For well over a decade, SPIRIT SERIES has prospered under the exemplary leadership of Board Chair, John McPherson. John continues to serve as a Trustee and is thrilled to introduce his successor, new Board President and prominent film producer, William Fay, whose three-decade motion picture career includes such box office successes as The Hangover, 300, The Town, and Independence Day. A father of three, Bill brings to this leadership role a profound commitment to parenting, along with serious story skills, business acumen and an indomitable can-do spirit. A Board member for the past six years, he and his wife, Jody, have hosted our annual fundraiser since 2017.

Bill writes: “As a part of the entertainment industry for many years, I have seen firsthand the transformative power of storytelling and was struck, the very first time I saw SPIRIT SERIES in a classroom, by its amazing impact. We live in a divisive time, but story can still unite us. As far as I’m concerned, there’s not a person out there who wouldn’t see SPIRIT SERIES as a great force for positive change and growth, focused on young people who desperately need it and are at an age where it is vitally important.”

“One of the things we can all agree on, I believe, is the need to build the character of our kids, developing the harder to quantify virtues and inspiring those virtues: believing in ourselves, keeping our word, setting goals and working hard to achieve them no matter how difficult, being a good team player, showing compassion for others, making reasoned decisions, learning to speak in public, sticking to our beliefs while being willing to hear others’ even if they challenge us… Every one of these values is taught by the SERIES…and many, many more. I feel honored to build on past leadership and help make this visionary program a reality in schools across America.”