he founded and chairs the writers guild independent writers caucus. he has chaired filmindependent's spirit awards feature film jury as well as the usc scripter awards. he is a fellow of the los angeles institute for the humanities; a member of the executive committee of the writers' branch of the academy of motion picture arts and sciences; a former trustee of the writers guild foundation; vice-chair of the committee on the professional status of writers; and serves on several nonprofit boards, among them the franco-american cultural fund, and cornell in hollywood. he is an alumnus of the seed fund board of the liberty hill foundation, and a former editor of "the bill of rights journal".