John Demsey, Paul Tudor Jones, William Lighten, Lisa Garcia Quiroz and Earl W. Stafford Elected to Serve as Trustees on the Nonprofit Theater’s Board
HARLEM, NY— The Apollo Theater has announced the election of three new members to its Board of Directors: John Demsey, Paul Tudor Jones and William Lighten. The new directors, along with Lisa Garcia Quiroz and Earl Stafford who were elected earlier this year, will help guide the nonprofit theater’s artistic and community programs, fundraising efforts, and strategic planning. The legendary Apollo Theater has been a driving force in shaping America’s musical and cultural landscape since its inception in 1934. A truly American landmark, it is one of the only institutions in the nation where the nurturing of emerging talent is given equal priority with the presentation of legendary performers.
The Apollo Board of Directors, the governing body of the nonprofit foundation that operates the Apollo Theater, is charged with stewardship of its mission and preservation for future generations. The 32-member Board is composed of key leaders in the business, civic, philanthropy, and arts and culture sectors.
“We are pleased to welcome these new members to the Apollo’s distinguished Board of Directors,” said Jonelle Procope, President and CEO of the Apollo Theater. “As a nonprofit organization, we depend on the vision and expertise of our board leadership to help guide us to fulfill our mission, and all of them bring a set of experiences and connections that complement those of the rest of our board.”
“As a nonprofit cultural institution, the Apollo depends on the board to ensure our stability and growth, and I know that the knowledge and insight of our new board members will be invaluable assets in enabling us to realize our full potential,” said Richard Parsons, Chairman of the Board.
The Apollo Theater Foundation welcomes the following new directors: John Demsey, Group President of Estee Lauder Companies Inc. and Chairman of M•A•C AIDS Fund; Paul Tudor Jones II, founder of Tudor Investment Corporation and the Robin Hood Foundation; William E. Lighten, Managing Director of Eland Capital Partners, a new division of The Williams Capital Group, L.P. and President of his family’s philanthropic foundation, the Lighten Family Foundation; Lisa Garcia Quiroz, vice president, corporate responsibility at Time Warner; and Earl W. Stafford, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Stafford Foundation and Chief Executive Officer of The Wentworth Group LLC.
Earl W. Stafford (left) is also the founder of the People’s Inaugural Project that brought together the underserved and the marginalized to witness and participate in the inauguration of President Obama; William E. Lighten has more than 20 years of experience on Wall Street, is a graduate of Yale University and serves on the board of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.
About the Apollo Theater
The Apollo is a national treasure that has had significant impact on the development of American culture and its popularity around the world. Since introducing the first Amateur Night contests in 1934, the Apollo Theater has played a major role in cultivating artists and in the emergence of innovative musical genres including jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel, blues, soul, and hip-hop. In recognition of its cultural significance and architecture, the Apollo Theater received state and city landmark designation in 1983 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. For more information, visit www.apollotheater.org.
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Photo credit (top): Shahar Azran/Source: Press release