Sean Taylor Named New Central Regional Director of Actors' Equity Association

Actors' Equity Association ("AEA" or Equity) has announced the selection of Sean Taylor as Central regional director/assistant executive director effective Monday, November 11, 2013. Taylor succeeds Christine Provost who stepped down from the post in August.

"We are thrilled to have Sean Taylor join the Equity family," said Executive Director Mary McColl. "His extensive union experience, coupled with a legal career with deep professional roots in the Chicago-area make him the ideal leader for the region."

As Central regional director, Sean will oversee the union's operations in 16-states including collective bargaining and contract administration. In his capacity as assistant executive director, Sean will be part of the executive team, working alongside Steve DiPaola, assistant executive director of finance and administration; Tom Carpenter, Eastern regional director/assistant executive director; and Mary Lou Westerfield, Western regional director/assistant executive director. All four directors will work closely with McColl and Equity's governing body led by President Nick Wyman, to implement and support the union's actions and policies in each region.

A seasoned attorney, Taylor spent more than 12 years of his professional career in Chicago, first at the firm of Stellato & Schwartz, and then in a one-year term as an assistant attorney general for the state of Illinois. Taylor also served as senior counsel for the Chicago Park District, where he helped to develop multi-million dollar budgets and negotiated several different union collective bargaining agreements. Since 2004, Taylor was house counsel for AFTRA and remained in the role for SAG-AFTRA following the 2012 union merger. During his tenure, he served as lead negotiator in numerous broadcast collective bargaining agreements for Chicago, New York and Los Angeles, and held responsibility for the interpretation and enforcement of agreements. In 2005, Taylor was promoted to assistant executive director for AFTRA and retained the title with the merged union.

Founded on May 26, 1913 by 112 actors, Actors' Equity Association ("AEA" or "Equity") is the oldest performing arts union representing more than 49,000 professional stage actors and stage managers in the United States. AEA seeks to advance, promote and foster the art of Live Theatre as an essential component of society. Equity negotiates wages and working conditions for its members, providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. AEA is a member of the AFL-CIO and is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions. For more information visit, www.ActorsEquity.org. Twitter, @ActorsEquity.