Ten months after it was founded, Time’s Up has named Lisa Borders as its first ever president and chief executive officer. Borders most recently served as president of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), where she helped the league grow its attendance and television viewership. She begins her new job next month.
Time’s Up was formed in January of 2018 after the entertainment industry was roiled by a series of sexual harassment allegations involving moguls and entertainers such as Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, Brett Ratner, Dustin Hoffman, and Matt Lauer. Time’s Up is advocating for safer and more equitable work environments for women in Hollywood and in other industries. The organization was launched with endorsements from a number of prominent artists and entertainers; its celebrity backers include Shonda Rhimes, Reese Witherspoon, Eva Longoria, Ava DuVernay, Brie Larson, and Natalie Portman.
Along with a more general call to action, the organization unveiled a legal defense fund in partnership with the National Women’s Law Center. It received $13 million in initial donations, with the bulk of the money coming from Hollywood talent agencies. In a press release announcing Border’s appointment, Time’s Up said it had connected more than 3,500 women and men from all 50 state to legal resources. Two-thirds of the people it has helped are low-wage workers, the group said.
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That last point is a telling one, because one of the gripes about Time’s Up has been that is overly exclusive (“Westworld’s” Thandie Newton claimed she “wasn’t hot enough” to be included in the group when it was founded). Time’s Up has also been criticized for its slow response to harassment allegations against CBS chief Leslie Moonves. It took nearly a week for the group to release a statement after a bombshell report in the New Yorker documented several on-the-record allegations against the TV chief. Time’s Up later called on CBS not to give Moonves a golden parachute after a second report in the New Yorker with additional accusations of sexual misconduct was printed roughly a month later. The group has also slammed the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh after abuse allegations emerged against the judge.
In addition to her work with the WNBA, Borders served as VP of global community affairs at the Coca-Cola Company and chair of the soft drink maker’s foundation. She also offers political experience, having worked as vice mayor of Atlanta and president of the Atlanta City Council.
Vanity Fair first broke the news of Borders’ appointment. In an interview with the magazine, Borders hit back at criticism that Time’s Up is focused on Hollywood elites.
“It’s out here for everybody. This is not a club,” she told Vanity Fair. “I would just offer the invitation to everyone, right here, right now . . . come join us on this journey.”