Chief Executive & Founder, Sherry Lansing Foundation

During almost 30 years in the motion picture business, Lansing was involved in the production of more than 200 films, including Academy Award winners “Forrest Gump,” “Braveheart” and “Titanic.” In 1980, she became the first woman to head a major film studio when she was appointed president of 20th Century Fox. Lansing in 1992 was named chairwoman and chief executive of Paramount Pictures. And in 2005, she founded the Sherry Lansing Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to cancer research, public education and encore career opportunities. One initiative is to help corporate professionals transition into becoming public school math and science teachers. Lansing serves on several boards and is a co-founder of the Stand Up to Cancer initiative.

YEARS ON THE LA500: 7