Friends of The Woodlawn Cemetery Announce Exciting Additions to Board, Staff of Historic Resting Place
Today, the Friends of The Woodlawn Cemetery – a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and promoting Woodlawn as a historical, educational and cultural resource – is thrilled to announce new additions to its board of directors and staff, including prominent figures from media, the performing arts and law.
Bronx, NY, August 20, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Today, the Friends of The Woodlawn Cemetery – a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and promoting Woodlawn as a historical, educational and cultural resource – is thrilled to announce new additions to its board of directors and staff, including prominent figures from media, the performing arts and law.
“We are pleased to welcome our new board and staff members, who come from such diverse backgrounds and have made enormous contributions in their respective fields,” commended Dr. Ricardo R. Fernandez, President of the Friends of The Woodlawn Cemetery. “Each new member’s unique contribution will support our work in preserving and honoring the rich cultural history of Woodlawn.”
A’Lelia Bundles joins Woodlawn’s Board of Directors. Ms. Bundles is an author, journalist and former network news executive who is currently working on a biography of her great-grandmother A’Lelia Walker Robinson, a central figure of the Harlem Renaissance memorialized at Woodlawn. Ms. Bundles’ journalistic career includes production work for ABC’s “World News Tonight with Peter Jennings,” NBC’s “Today” show and “American Agenda.” She is a trustee of Columbia University and serves on the boards for The Foundation for the National Archive and Dean’s Council at the Radcliffe Institute for Advance Study at Harvard University. Ms. Bundles graduated from Harvard College and Radcliffe College and received her master’s degree from Columbia University School of Journalism.
Additionally, Woodlawn’s Board of Directors welcomes Mercedes Ellington, granddaughter of Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington, who is also memorialized at Woodlawn. Ms. Ellington is an accomplished dancer, choreographer and the president/CEO and founder of the Duke Ellington Center for the Performing Arts. She serves on the boards of various organizations including Career Transition for Dancers, American Tap Dance Foundation, New Jersey Tap Ensemble and Governors of the Friars Club. Ms. Ellington currently serves on the TONY Awards nominating committee and has appeared in a series of tributes to her late grandfather, including Ken Burns’ documentary “Jazz.”
Finally, Michael T. Reynolds, Esq. has also been appointed to the Board. Mr. Reynolds is a partner of Cravath, Swain & Moore, where he represents public companies and nonprofit organizations in many areas including securities, mergers, contracts and employment. A lifelong resident of New York City, Mr. Reynolds received his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College, his master’s in Medieval History from Trinity College and his law degree from Yale Law School. He is a fellow of the Morgan Library and Museum and a member of the Medieval Academy of America.
In addition to the many new additions to the Board, The Woodlawn Cemetery is pleased to announce that Susan Olsen will assume her new position as Director of Historical Services. As historian for The Woodlawn Cemetery, Ms. Olsen will focus her time and energies on preserving, documenting and cataloging the cemetery’s history, art and architecture. She will lend her expertise and enthusiasm to other projects as they develop.
Replacing Ms. Olsen as Executive Director of the Friends of The Woodlawn Cemetery is Dr. Brian Sahd. Dr. Sahd comes with extensive nonprofit management, fundraising and community outreach experience. He spent eight years with the New York Restoration Project as Vice President for Community Development and has worked for numerous other social service–providing organizations and government agencies. Dr. Sahd received his Ph.D. in Urban Affairs from Columbia University and currently teaches the subject at Hunter College.
About The Woodlawn Cemetery
The Woodlawn Cemetery was established in 1863 to provide a more accessible, peaceful burial ground for Manhattan residents. Located just 30 minutes from Manhattan just below Westchester County, the 400-acre cemetery is the final resting place for more than 300,000 historically relevant American figures of various races, cultures and religions, including Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Herman Melville, Madam C.J. Walker, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Celia Cruz and many others. Today, Woodlawn continues to provide a full line of memorial products and services to meet the needs of its diverse New York community, including private and community mausoleums, cremation services and in-ground burial options.
About the Friends of Woodlawn
Established in 1999, the Friends of Woodlawn is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and promoting The Woodlawn Cemetery as a historical, educational and cultural resource. New members are always welcome.
