'SAG-AFTRA' Magazine Summer 2022 Honors

SAG-AFTRA Chief Financial Officer Arianna Ozzanto was a finalist in the Education/Nonprofit category at the 2022 CFO Leadership Awards, produced by the Los Angeles Times’ B2B Publishing team. Ozzanto was acknowledged at an awards ceremony on June 21 at the Beverly Hilton, which highlighted exceptional CFOs for their accomplishments over the last two years and their leadership qualities.

“I am honored to have been included among such an esteemed group of individuals, but the real honor is to work side by side with the SAG-AFTRA team, from the very top down,” said Ozzanto.

Starting as a budget analyst at SAG in 2004, Ozzanto quickly rose through the ranks of the Finance team, before being promoted to chief financial officer in 2009. Last year, at SAG-AFTRA’s biennial convention, Ozzanto was awarded the George Heller Memorial Award for her extraordinary service to the union and its members.

SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher made Pride Month history at the Hollywood Museum’s LGBTQ+ Real to Reel Awards on June 9, when she received the inaugural Judy Garland Legacy Award. The award, named after the late movie icon, recognizes public figures who have advocated on behalf of the community through their work. The honor not only commemorated what would have been the late star’s 100th birthday, but also Drescher’s legacy of work as a longtime champion of LGBTQ+ equality.

“Fighting for gay civil liberties has always felt natural to me because there are so many people that I love that are gay, and it’s important that we always defend [them] when and wherever we can. We must have the courage to stand up for them,” said Drescher.

Photo: SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher at the Real to Reel Awards on June 9. Photo by William Kidston, courtesy of the Hollywood Museum.

This item originally featured in the SAG-AFTRA magazine summer 2022 issue.