HOLLYWOOD, CA, June 9, 2011 – Dr. Aida Takla O’Reilly was elected President of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) for the 2011 – 2012 year at the organization’s annual election meeting, which was held June 7, 2011. “I am thrilled and honored to serve as the HFPA’s president once again,” said Dr. O’Reilly. “I believe in the vitality of the membership and what we have to contribute to the future of the industry both here and abroad. Now let’s get to work!” Dr. O’Reilly was born and raised in Egypt, where she was the youngest woman to become a pilot at the age of 16. A member of the HFPA since 1956, she represents Dubai and was previously the organization’s president from 1994-1996. Dr. O’Reilly received her doctorate in Comparative Literature from The Sorbonne-Paris University in 1969. Jorge Camara, Serge Rakhlin, and Ali Sar were also elected vice president, executive secretary, and treasurer, respectively. The new Board of Directors is comprised of Philip Berk (Chairman), Yoram Kahana, Yukiko Nakajima, Ruben Nepales, Meher Tatna and Theo Kingma (alternate). The annual HFPA Installation Luncheon to honor the officers and directors will be held later this summer, at which time the organization makes its annual donations to non-profit organizations and film schools. Last year’s star-studded luncheon presented a record $1,541,000 in financial grants to 41 film schools and non-profit organizations. Guests included Annette Bening, Ian Brennan, Bryan Cranston, Kaley Cuoco, Matthew Fox, Carla Gugino, Nicole Kidman, Eva Longoria, Jane Lynch, Jim Parsons, Ryan Phillippe, John Slattery and Aaron Sorkin. About the Hollywood Foreign Press Association: The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) was founded in the 1940s by Los Angeles based overseas journalists who sought to bridge the international community with Hollywood. Today, members of the HFPA represent 55 countries with a combined readership of 250 million in some of the world’s most respected publications. Each year, the organization holds the third most watched awards show on television, the Golden Globe Awards®, which have enabled the organization to donate more than $12 million thus far to entertainment related non-profits and scholarship programs. For more information, please visit www.hfpa.org, and follow us on Twitter (@goldenglobes) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/goldenglobes) for exclusive celebrity videos and up to the minute Golden Globes news!

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