Board of Directors
The Montel Williams M.S. Foundation’s Board of Directors comprises leaders of business, entertainment and finance. They are dedicated to our mission of raising funds toward the defeat of M.S.
MONTEL WILLIAMS
FOUNDER
Melanie McLaughlin
President
Melanie McLaughlin is the President of Montel Media Group, LLC, a multimedia company she runs under the Montel Williams brand. Montel Williams¹s manager, Melanie McLaughlin has overseen all aspects of his career and business development activities for the last 18 years.Nina L. Shaw
Secretary
Nina L. Shaw is a founding partner in the entertainment law firm of Del, Shaw, Moonves, Tanaka, Finkelstein & Lezcano. Her practice is in the television, motion picture and live stage area. She is a 1976 graduate of Barnard College and received her J.D. from Columbia Law School in 1979.
She is a former Trustee of Barnard College and a former Board Member of Planned Parenthood Los Angeles. Additionally, Nina Shaw received the 2005 Women in Film Crystal Award and was recently named in Hollywood Reporter's "Women in Entertainment - Power 100" for 2003 and 2004, and featured in Black Enterprise's "America's Top Black Lawyers" and Savoy's "The 100 Most Influential Blacks in America".
Joel Berman
Member
Joel Berman is the Founder of Wavelength Media, LLC, a consulting firm focusing on the television and entertainment industries. In this capacity, Mr. Berman has done work with a diverse group of companies including Discovery Communications, Ion Television, Endeavor, Endemol USA, TV One and Time Inc.
Prior to forming Wavelength Media, Mr. Berman was President of Worldwide Television Distribution for Paramount Pictures and its successor CBS/Paramount Television Distribution. Mr. Berman’s global responsibilities included the sales and marketing of Paramount’s motion picture, off-network and first run television libraries to the domestic and international broadcast, cable and satellite markets. Annual revenues for the division averaged more than $1 billion.
In addition, Mr. Berman was responsible for the production of all nonscripted series produced by Paramount including Entertainment Tonight, Judge Judy, Dr. Phil, The Insider and The Montel Williams Show.
During his 25-year career at Paramount, Mr. Berman held a number of sales and management positions in New York and Los Angeles including Executive Vice President – Sales and Marketing, President Domestic Distribution and President – Domestic Television. He was involved in the marketing and sale of such iconic television programs as Frasier, Cheers, MacGyver, Taxi, I Love Lucy and the various Star Trek series.
Mr. Berman is a member of the Board of Directors of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation. He has previously served as a board member of the National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE).
MICHAEL DESTEFANO
MEMBER
Michael DeStefano is a Partner in the Ernst & Young’s New York Financial Services Office. He has over 20 years of experience in the financial services marketplace, primarily working with Banks, Investment Managers and Hedge Funds.
Michael is the Markets Leader for the Ernst & Young America’s Asset Management Industry Center. His responsibilities include strategy, marketing, branding and the creation of thought leadership and events for the asset management industry within the Americas.
Michael is currently the lead partner on all services Ernst & Young provides to one of its largest hedge funds clients. Michael oversees all services provided globally which includes Ernst & Young teams in London, Dublin, Korea, Brazil and India.
Michael is the founder of Comics Care. Comics Care is a 501c-3 non-for profit organization that uses comedy and laughter to raise money for worthy causes.
Michael graduated in 1987 with a BS in Accounting from the University Center at Binghamton.
Philip Halpern, Esq.
Member
Philip M. Halpern is the managing partner of the law firm of Collier, Halpern, Newberg, Nolletti & Bock, LLP, with offices in New York City, White Plains, New York, Stamford, Connecticut and Roseland, New Jersey. Mr. Halpern is a magna cum laude graduate of Fordham University, where he majored in economics and is a graduate of Pace University School of Law where he obtained his juris doctor.
Mr. Halpern is admitted to practice law in the states of New York and Connecticut and regularly appears in the federal and state courts in those jurisdictions as well as nation-wide. He has been certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy as a civil trial advocate. Mr. Halpern recenlty authored a two-volume book for Thompson Publishing Company on civil procedure entitled, Civil Pretrial Proceedings in New York. He has also authored several articles for the New York State Bar Assoication and the American Bar Assoication and has lectured for the Office of Court Administration, New York State Bar Association, Pace University School of Law and a number of Bar Associations on a variety of litigation topics. His articles include “Age Discrimination in Employment: Releases Protect Employers Too!” which was published in The Labor Lawyer, American Bar Assoication, in 1993; “Fair Value Proceedings: Fixing Fair Value In New York” which was published in the NY Litigator, New York State Bar Association, Commercial and Federal Litigation Section, in 1996; “Court of Appeals Sharply Diminishes the Substantive Due Process Rights of Property Owners in New York” which was published in the NY Litigator, New York State Bar Association, Commerical and Federal Litigation Section, in May 2006; and “The Contours of Commom-Law.
Nile Rodgers
Member
Known for creating some of music's most prolific songs and guitar riffs, legendary musician/songwriter and producer Nile Rodgers's unique sound can be heard on hundreds of recordings including hits such as CHIC's “Good Times” and “Le Freak”, Madonna's “Like a Virgin”, David Bowie's “Let's Dance”, Sister Sledge's “We Are Family” and Diana Ross's “I'm Coming Out” and “Upside Down.”
In fall of 2005, CHIC members were inducted as artists into the Dance Music Hall of Fame, as was their classic dance song “Good Times”.
The National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS), of which Nile has served as both Governor and Trustee, has given him both its Lifetime Achievement Award, and the New York Chapter's Heroes Award, the highest honor bestowed, honoring individuals whose creative talents and accomplishments cross all musical boundaries.
Nile is currently the only African-American to own his own music distribution company – Sumthing Distribution, a leader in the distribution of video game soundtracks including Halo 2 Original Soundtrack Vol. 1, and the original, Halo: Combat Evoved.
Nile is also the Founder of the We Are Family Foundation, which creates and supports programs that inspire and educate individuals of all ages about understanding, respect, and multiculturalism, as well as programs to support those who are victims of intolerance.