Biografia
Avis Gold Richards is the founder and CEO of Birds Nest Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit creative group that produces several television shows, documentaries and short films for charitable organizations. The goal of Birds Nest Foundation is to provide the media to educate and promote important causes and issues that enable non-profits and other foundations to communicate their messages.
Avis has produced and directed hundreds of episodes and films for national and local broadcast, websites and events. Avis was recently nominated for three New York Emmy Awards and has won numerous Stevie, W3, Telly, Davey, and Aurora Awards for producing non-profit films and videos. The charities that benefit from Avis' work include a host of worthy causes dedicated to improving health care and education, serving inner-city youth, protecting against domestic violence, promoting human rights, and defending the environment.
Avis also launched "The Ground Up Campaign" a national campaign providing indoor edible academic gardens and curriculum to over 100 classrooms. The campaign has partnered with Grow to Learn NYC (Mayor's Fund's citywide school gardens initiative), Veggiecation (companion curriculum program for nutrition education) and student volunteers from Green Bronx Machine.
Avis is on the Board of Directors for Help USA (homes for the homeless and less fortunate), Sophie's Voice (Spina Bifida), Bat for the Cure (prostate cancer), Earth Day Network (the environment), and the R Baby Foundation (infant mortality). Avis is a member of the Advisory Board of Joe Torre's Safe At Home Foundation (domestic violence), Cancer Schmancer (breast cancer early detection), and Mobile Movement (mobile philanthropy). Avis is a "Game Ball" recipient for the Boomer Esiason Foundation (Cystic Fibrosis), a Peloton Project member for the Lance Armstrong Foundation (cancer), and served as an Excalibur award member for the American Cancer Society for which she was also the Gala Event Chair. Avis was a founding member of Gilda's Club (cancer support), for which she developed and chaired the Young Committee Members' Gala. Avis is on the Advisory Board of, and content provider for HUM News, which was first incorporated as Human Unlimited Media (a non-profit), that expanded into the for-profit realm with Human Media. Avis sits on the Advisory Board of Renu Mobile, a corporation dedicated to creative mobile applications with minimal environmental footprint and maximum global reach. Avis is an Ambassador for Bicycle for a Day, an environment and health initiative founded by actor Matthew Modine; and was previously involved in promoting Westchester Medical Center Children's Hospital, Auschwitz Jewish Center and Whitby School. Avis was also honored by the 2010 Artivist Award for Advocacy and Leadership, 2011 Ambassador Award by Voices Against Brain Cancer, 2012 R Baby Hero Award, 2012 United Way Womens' Leadership Council Philanthropist Award and Help USA Tribute Award. Avis is an active alumnus of the University of Maryland: She was honored by the university's Non-Profit Industry Impact Award in 2010 and the Distinguished Alumni Award for the College of Education in 2012.
Avis produced a public television series entitled "LunchNYC" for NYC Media, part of the City of New York Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting, after the successful launch of her short documentary, Lunch, which was in support of Earth Day Network. The documentary screened and won several awards at film festivals across the United States and in Whole Foods Markets Education Libraries. The film exposes unhealthy foods being served in the public school system across the country and highlights the efforts of individuals actively seeking alternatives to promote nutrition and health. Following these successes, she also produced over 40 episodes for the television show "Dylan's Lunchbox", which aired on NYC Media and Taxi TV.
Avis is a graduate of the University of Maryland where she earned her B.S. degree. She pursued her post-graduate studies at George Washington University and Bank Street College of Education. Avis lives with her husband, two children, and three dogs in New York City.
