Steve MacDonald serves as president of FilmL.A., Inc. – the private, nonprofit corporation that contracts with the City of Los Angeles, the County of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Unified School District and other local jurisdictions to facilitate on-location motion picture, television and commercial production. FilmL.A., which formerly operated as the Entertainment Industry Development Corporation (EIDC), acts as a liaison between local government, studio/independent producers and the neighborhoods where production occurs.

MacDonald was appointed to lead EIDC in April 2004, following an intensive selection process that included a field of 173 candidates. His leadership skills and ability to represent diverse constituencies were quickly put to the test as he led EIDC through a long list of ambitious reforms and initiatives. These included a complete corporate restructuring with new operational and financial controls, as well as a new contract with the City of Los Angeles. In December 2005, he spearheaded EIDC’s widely publicized name change to FilmL.A., Inc., along with a move to new headquarters in downtown Los Angeles. He accomplished all this during a period in which the private, nonprofit film office processed a record number of on-location production permits.

MacDonald is a Los Angeles native who has devoted nearly his entire professional life to expanding business opportunities and addressing quality of life issues throughout the L.A. region. Prior to joining FilmL.A., he spent more than a decade in city government, where he served in a range of senior level positions focused on nurturing economic development and improving city services.

As the City’s first Neighborhood Service Manager, MacDonald worked with Mayor Hahn’s TeamWork LA Program to make city government more responsive and accountable to individual neighborhoods. He also served as Bureau Chief and Director of Development Services for the City’s Department of Building and Safety, where he managed a staff of 100 full-time employees and implemented award-winning innovations to improve efficiency.

Earlier in his career, MacDonald served as a founder and director of Mayor Riordan’s Los Angeles Business Team (LABT), which was established to retain, expand and attract businesses and jobs throughout the city. While at LABT, he developed and championed a series of policy initiatives geared specifically at the entertainment and multimedia industries.

In addition to serving as FilmL.A. President, MacDonald is actively involved with a range of civic and business organizations. He currently serves as board member of the Valley Industry & Commerce Association, executive board member of the Central City Association, entertainment council member of the Digital Coast Roundtable, advisory board member of the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission, the Economic Alliance of the San Fernando Valley, and LA411, and he is also a member of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.

MacDonald earned an MBA from Pepperdine University and an undergraduate degree in business administration and marketing from San Diego State University.