Appointment of Teri Schwartz as Dean, School of Theater, Film and Television
To: Administrative Officers, Deans, Department Chairs, Directors, Vice Chancellors and School of Theater, Film and Television Faculty
Dear Colleagues:
I am pleased to announce the selection of Teri Schwartz as dean of the School of Theater, Film and Television, effective July 1, 2009, pending approval by the UC Regents.
A Los Angeles native, UCLA alumna and successful film producer, Teri has served as professor and inaugural dean of the School of Film and Television at Loyola Marymount University (LMU) in Los Angeles since 2003. There, she has engaged the school community in creating a singular vision and long-range strategic plan for master visual storytelling grounded in humanism, innovation and diversity. In particular, groundbreaking strategic initiatives she created for diversity, humanistic story, global industry connectivity and new equipment and technology were successful in drawing funding from – and forging new partnerships with – LMU leadership, private donors and industry.
Teri began her film career in the early 1970s, developing and producing successful feature films for many top actors, directors and writers. A few of her many film credits include the Golden Globe Best Picture nominee “Sister Act,” “Beaches,” “Nuts,” “Life With Mikey,” “Joe Versus the Volcano,” “When Billie Beat Bobby” and “Hope.” Her projects have garnered nominations in a variety of categories for Academy, Emmy, Grammy, MTV and CLIO awards.
For many years prior to her appointment at LMU, Teri served as president and producer of her own film and television production company, Teri Schwartz Productions. In addition, from 1995 to 2000, she served as president, producer and partner of Cherry Alley Productions, creating and producing a variety of successful entertainment projects for film and in partnership with Academy Award winner Goldie Hawn.
Teri is a member of the Director’s Guild of America; Producer’s Guild of America; Academy of Television Arts and Science; Academy of Television Arts and Science Foundation Board of Directors; Chair, Education Committee for the Academy of Television Arts and Science; the Advisory Council for the Caucus for Television Producers and Writers; the International Academy for Television Arts and Sciences; the Hawn Foundation Board of Directors; Savannah Film Festival Board of Advisors; and special advisor to TED/Pangea Day. She has served on the juries for the Palm Springs International Shorts Film Festival, the Monte Carlo International Television Festival and the Babelgum International Online Film Festival.
Teri earned a B.A. degree in English literature at UCLA, graduating Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude in 1971. She received her M.A. degree in film at the University of London in 1973.
I want to thank members of the search/advisory committee for assembling an outstanding pool of candidates for this position and for their role in recruiting Teri. The committee was chaired by Jonathan F. S. Post, professor of English. Other committee members included Tom DeNove, Film, Television and Digital Media; Gyula Gazdag, Film, Television and Digital Media; Peter Guber, Mandalay Pictures; Jan-Christopher Horak, Film & Television Archive; Neil Peter Jampolis, Theater; Ronald J. Mellor, History; Chon Noriega, Film, Television and Digital Media/Chicana/o Studies; and Edit Villarreal, Theater. The executive search firm, Korn/Ferry International, was represented by John F. Amer and William Simon.
I also want to thank Dean Robert Rosen for nearly 13 years of distinguished service as dean and for his numerous contributions to UCLA.
I am confident that the School of Theater, Film and Television will thrive under Teri’s capable leadership. Please join me in welcoming her into this new post.
Sincerely,
Scott L. Waugh
Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost