I N T H I S I S S U E
• Investing in Nova
• Trusting Masterpiece
• Simone Stedry Winston Is New RLS Chair
• An Eventful Season
• Will Thorndike Welcomes New Overseers
F O R F R I E N D S A N D S U P P O R T E R S O F W G B H
Nova Divesinto Science
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the PresidentView from
P romoting an understanding of science and inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers is part of WGBH’s DNA. “Back in 1974, the common
wisdom was that science wasn’t suitable for television,” says Nova senior executive producer Paula Apsell. “WGBH and PBS thought otherwise, and launched an ambitious experiment.” Forty years later, Nova—in all its glorious facets: on air, online, radio, mobile (see sidebar, page 3)—has irrefutably proved that Americans have not only an interest in, but an insatiable appetite for science. Nova tackles some of the most important stories in science and technology today—from marine biologists’ hunt for clues to one of the greatest environmental catastrophes facing our planet: ocean acidification…to an investigation into the most confounding engineering mysteries of the ancient world. Look for the premieres of Lethal Seas and Building Wonders in winter/spring 2015. In this issue, we’ll introduce you to some of WGBH’s generous and visionary friends who are making our work possible. You’ll meet new WGBH supporters DuBose and Nancy Montgomery (page 3), who are big fans of Nova and its many educational digital components. And the late Sudi Cummings, whose passion for WGBH and Masterpiece lives on through a generous bequest in support of the Masterpiece Trust (page 7). And speaking of the Masterpiece Trust, I’m thrilled to share the news that the Trust, which was created to ensure Masterpiece’s future, has hit a major milestone: nearly $12 million raised since its launch four years ago. You’ll also hear from our new Ralph Lowell Society Chair and longtime supporter Simone Stedry Winston (page 4) and catch up with Zena Lum, a former RLS director whose commitment to WGBH continues through her RLS membership (pages 4 and 5). We’re grateful to them, and to all of you for matching your passion with your philanthropy—for strengthening WGBH’s ability to innovate public media, in the public interest, every day.
J O N A T H A N C . A B B O T T P R E S I D E N T A N D C E O
On the cover: Nova’s Lethal Seas will premiere in spring 2015
Silicon Valley Couple Invest in NovaDubose and nancy montgomery met and earned degrees in Boston—
he from MIT, where he studied electrical engineering, computer science, and management before going on to Harvard Business School; she from Wellesley College, where she majored in biology. The pair loved the educational climate, but they hated the winters. In 1974, they packed up their car and drove to San Francisco just as Silicon Valley was about to take off. Their timing couldn’t have been better. At 27, DuBose co-founded one of the earliest and still most successful venture capital firms in the country. Menlo Ventures has helped launch biomedical and high-tech companies and products that have changed the world, from Gilead Sciences to Siri. Nancy was busy, too, earning an MBA from Stanford and serving as chief financial officer of Applied Biosystems, which manufactured equipment biotech companies use to synthesize and sequence DNA and proteins. After their two daughters were born, she switched to consulting and, finally, full-time parenting. Fast forward to 2014: the children are grown and this dynamic couple is looking ahead. “We are now at the stage where we are thinking about how to give back on a more global scale,” says Nancy. “Science and education have always been important to us. It’s the generations that will come after us that have to lead, and they need to have a good understanding of our world and how it works.” Enter Nova, WGBH’s stellar science series and its many educational digital components. “We’ve watched and admired Nova for years,” says DuBose, who with Nancy recently made a generous gift to Nova through their family foundation. “We think it is the gold standard for science education in the US. Nova does a great job tackling the really difficult, complex issues in science—from string theory to evolution—and making them understandable and entertaining.” Nova’s leadership in fostering science literacy is important to the Montgomerys. So, too, is the woman at the series’ helm: Paula Apsell. “The people who run organizations are the key to their success,” Nancy says. “Paula is driven, dynamic, and thoughtful. We had the pleasure of spending some time with her, and we are excited about her vision for Nova—past, present, and future. We hope our gift helps Paula create even more great programs and projects!”
