SAG-AFTRA Awards George Heller Memorial Gold Card to Union Officers

Today SAG-AFTRA announced Sheila Ivy Traister, Michele Proude, Janice Pendarvis and Stacey Travis as recipients of the George Heller Memorial Award gold cards in recognition for their outstanding contributions to SAG-AFTRA and its members.

The George Heller Memorial Award is presented every two years at SAG-AFTRA's national convention and bestowed based on contributions and years of service to SAG-AFTRA or its predecessor unions. Honorees are selected by the National Honors and Tributes Committee members from around the country. This year's recipients are:

SAG-AFTRA Former National Board Member Sheila Ivy Traister
A tireless union advocate, Traister has dedicated more than 44 years of cumulative service to the labor movement, having served on the SAG-AFTRA National Board, as president of the Colorado Local and as a current member of five national committees. Traister puts particular focus on committees that help promote inclusiveness of her industry and the labor movement and expand equal opportunity in the industry, including for performers who are Asian American and Pacific Islander, and performers with disabilities. She also devotes her time to conducting workshops and lectures for film students, educating them about SAG-AFTRA and the benefits of union membership.

SAG-AFTRA National Vice President, Mid-Sized Locals Michele Proude
Compassionate, articulate, and determined, Proude has served on local and national committees and as New England Local president. She was first elected by her fellow SAG-AFTRA convention delegates as the national vice president of the mid-sized locals in 2019, and was elected to her third term in 2023. As a leader, she's known for being open and communicative and she cultivates an environment where people can disagree and debate respectfully. As an accomplished performer, she is an invaluable resource for her knowledge of SAG-AFTRA's constitution, union governance, and her ability to find solutions and get things done. Proude has managed to balance a very full home life, a busy career and union service, and is devoted to making SAG-AFTRA the very best that it can be.

SAG-AFTRA National Vice President, Recording Artists/Singers Janice Pendarvis
A singer and voice actor who has spent years fighting for singers legislatively and within the union, Pendarvis' priority has always been creating more union work for SAG-AFTRA members - especially those working in the recording industry. Currently serving her second term as SAG-AFTRA's national vice president, recording artists/singers, her legacy in union service is almost as impressive as her career; she began as a songwriter and a singer working with artists such as Sting, David Bowie, Steely Dan, Peter Tosh and the Rolling Stones. Currently, she's an associate professor of voice at Berklee College of Music, assisting the next generation of musicians in the pursuit of their dreams.

Former SAG-AFTRA National Board Member Stacey Travis
For over three decades, Travis has been dedicated to union service. She was first elected to the SAG Board in 2008, and her extraordinary leadership accomplishments include revolutionizing SAG-AFTRA's low budget contracts and fighting fiercely for over a decade to remove ages and birthdates from IMDb. She also devotes her time and energy to ensuring that our members are educated about contract changes and opportunities, and helps to drive SAG-AFTRA's legislative agenda in California and Washington, D.C. Whether she's tracking state and national actions, researching vital legislation or educating members, Travis is always working to help members and strengthen SAG-AFTRA.