David Ellison, Roger Lynch Join Paley Center Board of Trustees

The Paley Center for Media has added four media executives to its board of trustees: David Ellison, chairman and CEO of Skydance; Roger Lynch, recently named chairman and CEO of Mattel, Inc.; Dina Powell McCormick, president and vice chairman of Meta; and Chris Winfrey, president and CEO of Charter Communications. Paley Center president and CEO Maureen J. Reidy announced the appointments on Tuesday.

The organization also named Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy and MusiCares, to its Los Angeles board of governors.

"We are privileged to welcome this renowned group of exceptional and distinguished leaders to Paley's Board of Trustees and Los Angeles Board of Governors," Reidy said in a statement. "Their visionary leadership, innovative insights, and extraordinary expertise will further strengthen Paley's standing as the media industry's preeminent nonprofit cultural institution."

Who else sits on the board?

Frank A. Bennack, Jr., executive vice chairman and former CEO of Hearst, chairs the trustees. The four newcomers join a roster that reads like a cross-section of American media, sports and tech. It includes:

• Sports league chiefs Roger Goodell (NFL), Adam Silver (NBA), Gary B. Bettman (NHL) and Robert D. Manfred, Jr. (MLB)
• Streaming and studio leaders Ted Sarandos (Netflix), Lachlan Murdoch (Fox) and David Zaslav
• Tech and platform executives Neal Mohan (YouTube), Eddy Cue (Apple), Alex Norström (Spotify) and Jennifer C. Witz (Sirius XM)
• Tyler Perry, Eli Manning and Alexis Ohanian, among dozens of others

The board, as the Paley Center describes it, "offers guidance in support of the organization's mission to lead the conversation around today's rapidly evolving media landscape and provides crucial input on strategy and operations."

What does this change for the Paley Center?

In practice, the additions connect the nonprofit to executives currently reshaping the industry it documents. Ellison is consolidating power at Skydance, which now spans film, television and animation. Lynch arrives at Mattel as the toymaker pushes deeper into entertainment. Their presence gives the Paley Center direct lines into the companies deciding what media looks like next.

Ellison framed his appointment in exactly those terms. "For decades, Paley has been home to the conversation about how media shapes our culture, preserving the stories that have captivated audiences around the world while championing the creators and innovators who will define what comes next," he said in a statement. "I look forward to working alongside this distinguished group of leaders to support the Paley Center's vital work and its mission to celebrate and advance the media landscape for future generations."

Lynch kept his statement shorter. "The Paley Center has been an enduring force in both preserving media's history and helping shape its future," he said. "It is an honor to join the Board of Trustees, and I look forward to contributing to Paley's important work for years to come."

A music-industry voice on the West Coast

Mason Jr.'s appointment carries its own logic. The L.A. board of governors advises the Paley Center on its West Coast initiatives, including its annual PaleyFest LA event. Current governors include Bela Bajaria, Brian Grazer (Imagine Entertainment), Channing Dungey (Warner Bros. Television Group & US Networks), Adam Mosseri (Instagram/Meta) and Jennifer Salke.

"Music and media have the power to make us feel seen, open our minds, and connect us like nothing else can," Mason Jr. said in a statement. "That power comes from people with a story to tell and the courage to create. I'm honored to join the Paley Center's Los Angeles Board of Governors and help champion those voices, celebrate the work that has shaped our lives, and inspire the next generation to leave their own mark."

The timing matters. With Ellison navigating Skydance's expanded footprint and Lynch settling in at Mattel, both men take seats at an institution whose programming depends on access to exactly the talent and executives they now work alongside. Expect their names on Paley Center stages before long.