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# Actors’ Equity announces results of 2026 officer and councilor election
- URL: https://www.broadwaynews.com/actors-equity-announces-results-of-2026-officer-and-councilor-election/
- Published: 2026-05-21T20:58:15.000Z
- Updated: 2026-05-21T21:48:15.000Z
- Description: The union has elected 43 positions across three regions representing four categories.
- Author: Lee D'Amato
- Tags: Personnel, Actors' Equity, News

The Actors’ Equity union has announced the results of its 2026 officer and councilor election. The union, which represents 51,000 stage actors and managers working in live theater nationwide, filled 43 positions across all three regions: Eastern, representing the District of Columbia and 20 states along and near the East Coast; Central, representing 16 states in the Midwest, Great Lakes and Mississippi Valley regions; and Western, representing 14 states stretching from Washington to Texas, as well as Alaska and Hawaii. 

The 43 positions also cover four different categories: principal actor, chorus actor and stage manager, based on the three standard categories of Equity contracts, as well as at-large. All officers and councilors serve a four-year term, except where noted below.

Actors’ Equity councilors sit on both the National Council and the regional board for their home region. The National Council serves as Equity’s ultimate decision-making party, especially when it comes to union policy, finance, appeals and appending new rules to the union’s constitution and by-laws. Regional boards handle the day-to-day business of their region, including granting concessions to agreements and approving existing regional or local agreements. 

All officers and councilor positions are served on a volunteer basis; candidates receive no compensation.

The newly elected national officers are Jacqueline Jarrold, first vice president — principal; Sarah Quinn Taylor, second vice president — chorus; Leslie Sears, third vice president — stage manager; and Jeff Applegate, secretary/treasurer. 

A full list of elected councilors is below.

**Eastern Region**

Eastern Region Principal Councilors

Joanne Borts  
Todd Buonopane  
Danny Burgos  
Kate Burton   
Kimberly Chatterjee  
Matt DaSilva  
Ellis Gage (2-year term)  
Aisha Jackson  
Doug MacKechnie   
Carla Martinez  
Kilty Reidy  
Jesse James Rose  
Cecilia Snow   
Sharon S. Wheatley   
Christopher Henry Young

Eastern Region Chorus Councilor

Taavon Gamble  
Ashley E. Matthews  
Alicia Newcom  
Ryan Rodiño   
Kaylin Seckel

Eastern Region Stage Manager Councilor

Jonathan Bach  
Ruth E. Kramer  
Ashani Smith   
Lara Tenenbaum

Eastern Region At-Large Councilor

Elizabeth Ramirez   
Bert Rodriguez  
Rebecca Talisman

**Central Region**

Central Region Principal Councilor

Kelli Crump

Central Region Chorus Councilor

Kristen Beth Williams

**Western Region**

Western Region Principal Councilor

Will Allan  
Brittany Bellizeare  
Brian Herndon   
Brian Kim McCormick   
Kathryn Smith McGlynn  
DeBorah Sharpe-Taylor   
Allie Trimm

Western Region Stage Manager Councilor

Kaylee Sarton McCray  
Laura Zingle

Western Region At-Large Councilor

Heather M. Brose

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*Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated the fact that all counsilors and officers sit on both the National Council and the regional board of their home region.*