Tessa Thompson, Pete Nicks, Nina Fialkow and Kimberly Steward Join Sundance Institute Board of Trustees

Pat Saperstein
·3 min read
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The Sundance Institute has added four new additions to the Board of Trustees. Tessa Thompson, Pete Nicks, Nina Fialkow, and Kimberly Steward will help steer the organization and act in an advisory capacity. The new trustees will work closely with board chair Ebs Burnough and CEO Joana Vicente.

“As Sundance Institute continues to respond to the needs of independent artists, we welcome these new members of our Board, each of whom has an incredible commitment to independent film and a long history with the Institute,” Burnough said in a statement. “Together, the board is poised to identify new and strengthened ways to uplift independent storytellers.”

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“We are so pleased to have Tessa, Pete, Nina, and Kimberly join as trustees on the board of Sundance Institute. They bring expertise and valuable perspectives that will be meaningful as we continue to evolve as a cultural organization,” said Vicente.

Thompson is an award-winning actor and producer, Nicks is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, Fialkow is an award-winning producer and Steward is Academy Award-nominated producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist.

“Both the Sundance Film Festival and the Institute have served as an artistic home for me throughout my career. I’m proud to expand this journey by joining the board to eagerly serve a community that has been so incredibly impactful to me and countless others,” said Thompson.

Nicks added, “I drove out to my first Sundance in 1999 in what was likely a highly unreliable vehicle. But I made it and got to see my film school professor Jon Else hoist what was then known as the Filmmaker’s Trophy for his documentary ‘Sing Faster: The Stagehands’ Ring Cycle.’ I was hooked and lucky enough to be invited over the years with my own films. I’m now beyond thrilled to join the board of trustees and play a role in the evolution of this magical organization.”

Steward shared, “Sundance Institute is one of the most influential organizations that supports emerging creative talent. They have supported my career and company since its inception in 2013. I am honored to be a part of a community that provides resources and programs to incubate and curate diverse talent on-screen and off-screen.”

Fialkow said, “As a longtime attendee of the Sundance Film Festival and supporter of the institute, I am thrilled to join the board of trustees and look forward to being fully engaged.”

The four new members join current board members Robert Redford, President & Founder; Burnough, Chair; Sean Bailey, Vice Chair; Gigi Pritzker, Vice Chair; Jason Blum, Kimberlé Crenshaw, Philipp Engelhorn, Caterina Fake, Jeanne Donovan Fisher, Robert J. Frankenberg, Patrick Gaspard, Donna Gruneich, Cindy Harrell Horn, Uzodinma Iweala, Amanda Kelso, Charles D. King, Lyn Davis Lear, Ann Lewnes, Wonya Lucas, Alejandro Ramírez Magaña, Shripriya Mahesh, Pat Mitchell, Bill Plapinger, Amy Redford, Geoffrey K. Sands, Nadine Schiff-Rosen, Barry Tyerman and Lulu Wang.

The Sundance Institute board comprises 32 people, of whom 14 self-identify as BIPOC. The board is 44% men and 56% women.

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