Writer / DIRECTOR / Soldier / advocate

About rebecca

Rebecca Murga (she/her) is a Chicago-born, Latinx, WGA writer specializing in telling stories of her Puerto Rican roots and military experience while also creating communities for artists. She is currently a writer on the ABC TV series WILL TRENT, an American police procedural crime drama television series based on Karin Slaughter's Will Trent series of novels. She has also written on SWAGGER, an Apple TV+ series executive produced by Kevin Durant, and is currently a writer and executive producer on a coming-of-age ROTC drama series at Amazon Studios — Spike Lee set to direct and executive produce the project.

She continues to produce and directs films, commercials, documentaries and branded content. Her past client list include ABC, CBS, CBS Sports, Mundo FOX, NHL, MLB, NBA, Comcast, ESPN, HBO, AT&T, Walgreens, Evan Williams, Ad Council and A&E Networks. Her creative work explores the intersectionality of her unique identity: as a woman, a military veteran, and as a daughter of Latino immigrants. She does so in a way that expresses both humor and heart — two things needed to survive growing up in a poor in an urban Chicago neighborhood and surviving combat in two wars.

Rebecca started her career as a sports producer and joined the military shortly after 9/11, serving as a Public Affairs Officer in the US Army - deployed to Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan.  Awarded a Bronze Star for her deployment as one of the first women attached to Navy SEALS and Special Forces, she returned to the states to work as a Spanish news producer covering a variety of stories including US Special Forces battling the cartel in Mexico and Central America.

After getting out of the military Rebecca completed some incredible artists programs including the Disney / ABC Directing Program, the Ryan Murphy Half Director Program, and the Dan Lin / Rideback Television pilot incubator supported by MRC. She was also a director for the ABC / DISNEY TALENT SHOWCASE held at the EL Portal Theatre.

When not busy creating her own work, Rebecca is committed to mentoring and giving back to others. Rebecca is particularly passionate about advocating for LGBTQ+ and BIPOC artists, working to make all the organizations she runs radically inclusive. 

She was the Director of AFI Conservatory Directing Workshop for Women as well as an alumni. She currently runs a non-profit called Veterans in Media & Entertainment who’s mission is dedicated to providing classes, mentorships, and jobs to military veterans transitioning into the industry, and also teaches BIPOC artists at the Sundance Collab.

Rebecca has been the recipient of several grants including the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) grant sponsored by the Time Warner Foundation and National Endowment of the Arts. She has also been the recipient of the Panavision New Filmmakers Grant, The Nancy Malone Directing Award, Indiegogo New Filmmakers Grant, and a grant from the Disabled American Veterans.

Rebecca is a passionate advocate for veterans and women's issues with articles published in The New York Times, The Global Journal, The Morning Call, and San Jose Mercury News. She has appeared on ABC's "Good Morning America," "The View" and featured on NPR as the director of a short film “War Ink” which tells veteran's war stories through their tattoos. Most recently she appeared on CBS and ABC for her work advocating for Afghan Refugee resettlement.  

A native of Chicago, Illinois (Go Cubs!) Rebecca earned a BS in Electronic Media from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania and earning an MFA in Writing and Producing for Television from Loyola Marymount University in California.

AS a soldier

As a Public Affairs Officer, Rebecca has traveled throughout Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait and Qatar, working as a writer, photographer, and filmmaker capturing all the complexities and nuances of the Soldier's story in combat. During her deployments, she interviewed hundreds of Soldiers from Privates to Generals, Infantry to Special Operations, truck drivers to door kickers, and everyone in between.

Rebecca's military career began a month after 9/11 when she enrolled in the ROTC program at Lehigh University, Pennsylvania. Upon graduation she was commissioned as a Signal Officer and would later serve three years overseas:

In 2007, Rebecca was deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom covering stories in Baghdad's Green Zone during elections and the Surge. 

In 2009-2010, she was based in Kuwait as a civilian photographer and filmmaker for the Department of the Army. Traveling throughout the war zones, Rebecca captured Soldiers stories in the evolving conflicts for distribution to news and other media outlets, as well as for military archival purposes.

In 2011, she deployed in Afghanistan where she was attached to a Special Operation Command supporting SEAL teams and Special Forces through the villages in Afghanistan. She managed the Cultural Support Teams, the first time women were attached to Special Operations.

In 2021, after the fall of Kabul, Rebecca Murga was involved in Afghanistan rescue operations, helping Afghanistan who were trapped in Afghanistan escape.

Rebecca was awarded a Bronze Star for her work with the Special Operations Command in Afghanistan, and was also was awarded the Meritorious Service Medial for her service in Iraq.

She served as a Captain and Broadcast Chief for the Office of the Chief Army Reserve (OCAR). She is a 2014 & 2015 recipient of the U.S. Army Keith L. Ware Award and Thomas Jefferson Award for excellence in broadcast journalism. It is considered the highest award in the Department of Defense.

as an advocate

Rebecca is an active public speaker and has been invited to present to advocacy groups, veteran conferences, women's leadership retreats, and many high schools. She has spoken to groups as small as 10 and as large as 600. Some of her speaking engagement credits include:

"Library of Congress Discussion Panel with Dr. Jill Biden"

Dr. Jill Biden interviewed author Michael Grant, whose latest book, “Front Lines,” imagines women fighting alongside men in World War II following a fictional Supreme Court ruling making women eligible for combat. She also spoke with Lt. Cmdr. Kristen Hansen, a Navy fighter pilot with 66 combat sorties over Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria and 472 carrier landings, and Army Capt. Rebecca Murga, who received the Bronze Star and the Meritorious Service Medal for her service. This presentation took place in front of over 400 students from local middles schools and high schools. (2016)

"A Woman's War in Afghanistan"

This presentation focuses on the complexities of being a woman in combat and was given at the Brain at War Conference, a leading nonprofit research institute in the United States devoted to advancing Veterans health research. (2014)

"When Soldiers Return"

This presentation discusses veteran transition challenges and was given at a conference held by the NCIRE: The Veterans Health Research Institute. (2013)

"Female Engagement Teams: A Woman's Deployment with Special Operations in Combat"

This presentation was delivered to The UDT-SEAL Association, a non-profit Veterans Support Organization whose members (NAVY SEALS) are made up of US Navy personnel who have served, or are presently serving in the Naval Special Warfare community. (2011, 2012)

"Woman's Work: Aprons to Armor"

This presentation examines the evolution of the woman Soldier in Afghanistan before and after the US Military lifted its ban on women in combat. Researched and tailored for students at high schools, including The Harker School (2011), this was further developed for presentation at the Women’s Veterans Connect Leadership Conference. (2013)

Rebecca Murga is always excited to talk about veterans or women's issues and is available for speaking engagements. Please contact her at: rebecca.murga@me.com