Charlotte Wells Elevated to Chief Executive Officer at SAG-AFTRA Foundation

Photo by Russell Baer

Wells has served for eight years as the charity’s Chief Operating Officer; retiring Executive Director Cyd Wilson will step into an advisory role at the organization, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. 

Today, the SAG-AFTRA Foundation announced that Charlotte Wells has been elevated to the newly created position of Chief Executive Officer, succeeding current Executive Director Cyd Wilson who is retiring and stepping into an advisory and special projects role. Wells is currently the Foundation’s Chief Operating Officer and in her new position will expand upon the work Wilson has done over her 12 years leading the organization, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. Wells will assume the position beginning January 1, 2026.

“I’ve spent the last 15 years of my career at the intersection of nonprofits and the entertainment industry, working to increase access, expand opportunities, and help to transform lives and careers,” said Wells, who previously served as COO at GLAAD, where she spent seven years prior to joining SAG-AFTRA Foundation in 2017. “As we look to the future, our focus is clear: delivering expansive resources, tools, and programs to help performers hone their craft, navigate their careers, and build entrepreneurial skills. To do this, I’ve set a new goal to raise an additional $3-$5 million annually to meet the growing needs in our community. Our performers are the backbone of the entertainment industry, and when we invest in our artists, we strengthen the entire industry. I’m grateful to Cyd for her dedicated leadership and proud of all we’ve built together at the Foundation.”

“For 12 years, it has been my honor to serve as the Executive Director of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, building state-of-the-art facilities in L.A. and New York City, expanding our educational programs for all SAG-AFTRA performers nationwide, raising donor engagement, and elevating awareness of the Foundation within the industry,” said Wilson. “I’ve had the pleasure of working side-by-side with Charlotte Wells for the past eight years, and she is the best steward for the future of the Foundation. While I am stepping away from my day-to-day duties, I will remain involved as a Senior Advisor focusing on special projects for the Foundation to continue the Foundation’s growth and important mission.”

“I’ve had the privilege of watching these two extraordinary leaders in action over the past several years, and they’ve been nothing short of a powerhouse duo. I’m deeply grateful for the dynamic vision and lasting impact our outgoing Executive Director, Cyd Wilson, has brought to the Foundation. Her legacy is woven into our fabric,” said Courtney B. Vance, Chairman of the Board and President of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation. “With every confidence, I know that our new CEO, Charlotte Wells, will ensure a seamless transition and continued momentum, as the SAG-AFTRA Foundation is poised for our next chapter – to transform the industry through the powerful pipeline of support, education, and opportunity we provide for artists.”

The SAG-AFTRA Foundation has raised tens of millions of dollars to support performing artists through its emergency financial assistance, scholarships, and a wide range of free educational programs designed to build essential career skills. Each year, more than 48,000 participants across the U.S. benefit from the Foundation’s workshops, classes, career panels, and Q&A sessions that cover everything from auditioning and self-taping to financial literacy and digital branding. In August 2024, the Foundation opened the Meryl Streep Center for Performing Artists, offering in-person classes, film screenings, and community-building opportunities in Los Angeles. On the East Coast, the Foundation operates at 1900 Broadway with state-of-the-art facilities that mirror the Meryl Streep Center, along with the Robin Williams Center for Entertainment and Media, a 154-seat screening room where critical training and resources are available for performers in New York City. In addition, the Foundation offers thousands of free online classes, sessions and opportunities every year for SAG-AFTRA artists nationwide. The Foundation also serves the broader public through its Emmy® Award-winning children’s literacy program Storyline Online®.

Since 2020, the SAG-AFTRA Foundation has:

• Granted over $21 million in emergency financial assistance
• Awarded $1.5 million in higher education scholarships to performers and dependents
• Served 250,000+ participants through free educational and career-building programs
• Produced 48,000+ free programs and sessions
• Filmed 22,000+ self-tape auditions and rehearsals
• Recorded 17,000+ voiceover studio sessions
• Provided 1,300+ audition prep classes with casting directors