LOS ANGELES – Loyola Marymount University will welcome Ben Sherwood, CEO and publisher of The Daily Beast, as the keynote speaker at the graduate commencement the morning of Sunday, May 17. Judge Anthony Devos Johnstone, who serves on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, will speak at the LMU Loyola Law School Commencement on Sunday afternoon.
A dynamic multimedia storyteller committed to intellectual inquiry and critical dialogue, Sherwood is one of the most impactful leaders in media and culture. He is a strategic partner to Barry Diller, helping shape the future of journalism, and served previously as co-chairman of Disney Media Networks and president of Disney ABC Television Group. He helped guide Disney’s transformation into the streaming era during a period of profound industry disruption, redefining how one of the world’s most iconic companies competes in a rapidly developing media landscape.
Before that, as president of ABC News, Sherwood led the organization to No. 1 in ratings, record profitability, and every major award in broadcast journalism, while forging groundbreaking partnerships with Univision and Yahoo! An accomplished entrepreneur, Sherwood is also the founder and former CEO of MOJO, a venture-backed platform to make youth sports more accessible for families worldwide. After its rapid growth and global reach, MOJO was acquired by TeamSnap, where Sherwood now serves on the board. He began his career as a journalist and producer, serving as executive producer of “Good Morning America” and senior producer of “NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw.” He is the author of multiple books, including the New York Times bestseller “The Survivors Club,” and three bestselling novels. Sherwood is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Harvard College and Rhodes Scholar at Magdalen College, Oxford.
Judge Anthony Devos Johnstone serves on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, one of the nation’s most influential federal appellate courts. Known for his intellectual rigor, balanced judicial temperament, and commitment to the rule of law, Johnstone was confirmed to the bench in 2023, bringing with him a distinguished record of public service, legal scholarship, and appellate advocacy.
Prior to his appointment, Johnstone served as Montana’s Solicitor General, where he represented the state in high-stakes appellate litigation and argued cases before state and federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. Earlier in his career, he was a professor at the University of Montana, Alexander Blewett III School of Law, where he taught constitutional law, legislation, and administrative law, and was widely respected for his thoughtful and rigorous approach to legal education. Johnstone also clerked for Judge Sidney R. Thomas of the Ninth Circuit, an experience that helped shape his deep understanding of judicial decision-making and appellate practice.
Nearly 3,000 undergraduate, graduate, and law students will participate in commencement weekend at LMU, which will be at Sunken Garden on LMU Westchester campus and livestreamed. More information is at https://www.lmu.edu/commencement/.