NEW YORK, NY (October 7, 2026) – The Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) is proud to announce the 23 graduates of the 2026 Support Staff Basic Training program. This virtual bootcamp aims to help underrepresented emerging writers break into television at the support-staff level.

The initiative is designed and run by working television writers and former writers room support staff, and is divided into two tracks: Writers’ Assistant and Script Coordinator. In each track, participants gain knowledge through a mix of roundtables, lectures, independent work, and interactive workshops.

This year’s program was produced by P-VALLEY co-executive producer Ian Olympio and instructed by staff writer Sheli Paige Frank (P-VALLEY) and executive story editor Matthew K Begbie (ELSBETH). Olympio, Frank and Begbie all worked their way through the ranks after starting as assistants in television writing.

The 2026 graduates of the Writers’ Assistant track are Adriana Kyncl, Alia Carita Tompkins, Andrea Fernandez Henao, Caroline Fanelli, Charu Sinha, Connor Smith, JoAnna “J.” Izon, Krysana Maragh, Marisa Arohi, Sam Shane, Shadé Quintanilla and V Marks. The 2026 graduates of the Script Coordinator track are Alexandra Bianco, Becca Carter Freeman, Cynthia He, Emma Fiske-Dobell, Kenny Beckford, Olivia Olsher, Ridley Randolph, Roxanne Lim, Savannah Summerlin, Suzanne Griffin and Sydney Giacomazzi.

Read bios on each of the 2026 Support Staff Basic Training program graduates here.

The Support Staff Basic Training program is intended for emerging, diverse writers (BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, disabled, over 40 years old) based in the eastern half of the United States (including Chicago, Atlanta, Miami and New York), who have not previously worked as writers assistants or script coordinators on a scripted television series.

The Writers Assistant’s track involves preparing participants for tasks such as taking notes during writers room meetings, editing scripts and performing research as needed. The Script Coordinator’s track involves teaching participants how to format and proof scripts and other documents, and vet story documents for continuity.

ABOUT THE WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA EAST

The Writers Guild of America East, AFL-CIO, is a labor union of 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. For more information on the Writers Guild of America East, visit wgaeast.org.