Actors' Fund of Canada Welcomes Kathleen Higgins to the Board of Directors

The Actors' Fund of Canada, the lifeline for Canada's entertainment industry, is pleased to announce the addition of a new member to its Board of Directors.

Kathleen Higgins is a senior motion picture technician, human resources and labour relations professional with 18 years of experience in the Vancouver motion picture community. Working her way up through the production side of the industry, Kathleen was introduced to industrial relations through the elected position of business representative with IATSE Local 891 and later as a grievance and arbitration specialist with PSU COPE 378. Her reputation was cemented within this specialized area, where she has also held the positions of trustee with the IATSE Local 891 Motion Picture Workers Health and Benefits Plan, Executive Committee member with the Motion Picture Production Industry Association of B.C., advisory board member with the Vancouver Film Festival, and ranking officer of the B.C. Federation of Labour. Ms. Higgins volunteers extensively with the Dalai Lama Center in Vancouver and is also an accomplished food and wine hobbyist.

Actors' Fund of Canada President Maria Topalovich is pleased to welcome Kathleen Higgins to the Board of Directors. "We are honoured to have such an experienced and knowledgeable Canadian entertainment industry member join our Board," she said. "As both a motion picture technician and human resources and labour relations specialist Kathleen Higgins brings an impressive array of relevant expertise to the Actors' Fund. As we continue to assist industry members in times of crisis we know that she will bring both great enthusiasm and compassion to her new role on the Board of Directors. We would also like to thank outgoing members A. Frank Ruffo, Chanrouti Ramnarine, CFP, and Hans Engel for their contributions to the Actors' Fund of Canada. We are grateful for the valuable experience and insights that they provided to the Fund during their term and we wish them all the best in their future endeavours."

The Actors' Fund of Canada is a registered charity that provides short-term financial aid to entertainment industry professionals. Performers and others who work behind the scenes in film and television, theatre, music and dance can apply for emergency financial aid from the Fund. Through its Film and Television Relief Program (www.emergencyrelief.ca), the Fund will help hundreds of film and television industry workers recover from illness, injury or other circumstances causing severe economic and personal hardship in 2013/14.The Actors' Fund of Canada was the recipient of the 2011 Gemini Special Award for exceptional service to the Canadian television industry.