November 7, 2025

WGA Announces 2026 MBA Negotiating Committee

Contact: Bob Hopkinson (310) 801-8563; Jason Gordon (212) 767-7809
WGAW and WGAE have appointed the members of the WGA’s MBA negotiating committee for upcoming contract negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

Los Angeles and New York – Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) and Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) have appointed the members of the WGA’s MBA negotiating committee for upcoming contract negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). The current Minimum Basic Agreement (MBA) expires on May 1, 2026.

WGAW Executive Director Ellen Stutzman will serve as chief negotiator.

The members of the 2026 MBA Negotiating Committee are:

John August, Co-Chair
Danielle Sanchez-Witzel, Co-Chair

Ali Barthwell
Yahlin Chang
Stan Chervin
Larry J. Cohen
Josh Gondelman
Phil Hay
Eric Haywood
Chris Hazzard
Melissa London Hilfers
Christopher Kyle
Molly Nussbaum
Luvh Rakhe
Shawn Ryan 
Betsy Thomas 
Danny Tolli 
Erica Saleh
Mike Schur
Cat Vasko
Ben Watkins
Kat Wood
Lisa Zwerling

Michele Mulroney, WGAW President, Ex-Officio
Travis Donnelly, WGAW Vice President, Ex-Officio 
Peter Murrieta, WGAW Secretary-Treasurer, Ex-Officio, 
Tom Fontana, WGAE President, Ex-Officio, 
Michael Rauch, WGAE Vice President of Film/TV/Streaming, Ex-Officio
Sasha Stewart, WGAE Secretary-Treasurer, Ex-Officio

The Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) are labor unions representing writers in motion pictures, television, cable, digital media, and broadcast news. The Guilds negotiate and administer contracts that protect the creative and economic rights of their members; conduct programs, seminars, and events on issues of interest to writers; and present writers’ views to various bodies of government. For more information on the Writers Guild of America West, visit www.wga.org. For more information on the Writers Guild of America East, visit www.wgaeast.org.