Lynette Howell Taylor was re-elected president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Hollywood’s Oscars-dispensing organization, by its board of governors at a meeting on Wednesday morning, the organization just announced.
Howell Taylor, an Oscar-nominated film producer whose credits include both acclaimed indies (among them 2006’s Half Nelson, 2010’s Blue Valentine and 2016’s Captain Fantastic) and blockbuster studio films (such as 2018’s A Star Is Born, for which she received a best picture Oscar nomination), was first elected to the presidency a year ago. The 47-year-old, who, like the Beatles, hails from Liverpool, England, is the 37th person to hold the office.
Howell Taylor joined the Academy in 2014 and was recruited to produce the 2020 Oscars telecast with Stephanie Allain. Later that same year, she was elected to represent the producers branch on the board of governors, and was re-elected to a second term three years later. Term limits require governors, after six consecutive years of service, to step away from the board for at least one year, so Howell Taylor is no longer a governor of the producers branch — but the board recently passed a bylaw amendment to allow a sitting Academy president to run for re-election to that role until they have served up to four consecutive one-year terms, with the goal of providing greater consistency and continuity to the board. So she remains on the board as an “ex oficio governor” — a voting member representing the Academy, not a specific branch.
Also elected by the board to 2026-2027 officer positions:
- Lesley Barber (Music Branch), Vice President (chair, Membership Committee)
- David Dinerstein (Marketing and Public Relations Branch), Vice President/Treasurer (chair, Finance Committee)
- Jennifer Fox (Producers Branch), Vice President (chair, Awards Committee)
- Lou Diamond Phillips (Actors Branch), Vice President (chair, Equity and Inclusion Committee)
- Howard A. Rodman (Writers Branch), Vice President/Secretary (chair, Governance Committee)
Barber, Fox, Phillips and Rodman were re-elected as officers; Dinerstein was elected for the first time.
“We are so deeply grateful to Lynette, Lesley, David, Jennifer, Lou and Howard for their commitment to the Academy and to our global film community,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer said in a statement. “As we move toward our 100th anniversary, I am excited to continue our vital work with the board and these exceptional board officers to support our members, the industry and the Academy’s mission and programs.”
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