The continuing mission of the Women's Steering Committee is to represent the interests and needs of the women members of the DGA; develop strategies that help women achieve greater access and visibility within the industry; pursue ways to improve employment opportunities; and create a forum where women members can build work relationships and enhance their skills. The DGA Women's Steering Committee was created in 1979, when six female members of the Guild -- Susan Bay, Nell Cox, Joelle Dobrow, Dolores Ferraro, Victoria Hochberg and Lynne Littman -- convened to research the facts surrounding employment opportunities for women directors. On March 1, 1980, they presented a report to the National Board of the DGA that highlighted the under-utilized talents of women directors and suggested ways to improve the situation. The Committee continued to grow, with the support of the Guild, and by 1986, a new generation of members, formally organized as the DGA Women's Steering Committee (WSC), began to explore new ways to achieve their goals. Realizing the importance of communication and interaction, in 1992 the WSC held its first informal employment mixer for women members, as well as other industry professionals. The Committee now sponsors these well attended annual employment mixers for television and feature film which bring together producers, production executives and other industry professionals with the membership. The WSC designed the Director Mentor/Mentee Program, which enables women and ethnic minority director members to receive career guidance from well established directors. Another important endeavor has been the Santa Monica City TV Program, designed to develop and showcase the directing talents of women members through the production of shorts for community organizations. The WSC's many other accomplishments include various clinics, events featuring industry speakers, The WSC Cafe, quarterly Roundtable Meetings, creation of the DGA Women and Ethnic Minority Members Contact Lists for Employers and the formation and implementation of the Fellowship Program. From its exposure of the equity problem in the 1970s to its challenge for change in the 1980s to its spectrum of activities in the 1990s, the Women's Steering Committee has played a dynamic role within the Guild and the industry as a whole. The current Co-Chairs are Tawnia McKiernan, Donna Parish, Carrie Rudolph, and Kari Skogland.
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