Matlin, Reitman among newly elected Motion Picture Academy governors

Oscar-winning actress Marlee Matlin, director Jason Reitman and producer Jason Blum are among those newly elected to serve on the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Board of Governors, the Academy announced Wednesday.

The Academy has 17 branches, each represented by three governors on the board, which oversees the operations of the organization best known for the annual Oscar ceremony.

Also elected to the board for the first time were Richard Hicks, Casting Directors Branch; Dion Beebe, Cinematographers Branch; Chris Hegedus, Documentary Branch; Nancy Richardson, Film Editors Branch; Megan Colligan, Marketing and Public Relations Branch; Missy Parker, Production Design Branch; Marlon West, Short Films and Feature Animation Branch; Peter Devlin, Sound Branch; and Paul Debevec, Visual Effects Branch.

Reelected to the board were Ruth E. Carter, Costume Designers Branch; Donna Gigliotti, Executives Branch; Howard Berger, Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch; and Eric Roth, Writers Branch. Charles Fox of the Music Branch was relected to the board after a hiatus.

According to the Academy, the election gave the board a membership of 54% women, while 28% of the membership belong to an “underrepresented racial or ethnic group.”