A three-day experience focused on small to mid-sized cities, bringing together the inspiring and the unexpected, harnessing that energy to build bridges and forge lasting bonds and commitments across difference. A national cultural movement organized by the team at Ernest Lyford intended to strengthen the country’s faith in community.

The American Revival launched with an engagement at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas. Former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, Cellist Yo-Yo Ma, Director Nicholas Ma, and Actress Alfre Woodard gathered to celebrate the intersections of arts, science, and grace. 

From the family therapist Anne Peretz and a foreword from Henry Louis Gates Jr., Opening Up chronicles the struggles and triumphs of families suffering the internalized stresses from poverty, domestic abuse, racism, and neighborhood violence, among other challenges. Website creation/design and book promotion to social work schools and organizations from Ernest Lyford. 

dir. Nicholas Ma

Twelve diverse Christian leaders find hope and fellowship at a series of boundary-breaking retreats in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Brought together by Michael Gulker of The Colossian Forum, five women and seven men struggle with some of today’s most contentious issues. The divisions between them become apparent and test both their common belief in the universal importance of love and kindness and the bonds they build over the course of a year.

Inspiring and provocative, LEAP OF FAITH explores whether we can disagree and still belong to each other in a divided world.

Hearthland International Film Festival

produced by Nicholas Ma

For over 30 years, Fred Rogers, an unassuming minister, puppeteer, writer and producer, was beamed daily into homes across America. In his beloved television program, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Fred and his cast of puppets and friends spoke directly to young children about some of life’s weightiest issues, in a simple, direct fashion. There hadn’t been anything like Mr. Rogers on television before and there hasn’t been since.

Directed by Morgan Neville
Produced by Morgan Neville, Caryn Capotosto, Nicholas Ma

Recognition
— Sundance Film Festival
— SXSW Film Festival
— Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards (2018) Best Documentary Feature and Best Director (Morgan Neville)
— Producers Guild of America Awards (2019) Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Pictures
— National Board of Review (2018) Best Documentary
— American Film Institute (AFI) Named one of the Top 10 Films of the Year (2018)
— Directors Guild of America Awards (2019) Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary (Morgan Neville)

dir. and produced by Nicholas Ma

Yo-Yo Ma re-records, for the last time, the first piece he learned — the Prelude to Bach’s first cello suite.

Recognition
— New York Film Festival 2019

produced by Nicholas Ma

In 1997, the National Basketball Association made history by establishing its women’s division, the WNBA. The New York Liberty was the first team to be created in this new league, its ranks bolstered by stars such as Rebecca Lobo and Kym Hampton. Although their first year saw massive success, they, along with other fiercely athletic and accomplished WNBA teams, have faced major obstacles ranging from homophobia to sexism in their path to legitimacy. These obstacles to both the Liberty and the WNBA as a whole are brought to a new light as the new team begins its 2021 season.

Timely and staggering in more ways than one, Unfinished Business is an intimate look at the WNBA, interweaving the rich, untold quarter-century history of this groundbreaking league with the New York Liberty’s dramatic 2021 season. This documentary is essential in a time when women’s sports are fighting to become better recognized, compensated, and respected among a sports-loving public. —Cara Cusumano

Nicholas Ma is the President of Ernest Lyford LLC and an award-winning director, writer, and producer based in Brooklyn. He produced the acclaimed documentary WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? (Sundance, 2018), about the life of Fred Rogers, and UNFINISHED BUSINESS on the WNBA (Tribeca, 2022). Most recently, he directed LEAP OF FAITH (Heartland, 2024) on the struggles of Christian pastors in Grand Rapids and MABEL (San Francisco, 2024), about a twelve-year-old girl, whose best friend is a potted plant. He has created work for global brands, including Rolex and Apple. 

Before his career in film, he spent a decade in business and politics. On the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he covered global economic policy for Chairman John Kerry, from the recapitalization of the IMF, World Bank, and regional development banks to the design of the economic engine of the cap-and-trade bill. He also worked as a consultant at McKinsey & Company in New York and Shanghai leading engagements with corporations, cities, and governments around the world, from Mayor Michael Bloomberg to the President of South Korea. He received his M.F.A. from NYU Tisch School of the Arts and is a graduate of Harvard College.

Kathy Fletcher is the National Impact Producer at Ernest Lyford. Rooted in a passion for social justice, she has built an extensive track record of managing high-impact programs that leverage the arts to deepen our capacity for love and equity. 

Kathy brings deep expertise in fundraising, communications, management, and execution in private, non-profit, and government settings. She has worked with some of the nation’s leading organizations and institutions, including the Atlantic Council, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the Gates Foundation, and Google. From 2019-2022, Kathy was Executive Director of Silkroad, the unique transnational arts collaborative founded by Yo-Yo Ma. Prior to her work there, she was Director of Creative Leadership Initiatives at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. 

Before joining the Kennedy Center, Kathy co-founded the White House program, Turnaround Arts, under First Lady Michelle Obama, which used high-quality and integrated arts education to address the toughest educational challenges in our country. 

Kathy led its expansion from a pilot project in eight schools to a national program at over 100 schools. Kathy and her husband also founded All Our Kids (AOK Arts), a non-profit that supports and encourages young artists of color.

Kristen Cambell is the Senior Impact Advisor at Ernest Lyford. Kristen serves as Senior Fellow at PACE (Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement), following a decade-long tenure as the organization’s CEO from 2015 to 2025. In her current role, she leads PACE’s Democracy Futures Project. She continues to advance the field of civic engagement and democracy through her consulting practice, Scenario 4, where she advises clients on social cohesion, civic engagement, and democracy-building initiatives.

Kristen’s career reflects a deep commitment to fostering civic participation and strengthening democratic institutions. Prior to her time at PACE, she served as Chief Program Officer at the National Conference on Citizenship, where she led transformative initiatives aimed at measuring and enhancing civic health. She has also held philanthropic roles with the Case Foundation and Points of Light, further cementing her expertise in mobilizing communities for civic action.

An AmeriCorps alum, Kristen’s has a lifelong dedication to service. She currently serves on the board of Citizen University and has advised numerous national initiatives, including the working group of the Philanthropy Initiative at the Smithsonian Institution. She has held fellowships with American Express and The Fund for American Studies.

Kristen is a sought-after voice, having been invited to speak at preeminent organizations like the White House Historical Association, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and Lincoln Center, and writing for numerous trade publications, including The Chronicle of Philanthropy. She has been honored to plan and host events featuring multiple U.S. Presidents, Supreme Court Justices, and members of the British royal family.

Kristen’s leadership and vision have positioned her as a trusted advisor and advocate in the fields of philanthropy, civic innovation, and democracy, making her a respected figure in the sector.

Teddy Beamer is the National Impact Coordinator at Ernest Lyford. Teddy graduated from Emerson College with a B.S. in Journalism and a minor in Political Communications. He has a passion for multimedia storytelling, highlighting the ubiquity of human creativity.

Teddy joined the Ernest Lyford team during the Leap of Faith premiere tour, promoting the film and engaging audiences through community events. Prior to his position at Ernest Lyford, Teddy was a Field Manager at MASS PIRG, ensuring smooth operations in a grassroots fundraising office, and was a communications intern at Generation Patient, creating content to advocate for young people living with chronic illness.

Picturehouse has acquired Nicholas Ma’s documentary Leap of Faith, with a nationwide theatrical release beginning October 4, 2024. The film follows 12 Christian leaders navigating divisive issues through a series of retreats, exploring how faith and dialogue can heal deep divides. Yo-Yo Ma will make special in-theater appearances in select cities.

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Nicholas Ma, renowned writer, director, and producer, shares details about his upcoming documentary, Leap of Faith. This compelling film takes viewers on a transformative ride alongside 12 Christian pastors from diverse backgrounds. In conversation with Kristen Cambell, Executive Director of PACE, Ma explains the documentary’s purpose and the profound impact of embracing common ground to bridge divides.

In ancient traditions, plants were viewed as sentient beings, a belief that modern science once dismissed but is now revisiting. Recent research shows that plants use electrical signals and chemical reactions to respond to their environment, exhibiting behaviors like learning and decision-making. Trees even communicate across species through underground fungal networks.

Nicholas Ma’s debut feature, Mabel, supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, explores these ideas through the story of a young girl’s friendship with her potted plant, blending science with a touching narrative.

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