, with significant shifts such as relocating its flagship festival from Park City to Boulder, Colorado. They will be joining an existing board that includes Robert Redford, President & Founder; Ebs Burnough, Chair; Sean Bailey, Vice Chair; Gigi Pritzker, Vice Chair; Jason Blum, Kimberlé Crenshaw, Philipp Engelhorn, Caterina Fake, Nina Fialkow, Jeanne Donovan Fisher, Robert J. Frankenberg, Patrick Gaspard, Donna Gruneich, Cindy Harrell Horn, Charles D. King, Ann Lewnes, Wonya Lucas, Alejandro Ramírez Magaña, Shripriya Mahesh, Pat Mitchell, Pete Nicks, William Plapinger, Amy Redford, Geoffrey K. Sands, Nadine Schiff-Rosen, Kimberly Steward, Tessa Thompson, Barry Tyerman, and Lulu Wang.

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2025-06-03 19:25