Paul Lieberstein

Paul Lieberstein
Lieberstein in 2008
Born	(1967-02-22) February 22, 1967 (age 50) Westport, Connecticut, U.S.
Occupation	Screenwriter Television producer
Nationality	American
Citizenship	American
Period	1994–present
Genre	Situation comedy
Spouse	Janine Serafin Poreba (2008–present)
Children	5
Relatives	Susanne Daniels (sister) Warren Lieberstein (brother) Greg Daniels (in-law)

Paul Bevan Lieberstein (born February 22, 1967) is an American screenwriter, actor and television producer. A Primetime Emmy Award winner, he is best known as writer, producer, and as supporting cast member Toby Flenderson on the U.S. version of the sitcom The Office. He served as the series' showrunner from seasons five to eight. On March 22, 2012, it was announced that Lieberstein would step down from his showrunner role to focus on a planned spin-off series featuring Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute, which was tentatively called The Farm and Lieberstein was set to be the showrunner. However, in October 2012, it was announced that NBC was not accepting the spin-off series. Lieberstein also worked as producer on the third and final season of the television drama series The Newsroom.

Lieberstein grew up in Westport, Connecticut, the son of Judith and Stanley Lieberstein. He attended Staples High School. Afterwards, he attended Hamilton College, where he joined Chi Psi, and graduated in 1989 with a major in economics (he "wanted to be a financier of some kind"). An interesting footnote is that Lieberstein wrote into the storyline of several episodes references to the fact that Andy Bernard was a Chi Psi from Cornell. Making the effete Andy Bernard a Chi Psi from Cornell was intentional and reflects a good natured "dig" at Cornell by a Chi Psi alum. His first job after graduation was as an auditor at Peat Marwick International, a job that only lasted six months. He followed that with part-time work in his father's law firm, "working as little as [he] could so [he] could write."