The Writers Guild of America East recently held its council election, and many incumbent leaders were re-elected, along with two new leaders in film, television, and streaming.
Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, who previously served as the vice-president for film/TV/streaming, will now take on the role of president after being unopposed in the election. Christopher Kyle, the current secretary-treasurer, will continue in his position, and Erica Saleh, a previous council member, has been elected as the new vice-president for film/TV/streaming, also running unopposed.
In the film/TV/streaming sector, out of the 12 candidates who ran for council seats, six were elected. This group includes incumbents Josh Gondelman, Liz Hynes, Greg Iwinski, and Sasha Stewart, as well as newcomers Sofia Alvarez and Sarah Montana.
One notable achievement highlighted by Takeuchi Cullen is that she is the first woman of color to lead the WGA East and the third female president overall. She emphasized that the fight for fair compensation for members, including TV and screenwriters, journalists, and podcasters, is ongoing. She also stated the importance of workers earning a life of dignity and prioritizing human rights over corporate profits.
The election saw a turnout of 13.3 percent for the president and vice president contests and 19.9 percent for the film/TV/streaming election. Votenet Solutions supervised the counting of the votes.
Stay tuned for more updates on the Writers Guild of America East and its activities.
