BROOKLYN, June 23, 2021—The Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy (Conservancy) is pleased to announce the election of Che Chisholm, Alex Stanton, and Antonia Yuille to the organization’s Board of Directors. The election took place at today’s Conservancy June 23 Board Meeting.
“It is an exciting moment with the start of summer, the easing of COVID restrictions, and a substantial return of the Conservancy’s public programming in Brooklyn Bridge Park. We are honored to welcome three new members to our Board of Directors today — Che Chisholm, Alex Stanton, and Antonia Yuille Williams,” said Chris Coffey, Conservancy Board Chairman. “Che, Alex, and Antonia come with a diverse set of skills and experience that will be invaluable to our work, as we bring dynamic, thoughtful, and inclusive programming to the public in the days ahead.”
CHE CHISHOLM
Founder and Producer, Automatic Studios, Inc.
Che Chisholm is visionary producer with over 25 years’ experience creating original stories and interactive content for audiences of all ages, specializing in media programming, arts education, and production design.
She is the Founder of Automatic Studios, Inc, a technical moviemaking program designed for students 8-15 years old. Each workshop program gives kids the opportunity to be part of a creative team and experience working on a real movie set, as well as learning the skills of scriptwriting, preproduction planning, on-set job roles, studio and location shooting, and editing.
Che is a Parent Council Member of the Ghetto Film School (ghettofilm.org) and serves on the Board of Chicago’s Lilian Marcie Theatre & AAMPA (African American Museum of Performing Arts) as Education Program Director. Born in Manhattan and raised in Washington, DC, Che holds a B.F.A. in Film/Theatre from Syracuse University, an M.A. in Media Studies from The New School, an A.A.S. in Interior Design from F.I.T. and completed the Strategic Steps for Growth (SS4G) executive business education program designed for Minority and Women owned Business Enterprises at New York University.
Che lives in Brooklyn with her husband and teenage son & daughter.
“It is such an honor to join the Board of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy. My journey in DUMBO began the hot summer of 1996, working on an indie film set at Akiva Studios, a small film studio on Washington Street. Since 2014, I’ve had the pleasure of coming full circle back to DUMBO, fostering the next generation of independent filmmakers and using Brooklyn Bridge Park as a backlot for over 200 short films made by our eager young storytellers. I’m excited to support the Conservancy’s mission to bring educational, cultural, and recreational programs to all audiences of Brooklyn and the world.
ALEX STANTON
Founder and CEO of Stanton Public Relations & Marketing
Alex Stanton is founder and CEO of Stanton Public Relations & Marketing, a full-service national communications agency with offices in New York and California that represents organizations ranging from start-ups and mid-size businesses to national and international leaders across a wide spectrum of industry sectors. A hands-on practitioner who spends most of his time working directly with clients, Stanton brings a unique combination of business experience, media savvy, critical thinking and network to help organizations seize opportunities, manage challenges, and compete aggressively in a fast-moving environment.
Prior to founding Stanton, Alex started and successfully scaled several communications firms including Dorf & Stanton Communications, a national PR agency that was sold to a unit of the Interpublic Group, and Stanton Crenshaw Communications, which quickly emerged as a market leader and was named “Mid-Size PR Agency of the Year” by PRWeek Magazine. Alex has developed and managed high-impact public relations and marketing programs that have earned more than 30 communications industry awards. He has been an instructor in Columbia University’s Graduate Program of Strategic Communications and is a frequent speaker on business strategy and the role of marketing communications in driving business success.
Alex has previously served as President of the Public Relations Society of America in New York, where he received an award for mentoring, and as a board member of The Joyce Theater Foundation, YPO, Brooklyn Heights Association, and Tanenbaum Center. A Brooklyn Heights native, he recently returned to the neighborhood with his wife, and enjoys walking and running in the park.
“I am grateful for the hard and smart work the dedicated staff and current and past Board members of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy have done to create a community-focused, world-class urban oasis on the waterfront, and to bring it to life every day. The challenges of the pandemic forever validated the importance of investing in park spaces and in open air educational, cultural, and recreational programs that engage and bring us together. I look forward to supporting the Conservancy’s continued progress and contributions to quality of life in Brooklyn and New York City.”
ANTONIA YUILLE WILLIAMS
Director of Regional and Community Affairs, Corporate Affairs, Con Edison Company of New York, Inc.
Antonia (Toni) Yuille Williams is the director of Regional and Community Affairs, Corporate Affairs for Con Edison Company of New York, Inc. In this capacity she develops the strategic direction for the Brooklyn Regional and Community Affairs department, of one of the nation’s largest investor-owned energy companies. Her responsibilities include government relations, corporate community relations, strategic giving, media relations, employee communications, volunteerism, and special events.
Toni is the creator, on-air personality, and executive producer of Brooklyn Savvy, a Talk Show which airs three times a week on NYClife channel 25. NYC Media is the official TV, radio, and online network of New York City — informing, educating, and entertaining New Yorkers about the City’s diverse people, and neighborhoods, government, services, attractions, and activities. Brooklyn Savvy is an award-winning television show which explores topical and social justice issues related to women and people of color living in an urban environment. She has created a library of content of over 250 episodes, and has a very active social media presence. The show is currently on Amazon Prime and is available for viewing. As a result of this work, Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s Commission of Women’s Issues honored Toni at their Annual Women’s History Month Program for her part in shaping the dialogue around women’s issues. Her videos were screened in NYC taxicab fleets. Toni also received a Telly Award for excellence in community programming for her work on The Brooklyn Reporter Roundtable. Toni has also launched a new podcast called Art Movez_ which explores the intersection of Art and Social Justice and Art and Technology.
Toni is involved in many community activities. Currently, she is the Chair of the Brooklyn Arts Council, and the Chair of the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies (FWPA). She is also on the boards of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation, BRIC Art Media Brooklyn, and the New York City Technical College Foundation Board. She is also the former First Vice President of The Brooklyn Links, Inc. Brooklyn Chapter, and Former First Vice President of Jack and Jill of America, Brooklyn Chapter. She was also appointed to the Mayor’s Panel on the Role of Brooklyn in the 19th Century Abolitionist Movement.
Toni has also served in an academic staff position at the University of California at Berkeley. She was an Adjunct Professor at St. Francis College. Toni is a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Art. Toni graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst and completed a graduate degree in Health Services Administration from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.
I’m happy to serve on the Board of Directors of Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy; this park is the best front yard ever for Brooklyn. It’s a great mix of all the assets and engaging Conservancy programming that make urban parks an exciting destination for families.
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Contact: Katherine Gray, kgray@brooklynbridgepark.org, 650-380-0572