Peggy Rajski: Oscar-winning filmmaker, founder The Trevor Project

Peggy Rajski (she/her) is an Oscar-winning filmmaker, LGBTQ+ ally/activist, and  entrepreneurial leader. A long-time feature film producer in the world of  entertainment, Rajski made her directorial debut on the short film Trevor (1994), a  poignant comedy about a young teen whose world is turned upside down when  word spreads at school that he might be gay, and his thoughts turn toward  suicide. 

Trevor went on to win the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short in  1994, and eventually led Rajski to create The Trevor Project, the world’s leading organization providing crisis intervention services and suicide prevention programs  for LGBTQ+ young people since founding in 1998. She served as the organization’s Executive Director during its critical startup years and has remained on the Board of  Directors since. 

In film, Rajski has produced multiple award-winning feature films, served as the Dean of LMU’s top 10-ranked School of Film and Television from 2018-2021,  accepted appointment as inaugural head of the NYU-Tisch Graduate Film Program’s creative producing program from 2010-2018 including overseeing development of the core curriculum, and has conducted master classes and  workshops on producing and pitching in the U.S. and abroad throughout her  career.  

From November 2022-July 2024, she stepped in as Interim CEO at The Trevor  Project at the Board’s request to help steward the now 500+ person organization’s  transition to a new chapter. Her goal from founding day to today is ensuring Trevor  thrives as a vital, industry-leading lifesaving resource for LGBTQ+ young people at a  critical moment in their lives.

Learn more about Peggy