Sarah Suraiya Saifi Named SDC Associate Director of Communications

Breaking news to your phone. US mobile only. No password required.

Broadway + NYC

Broadway

Off-Broadway

Off-Off Broadway

Cabaret

Dance

Opera

Classical Music

West End / UK

International

Canada

Australia / New Zealand

Europe

Asia

Latin America

Africa / Middle East

Entertainment

Ctrl + K to open · Esc to close

Saifi, who holds an MFA from Yale's David Geffen School of Drama, will advance the union's mission on behalf of professional directors and choreographers.

Most Popular

Get all the top news & discounts for Industry & beyond. No password required.

Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC) has announced that Sarah Suraiya Saifi has joined the Union's staff as Associate Director, Communications, a newly created position.

Get all the top news & discounts for Industry & beyond.

Saifi is an arts leader and creative strategist with more than a decade of experience bringing artists, audiences, and communities together. She will advance SDC's external communications and media relations across earned, shared, and paid channels.

SDC is the national labor union representing more than 4,000 professional directors and choreographers working across the United States and around the world. Through collective bargaining, contract enforcement, advocacy, education, and community-building, SDC protects the economic and creative rights of its Members and supports the leaders who shape live theatrical arts.

Said Executive Director Laura Penn , 'Sarah is a communications specialist who will bring breadth and depth to her work at SDC. Both dynamic and thoughtful, she has an exceptional skillset that will help advance the Union's mission on behalf of professional directors and choreographers in this time of great opportunity and challenge for an industry that is evolving and reinventing itself.'

'Unions have the power to protect artists, strengthen their collective voice, and shape the future of our field,' said Saifi. 'I'm excited to join Laura Penn and the SDC team. I look forward to amplifying the voices of directors and choreographers and ensuring more people understand the impact of their work and their contributions to the theatre.'

Raised in Karachi, Pakistan, Saifi holds an MFA in Theater Management from Yale's David Geffen School of Drama, where she was the first Pakistani in her program, and a BA in Practical Filmmaking from MetFilm School, London, where she studied directing. Most recently, she served as Managing Director of the Yale Cabaret's 58th season. In 2014, Saifi founded Drama Queen Productions, a women-led creative agency in Pakistan. She has produced work for global brands and international organizations such as Cadbury Dairy Milk, Domino's, the United Nations, and USAID. Her independent projects include Estro Fest, a multidisciplinary festival for women in Karachi, and Sisters in Arms, a film that screened on the festival circuit and for which she was nominated for a producer award at London's Underwire Film Festival. Across her work, Saifi champions greater access to the arts and more opportunities for artists from underrepresented communities.

SDC is the theatrical union that unites, empowers, and protects professional stage directors and choreographers throughout the United States. Our mission is to foster a national community of professional stage directors and choreographers by protecting the rights, health and livelihoods of all our Members; negotiating and enforcing employment agreements across a range of jurisdictions; facilitating the exchange of ideas, information, and opportunities; and educating current and future generations about the critical role of directors and choreographers in leading the field. SDCweb.org

Nominate your favorite local productions and performers before the deadline on October 31, 2026.

Broadway Grosses: Week Ending 9/13/26 - CHICAGO Jumps in Attendance as Reece Weaver Stars

Tamar Greene and More to Star in STARCADIA Workshop Premiere

New York Public Library for the Performing Arts Receives Historic $60 Million Donation

Broadway Shows with Foreign Origins: A Deep Dive Into International Productions

When are you seeing ?

Get an Alert Each Time A.A. Cristi Writes

BroadwayWorld TV

Breaking Broadway news & show discounts. No password required.

Breaking alerts by text. US mobile only.

POPULAR

Sign up for announcements and exclusive discounts on tickets to your favorite shows!

© 2026 — Copyright Wisdom Digital Media , all rights reserved. Privacy Policy

Episode

_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/industry/article/Stage-Directors-and-Choreographers-Society-Appoints-Sarah-Suraiya-Saifi-as-Associate-Director-Communications-20260922)._