Jessica Yu, a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Yale University, is a producer, director, and writer of award-winning films, including BREATHING LESSONS: THE LIFE AND WORK OF MARK O'BRIEN, which won the 1997 Academy Award® for Best Documentary Short Subject, and THE LIVING MUSEUM, a feature-length documentary film for HBO about an art community in a New York mental institution. She was a member of the 1986 USA National Fencing Team that competed at the World Championships. She participated in the 1983, 1985 and 1987 US Olympic Festivals and was named to the NCAA Women's Fencing All-Decade Team in 1991. She stumbled upon film production when looking for a job allowing flexible hours so she could continue to compete in fencing. In her 1997 Oscar® acceptance speech, she said: "You know you've entered new territory when your outfit cost more than your film." Yu was associate producer of MAYA LIN: A STRONG CLEAR VISION (1994) and script advisor for PICTURE BRIDE (1995). Other writing/directing/producing credits include IN THE REALMS OF THE UNREAL (2004), PROTAGONIST (2007), and PING PONG PLAYS (also 2007). Her TV directing credits include episodes of "ER," "The West Wing" and "Grey's Anatomy." Yu is also a journalist. She is married to actor Mark Salzman and lives in Southern California.  Best Achievement in Documentary Short Subjects 1996: BREATHING LESSONS: THE LIFE AND WORK OF MARK O'BRIEN 1 nomination, 1 Award