Irena Medavoy Explained

Irena Medavoy
Birth Name:Irene Gerasimenko
Othername:Irena Ferris
Occupation:Activist, philanthropist, entrepreneur, actress, model
Birth Date:1958 9, mf=yes
Birth Place:Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Children:1
Years Active:1964–present

Irena Medavoy, aka Irena Ferris (born Irene Gerasimenko on September 19, 1958), is an American philanthropist, activist, and entrepreneur.

Early life

Fluent in Russian and English, Medavoy was born Irena Gerasimenko to Russian Orthodox immigrant parents,[1] [2] Margaret and Vladimir Gerasimenko.[3] Both her parents had been in German concentration camps during World War II after which they fled to Morocco and then immigrated to the United States in 1957. While she was still in high school she worked for Tichi Wilkerson Miles, the first female editor of The Hollywood Reporter

Career

As Irena Gerasimenko she worked as a model for Sports Illustrated. Along with her roommate Bernadette Leonard (a fellow Sports Illustrated model) and Jennifer Flavin (a model and wife of Sylvester Stallone), she serves as Vice Chairman and collaborated to create a charity, C.O.A.C.H. for Kids and their Families which is a community outreach assistance for children's health.[4] [5] [6] [7]

She started acting with two small roles in the television movies, Once Upon a Spy and Cocaine and Blue Eyes. She had a recurring role on Dallas as a girlfriend of Bobby Ewing.[8] She had a series regular role on the television series Cover Up.[9]

She played a Soviet bureaucrat on Night Court guest starring in an Emmy nominated 1988 episode entitled "Russkie Business".[10] [11]

In 1991, Medavoy founded Phoenix Enterprises with Pirie Jones and together with American Telecast produced product marketing television programs including the hair care series 'Beverly Hills Beauty'.[1] Her direct marketing company sold on QVC where Medavoy invented, manufactured and sold beauty, health, fitness and self-help products for women. Her electronic response firm called High Heels and Loafers with partner Pirie Jones created a company at King World to direct response sales.[12]

She is a contributing writer for the Huffington Post[13] on topics including President Barack Obama[14] (for whom she held an election fundraising campaign)[15] Oprah Winfrey,[16] female body images in the media which she regards as unrealistic and harmful,[17] and her experiences with botox.[18]

Awards and recognition

Personal life

In 1984, she married Harris L. Katleman, president and CEO of 20th Century Fox Television in a Jewish ceremony in Beverly Hills, California.[27] In 1995, she married film producer Mike Medavoy.[28] They have a son, Nicholas.[29]

She is a founding board member of Truth In Advertising Alliance, which works to fight anorexia and bulimia and pass legislation to outlaw excessive photo shopping models.[30] [31]

Medavoy is the co-founder of Team Safe-T which teaches disaster preparedness in California public schools.[32] [33]