What’s New with Nova
Nova is the only series on US television that
tells important science stories every week...
and so much more. Nova senior executive
producer paula apsell presides
over a multi-plat-
form powerhouse
(pbs.org/nova)
dedicated to
fostering science
literacy. “We
definitely are not your grandfather’s Nova,”
says Paula.
On TV… and online anytimeStream nearly any Nova program at your
convenience at pbs.org/nova.
Nova NextExplore this online collection of timely
articles by the nation’s top scientists and
science journalists, along with companion
video and animation.
Nova + PBS LearningMediaNova is the #1 contributor of STEM content
to PBS LearningMedia (pbslearningmedia.
org), WGBH and PBS’s pioneering library
of free digital resources for K-12 educators
nationwide. 1.5 million users in 48 states
have signed on.
Nova LabsNova Labs opens the door for high school
students to real-world science investigations,
providing online access to scientific data
and research opportunities.
Gross ScienceThis new Web series shares revolting stories
from the natural world to pique the curiosity
and scientific interest of younger viewers.
The Elements iPad appNova’s first iPad app features an interactive
periodic table and game in which players
build atoms and molecules to make every-
day things. “It makes science feel like magic
in your hands.” — Xeni Jardin, Boing Boing
Plus, Nova ScienceNow, The Secret Life of Scientists & Engineers, and more. Visit pbs.org/nova for all things Nova.
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News from the Ralph Lowell Society
New Chair, New Year
A s I take on my new duties as Chair of
the Ralph Lowell Society, I am excited to
follow in the footsteps of some extraordinary
predecessors, most
recently Melinda
Rabb, who completed
her term this summer
after three years of
helping grow both
our RLS membership
and our annual
support of WGBH.
Those are accomplishments I intend to
build on. Our recent RLS survey that many
of you participated in provided valuable
insights. You care deeply about WGBH’s
mission to create public media that expands
opportunities for all. You are excited about
recent RLS events and trends, particularly
our efforts to serve the multiple generations
who make up the RLS. And you want to
share your enthusiasm for WGBH and the
RLS with your friends.
And that’s wonderful, because RLS members
are our most effective ambassadors. I invite
you to “bring a friend” to an RLS event in
2015. It’s the perfect way to get an up-close
look at some of your favorite productions
and to meet the talented people behind them.
And speaking of events, we had some
great ones this fall. New York Times columnist
and best-selling author Nicholas Kristof
stopped by to discuss his latest book and
documentary, A Path Appears, on how smart
philanthropy can make a real difference in
people’s lives. (Our RLS support of WGBH
certainly does that!) We also met with chef
extraordinaire Lidia Bastianich and enjoyed
a preview of Masterpiece’s Death Comes to
Pemberley, followed by a fascinating lecture
about England’s great manor houses.
And there’s much more to come in 2015,
including a very special Masterpiece Tour to
England this summer (see page 5), so stay
tuned.
Wishing you a happy New Year, and
many thanks for making WGBH a priority
in your life!
simone stedry winstonchair , ralph lowell society
rls benefactor and event co-host jane arneth tyler chats with rls chairman’s circle member and event host graham gund
An American ExperienceRLS Chairman’s Circle members Graham and Ann Gund (Trustee) graciously hosted a
gathering at their Nantucket home this past summer in celebration of the upcoming 2015
PBS premiere of American Experience’s Last Days in Vietnam. Now in limited theatrical
release, the film already is generating Oscar buzz.
rls innovator’s circle members and event co-hosts marjie kargman (trustee) and her husband bob kargman (right) with american experience executive producer mark samels
rls sponsors peg condon (left) and elizabeth rogers (overseer) catch up
America’s Test Kitchen Up CloseRLS members enjoyed a behind-the-scenes tour of America’s Test Kitchen in Brookline this
summer that included mingling with Test Kitchen chefs and sampling their delicious fare.
