Television executive Erin Wehrenberg has been appointed Head of Creative Affairs at Quinta Brunson’s Fifth Chance Productions.

With nearly 30 years of industry experience, Wehrenberg has been behind the development, renewal, and sale of some of the most influential comedy and drama series, including Friends, The Office, 30 Rock, Freaks and Geeks, Friday Night Lights, and, most recently, Brunson’s Abbott Elementary.

Wehrenberg previously served as Senior Vice President of Comedy Programming at ABC and has held senior leadership positions at Warner Bros. Television, Universal Media Studios, and NBC. Her portfolio includes hits like Two Broke Girls, Ted Lasso, Shrill, Suburgatory, Parks and Recreation, My Name is Earl, Scrubs, Will & Grace, ER, Heroes, and many more.

As Head of Creative Affairs, Wehrenberg will play a key role in advancing Brunson’s slate of film and television projects, while providing strategic oversight of the Fifth Chance Productions brand in its entirety.

As Fifth Chance Productions expands, Brunson remarked, “I’m delighted to welcome Erin to the team. She is a widely respected executive within the industry and was instrumental in the successful launch of Abbott Elementary on network television. I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside Erin for many years and have the utmost confidence in her creative vision, just as she has consistently trusted mine. I look forward to the incredible projects we’ll develop together in this next chapter.”

“This opportunity to collaborate with Quinta truly feels like a dream come true. I’ve been eager to transition into producing for some time, and I feel fortunate to do so alongside one of the most talented multi-hyphenates I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. She is also an incredibly genuine person, and I know the future ahead for her is nothing short of bright,” Wehrenberg shared.

Brunson has been lauded for serving as creator, executive producer, writer, and lead actor on ABC’s award-winning and critically acclaimed series Abbott Elementary. In 2022, she became the first Black woman to win the Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series and the first to receive three Emmy nominations in a single year for writing, acting, and producing in the comedy category. Last year, she won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series—becoming the first Black woman to earn that honor since 1981.

Brunson’s use of mockumentary-style storytelling and socially conscious narratives has helped attract younger audiences back to network TV. Alongside her cast, she has also received recognition from the Golden Globe Awards, Critics Choice Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, NAACP Image Awards, Television Critics Association Awards, and the prestigious Peabody Award.

Fifth Chance Productions is a female-led entertainment company dedicated to creating dynamic, diverse, and impactful storytelling. Specializing in TV and film, the company seeks out character-driven narratives with universal themes that entertain, inspire, and connect audiences from all walks of life. Fifth Chance Productions celebrates the beauty of life’s joys while acknowledging its challenges, and in doing so, strive to bring both emerging and established talent together to create authentic and uplifting shows and movies.