The 6 executive board officers selected include former president Jeanette Moreno King, who did not seek re-election but will assume a different role.
The Animation Guild, TAG 839, has announced the results of its 2025 Officers and Executive Board election.Four of the six officers ran unopposed: President Danny Lin; Vice President Roger Oda (previous board Trustee); Business Representative Steve Kaplan (incumbent); and Treasurer Paula Spence (previous board Recording Secretary).
Two officers won by vote count: Secretary Jeanette Moreno King (previous board President) and Sergeant-at-Arms David DePasquale (previous board Member at Large)."I could not be more honored or grateful to serve as the incoming President of The Animation Guild, a Union that has evolved so much in the past decade and only continues to grow in both size and power," says Lin."But this is a bittersweet moment of celebration for me.
So many of our members are out of work and struggling to pay their bills while our employers axe productions, enact sweeping layoffs to boost their stock value, and chase their shiny new toy, Generative A.I. In the face of these challenges, we must cultivate hope, community, solidarity, humanity, and art.These are beacons of light in dark times, and they are qualities I see reflected in our newly elected Executive Board and in each and every member of The Animation Guild.We will continue to organize, to fight, and to win." Current President Jeanette Moreno King decided not to seek re-election but will remain on the Executive Board in a new role.
“I believe it’s important to keep leadership fresh and welcome new ideas,” says King.“Danny Lin will bring a valuable perspective as a digital native and a strong communicator, and I’m confident the Guild is in good hands.I ran for Secretary because I love this Union and want to continue contributing in a supportive role.
While new ideas and strategies are vital to our growth, I also believe our institutional memory helps ground the decisions we make as a board to ensure a strong and successful future.”
The following 11 Guild members were elected to the Executive Board, in alphabetical order:
Marissa Bernstel
Rachael Cohen
Kolja Erman
Chrissy Fellmeth
Andy Garner-Flexner
KC Johnson
Claire Morrissey
Roma Murphy
Dan Pinto
Mike Rianda
Candice Stephenson
The following three candidates received the most votes and are therefore appointed as Trustees:
Marissa Bernstel
Candice Stephenson
Rachael Cohen
Officers and Executive Board members will be sworn into office on December 2, 2025, when their three-year term will officially begin.
The ballot count was overseen by the AAA, and the results were certified on November 8, 2025.Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.
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