rls members get an up-close and delectable look at america’s test kitchen in brookline
rls sponsors denis reno and karen jorgenson check out what’s cooking
rls members and wgbh friends explore america’s test kitchen’s extensive library
rls members and wgbh friends learn more about american experience’s new film, last days in vietnam, in the gunds’ garden on nantucket
from left: event hosts graham and ann gund with mark bailey, last days in vietnam filmmaker rory kennedy, and american experience executive producer mark samels
P A G E 4
RLS Chair • Simone Stedry Winston
Director • Vanya Tulenko
Senior Events Manager • Jeanmarie Roberts
Senior Development Associate • Christopher Reilly
Development Assistant • Glenna Moran Pop-Stefanov
ralph lowell society membership levelsfriend • $ 1 ,500fellow • $2 ,500sponsor • $5 ,000benefactor • $ 10 ,000president’s c ircle • $25 ,000chairman’s c ircle • $50,000innovator’s c ircle • $ 100,000
For a complete list of the benefits and privileges at each membership level, please call the Ralph Lowell Society Hotline at 617-300-3900, visit wgbh.org/ralphlowell, or email [email protected]. We welcome your questions and value your support.
Masterpiece Tour June 24 to June 30, 2015
Join us for a Masterpiece Tour of London,
Oxford, Glyndebourne, and Wimbledon.
We’ll visit Osterley House, Syon Park, Eltham
Palace, and London’s The Inns of Court—all
settings for Masterpiece productions over the
years. Highlights include a private tour of
Bodleian Library and Ashmolean Museum
at Oxford University; an elaborate, seated
picnic and performance at the Glyndebourne
Festival Opera; a private lunch and tour of
Hampton Court; a stop at Sherlock Holmes’
Publick House; an optional day at Centre
Court, Wimbledon…and much more. Supporting What She KnowsZ ena lum knows WGBH. She served as director of the Ralph Lowell Society
for seven years and when she left in 2009, she decided to stay connected through an RLS membership at the Friend level. “I wanted to honor the hard work and accomplishments of the great staff and volunteers I worked with during my time at ’GBH,” Lum says. But there’s another reason she joined the RLS. Having enjoyed an insider’s view, Lum appreciates the vital public service WGBH provides. “Our media landscape is becoming more and more convoluted,” she says. “WGBH stands out as an independent voice that’s ensuring everyone has access to high-quality news and entertainment.” Today, Lum helps nonprofits find new leaders as search director for Lois L. Lindauer Searches. She lives in the South End with her husband Ben Smith— a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analyst for the state’s Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs—and their nine-year-old son, Dylan.
What are your family’s WGBH favorites? My favorite is Sherlock on Masterpiece—it’s such a clever adaptation. I always learn something new on Frontline and Nova. My husband is a huge Nova fan and my son is becoming one.
Do you listen to 89.7 WGBH or 99.5 WCRB? I listen to Morning Edition on 89.7 as I get ready for work. My son is a cellist and as we immerse ourselves in the world of classical music, we’re listening to WCRB more and more.
What do you enjoy most about your RLS membership? The events are great. I took Dylan to see the advance screening of The Hundred-Foot Journey and he loved it so much we went out and bought the book.
Why are you confident about WGBH’s future? Jon Abbott [WGBH President and CEO] and his team do not take WGBH’s future success for granted. They are always thinking about creative, cutting-edge ways to bring thoughtful and deeply relevant content home to viewers and listeners.
For more information, please contact Vanya Tulenko ([email protected]), or call 617-300-3900.
Zena Lum (center) with good friends Lisa Paap (left) and Amy Slade
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New Class of OverseersNew Board of Overseers Chair will thorndike , who previously served as
Vice Chair, welcomed our latest class of Overseers to WGBH this past spring. Will’s own ties to WGBH run deep. The great-nephew of WGBH founder Ralph Lowell, Will serves on multiple WGBH committees, including Technology and Finance. He is the founder and Managing Director of Housatonic Partners and the author of The Outsiders: Eight Unconventional CEOs and Their Radically Rational Blueprint for Success. “Our Board of Overseers is a dynamic group of civic-minded leaders,” Will says, “as our newest members so amply demonstrate.”
