Roberta Reardon has been tapped to
lead the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists as the
organization’s national president.
AFTRA’s board of directors
unanimously elected Reardon, promoting her position as National Second Vice
President in order to complete the term of John Connolly, who resigned as
president in March to become national executive director of Actors
Equity.
In a statement outlining her vision
for AFTRA, Reardon said, “AFTRA has a history of managing change. From radio to
television, from broadcast to cable, from vinyl to downloads, from kinescope to
video tape-and now to iPods, vPods, webisodes, and cell phones. The pace of
change in technology is dizzying. AFTRA´s mission is to be responsive to those
changes. The key is to ensure that professional performers have a foot in the
door in the new modes of production. Our contracts will grow as those businesses
grow.”
Reardon has served two terms as
AFTRA New York President from June 2003 to the present. She began her career
performing in daytime dramas-and has since appeared in commercials, as well as
TV voiceover work, radio commercials, industrial films, and narration. She has performed many diverse roles in
New
York and regional theater as well. She
has taught on the faculty of The School for Film and Television and is a guest
lecturer at Wagner College.
Reardon´s
term in office runs to July 2007 when elections for National President will be held at the 70th
Anniversary AFTRA National Convention in Philadelphia.
