My Decision to Leave the Union

As I step back into acting after a long break, I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting on what I want my career to look like now versus when I first started. One of the most significant decisions I’ve made recently is to resign my membership with Actor’s Equity Association (AEA). It wasn’t a decision I made lightly — in fact, it took me a lot of thought, conversations, and soul-searching. But ultimately, it’s the right choice for me at this point in my life.

Let me be clear: I have tremendous respect for Equity and the work the union has done for stage actors and stage managers. From fair pay to safe working conditions to healthcare protections, AEA has created opportunities and security for countless performers. Many of my friends are proud Equity members, and I will always support their choice to be part of the union. For those pursuing Broadway or the regional theater circuit, it can be an essential part of building a sustainable career.

But here’s the truth: my path is different now. Alongside acting, I own and operate my own business. That work keeps me rooted here in the desert, and it gives me responsibilities I’m not willing to step away from for months at a time. Touring with a show or taking a long-term regional theater contract simply isn’t realistic for me. What I want, instead, is the ability to say yes to opportunities that are local, flexible, and meaningful — whether those are in Equity houses or non-union productions. By stepping away from the union, I’ve opened the door to more of those possibilities.
I also want to emphasize that I remain an active member of SAG-AFTRA, and I could never imagine giving that up. My schedule does allow me to carve out the time to work on filmed projects, which is something I’m truly excited about as I return to this side of my life. Being on set, collaborating with creative teams, and breathing life into characters is something that will always energize me, and I look forward to pursuing more of those opportunities in the future.

Leaving Equity, for me, is about alignment. It’s about matching my choices with the life I’m living now — as a business owner, a community member, and an actor who loves the work but doesn’t need to chase every traditional marker of “success” in theater. I believe art should fit into your life in a way that feels sustainable, joyful, and real. And for me, that means having the freedom to explore both union and non-union work here at home, while still keeping my SAG-AFTRA membership active for film and television projects.

In the end, this isn’t about closing doors — it’s about opening the right ones. And I couldn’t be more excited to see where they lead.