2014 Becton Fellow Greg Shea
greg shea once dreamed of being in a
rock band.
Today, he’s made it on stage, but the
instrument in his hands isn’t the guitar he’s
played since middle school—it’s a camera.
And Shea, executive producer of WGBH’s
new digital and broadcast series Front Row
Boston, uses it to capture bands like the
Dropkick Murphys performing at iconic
Boston clubs, from Brighton Music Hall to
the House of Blues.
Relying on small, handheld cameras—
with as many as six
videographers led
by Shea shooting
from on stage and
in the crowd—
Front Row Boston
blends into the
venues’ intimate
atmospheres to
convey the bands’ energy and artistry.
“My hope is that people will see the
show as Boston’s version of Austin City
Limits,” Shea says.
WGBH President Jon Abbott recently
named Shea the 2014 WGBH Becton
Fellow. The fellowship, which is supported
by the Becton Fund and named in honor
of WGBH’s former president and current
Vice Chair Henry Becton, Jr., recognizes
promising WGBH producers and content
creators whose work is emblematic of
WGBH’s mission.
Shea also specializes in short-form
video—for the Web and TV—for WGBH’s
Antiques Roadshow, Masterpiece, and
American Experience, and has produced
videos for 99.5 WCRB and the WGBH
Music YouTube Channel.
“Henry’s leadership and creative energy
have been—and continue to be—a huge
part of WGBH’s success,” Shea says. “To
receive a fellowship in his name is a real
honor and source of inspiration.”
Check out Front Row Boston online at frontrowboston.wgbh.org.
kirstan barnett of Boston is a Partner
at Bracebridge Capital, a private investment
fund, and the Founder and Chairman of the
Board of SheGives, a newly created collective
philanthropic foundation that financially
supports a portfolio of Greater Boston
charities.
marcia blenko of Wellesley is an
Advisory Partner at Bain & Company,
where she co-founded and led its Global
Organization Practice for a number of
years. She has written numerous articles
on organization, decision effectiveness,
and leadership that have appeared in The
Harvard Business Review, The Financial
Times, and The Wall Street Journal. She also
co-authored Decide and Deliver: Five Steps
to Breakthrough Performance in Your
Organization. She earned an MBA from
Stanford University and a BS from Brown
University.
karen levy of Wellesley Hills is one of
the Vice Chairs of the Handel and Haydn
Society Board of Governors. She also serves
on the boards of Facing History and
Ourselves, From the Top, and The Jewish
Women’s Archive. She earned a BA from
Wellesley College and a MAT in teaching
from Harvard University.
jeremy seidman of Wellesley is a
Director at Credit Suisse, a global financial
services company. He currently serves
on Credit Suisse’s Advisory Counsel of
Excellence, a 14-person leadership team
in Private Banking Americas.
jason talbot of Cambridge is a
co-founder of Artists for Humanity,
a nonprofit youth arts and enterprise
organization based in South Boston, and
the previous Co-Chair of the WGBH
Community Advisory Board. Jason was
featured in a WGBH impact campaign,
where he talked about how public television
helped him learn about the world beyond
his neighborhood. The Boston Business
Journal named Talbot one of its 2014
40-Under-40 honorees.
P A G E 6
New Rey Producer: Heather Goldstone
When heather goldstone was pursuing
her PhD in ocean science, she realized a life
in the lab was not for her.
“I enjoy thinking, talking, and writing
about science—the big ideas, the passionate
people—a lot more than actually doing it,”
Goldstone says.
Soon after receiving her doctorate from
the MIT-Woods Hole Oceanographic
Institution Joint Program in Oceanography,
Goldstone made the short walk—just two
buildings away from the lab where she was
working—to WCAI, the Cape and Islands
NPR Station.
