Actors' Equity Association (Equity) has announced the addition of three new hires to the Union's national staff, headquartered in New York City. Susan Borenstein has been engaged as the Assistant Executive Director for Strategic Programs and Planning, a newly created position; Jack Goldstein is named the Director of Governance Policy and Support; and Rachel LaForest is the Director of Public Policy, another new position.
Ms. Borenstein, who begins her new position on the first of October, joins Equity from an eleven year stint as a senior staff member of the AFL-CIO, where she served as Senior Field Representative for New York State. While there, she played a key role in the state's major initiatives and helped create the Arts and Entertainment Committee of the NY State AFL-CIO. For 14 years, she worked with Local 802 American Federation of Musicians as Director of Organizing and concluding her tenure as Special Assistant to the Vice President. She began her career in the human rights movement, working with pro-democracy forces in Latin American in the 1970's and 80's and became Executive Director of the National Chile Center of the United States. In her new position as Assistant Executive Director for Strategic Programs and Planning, Ms. Borenstein will oversee Organizing, Communications and Public Policy. In addition, she will develop the Union's research arm, identify and analyze evolutionary trends in the entertainment industry and their impact on the theater and supervise all campaigns, research, alliances and mobilizations in pursuit of the Union's strategic goals. As part of Equity's Executive Leadership Team, Borenstein joins the Executive Director and the other Assistant Executive Directors in the development of the ongoing strategic long range planning for growth and increased union density.
As the Director of Governance Policy and Support,
Mr. Goldstein provides guidance and expertise to the elected Leadership, staff and Committees on the details of Equity's governance structure, issues, policy and procedures. In addition, he will provide recommendations and briefing papers on governance issues and procedures and oversee the governance policy records nationwide, including Council Minutes and Archival material. Goldstein has had a 27-year affiliation with Equity. In 1982, he began working closely Equity in his capacity as a founding member and Executive Director of Save the Theatres, Inc. He has served as an advisor to every president since
Ellen Burstyn and joined the staff in 1993 as special assistant to Equity President
Ron Silver. In 1997, he left Equity to become Executive Director of Theater Development Fund, returning to the Union in 2003 as a Special Consultant on Equity's 90th Anniversary celebration and then on the 2004 Production Contract negotiations. He has advised the Executive Director and Council on public policy issues and has been active in launching Equity's healthcare reform campaign.
Rachel LaForest joins Equity's staff from the Transport Workers Union Local 100 where she directed that Union's public policy efforts. While there, she conducted research, and designed education and training in public policy for the officers and members and helped to develop the legislative goals of TWU Local 100. She began her career as a Campaign Coordinator for New York Jobs with Justice. In her capacity as Equity's Director of Public Policy, LaForest will develop and execute the strategic plans for the Union's public policy agenda nationwide. In addition, she will monitor governmental regulatory and economic policies which impact Equity members, conduct research and work with entertainment industry unions and allies, the AFL-CIO and Central Labor Councils to further Equity's public policy goals.
Actors' Equity Association, founded in 1913, represents more than 49,000 Stage Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. Equity seeks to advance, promote and foster the art of live theatre as an essential component of our society.
