Francine LeFrak is an award-winning theatrical and television producer, a successful entrepreneur and a distinguished philanthropist. Her work has added to the history of our time and stirred the conscience of modern society. Her movies have helped to turn the tide on a range of crucial issues such as the scourge of AIDS, the price of intolerance, the ravages of war, the injustices of our prison system, substance abuse, the peril of neo-Nazism and the lonely quest for identity and self-knowledge.

The achievements of her multi--faceted career have been recognized with the Tony award, Broadway’s highest honor, for the original “Nine: The Musical”, as well as an Emmy for the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie “Miss Rose White” and a Peabody Award for the film “Shot Through the Heart.”

Ms. LeFrak has been honored with numerous other awards, including the "Leading Woman Entrepreneur of the Year" Award in 2002, the 2003 "Human Spirit" Award from the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, the Women Together Award from the United Nations and the Artemis Award in Athens Greece from the European American Women’s Council in 2007.

She has served as a board member for the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation and has consecutively hosted their annual Gala. To date, Ms. LeFrak has helped raise millions for the Foundation. In recognition of her passion for improving the quality of life for those suffering spinal injuries, the USO named Francine the “Woman of the Year” in 2006.

Ms. LeFrak's connections and expertise in the fields of art and philanthropy are extensive. At Sotheby's, she created and operated a worldwide Customer Advisory Service Network. At UBS, she was a lecturer at their Philanthropy Conference in Zurich.

Her passion for art has inspired her and co-chairs of the American Friends of Versailles to help organize three major events, which attracted 600 Americans to help finance the restoration of the chateau's world-renowned gardens and fountains, while building Franco-American relations in the process. The group's work is being commemorated with a plaque in the gardens.

Ms. LeFrak's art and philanthropic affiliations also include serving as a Co-Chairman of the Patrons Circle for the Guggenheim Museum; a member of the Contemporary Art's Council at The Museum of Modern Art; a member of the Board of the Smithsonian Museum of American History; and a member of the President's Council of the Whitney Museum.

Her passion for women’s issues has led to her active membership on the board of the Women's Board of the Kennedy School at Harvard University, where she also serves as regional co-leader. Ms. LeFrak also frequently attends high-level conferences around the globe dealing with both women’s and Middle East political initiatives. Most recently, she took part in a philanthropic delegation to Jordan with the Bridges of Understanding Foundation, a non-profit that seeks to enhance the relationship between the United States and the Arab world.

Ms. LeFrak's professional affiliations include active participation as a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences; a member - appointed by Governor Pataki - of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation's Arts, Tourism and Education Advisory Council to redevelop the World Trade Center site; an Honorary Deputy Commissioner for the Fire Department of the City of New York; and a member of, the Steering Committee Board for the “She Made It” initiative of Museum of Television & Radio.
Capping her intense involvement in these varied pursuits is a new business venture, LeFrak Access. LeFrak Access analyzes her clients' needs and aspirations, and proposes strategies to help them achieve their business and professional goals by connecting them to the best and brightest in every discipline.

Ms. LeFrak's film and television productions have earned The Nancy Dickerson Whitehead Foreign Policy Association Award, a Cable ACE Award, the Humanitas Prize from the Catholic Church, six Ciné Golden Eagle Awards, three Golden Globe nominations, a Banff Television Festival Rockie Award, and a Gemini Award. Her films have been screened at major international film festivals including Cannes, London, Munich, Milan and Sundance.

Ms. LeFrak was first exposed to the world of show business while working at Sotheby's. After gaining expertise at this world-famous auction house, she was retained as an art consultant by producer Jon Peters for his film, The Eyes of Laura Mars. This began Ms. LeFrak's path as a producer for the theatre, mounting shows in Broadway and London.

Ms. LeFrak has produced many successful plays and musicals including Crimes of the Heart, Nine, My One and Only, Noises Off, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Leader of the Pack, and They're Playing Our Song, among others. These productions received critical acclaim and numerous awards including 15 Tony Awards, 41 Drama Desk Awards, three Outer Critics Circle Awards, two Laurence Olivier SWET Awards and a Pulitzer Prize.

After 10 years of theatrical success, Ms. LeFrak expanded into movies, focusing on relevant, contemporary subjects and probing social issues.

"My aim is to shed light and put a human face on important social issues," she says. "I want to explore ways to connect people so together we can find solutions to global problems."