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“We are pleased to welcome our new board and staff members, who come from such diverse backgrounds and have made enormous contributions in their respective fields,” commended Dr. Ricardo R. Fernandez, President of the Friends of The Woodlawn Cemetery. “Each new member’s unique contribution will support our work in preserving and honoring the rich cultural history of Woodlawn.”
A’Lelia Bundles joins Woodlawn’s Board of Directors. Ms. Bundles is an author, journalist and former network news executive who is currently working on a biography of her great-grandmother A’Lelia Walker Robinson, a central figure of the Harlem Renaissance memorialized at Woodlawn. Ms. Bundles’ journalistic career includes production work for ABC’s “World News Tonight with Peter Jennings,” NBC’s “Today” show and “American Agenda.” She is a trustee of Columbia University and serves on the boards for The Foundation for the National Archive and Dean’s Council at the Radcliffe Institute for Advance Study at Harvard University. Ms. Bundles graduated from Harvard College and Radcliffe College and received her master’s degree from Columbia University School of Journalism.
Additionally, Woodlawn’s Board of Directors welcomes Mercedes Ellington, granddaughter of Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington, who is also memorialized at Woodlawn. Ms. Ellington is an accomplished dancer, choreographer and the president/CEO and founder of the Duke Ellington Center for the Performing Arts. She serves on the boards of various organizations including Career Transition for Dancers, American Tap Dance Foundation, New Jersey Tap Ensemble and Governors of the Friars Club. Ms. Ellington currently serves on the TONY Awards nominating committee and has appeared in a series of tributes to her late grandfather, including Ken Burns’ documentary “Jazz.”
Finally, Michael T. Reynolds, Esq. has also been appointed to the Board. Mr. Reynolds is a partner of Cravath, Swain & Moore, where he represents public companies and nonprofit organizations in many areas including securities, mergers, contracts and employment. A lifelong resident of New York City, Mr. Reynolds received his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College, his master’s in Medieval History from Trinity College and his law degree from Yale Law School. He is a fellow of the Morgan Library and Museum and a member of the Medieval Academy of America.
In addition to the many new additions to the Board, The Woodlawn Cemetery is pleased to announce that Susan Olsen will assume her new position as Director of Historical Services. As historian for The Woodlawn Cemetery, Ms. Olsen will focus her time and energies on preserving, documenting and cataloging the cemetery’s history, art and architecture. She will lend her expertise and enthusiasm to other projects as they develop.
Replacing Ms. Olsen as Executive Director of the Friends of The Woodlawn Cemetery is Dr. Brian Sahd. Dr. Sahd comes with extensive nonprofit management, fundraising and community outreach experience. He spent eight years with the New York Restoration Project as Vice President for Community Development and has worked for numerous other social service–providing organizations and government agencies. Dr. Sahd received his Ph.D. in Urban Affairs from Columbia University and currently teaches the subject at Hunter College.
About The Woodlawn Cemetery
The Woodlawn Cemetery was established in 1863 to provide a more accessible, peaceful burial ground for Manhattan residents. Located just 30 minutes from Manhattan just below Westchester County, the 400-acre cemetery is the final resting place for more than 300,000 historically relevant American figures of various races, cultures and religions, including Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Herman Melville, Madam C.J. Walker, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Celia Cruz and many others. Today, Woodlawn continues to provide a full line of memorial products and services to meet the needs of its diverse New York community, including private and community mausoleums, cremation services and in-ground burial options.
About the Friends of Woodlawn
Established in 1999, the Friends of Woodlawn is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and promoting The Woodlawn Cemetery as a historical, educational and cultural resource. New members are always welcome.
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Contact
The Woodlawn Cemetery
Stephanie Wolf
732-322-3698
www.thewoodlawncemetery.org/
Brian Sahd, Executive Director, Friends of the Woodlawn Cemetery
Phone: (718) 920-1470
E-mail: friends@thewoodlawncemetery.org
Stephanie Wolf
732-322-3698
www.thewoodlawncemetery.org/
Brian Sahd, Executive Director, Friends of the Woodlawn Cemetery
Phone: (718) 920-1470
E-mail: friends@thewoodlawncemetery.org
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