The Television Academy Foundation announced the addition of new elected board officers, including Foundation Chair Cris Abrego, Chairman of the Americas and Banijay President and CEO, Endemol Shine Holdings, its first-ever Latino chair, who will serve two-year terms. The tenure will begin on 1st Jan 2021, through 31 Dec 2022. The other experts include Vice-Chair Jonathan Murray, Bunim/Murray Productions co-founder; Treasurer Deborah Bradley, president of Bungalo Homes, Amherst; and Secretary Billie Greer, a public policy advisor, and consultant. "I am thrilled and honored to serve as Foundation chair and look forward to working with the board and staff as we build a more inclusive entertainment business,” said Abrego. “During these unprecedented times, we are expanding our reach to serve an even greater number of diverse students from across the country, advancing the Foundation’s goals of helping to shape the careers of the next generation of television professionals."
As the newly named Chairman of the Americas, Banijay, and President and CEO, Endemol Shine Holdings, Abrego will be responsivle for leading operations in North America and Latin America with a diverse portfolio of companies that are behind hit television formats which “Lego Masters,” “Keeping Up With the Kardashians,” “Big Brother,” “MasterChef,” “Wipeout,” “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” “Deal or No Deal,” “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” “The Biggest Loser and Utopia.” His tasks also include Endemol Shine North America, Bunim/Murray Productions, Authentic Entertainment, Truly Original, 51 Minds Entertainment, Stephen David Entertainment, and Yellow Bird U.S. In Latin America, as well as the company’s Spanish- and Portuguese-language sales and development arm. Under Abrego’s leadership, Endemol Shine has been a hosting company for the Television Academy Foundation’s Summer Internship Program for more than six years. Abrego succeeds Madeline Di Nonno, CEO of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, who will remain on the Foundation’s board of directors.
Jonathan Murray will serve as Vice Chair. He is known as the Co-founder of Bunim/Murray Productions, widley accredited for launching "The Real World" on MTV in 1992. He has executive produced some of the industry’s most popular unscripted television shows including "Project Runway," "Keeping Up With the Kardashians," "The Challenge," "The Simple Life," "Starting Over," 'Family or Fiancé," and "Making the Band." Deborah Bradley will contribute as Treasurer. Bradley serves as president of Bungalo Homes, a technology-enabled platform transforming the residential real estate experience, and a division of investment manager, Amherst. Bradley is responsible for all aspects of scaling the consumer-facing business. Before joining Amherst in 2018, Bradley served for 25+ years in various executive capacities for global media companies, including Paramount Pictures, ViacomCBS, and WarnerMedia/Turner Broadcasting.
Other additions to the organization include Billie Greer as Secretary. She is a public policy advisor and consultantwho served to address public policy issues in Southern California. This year counts as her second term as Foundation secretary; she previously held the position for the 2011-2012 term. Madeline Di Nonno, CEO of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, and Thomas Sarnoff, president of Sarnoff Entertainment Corporation, will continue to serve on the Foundation’s Executive Committee as Chair Emeritus and Founding Chair Emeritus.