(Beverly Hills, CA November 17) The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts’ Chairman of the Board of Directors, David C. Bohnett, announced the election of Leslie Birnbaum, Michael Nemeroff, Daphnah Nazarian and Bruce Shulman to the company’s Board of Directors. The announcement was made following the Board meeting on November 3.
“We welcome Leslie, Daphnah, Michael and Bruce to the Board of civic leaders at The Wallis who are strong arts advocates for our community,” said Mr. Bohnett. “As The Wallis continues to emerge as a premier world-class performing arts institution, our new Board members join an already energized and engaged Board of Directors who have established The Wallis as a major cultural center in Beverly Hills and the Southern California region.”
Leslie Birnbaum was born and raised in Los Angeles where she attended the Los Angeles High School for the Arts. She graduated from SUNY Purchase with a degree in Dance with an emphasis on Modern Dance and Choreography. After several years in dance, she transitioned into the restaurant world working with the legendary Jean-Georges Vongerichten for the opening of the downtown Manhattan Mercer Hotel and then uptown at his iconographic restaurant Jean-Georges. Ms. Brinbaum went on to manage restaurants for Daniel Boulud, Alain Ducasse and Thomas Keller. She worked for Michelin starred Chef Keller for 10 years, starting Per Se in New York, Bouchon in Yountville and eventually opening Bouchon in Beverly Hills in 2009. Ms. Birnbaum is on the Board for the California State Summer School for the Arts and recently was co-chair for its 30th anniversary gala. She is married to entertainment industry veteran Roger Birnbaum who was President of Production for 20th Century Fox, Co-chair and Co-CEO of MGM and Spyglass Entertainment, a company he founded. His new production company Pin High Productions recently produced its first film, The Magnificent Seven. They live in Beverly Hills.
Michael Nemeroff is President and CEO of Vedder Price, a global law firm with offices in Chicago, New York, Washington D.C., San Francisco, Los Angeles, London and Singapore. He counsels companies and private equity firms in transactions and governance matters. Mr. Nemeroff is one of two legal advisors to the G100, an elite international organization of leading CEOs from Fortune 500 publicly traded corporations who meet regularly to share practical collective experience about deal making and leadership challenge. An authority on mergers and acquisitions and financial matters, he makes frequent appearances on broadcast television and is often cited in publications. Mr. Nemeroff is active in charitable and civic affairs as a Trustee of the Chicago History Museum and as a member of the Executive Committee and Board of the Chicago Children’s Choir, where he previously served as Chairman. He has three children and is married to Meeghan Nemeroff.
Daphnah Nazarian was born in Tehran, Iran. The Iranian Revolution of 1979 prompted her family’s immediate move to the United States. With a passion for all things scaled, balanced and well proportioned, Daphnah pursued her Bachelor of Architecture Degree from the University of Southern California and studied at the Syracuse University in Florence, Italy. In 2012, she co-founded Harmony Hall Architectural Interiors with design partner & longtime friend Natasha Rahban. Building on many years of collaboration, the duo concentrated on the artful translation of not just luxury homes but a lifestyle. Daphnah started her career in the field of Architecture at the firm of Brenda Levin & Associates specializing in Revitalization & Preservation of Historical Landmarks in downtown Los Angeles. In 2005, she joined Omninet Capital as President of the Residential Real-Estate Division to develop and remodel custom residential estates in Southern California, in particular Brentwood, Bel-Air and Beverly Hills. Giving back to her local community as well as international cause, has been an inherited family asset and a meaningful part of her life. She has been involved with and a big supporter of many Jewish Organizations and the Arts. Her time has been dedicated to philanthropic causes in various capacities ranging from Fundraising, Dinner Committee Co-Chair and Development Co-Chair. However, her biggest accomplishment to date is her role as the mother of three. Her daughters are her biggest source of pride and joy.
Bruce Schulman has been the General Manager of Mercedes-Benz Beverly Hills since 2005 and is the recipient of the Mercedes-Benz USA “Best of the Best” dealership eight of the last ten years. Born and raised in Philadelphia, PA, Mr. Schulman has thirty nine years of automotive management experience in domestic and luxury automobiles. Mr. Schulman is also a dedicated member of the community and has been involved with organizations including Beverly Hills Education Foundation, Jewish Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Maple Counseling Center, Beverly Hills Rotary, and the Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce, where he served as President. Mr. Schulman and his wife of nearly fifty years Marcy Schulman have two children and four gorgeous grandchildren.
About the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
Since opening its doors in October 2013, The Wallis has produced or presented more than 100 dance, theatre, opera, classical music and family programs to an ever expanding audience. Located in the heart of Beverly Hills, California, The Wallis brings audiences world-class theater, dance and music, performed by many of the world’s most talented and sought-after artists. Featuring eclectic programming that mirrors the diverse landscape of Los Angeles and its notability as the entertainment capital of the world, The Wallis offers original and revered works from across the U.S. and around the globe. The mission of The Wallis is to create, present and celebrate unique performing arts events and educational programs that reflect the rich cultural diversity of our community.
Nominated for 28 Ovation Awards, four L.A. Drama Critic’s Circle Awards and the recipient of six architectural awards since opening in 2013, The Wallis is a breathtaking 70,000-square-foot venue that celebrates the classic and the modern and was designed by Zoltan E. Pali, FAIA of Studio Pali Fekete architects. The building features the restored, original 1933 Beverly Hills Post Office (on the National Register of Historic Places) that serves as the theater’s dramatic yet welcoming lobby, and houses the 150-seat Lovelace Studio Theater, GRoW at The Wallis: A Space for Arts Education (a gift of Gregory Annenberg Weingarten and Family and the Annenberg Foundation) and the contemporary 500-seat, state-of-the-art Bram Goldsmith Theater. Together, these structures embrace the city’s history and its future, creating a performing arts destination for L.A.-area visitors and residents alike.
For more information about The Wallis, please visit: TheWallis.org.
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