Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s biography, net worth, fact, career, awards and life story

Jennifer Lynn Newsom (née Siebel; born June 19, 1974) is an American documentary filmmaker and actress. She is the director, writer and producer of the film Miss Representation, which premiered in the documentary competition at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. The film examines how the media have contributed to the underrepresentation of women in positions of power. Her second film, which she wrote produced and directed, was The Mask You Live In, which premiered at the 2015 Sundance Festival. It is a criticism of American society’s definition of masculinity.

Early life and education

Newsom was born in San Francisco, to Kenneth F. Siebel, Jr., an investment manager (second cousin to software entrepreneur Thomas Siebel), and Judy (Fritzer) Siebel, co-founder of the Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito. Newsom grew up in Ross, Marin County, California.

She is the oldest of four sisters and attended Ross Grammar School and The Branson School. During high school, she played varsity basketball, soccer, and tennis. She later graduated with honors from Stanford University, where she obtained a Bachelor’s degree in 1996 and Master of Business Administration in 2001. Her studies focused on conservation policy and Third World development.

At Stanford, she was recruited to play on the women’s soccer team. While pursuing her MBA, Newsom also studied at the American Conservatory Theater, where she completed a certificate program. After completing her education, Newsom traveled to Africa, Latin America, and Europe on assignments with Conservation International, a global environmental coalition. Newsom worked in rain forest communities with a focus on helping indigenous populations and creating business enterprise opportunities for women.

Personal life

Newsom is married to former San Francisco Mayor and current Lieutenant Governor of California Gavin Newsom. Jennifer met Gavin on a blind date set up by a mutual friend at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in October 2006. The couple announced their engagement in January 2008. Jennifer and Gavin wed in July of the same year at her parents’ ranch in Stevensville, Montana. It was Jennifer’s first marriage and Gavin’s second. In September 2009, she gave birth to a daughter, Montana Tessa Siebel Newsom.

Newsom gave birth to a son, Hunter Siebel Newsom, on June 12, 2011. In 2011, Newsom and her family moved from San Francisco to Ross, where she grew up. A daughter, Brooklynn, was born July 3, 2013. On February 26, 2016 the Newsoms announced the birth of their fourth child, Dutch.

Career

In 2002, Newsom moved to Hollywood, where she concentrated on building her acting career. Newsom earned many roles in television, film, and theater. Newsom has appeared on television shows such as Life, Mad Men, Strong Medicine, and Numb3rs.

Filmmaking

Miss Representation premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival to mostly positive reviews. The film went on to screen at numerous other festivals, including the San Francisco International Film Festival, Athena Film Festival and won the Audience Award at the Palo Alto International Film Festival.

The film interweaves stories from teenage girls with interviews with, among others, Dr. Condoleezza Rice, Lisa Ling, Nancy Pelosi, Katie Couric, Rosario Dawson, and Gloria Steinem discussing the media and its message regarding women.

On February 10, 2011, Oprah Winfrey announced that she had acquired the film for the OWN Documentary Film Club, with plans of broadcasting it in the near future.

Newsom raised $101,111 on Kickstarter to fund the production of her second film The Mask You Live In, which premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.

Newsom’s third and most recent film was The Great American Lie.

She co-founded The Representation Project, an organization which works to end gender stereotypes. The Representation Project’s board members include Jan Yanehiro, Nathan Ballard, Susie McCormick and Maureen Pelton.

Newsom, formerly a member of the Republican Party and the American Independent Party, is now a registered independent.

Filmography