Leslie Gilbert-Lurie is an American author, community leader,[1] philanthropist,[2] lawyer, and former television executive. Her memoir, Bending Toward the Sun, was published in 2009 by HarperCollins.[3] She frequently moderates panel discussions and publicly speaks on topics related to human rights and policy reform.[4]
Career edit
Gilbert-Lurie is the author of Bending Toward the Sun,[5] a memoir[6] written with her mother,[7][8] chronicling her mother's experience in The Holocaust, and the inter-generational transmission of trauma. She speaks at middle schools,[9] high schools,[10] colleges, universities,[11] churches[12] and synagogues about her book, the Holocaust, and its implications for the world today.
Gilbert-Lurie spent her early career as a television executive. At NBC[13] she oversaw NBC Productions and the comedy division, co-wrote television episodes of Alf and Saved by The Bell, and co-founded an in-house production company, Lurie-Horwits productions.[14][15] She has also consulted for USA Network and Disney Television. As a lawyer, Gilbert-Lurie worked briefly at the law firm of Manatt, Phelps, Rothenberg and Tunney, and she served as a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Law Clerk for Judge Harry Pregerson.[16]
In July 2022, she was appointed to the California State University Board of Trustees by Governor Gavin Newsom.[17]
Advocacy and community leadership edit
Today, Gilbert-Lurie is a human rights and children's rights advocate and activist. She is a Director of Human Rights Watch's International Board, and has co-chaired Human Rights Watch's Los Angeles Committee.[2] She is also a founding board member and past board chair of the Alliance for Children's Rights,[18] a legal rights organization for abused, at risk, and foster youth. In further advance of child welfare reform, Gilbert-Lurie served as the Vice Chair of the Los Angeles Blue Ribbon Commission on Child Welfare, which led to policy change in Los Angeles County.[19]
Gilbert-Lurie has worked to improve public education in a variety of settings. She is a member of the UCLA Foundation[20] and the Board of Advisors to the UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center. As a student at UCLA, she was the Student Regent, on the Board of Regents of the University of California. She served for fourteen years on the Los Angeles County Board of Education, and was President of that Board for three terms.[21]
Awards and honors edit
- Facing History and Ourselves "2010 Upstander of the Year" Award[citation needed]
- Los Angeles Magazine: LA Women (2012)[22]
- The HeArt Project, Co-Honoree (with Sir Ken Robinson and Seth MacFarlane) (2012)[23]
- American Jewish Committee Ira Yellin Community Leadership Award (with Cliff Gilbert-Lurie)[15] (2011)
- Alliance for Children's Rights National Champion for Children Award (with Cliff Gilbert-Lurie)[24] (2004)
- Recipient, American Jewish Congress Tzedek Award, "For Outstanding Commitment to Civil Rights, Civil Liberties, and Justice" (1998)[citation needed]
- Outstanding Senior Award, UCLA Alumni Association (1981) [25]
Personal life edit
Gilbert-Lurie lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Cliff Gilbert-Lurie.[15]
References edit
- ^ "Gilbert-Lurie Is Appointed to L.A. Civil Service Panel". Los Angeles Times. 1995-09-19. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
- ^ a b "Leslie Gilbert-Lurie". Human Rights Watch. 2016-11-10. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
- ^ "Leslie Gilbert-Lurie". HarperCollins Speakers Bureau. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
- ^ "Alumna Gilbert-Lurie '84 Speaks on Family's Holocaust Survival and Public Service". law.ucla.edu. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
- ^ "Bending Toward The Sun: A Mother and Daughter Memoir". www.publishersweekly.com. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
- ^ "Memoir moves from Holocaust trauma to hope". TODAY.com. September 2009. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
- ^ "Mother and Daughter Remember Impact of Holocaust on Their Family". NBC Learn. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
- ^ "Mother-Daughter Team Pens Book On Holocaust". NPR.org. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
- ^ Rosenfeld, David. "Holocaust survivor speaks at Manhattan Beach Middle School". The Beach Reporter. Retrieved 2019-05-15.
- ^ "L.A. Charter High Schoolers Learn About the Holocaust by Meeting a Survivor". Jewish Journal. 2019-05-10. Retrieved 2019-05-15.
- ^ "Alumna Gilbert-Lurie '84 Speaks on Family's Holocaust Survival and Public Service". law.ucla.edu. Retrieved 2019-05-15.
- ^ Montemer, TJ (2016-12-09). "Leslie Gilbert-Lurie to Speak At Food for Thought at Palisades Presbyterian Church". Palisades News. Retrieved 2019-05-15.
- ^ Lowry, Brian (1993-03-25). "NBC seeks young and the rest". Variety. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
- ^ "IMDb: With Lurie/Horwits Productions (Sorted by Popularity Ascending)". IMDb. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
- ^ a b c Littleton, Cynthia (2011-10-24). "Caring couple: Attorneys Leslie and Cliff Gilbert-Lurie". Variety. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
- ^ "Gilbert-Lurie Is Appointed to L.A. Civil Service Panel". Los Angeles Times. 1995-09-19. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2019-05-15.
- ^ "Governor Newsom Announces Higher Education Appointments 7.22.22". California Governor. 2022-07-23. Retrieved 2022-08-09.
- ^ "Board of Directors". Alliance for Children's Rights. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
- ^ "Leslie Gilbert-Lurie's Last Word on Child Protection Reform in L.A." The Chronicle of Social Change. 2015-03-18. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
- ^ "UCLA Foundation - Board of Directors". www.uclafoundation.org. Retrieved 2019-09-10.
- ^ "Leslie Gilbert-Lurie - Leslie Gilbert-Lurie". bendingtowardthesun.com. Retrieved 2019-05-14.
- ^ Herold, Ann (2012-10-01). "Let Us Now Praise Famous Women Los Angeles Magazine". Lamag - Culture, Food, Fashion, News & Los Angeles. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
- ^ "Events for week of May 21". Variety. 2012-05-21. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
- ^ Archerd, Army (2004-11-23). "Just Jack". Variety. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
- ^ "UCLA Awards: Recipients | UCLA Alumni". a.alumni.ucla.edu. Retrieved 2019-05-17.