Union Panelists & Moderators

Moderators: Craig Miller & Melissa Goodman

Panelists: Eric Goins, Carol Shaginaw, Mike Akins & Susan Moss

Respected filmmaker and founder of Craig Miller Productions, Craig Miller has produced award-winning presentations for an extensive list of Fortune 500 clientele for over 30 Years. Miller’s long-term relationships with companies like The Coca-Cola Company, AGCO, UPS, U.S. Army, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and Georgia Tourism are a testament to the company's creative and technical capabilities.

Miller is a member of the Producers Guild of America. He is on the Board of Directors of the Georgia Chamber and is a member of The Metro Atlanta Chamber and the National Agri-Marketing Association. Miller served for eight years as the Co-President of the Georgia Production Partnership (GPP), the grassroots organization responsible for establishing and maintaining Georgia's Film Incentive. Craig is a graduate of the University of Georgia. He is married to Carolyn, and they have six children and five grandchildren.

Melissa Goodman has been working for the Atlanta Local of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the Atlanta Local of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) for 39 years. This organization is now SAG-AFTRA. She has served as the Executive Director since 1992. Prior to coming to SAG and AFTRA in 1986, Melissa worked at a talent agency in Atlanta. In 2004, Melissa was appointed to Governor Perdue‘s Film, Video & Music Advisory Commission.

In addition, Melissa received an appointment to Governor Deal’s Advisory Board in October of 2017. Melissa Goodman is an active board member of the Georgia Production Partnership, where she has served since the late 1990’s. She is currently the chair of the Internal Governance Committee.

Melissa Goodman has served as an educational vehicle to producers in one of the fastest growing markets in the country. In her role as Atlanta Executive Director of the largest entertainment union, Melissa has been an advocate for entertainment labor, regardless of the affiliation, and often works hand in hand with other labor unions, such as IATSE, DGA, Hair and Make-Up and Cinematographers.    

Eric Goins (@the_eric_goins) is a father, husband, improviser, and actor. He owns Compass Actor Services (@compassactorservices), an audition taping service that provides classes and coaching for actors in Atlanta, GA. He is currently the President of the SAG-AFTRA Atlanta Local and served as a member of the 2023 TV/Theatrical/Streaming Negotiating Committee. After spending years in the corporate world, Eric discovered Whole World Improv Theatre on his birthday in 1998. He was captivated by the performers on stage and wasted no time auditioning for classes, ultimately leading to over 20 years of experience in performing and teaching improvisation.

Eric has appeared on television in several shows, including The Originals, Army Wives, Meet the Browns, One Tree Hill, Drop Dead Diva, Insatiable, Black Lightning, and as Larry on AMC’s Halt & Catch Fire (Seasons 1 and 2). He also appeared as The Gambler/Steven Sharpe in DC's Stargirl for DC Entertainment and The CW.

In addition to his television work, Eric has been featured in several films. His notable appearances include Ride Along, Ride Along 2, The Watch, The Family That Preys, The Accountant, Dirty Grandpa, and Boss Level.

A native of Metro Atlanta and a graduate of The University of Georgia, Carol Shaginaw's original passion was in finance and sales. As a former mortgage banker, sales and operations manager and even a Charter School founder, she was always focused on helping others and making dreams a reality.

Carol was not active in the entertainment industry until she became a mother of two fantastic daughters and their interest in the Performing Arts became a love of her own. It was then that she became passionate about serving and leading others in the industry. She worked very hard at studying the business and networking with industry professionals which landed her the role as the Studio Manager of an award-winning acting school for 7 years.

It was her mission to educate actors who were following their dreams on their acting journey by providing the very best in a professional studio with the necessary acting tools to do so. After working closely with the Studio Owner, Casting Directors, Talent Agents, Acting Coaches, and Talent, she wanted to achieve her dreams and broaden her passion for putting talented actors to work! 

She decided to take her entertainment career to another level and expanded her role to that of a Talent Agent and the Owner of her own talent agency, Carol Shaginaw Talent Agency, a SAG-AFTRA Franchised Agency. Her background in the entertainment industry for the past 13 years and her business mindset has led her to much success in booking talent for many projects including Film, TV, Commercials, Industrials, and Print.

Susan Moss Simmons is a passionate advocate for safety and diversity in the entertainment industry.  As the Senior Set Relations Representative for SAG-AFTRA in Georgia, she works with productions, studios and IATSE/DGA to ensure contract compliance and safe working conditions for actors, stunt performers, singers, dancers and puppeteers working on union contracts. 

She actively engages with the Georgia Department of Labor and the Georgia Film Office on issues relating to protecting Minors working in entertainment and is proud of the fact that Georgia is among the states that have comprehensive laws governing such work.

She spent several years on the Executive Board of Georgia Production Partnership and Moss-Simmons still dedicates time educating on the importance of the production tax incentive, raising money to protect it and strengthen the grassroots community.  Because of her background as the first Executive Director of Women in Film & Television Atlanta as well as one of the founders of the Women in Production Summit, Moss-Simmons still works to foster opportunities for women and other minorities at all levels of the industry.

When not at work, Moss-Simmons loves hiking with her husband and two dogs Harley and Khloe.

Mike Akins was born and raised in Oklahoma.  He served in the

United States Navy from 1975 to 1979. He earned a BS in 1983 and MS

1986 from Oklahoma State University.  Since 1987, he has worked as a

Key Grip, Dolly Grip, and in other various capacities in the Motion

Picture industry in Georgia.

In 1998, Mike became the business agent for the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), Local 479, which has grown during his tenure to be one of the largest film trade organizations

in the United States. 

In his capacity as the IATSE Local 479 business agent, he was an architect of and instrumental in the initial movement to pass state film tax credit legislation in 2005 and an enhanced law in 2008. He continues to hold the position of Local 479 business agent after 20+years.