The SMA is governed by a Board of elected Directors who are all SMA Members. As a group the board are responsible for policy and the overall strategy of SMA, delegating management and running the SMA to staff who also advise the board. SMA Board directors are volunteers and actions that the board wish to take are decided by the board as a whole at regular meetings. Additional co-opted Directors with skills that the board feel will be useful to governance (and may not be SMA Members) may be invited to serve at the discretion of the SMA Board until the next AGM. A Director’s term of office is for three years, after which they may choose to stand again for election or retire.
Members who have questions or require information on strategy, Association policies and aims, and the overall direction of the SMA can address emails to the board at : board@stagemanagementassociation.co.uk
The SMA’s current Board of Directors
At the 2020 SMA AGM, existing board members Emma Hansford and Ruth Sidery were re-elected to the Board for a second term.
Remembering David Ayliff, Honorary Life President & SMA Co-founder 1916 – 2016
Emma Hansford, Deputy Chair 
Areas of work : Commercial Theatre, Repertory and Stage Management Education
In Stage Management since: 2002 (2019)
Emma trained in Stage Management at Rose Bruford College and has since worked in a freelance capacity at all levels of Stage Management in regional theatre, touring, West End and events. She now works in Stage Management Education, currently teaching at LAMDA and prior to this, she taught at both ALRA and Mountview.
Emma has been a member of the SMA for several years and joined the board in 2017, as she felt it was time to make a more active contribution to the Association.
Emma has represented the SMA at trade shows and through education visits, and is one of our board members representing the SMA at Stage Sight meetings.
Ruth Sidery, Treasurer 
Areas of work: Commercial Theatre, Repertory Theatre, Broadcasting, Film, Live Events and Stage Management Education
In Stage Management since: 1988 (2020)
Ruth trained at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and has spent the last 30 years working in Stage Management, Production Management and across an enormously varied range of productions in theatre, festivals, corporate events, trade shows, television and film. She currently teaches Stage Management at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School whilst still continuing her professional interests.
Ruth’s credits include Company Stage Manager for Bristol Old Vic under Tom Morris’ tenure, Event Manager for BBC’s Antiques Roadshow, Showcaller for Rouge Events, Location Manager for BBC Productions and Script Supervisor for Ragdoll’s In The Night Garden and many more.
In addition to her extensive education work at BOVTS, where she was also responsible for developing the Film and Television strand for the Stage Management course, Ruth has designed and delivered short SM courses for Bristol University, University of the West of England, NODA and Theatre Royal Bath’s Education Department.
Having joined the SMA board in 2017, Ruth has a passion for keeping the standards of professional Stage Management high and championing the work that we do in an ever-changing and challenging world. Ruth represents the SMA in the South West of England, at PIPA networking meetings and also sits on the AAPTLE committee.
Amy Wildgoose, Board Chair
Area of work: Commercial, Repertory and Touring (2019)
In Stage Management since: 2011
Amy is a freelance stage and event manager based in Liverpool, UK. After studying for a BA in Drama and Theatre Arts at Goldsmiths, University of London and then for an MA at Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama her work has gone on to span many genres; musicals, opera, touring productions both nationally in the UK and internationally, new writing and devised pieces, west-end, immersive and site specific experiences, corporate events and screen including drama series, short film and live broadcast.
Alongside professional practice Amy also has experience in several educational environments and was invited to be interim Stage Management Tutor at Sharjah Performing Arts Academy in 2023.
In 2022 Amy was awarded Associate of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama which is to celebrate significant contributions to arts and society in early career.
Frances Howell 
Areas of work: Commercial and Touring (2020)
In stage management since: 2017
For Frances, stage management is a second career having worked in professional financial services for 18 years prior to making the change to stage management in 2017. She especially enjoys working in musical theatre and on new writing.
Recent credits include Deputy State Manager for Simon Friend Entertainment’s productions of Drop the Dead Donkey (UK Tour) and The Crown Jewels, Deputy Stage Manager for Crossroad Pantomime’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (Mayflower Theatre, Southampton), and as Assistant Stage Manager for ROYO’s The Cher Show (UK and Ireland Tour).
Since joining the SMA Board in 2021, Frances brings her experience of working in the UK and Japan, and a reminder that new entrants can come into the industry at all ages and with different training backgrounds.
Terry Lee Dickson 
Area of work: Drama, Ballet, Opera and Musical Theatre.
In Stage Management since: 1968 (2021)
Terry trained in Stage Management at Central School of Speech and Drama. Repertory in Scotland and England led on to West End shows, then via opera to many years of Ballet in the UK and overseas. A seven year stint as Production SM in Canada was followed by ten years running a Scenery company in London.
TLD tried retirement but people kept phoning to ask him to take shows out on the road!
Principle interests are safety and respect in the workplace. In connection with that he has written Guidance Notes for the ABTT and the SMA, co-authored Reset Better Principles and Charter and Theatre Green Book’s Stage Management section.
Terry works as PM and CSM autumn to spring and as a commercial yachtmaster in the summer.
Vikki Chandler
Vikki has been an SMA Member since 2019
Vikki has been working in stage management in England and Wales since 2019. Vikki has a particular interest in new musicals, new writing, dance and puppetry. Working across all roles has given Vikki an insight into the joys and also into lots of the challenges that stage managers are currently facing in the industry. In joining the board of directors for SMA, Vikki hopes to support and celebrate stage managers and help ensure the theatre industry continues to evolve and recognises the versatile and highly skilled humans that facilitate the creation of theatre magic.