October 14, 2021
Media Contact: John Hill
johnhillpr@gmail.com
510.435.7128
ODC WELCOMES MARLENE WILLIAMS FORD TO ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS
SAN FRANCISCO, CA, October 14, 2021 – ODC is pleased to announce the appointment of Marlene Williams Ford to its Board of Directors. Ford is an attorney and shareholder at Buchalter in San Francisco.
“We are so pleased to welcome Marlene to ODC’s Board of Directors,” said Board Chair Becky Saeger. “Her perspective as an ODC School parent, her legal expertise and her love of dance and our community will be invaluable as we continue our work for ODC’s remarkable art, artists and students, and our digital transformation.”
As an attorney, Ford specializes in intellectual property law, helping clients maximize the value of their brands and copyrights. She partners with clients to strategically build trademark and copyright assets, and protect the value of those assets as efficiently as possible. Her practice involves the entire life cycle of a brand, including selection, world-wide protection and enforcement.
Ford earned her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center, cum laude, and her B.A. in Political Economics from University of California, Berkeley, with honors.
"I have been a fan of ODC since I saw my first performance years ago,” said Ford. “I was immediately captured by the work's unique mix of savvy sophistication, lyricism and humor. When my daughter showed an interest in dance, I looked into ODC School, and was impressed by its philosophy, which is very child-centered, with equal parts kindness and rigor, and an inclusive vibe that avoids destructive competition. My daughter has flourished at the School. I am excited to join the Board to help further the artistic and educational goals of this amazing organization."
About ODC
Founded in 1971 by Artistic Director Brenda Way, ODC is a groundbreaking contemporary arts institution: a world-class dance company (ODC/Dance), a theater with year-round presenting and mentorship programs (ODC Theater), a training school for dancers and movers of all levels (ODC School), and a fee-free, educational Healthy Dancers’ Clinic. Known nationally for its entrepreneurial savvy and artistic innovation, ODC is unique for its holistic vision, now including a robust digital platform. With its home in San Francisco’s Mission District, ODC makes a dynamic contribution to the Bay Area’s vibrant dance and arts ecosystem, cultivating artists, inspiring audiences, engaging the community, and fostering diversity and inclusion through dance performance, training and mentorship.