The Casting Society of America was founded in Los Angeles in February, 1982 with the intent of establishing a recognized standard of professionalism in the casting field and to provide it's members with a support organization to further their goals and protect their common interests.
The founding members of the organization (which at the time was called the American Society of Casting Directors) were Mike Fenton, Al Onorato and Joe Reich. By 1983, it's membership had grown to 39 and CSA began publishing a monthly newsletter to it's members reporting on news of interest in the industry.
We were also well-served by Shirley Raab, who in 1983 became our Office Manager, then Executive Director until her passing in 2003. She provided a constant presence in the midst of changing Boards and growing membership. We honor all that she did to keep CSA functioning smoothly.
Twenty years later, CSA's ranks have grown to over 350 of the top casting directors in the industry. The creative contributions of Casting Directors are now recognized by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and since 1989, Casting Directors have been awarded Emmy statuettes in various Casting categories.
Pam Dixon is the current President of the organization which is headquartered in Hollywood with an office in New York. Past Presidents of the CSA include...
- Chemin Bernard
- Mary Buck
- Mike Fenton
- Jerold Franks
- Robert Harbin
- Richard Hicks
- Beth Hymson-Ayer
- Gary Zuckerbrod
