Chair of Communications & Community Engagement Mercedes Morris is a multi-disciplinary artist from Scarborough, ON. She’s an accomplished actress who has appeared on screens and stages across the country. In addition to her lead role on SkyMed for Paramount+/CBC, Mercedes can currently be seen recurring on CBS’s Ghosts. Recent credits include: The Amityville Curse (Incendo), Y: The Last Man (Hulu), American Gods (Starz/Prime), Hudson and Rex (City), Killjoys (Temple Street Productions) and as the series lead on Slasher season 3 and season 5 (Shaftesbury/Netflix). Mercedes also has extensive motion capture experience, appearing in multiple Ubisoft video game titles, including Far Cry 6 and the upcoming, Star Wars: Outlaws. Beyond her various artistic pursuits, this Actra member since 2016, is deeply passionate about activism and mentoring youth. Her goal is to help usher in a confident, creative, savvy and engaged generation of Actra members via this committee. She is proud to serve as your co-chair! 

Vice Chair Kenton Blythe is a Toronto-based writer, producer, and performer whose work spans film, television, theatre, and digital media. He is honoured to be the Vice Chair of YEAA, and excited to expand opportunities for emerging performers and strengthen ACTRA’s culture of collaboration and member engagement. Kenton’s most recent short film, I B.S., which he wrote, produced, and starred in, premiered at the Edmonton International Film Festival. His first short, Looking For Today, premiered at the Canadian Film Fest. His musical Curious K Explores the Paleozoic—born from a viral TV performance of his song “Permian Period” on Canada’s Got Talent with his wife Lise Cormier—won the Patron’s Pick Award and a Broadwayworld.com Award at the Toronto Fringe Festival. As a performer, Kenton’s credits include Murdoch Mysteries, Amazon’s The Greatest, Reign, and Mayday, as well as numerous theatre productions. In his advocacy work, Kenton brings his lived experience with ADHD to help uplift creators with disabilities and champion accessible, supportive, performer-driven creative spaces. With YEAA, he aims to nurture community, amplify member voices, and build more pathways for ACTRA members to create, connect, and thrive.

Chair of Events Caroline Vartanian shares a love for community and event productions. She has served as event coordinator for large organizations such as Kids Help Phone and brings love and knowledge of event logistics to YEAA. Caroline has multiple appearances as a performer on Disney+, Paramount+, Netflix and Universal.  Outside of ACTRA, Caroline also has a background in cheerleading, skateboarding and circus arts, which she has been able to use in stunt performing. Caroline has a passion for community, activism and growing our union. 

Chair of Advocacy & Policy Lucas Vani is a versatile, collaborative artist based in Hamilton, Ontario, working both in front of the camera and behind it. With nearly a decade of experience as a highly respected Assistant Director, he has contributed to numerous film and television productions, including three seasons of Slasher (Shaftesbury), Prime Movers (NorthFilmCo), and The Dessert (LaRue Entertainment). A graduate of Brock University’s Dramatic Arts program, Lucas later returned to his passion for performance by stepping into the world of acting. An ACTRA member since 2024, he is an apprentice on the path to full membership after premiering in Surfacing (KalKaden Productions). Lucas’s lifelong passion for supporting young and emerging performers drives his commitment to advocacy and community-building. His empathy for fellow actors and crew motivated him to take on the role of YEAA co-chair, where he champions respectful, optimistic, and empowering collaboration.