A Heartfelt Bequest to The Masterpiece Trust The call came out of the blue in 2011, soon after WGBH announced the launch
of the Masterpiece Trust to ensure the iconic drama series’ future on television and online. “sudi [susan] cummings was one of the first people to contact us,” recalls WGBH’s Ericka Webb, director of Gift Planning. “She told me she wanted to leave a bequest to the Masterpiece Trust in her will. She was passionate about the transformative power of great drama. And she drew on that power over the next few years as her health declined.” Cummings quickly acted on her intention, adding a generous, six-figure bequest to her will in September of 2011, along with a note to Ericka. “For 40 years, whatever my geographical location or life circumstances, WGBH and Masterpiece have been a constant for me—a kind of intellectual and cultural endorphin rush,” Cummings wrote. “WGBH Boston was my original exposure to high-quality television, and its ‘best-of-breed’ reputation and special place in my heart continue today from a thousand miles away.” A native of Providence, RI, who went on to earn a BA from Smith College in 1967 and an MBA from the University of Chicago, Cummings enjoyed a successful career in finance before progressively serious health issues forced her to retire to warmer climes: Deerfield, Florida. Cummings passed away in August 2014. During her final years, Cummings streamed Masterpiece programs on her laptop. “How marvelous it is,” she wrote, “that the Masterpiece Trust was created to ensure that a new generation can enter the worlds of Downton Abbey or Inspector Lewis not just via TV, but online and on the go.” There have been nearly 100 bequests/bequest intentions made to the Masterpiece Trust since Cummings first stepped forward in 2011. And they are making a difference. “We are tremendously grateful to Sudi,” says Ericka, “and the other generous individuals who have made the Trust part of their legacies.”
For more information about how you can include the Masterpiece Trust in your estate plan, contact Ericka Webb, Director of Gift Planning and Endowment, at WGBH: [email protected] or 800.220.7122.
“I walked in, introduced myself, and
offered whatever services I could provide,”
she says. “The rest is history.”
As science editor for WCAI (a service
of WGBH) and WGBH News, Goldstone
explores the intersection of science and
culture on WCAI’s weekly Living Lab on
The Point. She also appears regularly on
89.7 WGBH and WGBH TV’s Greater
Boston, reporting on environmental issues
and trends in science.
This November Goldstone was named
the 2014-15 Margret and Hans Rey/Curious
George Producer. The producership was
established in 2001 by a bequest to support
work that reflects Margret Rey’s lifelong
interests in science, public affairs, arts, health,
and children’s programming.
During her producership year, Goldstone
will focus on expanding Living Lab’s audience
across platforms. “I see science as being
connected to everything in our lives—from
medicine and the environment, to art and
religion,” Goldstone says. “It’s extremely
rewarding to have my broad interests
celebrated.”
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Sharing the Vision is a publication of WGBH
EditorialSusan ReedMatthew Roy
DesignDanielle Pierce
For general information, please contact
Winifred LenihanVice President for Development
WGBH One Guest StreetBoston, MA 02135
617-300-3804 [email protected]
Publication CoordinationElizabeth Willard Thames
Director, Constituent CommunicationsCynthia Broner
Associate DirectorSusan Reed
PHOTO CREDITS • COVER: © 360 DEGREE FILMS/S.INGLETON. • INSIDE FRONT COVER:
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NANCY MONTGOMERY; WEBB CHAPPELL 2009. • PAGE 4: WGBH/LISA ABITBOL;
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WGBH/LISA ABITBOL; COURTESY WILL THORNDIKE. • PAGE 7: COURTESY SUSAN
CUMMINGS; COURTESY HEATHER GOLDSTONE. •
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BRIGGS/CARNIVAL FILM & TELEVISION LIMITED
2014 FOR MASTERPIECE.
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“ Nova has given me the greatest love for science. Without Nova,
which I have watched since kindergarten (I am
now in 8th grade), I wouldn’t be who I am today.
I watch Nova and I learn things...to the point
where I quiz out of entire science units. I am
planning on attending a math and science
high school, and becoming a theoretical
physicist, and I have Nova to thank for it.”
- A young NOVA fAN
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR!Downton Abbey Season 5 on Masterpiecepremieres Sunday, January 4, at 9pm on WGBH 2
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