Joseph P. Benincasa

Joseph P. Benincasa is the President and CEO of the Entertainment Community Fund, the national human services organization that helps everyone in entertainment and the performing arts. He joined the Fund in 1989.

Mr. Benincasa directs comprehensive social services, health care services, employment and training, and affordable, supportive and senior housing. The Entertainment Community Fund has offices in New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago, a nursing home in Englewood, NJ, and supportive housing residences in Brooklyn and Manhattan, NY, and West Hollywood, CA. He is also President of the Actors Fund Housing Development Corporation which is building affordable, supportive and senior care residences for artists in major urban centers.

He serves on the boards of directors of several organizations, including Black Theatre United, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, the New Jersey Theatre Alliance, Times Square Alliance and the Somerset Patriots, a minor league baseball team. He is also member of the Columbus Foundation, Lambs, Players and Friars’ Clubs, and has been recognized with several honors, including The Actors Fund Medal of Honor, Tony Honors Award, New Jersey Legislature Excellence in Arts and the inaugural Made in New York Awards. He has chaired the New York Society of Association Executives, served as Secretary/Treasurer of the MusiCares Foundation (Grammys), and on the boards of the National Executive Service Corps, Theatre Communications Group, and as a member of the Tony Administration and Nominating Committees, and on the Boards of Directors of St. Peter’s University Medical Center, the Human Services Council, Learning Ally, Bio-Reference Laboratories and YMCA of New York City.

In 2011, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by Centenary College and served on the New York State Attorney General’s Leadership Committee for Nonprofit Revitalization. In 2018, he delivered the commencement speech at the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University Mason Gross and received its Distinguished Service to the Arts Award. He has served as a Professor for the Fordham Center for Non-Profit Leaders.

Mr. Benincasa graduated from St. Joseph’s University and earned a Masters from Rutgers University. He served in the Washington, DC, office of Congressman John Culver (D-Iowa) in 1973, directed the Title 7 Bilingual Education Program (New Brunswick, NJ) in 1974, and directed communications for the United Ways of Tri-State and Dade County from 1975 to 1980, and for the New York Blood Center from 1980 to 1988.

Mr. Benincasa is married to Nancy Koellhoffer for 48 years and they have raised three children of which he is immensely proud.

As of November 10, 2023.