Alistair Hepburn Steps Up at ACTRA TO
by Staff Editors
(September 10, 2021 – Toronto, ON) ACTRA Toronto Council has named Alistair Hepburn as Executive Director, a position previously held by Sue Milling.
Hepburn moves up from his role as Director of Film, Television and Digital Media (FTDM) at the branch, transitioning to his new role today. Ms Milling will stay on in an advisory capacity through the transition and will remain on the board of FilmOntario until its annual general meeting in November.
Alistair Hepburn began in the entertainment business as a Director of Production and Technical Director on large-scale theatre shows. He served as a Business Representative with sister union, Equity, before coming to ACTRA Toronto as Director of the FTDM department in 2016. During COVID, he has distinguished himself representing performer concerns on the Section 21 Health and Safety Committee for the screened entertainment industry, helping to develop the protocols that kept the industry working during the pandemic, as well as facilitating the stage industry to transition to online presentation. He remains a key contributor to bargaining ACTRA’s collective agreements. Hepburn also sits on both the Durham Region and Toronto Film, Television & Digital Media Board.
Sue Milling came to ACTRA Toronto in 2009 from United Steelworkers. She led the FTDM department before becoming Executive Director in 2013. She assisted three presidents through transformative and challenging times, including the #MeToo movement in 2017, Black Lives Matter in 2020 and helped the industry and union adapt quickly to the COVID pandemic.
“Sue Milling has been an invaluable resource for ACTRA Toronto’s members and its elected Council,” says President David Gale. “Throughout her tenure, she has guided ACTRA Toronto with wisdom, commitment and deep personal integrity. Sue has been a tremendous mentor and we know ACTRA Toronto is in good hands under Alistair Hepburn’s leadership.”
ACTRA Toronto is the largest organization within ACTRA, representing more than 15,000 of Canada’s 27,000 professional performers working in recorded media in Canada. An advocate for Canadian culture since 1943, ACTRA is a member-driven union that continues to secure rights and respect for the work of professional performers.
SOURCE: ACTRA Toronto
