Actors' Equity Names David Kolen as New Assistant Executive Director for the Central Region

Actors' Equity Association has named David Kolen as the new assistant executive director for the Central Region of the union, effective immediately.

As the assistant executive director based in Chicago, Kolen will oversee the union's operations in 16 states, including collective bargaining, contract administration and staff management and development. As part of the executive team, Kolen will work alongside the executive director and assistant executive directors in the Eastern and Western regions to build a more equitable and effective union.

“I'm deeply honored for this opportunity and to build upon the work Equity is doing in the Central Region and across the country,” said David Kolen, assistant executive director for the Central Region for Actors’ Equity Association. “I believe fundamentally in the intersection of labor and the arts, and I know that the success of the American theatre in the face of unprecedented challenges is predicated on the prosperity of arts workers nationwide.

“I've witnessed firsthand the incredible advocacy and artistry of our members in the Central Region and across the country over my fifteen years at Equity – from New Orleans to Minneapolis, Oklahoma City to Cincinnati and everywhere in between. I am excited to continue to grow opportunities for Equity members, build stronger ties to our union siblings and leverage every opportunity to improve our members' workplaces in meaningful ways.”

Kolen first joined Equity in 2011 as a contract associate, then served as a business representative and most recently, has been a senior business representative since 2019. Prior to Equity, he worked professionally in scenic construction and lighting design. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from The Theatre School at DePaul University.