Roschoune Franklin
Chief Resource Officer

Roschoune Franklin joined the American Film Institute (AFI) in January 2000 and has held multiple leadership roles, including Manager and Director of Human Resources, before being appointed Chief Resource Officer in 2019. In her current capacity, she oversees a broad portfolio of essential functions — Human Resources, Information Technology, Campus Operations, Business and Legal Affairs, and the Office of Equity and Inclusion — helping to shape AFI’s organizational culture and strategic direction.

Before joining AFI, Franklin built a successful career in Human Resources within the telecommunications and healthcare industries. She holds a bachelor’s degree from San José State University, a master’s degree from the University of Phoenix, a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification, and a Human Resources Management Certificate from Cornell University.

Franklin also serves on the Regional Board of Directors for Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated, an international women’s leadership organization. Outside of her professional and sorority commitments, she enjoys reading and spending quality time with her family.

Lang Fredrickson
Chief Financial Officer

Lang Fredrickson is the Chief Financial Officer at the American Film Institute (AFI) and a prominent leader in the financial sector, with 30 years of experience in finance and accounting. He joined AFI in 2015, and is responsible for all financial and treasury operations, including budgeting, financial reporting and analysis, endowment oversight, annual audit coordination and IRS and regulatory reporting. Additionally, he oversees AFI’s banking relationships, cash and debt management, investment of operating cash, reserve funds and endowments and financial risk. Since joining AFI, Fredrickson has created tools to improve the transparency and understanding of the Institute’s accounting and financial performance, enabling AFI to make more educated decisions on financial matters.

Previous to his work at AFI, Fredrickson served as Senior Vice President at Guthy-Renker, the Vice President of Finance for Belkin International and the Chief Financial Officer, North America at Vivendi Universal Games. Fredrickson started his career at the Walt Disney Company in a variety of corporate and regional finance positions in the United States, Europe and Asia-Pacific. He received a B.S. in Finance and B.S in Marketing from the Nazarian College of Business at California State University, Northridge. Fredrickson later earned his MBA in International Finance and Marketing from the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business.

Susan Ruskin
Dean, AFI Conservatory & Executive Vice President

Susan Ruskin is Dean & Executive Vice President at the American Film Institute. Before coming to AFI, Ruskin served as Dean of the School of Filmmaking at University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA), where she brought a wealth of experience in engaging filmmakers and faculty in new storytelling technology. During her tenure, she founded a Media and Emerging Technology Lab; led the completion of a 30,000-square-foot New Media Building; and organized UNCSA’s first Future of Reality Summit to initiate cross-field discussion surrounding emerging technologies. Previously, she served as Chair of UNCSA’s Producing Faculty before becoming Interim Dean in 2012. Ruskin’s professional experience includes producing credits on such films as ANACONDA and HAUNTED HONEYMOON; as well as serving as President of Production at Middle Fork Pictures/Cinema Line and Gene Wilder’s Pal-Mel Productions, and as a Creative Executive at Lucasfilm Ltd. She holds a BA from New York University, and an MFA in Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts from UC Riverside.