Shindle, who replaces Nick Wyman, will serve a three-year term, along with officers Paige Price (First Vice President), Rebecca Kim Jordan (Second Vice President), Ira Mont (Third Vice President) and Sandra Karas (Secretary/Treasurer). The officers ran uncontested.

One of the issues in the campaign was Equity's recent vote to require 99-seat theaters in the Los Angeles area to pay actors minimum wage or more. Actors there had been working for much less, or nothing, but felt that Equity's action would make it financially impossible for the theatres to mount plays. During the campaign, Shindle tried to walk a middle way between Wyman's comparatively hard line, and the local members in L.A. She posted the following statement on her campaign website: "I do think that a test drive [of minimum wage] is in order. And that our biggest priority going forward, as a community, should be whether this actually works for our L.A. members. If not, it can and should be adjusted."

Shindle is not the first woman to serve as president of Equity. Both Colleen Dewhurst and Ellen Burstyn preceded her. Paige Price served as acting president.

In Thursday's leadership elections Doug Carfrae was re-elected as the Western Regional Vice President. Dev Kennedy, Central Region Vice President and Melissa Robinette, Eastern Region Vice President, ran uncontested for their respective offices and were also re-elected.

In addition to the elected officer seats, 16 council seats were filled. In the Eastern Region, incumbents Dana Ivey, Maureen Moore, Judy Rice, Kristine Nevens return with Tonya Pinkins, Kate O’Phalen, and Sid Solomon joining them as Principal Councillors. Joanne Borts, who previously served on Council, returns as a Principal Councillor. Incumbent Ruth E. Kramer and newly elected Amber White are Stage Manager Councillors. Bill Bateman, who ran uncontested, returns as a Chorus Councillor.

Two seats were uncontested in the Central Region: Ariane Dolan reupped as Chorus Councillor, and Malcolm D. Ewen returns as Stage Manager Councillor.

In the Western Region, Mary-Pat Green and Jeff Marlow, and incumbent Barbara N. Roberts were elected as Principal Councillors. There were no Chorus or Stage Manager seats open.

Founded in 1913, the union represents 50,000 professional actors in the U.S.