Sam Wheeler Named New Executive Director of the Writers Guild of America East
NEW YORK, NY (February 26, 2024) – After a thorough, months-long search, the Council of the Writers Guild of America East is pleased to announce that Sam Wheeler has been named the Union’s new Executive Director. He will begin his tenure on April 1, 2024.
Wheeler joins the WGAE after serving as the National Executive Director of the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) since 2022. He began at AGMA as Eastern Counsel in 2019, where he led negotiations for workers at the Metropolitan Opera, American Ballet Theatre, Boston Ballet, Boston Lyric Opera, Chautauqua Opera, and Pittsburgh Opera. Further, Wheeler played a central role in successfully steering a revision to AGMA’s governing documents and subsequent constitutional referendum in 2020.
Wheeler said, “I am honored to join the WGAE as Executive Director. I want to thank President Cullen, the Officers, and the Council for placing their trust in me. WGAE members have built a dynamic, member-led, fighting union and I am thrilled to be part of the work ahead.”
Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, President of the Writers Guild of America East, said, “In keeping with our transformative times, we looked for a transformative leader — and we believe we’ve found such a leader in Sam Wheeler. His clear strategic vision impressed our Search Committee and Council, as did his reputation for working closely with members and staff, leading tough negotiations and diligently administering collective bargaining agreements. He has already proven himself to be a forward-thinking labor leader who can execute on promised goals. We have full confidence he will serve the diverse interests of the Guild’s 7,500 members.”
Prior to AGMA, Wheeler was an attorney at Cohen, Weiss and Simon LLP, where he represented both private and public sector unions in contract negotiation, litigation, and administrative proceedings, and provided internal guidance on strategic and governance matters. He previously served in the Office of the General Counsel at both the National Education Association, the nation’s largest teachers union, and the United Steelworkers as a 2014 Peggy Browning Fellow.
Wheeler is a cum laude graduate of Harvard Law School, a summa cum laude graduate of the College of William and Mary, and a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He lives in New York City with his wife and their daughter.
ABOUT THE WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA EAST
The Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) is a labor union representing more than 7,500 members working in film, television, news, podcasts, and online media. The Guild negotiates and administers contracts that protect the creative and economic rights of its members; conducts programs, seminars and events on issues of interest to writers; and presents writers’ views to various bodies of government. The WGAE is an affiliate of the AFL-CIO. For more information on the Writers Guild of America East, visit wgaeast.org.
###