Prior to that, Katzenberg served as chairman of The Walt Disney Studios from 1984 to 1994. He began his career as assistant to the president of United Artists and moved on to Paramount Studios where he became president himself. Katzenberg serves on the boards of The Motion Picture and Television Fund, The Museum of the Moving Image, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, California Institute of the Arts, and The Simon Wiesenthal Center. He is co-chairman of both the Creative Rights Committee of the Directors Guild of America and the Committee on the Professional Status of Writers of the Writers Guild of America.

The Founders' Council was created in 2008 to recognize individuals who have made significant and transformative contributions to our Foundation’s efforts as part of our Board of Directors or as special advisors to the Foundation. Council members continue their involvement with MJFF on an as-needed basis, strategically advising on questions relevant to their areas of interest or expertise.