She served on the Advisory Board of the charity A Sense of Home, ASOH youtube.com; accessed May 12, 2017.[34] which offers safety and community to children who age out of the foster care system at age eighteen.[35] Founded by Georgie Smith, ASOH founder Smith said of Medavoy and her charity, "ASOH began as a random act of kindness when I responded to a cry for a help from a young man who had aged out of foster care, and who had secured an apartment but had no means to obtain a solitary item that might make it feel like home.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Indiegogo Project: Girls! Girls? Girls. CaribbeanFilm.org. 23 March 2014. 2015-12-06.
  2. https://www.thewrap.com/mike-medavoy-china-blog-19609/ The Wrap: "Mike Medavoy: Revisiting My Roots as a Jewish Child in Shanghai" by Mike Madavoy
  3. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-may-30-mn-54873-story.html Los Angeles Times: "Margaret Gerasimenko; Immigrant Became Award-Winning Nurse"
  4. Web site: Sugar Ray Leonard's Wife Bernadette Robi (Photos - Pictures). BallerWives.com. 2015-12-08. 2015-12-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20151210212829/http://ballerwives.com/2011/03/03/former-boxing-champion-sugar-ray-leonards-wife-bernadette-robi/. dead.
  5. Web site: Archived copy . 2015-12-08 . 2015-10-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151002105611/http://www.cedars-sinai.edu/Community-Benefit/Programs-and--Services/COACH-for-Kids-and-Their-Families/Documents/PrivilegeArticle.pdf . dead .
  6. News: Fashioning a Benefit for Kids, Families. Los Angeles Times. 1999-01-20. 2015-12-06. 0458-3035. Irene. Lacher.
  7. News: Parties With a Purpose: Singers and Society Types Alike Help Charities. Los Angeles Times. 2000-01-04. 2015-12-08. 0458-3035. Patt. Diroll.
  8. Web site: Irena Ferris. IMDb. 2015-12-06.
  9. Web site: Cover Up (1984–1985). IMDB.
  10. Web site: Night Court Russkie Business (TV Episode 1988). IMDb. 2015-12-08.
  11. Web site: Night Court. TVGuide.com. 2015-12-08.
  12. Web site: King World Direct Expands: High Heels and Loafers to Join Direct Marketing Division. thefreelibrary.com. 2015-12-06. 2015-12-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20151208152608/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/King+World+Direct+Expands%253A+High+Heels+and+Loafers+to+Join+Direct...-a019733436. dead.
  13. Web site: Irena Medavoy. . 2015-12-06.
  14. Web site: 21st Century First Lady Michelle Obama on the First Day of Black History Month. February 2, 2012. The Huffington Post.
  15. Web site: Obama's $500,000 Power Couple. Tina Daunt. April 25, 2012. The Hollywood Reporter.
  16. Web site: Why Oprah Will Be Missed. October 22, 2010. The Huffington Post.
  17. Web site: Just Say No to Emaciated Women. November 29, 2006. The Huffington Post.
  18. Web site: Botox, FDA and Michael Clayton - Irena Medavoy. February 15, 2008. The Huffington Post.
  19. Web site: Sean Penn Irena Medavoy Pictures, Photos & Images - Zimbio. www.zimbio.com. 2015-12-08.
  20. Web site: Sean Penn Irena Medavoy Photostream.
  21. Web site: UNICEF Ball 2011. Society News LA. 2015-12-08.
  22. Web site: Danny Kaye Humanitarian Award Honorees Irena Medavoy and her son Nick.... Getty Images. 2015-12-08. 2015-12-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20151210201344/http://www.photodisk.com/detail/news-photo/danny-kaye-humanitarian-award-honorees-irena-medavoy-and-news-photo/135327894. dead.
  23. Web site: Actor Sean Penn speaks at the unveiling of Mike Medavoy's star on the.... Getty Images. 19 September 2005 . 2015-12-06.
  24. Web site: Women's Image Network Announces Irena Medavoy Woman of the Year Honoree. prlog.org. 2015-12-06.
  25. Web site: 5 Questions With WIN Awards Honoree Irena Medavoy. The Hollywood Reporter. 10 February 2016. 2016-03-03.
  26. Web site: Irena Medavoy: Hollywood Needs More Women In Its Ballpark. TheWrap. 3 February 2016. 2016-03-03.
  27. News: Irena Ferris, Actress, Marries Harris L. Katleman. The New York Times. 1984-07-22. 2015-12-08. 0362-4331.
  28. Web site: Irena Medavoy Reveals Her Jam-Packed, L.A. Staycation Itinerary. Irena Medavoy. January 10, 2015. The Hollywood Reporter.
  29. Web site: irena medavoy photos by tracey morris. GENLUX.
  30. Web site: Irena Medavoy on Her St. Bart's Holiday With Stallone, Tesla's Elon Musk and Russell Simmons (Guest Column). The Hollywood Reporter. 3 January 2014. 2015-12-06.
  31. Web site: H.R.4341 - 113th Congress (2013-2014): Truth in Advertising Act of 2014. 29 April 2014.
  32. Web site: Photos by tracey morris. GENLUX.com. 2015-12-06.
  33. Web site: Team Safe - T - Educational Materials. www.preventionweb.net. 2015-12-13. 2015-12-22. https://web.archive.org/web/20151222115858/http://www.preventionweb.net/english/professional/trainings-events/edu-materials/v.php?id=3426. dead.
  34. Web site: A Sense of Home. Georgie Smith. 2015-12-13.
  35. Web site: Advisors - A Sense of Home. A Sense of Home. 2015-12-06. 2015-12-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20151208125419/http://asenseofhome.org/advisors/. dead.

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