Jonathan KatzChairman

Jonathan founded Cinnabar in 1982 in a small Hollywood back lot. As Cinnabar gained a reputation for getting the job done and solving problems in a creative, collaborative way, it rapidly became one of the entertainment industry’s leading fabrication and special EFX companies.

Beginning as a welder/mechanic building floats for the Pasadena Rose Parade, Jonathan’s background includes a political career in the 1970s, working for then-California Governor Jerry Brown to help implement key Brown initiatives such as the Office of Appropriate Technology and the California Conservation Corps. Jonathan’s lifelong dedication to conservation has driven him to adopt sustainability concerns into his company’s work product, implement technical innovations in sustainable specimen display, and work to support resource-conserving behaviors from the shop floor to all phases of a project.

In recent years, Jonathan has focused Cinnabar’s bold approach to content delivery to producing, designing and fabricating museum exhibitions that engage, entertain and educate modern audiences.

Jonathan is a frequent speaker on panels addressing sustainability issues, audience engagement and storytelling in museums. He is a board member of the Western Museums Association (WMA) and the Ojai Valley Museum. Jonathan was one of the first people in Southern California to drive GM’s electric EV-1 car. He is an avid gardener.

Basil KatzCEO

As Cinnabar’s most senior client-facing representative, Basil brings his experience working in high-pressure, high-performance environments to managing Cinnabar’s ongoing client relationships. He is adept at working with large groups of stakeholders and project participants to arrive at consensus-based decisions that maximize a project’s success.

Basil joined Cinnabar four years ago after spending six years as a professional journalist first at The New York Times in Paris, then with the Reuters News agency in New York.

Basil’s journalism experience has ingrained in him the ability to distill large amounts of information into clear, simple and direct ideas, allowing him to make decisions based on a project’s core merits. His experience has also taught him that good and regular communication, both internal and external, is key to keeping a project on the right track.

Leslie CrawfordCFO

As a highly experienced financial planner and manager, Leslie oversees Cinnabar’s financial analysis, planning and forecasting, budget implementation and management, financial reporting and tax planning. She works with the management team to provide recommendations for procedural and systematic improvements to ensure that company objectives are being met. During a brief hiatus away from Cinnabar, Leslie worked with Playground Media Group in Santa Monica and LT-LA Communications in West Hollywood. She has 33 years of accounting and financial experience in various industries including construction, entertainment production and post-production services, publicity and marketing, and IT/Technical Staffing.

Jeannie LommaDirector, Project Management

Jeannie is one of the most experienced project management directors in the specialty show-set fabrication industry. With an educational background in design, architecture, and film, and a postgraduate degree from UCLA, Jeannie brings over 25 years of experience to exhibitions and projects for numerous institutions. She possesses a deep understanding of the key processes and components of complex, multi-faceted projects and, from inception to completion, ensures a project’s efficient execution. Jeannie has been Cinnabar’s Senior Project Manager on three projects with a budget of over $5 million, and one project with a budget over $15 million.

While carefully balancing the project’s creative aspects, Jeannie is responsible for rigorous financial management, project budget performance and a diligent adherence to schedules. A strong collaborator and proven performer in the management of large teams with diverse groups of participants,  Jeannie is instrumental in planning and directing Cinnabar’s most distinguished and noteworthy projects, both in the United States and abroad.