SAG-AFTRA Names 2024 Howard Keel Honoree

SAG-AFTRA announced that SAG-AFTRA Vice President, Small Locals Suzanne Burkhead is the 2024 recipient of the union’s prestigious Howard Keel Award for exceptional union service. The award was presented at the Howard Keel Awards Dinner in Los Angeles on Monday.

“Congratulations to Suzanne on being selected for the Howard Keel Award! She is a complete pleasure to work with, and I've been impressed by her energy and her passion in advocating for our members, who are lucky to have her,” said SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher. “Out of 160,000 members, only a small handful by comparison actually roll up their sleeves and get into the volunteerism essential to make our union great. Suzanne, I applaud you for being one of those intelligent and committed members who sacrifice much for the betterment of all. It has been my great honor to work by your side.”

Howard Keel Award Committee Chair Nancy Duerr said, “Suzanne has been a tenacious advocate for all SAG-AFTRA members, particularly those outside of New York and Los Angeles. She has put in the work through the years, stepping up before and after merger. I’m thrilled this award will let the world know how much Suzanne and her selfless service mean to all of us.”

Howard Keel Award Committee Co-Chair Towanda Underdue said, “It’s impossible to quantify the impact that Suzanne has had over her many years of service, whether it’s the countless volunteer hours she’s put in to elevate union members or the ripple effect of all those she’s inspired, both directly and in leading by example. But the one thing I know for sure is that SAG-AFTRA is better off for her service. She truly shows what it means to be a union leader.”

“There’s no one more deserving of this award,” said SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland. “Suzanne brings it every time she shows up for union service, whether during the SAG-AFTRA merger process or as vice president representing the small locals for many years. Our members are so lucky to have her vision, dedication, and leadership in their corner.”  

About Suzanne Burkhead

Burkhead, who is also a Dallas-Fort Worth Local Board member, has served her fellow members since the early days of her successful commercials acting career. As a young union volunteer, she chaired the Local’s Membership Development Committee, inspiring her peers to join her in union service — and many of them continue to serve today, dedicating thousands of hours a year to fighting for SAG-AFTRA members.  

A longtime proponent of the merger of SAG and AFTRA, she was instrumental in creating the national constitution as well as templates for the local constitutions. Her leadership was invaluable in the formation of the Committee of Locals and in making it an effective body.

She was also a strong proponent for regional codes, and as the National Board member of the Dallas-Fort Worth Local, she championed what is now known as the Southern Central Regional Commercials Code, which has been a great success and set the standard for regional codes across the country.

Burkhead was elected to the national office of vice president, small locals in 2019, 2021 and 2023, and has served on the Executive, Finance, Commercials Performers, Government Review, Litigation Review, Organizing and Right to Work Committees, as well as on the President’s Task Force for Education, Outreach & Engagement.

About the Award

The Howard Keel Award is the highest honor given by the SAG-AFTRA Committee of Locals. Created in 2008, it was named in honor of the late actor and singer, who served as the Screen Actors Guild’s 10th president from 1958–1959. Keel, a proponent of merger with AFTRA, expanded SAG’s national board from 39 to 52 seats, which, for the first time, allowed for local representation from New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Detroit and Boston. The Committee of Locals is a forum for identifying areas of common interest to mid-sized and small locals, which includes the union’s 23 locals outside of Los Angeles and New York.

About SAG-AFTRA

SAG-AFTRA represents approximately 160,000 actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists and other entertainment and media professionals. SAG-AFTRA members are the faces and voices that entertain and inform America and the world. A proud affiliate of the AFL-CIO, SAG-AFTRA has national offices in Los Angeles and New York and local offices nationwide representing members working together to secure the strongest protections for entertainment and media artists into the 21st century and beyond. Visit SAG-AFTRA online at SAGAFTRA.org.