Stage Directors and Choreographers Society Named New Director
The union has created a new communications role to manage media relations for its 4,000 professional members.
Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in People
The Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC) has appointed Sarah Suraiya Saifi as its first Associate Director of Communications. This new role will oversee the organization's media outreach across earned, shared, and paid channels.
Why it matters
By establishing a dedicated communications leadership position, the union is looking to centralize its messaging and advocacy for its national membership. This move shifts how the organization engages with industry stakeholders and the public.
The SDC represents more than 4,000 professional directors and choreographers nationwide. The union created this new position to manage communications strategies for this membership base.
The players
Stage Directors and Choreographers Society
A labor union representing more than 4,000 professional directors and choreographers in the United States.
Sarah Suraiya Saifi
A veteran arts administrator and founder of Drama Queen Productions who previously served as Managing Director of the Yale Cabaret.
The details
Sarah Suraiya Saifi will lead the union's external communications strategy. She brings experience from her tenure as Managing Director of the Yale Cabaret 58th season and her 2014 founding of Drama Queen Productions to this new administrative function.
Timeline
2014: Sarah Suraiya Saifi founded Drama Queen Productions.
September 22, 2026: The SDC announced the appointment of Sarah Suraiya Saifi.
Market Landscape
The SDC's hiring follows a broader documented trend among labor organizations of professionalizing internal communications functions to better serve large membership bases. This appointment marks a structural shift as the union works to scale its media influence.
Operators managing professional associations should evaluate if their current communications staffing matches the scale of their membership. Increasing dedicated media relations headcount can improve organizational reach but requires long-term budgetary planning.
The takeaway
Centralizing communications leadership is a vital step for scaling advocacy in membership-based organizations. Union leaders and stakeholders should track how this new role impacts external stakeholder perception and media coverage over the next fiscal cycle.
Further reading
For more on industry leadership changes, visit People.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Broadway World.
