Council

Sara David is a writer and editor who worked at Paramount+, Netflix, and VICE, where she was a member of the VICE Union bargaining and labor-management committees. She’s served on WGAE Council since 2021 as an Online Media Representative and then sector Vice-President, and has been an active member since 2017, establishing and serving on various committees including ones for industry-wide organizing, shop steward and union leadership training, and the OM and Podcast Workers Bill of Rights. Sara is currently a student at CUNY School of Law; you can follow her on Twitter/X at @SaraQDavid (external – opens in a new window).

Email Sara David

Beth Godvik is a newswriter/producer at CBS News Chicago (WBBM-TV). She’s worked there since 2004, producing newscasts, booking interviews and working with reporters. She also produces segments about quick ways to boost your mental health called “Mental Health Minute” and a financial education segment called “Money Talks.” In addition to news, Beth was one of the producers on “Monsters and Money in the Morning,” a sports and business round table talk show. She’s a union co-steward in her newsroom and has served on multiple negotiating committees for CBS News contracts. Beth is also an Emmy Award winner and an adjunct faculty member at DePaul University.You can follow her on Twitter/X at @GodvikNewzgirlEmail Beth Godvik

Monica Lee Bellais is serving her fourth term on the WGAE Council. She holds a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications and is also a member of PGA, SAG-AFTRA, NATAS, BAFTA, the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain, and Women in Film & Video in Washington, DC, where she serves on the Advisory Committee.

Larry J. Cohen is a writer, producer and New Jersey enthusiast. His credits include BERLIN STATION (MGM+), BORGIA (Netflix/Canal+) and SADDAM & ME (selected for the 2018 Blacklist). His work has been selected in festivals across the country including San Francisco International, Boston Independent and Palm Springs International. His producing credits include Peabody Award winning RadioLab’s “WORDS”. Most recently, he has been developing series for Apple TV+, Bad Robot and HBO.

Liz Hynes is a writer based in New York City. She currently writes for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and was previously the Writers’ Assistant at The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Céline Robinson is a French-born, UK-bred television writer and producer (Law & Order: SVU, American Rust, Grendel…). She lives in New York City with her wife and three beautiful plants (Snake, ZZ, Monstera…). Prior to joining council, she was a dedicated strike captain, and active lobbyist to include WGA writers in the NY Film/TV Production Tax Credit. She’s honored to serve on this council, and deeply focused on incentivizing this industry to create jobs where we actually live. When not writing or Writers Guilding, she can be found enjoying sports, theatre, and soup of any kind (matzah ball, mulligatawny, shio ramen…). She wants to hear your concerns, and help you in all the ways that a strong union can and should.

SUZANNE WEBER began her career as a writer by creating and performing the character, Anita Liberty, a performance poet who achieves notoriety when she devotes her entire career to humiliating her ex-boyfriend, Mitchell, in public. Under the Anita Liberty pseudonym, Weber wrote three books including How to Heal the Hurt by Hating and How to Stay Bitter Through the Happiest Times of Your Life. Her fourth book, To What Miserable Wretches Have I Been Born? (Revenge Poetry for Babies and Toddlers) was published under her own name. Weber has developed original comedy pilots for ABC, NBC, CBS, HBO, Universal & Broadway Video. Weber was on staff for all three seasons of Disney Channel’s Andi Mack, and was a writer/producer on the sadly short-lived Lizzie McGuire reboot for Disney+. Weber lives in New York, continues to write, and is making all of her friends call her Councilperson Weber.

Jessica Schulberg is a senior reporter at HuffPost, covering the criminal legal system. She is the recipient of a 2022 Deadline Club award and a 2023 Writers Guild Award. Her work has helped free people from prison and led to policy and legislative change. She volunteers with Empowerment Avenue, helping incarcerated journalists publish their work in mainstream outlets. She is a proud member of HuffPost Union, where she has helped negotiate two contracts and has served on contract enforcement committees since 2017.

Samantha Smylie (They/She) is a journalist covering education in Illinois for Chalkbeat Chicago, and they are based in Chicago. She has written for local news organizations in the city such as the Hyde Park Herald, South Side Weekly, the Chicago Reader, and City Bureau. They are currently a shop steward for the Civic News Guild which covers Chalkbeat, Votebeat, and Healthbeat. She was voted in as an Online Media council member in 2023. You can reach Samantha on Twitter/X at @sammie_smylie.

Some fun things you should know about me: I have a small goldendoodle named Cherry, I picked up crocheting and embroidery at the end of 2023, and I’m a total booknerd.

For more info on Justin go to: IMDb (external – opens in a new window) and/or LinkedIn (external – opens in a new window)

Gail Lee is writer/producer at CBS News who has been involved in Guild activities for many years. Her credits include 7 terms as WGAE Secretary/Treasurer as well as serving on the Finance, Awards, Real Estate and multiple WGA-CBS News Negotiating Committees. Gail was the recipient of the Richard B. Jablow Award for Devoted Service to the Guild. She has also won WGA, RTNDA and Peabody Awards for her work.