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
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.
