Lawrence Silveira 6/17/25 Lawrence Silveira 6/17/25

Donor Spotlight - Veterans Writing Project Group Nine

The Veterans Writing Project is WGF’s year-long screenwriting program where military veterans learn how to write a screenplay and navigate the entertainment industry. How do they learn these screenwriting fundamentals? Through guidance and mentorship from WGA member mentors!

This past spring after the conclusion of the 2024-25 cohort, Bret Murphy, Ernesto Haibi, Mary Jo McConnell, Ryan Murtha, and Scott Wagner (a.k.a. “Group Nine”) decided to donate to WGF in honor of their mentors. In their own words, these vets share how they worked together throughout the program, key takeaways from their mentors’ wisdom, and why tribute gifts were the perfect way to tell their mentors “thank you”.

Lawrence Silveira 4/23/25 Lawrence Silveira 4/23/25

Donor Spotlight: Danny Strong

Over the years, Danny Strong has done a lot for the Writers Guild Foundation. He’s given his scripts to our Library, he’s shared his wisdom at our events, he’s a member of our Advisory Council, he's done A LOT.

This past December Danny added to that long list: he made a generous donation to WGF’s year-end appeal. In his own words, Danny shares what inspires his consistent support for WGF, why now was the right time to make his first donation, and why other supporters should consider donating too.

Shannon Muir Broden 2/3/25 Shannon Muir Broden 2/3/25

Donor Spotlight: Joseph Dougherty

Joseph Dougherty began his career on the television series, thirtysomething, for which he won several Emmys and a Humanitas prize; additionally, he has worked on Pretty Little Liars, Judging Amy, Saving Grace, Once and Again, Saved, and Presidio Med. He also wrote the HBO movies, Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman, and Cast a Deadly Spell, as well as the latter’s sequel, Witch Hunt (which was nominated for a CableACE for Writing a Movie or Miniseries in 1995).

Dougherty donated scripts to the Writers Guild Foundation Library and Archive after assessing he had items in storage that could be of value to other writers, and graciously took the time to answer questions as to why donating these works was important.

Lawrence Silveira 11/7/24 Lawrence Silveira 11/7/24

Donor Spotlight: Rashad Raisani

The Veterans Writing Project is a cornerstone of the Writers Guild Foundation. The program pairs military veterans with WGA members for one-on-one mentorship and trains vets how to write a screenplay and navigate the entertainment industry. Hundreds of vets have gone through the program since its start in 2010.

One of the program’s biggest supporters is Rashad Raisani, a former Air Force brat with a deep appreciation for vets. In his own words, Rashad shares how growing up on Air Force bases fostered his love for TV, how gratitude motivates his support for the Veterans Writing Project, and why veterans make excellent TV writers.

Lawrence Silveira 9/9/24 Lawrence Silveira 9/9/24

Donor Spotlight: Lynn Esta Goldman

The Writers Guild Foundation has seen a lot over the past fifteen years: the rise of streaming, Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, superhero fatigue, a pandemic, #TreeGate, Barbenheimer, Avatar (2009) and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022), and so much more.

Through it all, one constant has remained: Lynn Esta Goldman’s support. Lynn has donated to WGF each year for the past fifteen years. In her own words, Lynn shares how she first connected with the Foundation, how our online resources help keep her connected all these years later, and why her support has never faltered.