Mark Wilding

Mark Wilding is proof that life doesn't necessarily travel a linear path from where you start out. A University of Massachusetts economics major who graduated in 1979, Wilding somehow ended up as a co-producer and writer for the 1994 sitcom "Ellen" and an executive story editor for "Caroline in the City" a year later. It wasn't long before his writing talents were blazing a path to regular work, with stops penning teleplays for "Dave's World" and "The Naked Truth." He wore his producer/writer cap for short-lived stints on sitcoms featuring Christina Applegate (1998's "Jesse") and Fred Savage (1997's "Working"). Longevity came in the form of the 1998 WB supernatural dramedy "Charmed," where Wilding arrived in 2002 as a supervising producer/co-producer/writer, staying on until creator Shonda Rhimes hired him away to work on her 2005 medical drama, "Grey's Anatomy." He was soon pulling double duty as an executive producer on the 2007 spinoff, "Private Practice." For his work on "Grey's Anatomy," Wilding was part of the production crew that earned Emmy nods for Outstanding Drama Series and he won a 2006 WGA for Best New Series.