# Heather Tom
**Heather Tom** (born 1975 in Hinsdale, Illinois) is an American actress and director best known for three long-running daytime soap opera roles: [Victoria Newman](https://www.edgepedia.org/victoria-newman) on *The Young and the Restless* (1990–2003), Kelly Cramer on *One Life to Live* (2003–2006), and Katie Logan on *The Bold and the Beautiful* (2007–present)[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/heather-tom/) • [2](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/heather-tom/). Winner of six [Daytime Emmy Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/daytime-emmy-awards), she made Emmy history in 2012 by becoming, a distinction she retains, the sole performer ever to take home the award in each of the three acting categories: Younger, Supporting, and Lead Actress[3](https://www.cbs.com/shows/the_young_and_the_restless/cast/61881/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1975, Hinsdale, Illinois[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/heather-tom/) |
| Signature roles | Victoria Newman, *The Young and the Restless* (1990–2003); Kelly Cramer, *One Life to Live* (2003–2006); