About

Be Forward Productions

Be Forward Productions believes in the power of storytelling as a galvanizing force for public awareness and action around issues of national and global concern. At the core of each one of our projects is an urgent inquiry into the desires, fears, and needs of our shared communities. Be Forward Productions offers support to those bold creative endeavors that not only shine a light on these critical issues, but also respond to them with a forward-thinking vision.

 Be Forward Productions harnesses the power of these stories across a wide variety of mediums. Our portfolio contains documentary and feature films as well as theatrical productions on and off-Broadway. It is through our three-pronged approach to support – financial, creative, and professional – that we ensure these compelling and essential stories reach international audiences.

Mara burros sandler (FOUNDER)

Mara Burros Sandler is a graduate of UW Madison with a BA in psychology. She also holds an MA/Ed.m in counseling psychology from Teachers College Columbia University. In keeping with her educational focus on fostering strong emotional and physical health, Mara has dedicated a great deal of her time to non-profit work in the areas of health and well-being.

She has served on the boards of numerous organizations with health-related missions. Mara’s particular focus on women’s health was born of the loss of her mother to ovarian cancer at the age of 57 after a five year battle with the disease. Mara co-founded the Janet Burros Memorial Foundation in her mother’s honor, which she served as a director for 15 years. Over the years Mara has sat on boards of The Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance, and has served as the director and co-president of The Women’s Division of Albert Einstein College of Medicine.  She currently sits on the board of the leadership council of the Basser Center for BRCA.

Her other focus is on addiction, after losing family members and having many others close to her struggle with this horrific disease. Mara has sat on the boards of Casa Columbia and Facing Addiction. Many of the films Mara has chosen to support tackle and shed light on this issue.

Mara also has a keen interest in philanthropic activities related to strengthening educational and artistic institutions, building community, and fighting bigotry. Having served on the boards of The Hewitt School, Facing History and Ourselves, and the 92nd Street Y. She currently sits on the boards of The Women’s International Zionist Organization, the Aspen Art Museum, and The Afya Foundation, an organization that deals specifically with global health. Mara is also the ​Senior Advisor & Director of Social Impact​ for the Zuckerberg Institute.

Mara worked as a buyer at Bergdorf Goodman for seven years before taking time away from full-time work to raise her three children and to focus on philanthropic activities. During this professional hiatus, she worked as an art consultant at MS Art Consultant; co-founded MAP, pop-up retail shop on Madison; and co-founded Diamondocity, a company specializing in jewelry for your walls.

Over the last ten years, Mara’s creative passion has shifted to film and theater, combining her extensive experience in the philanthropic sector with her missions. The birth of Be Forward Productions marks a milestone in her commitment to advancing these art forms through compelling storytelling that has the power for change, the power to improve the world.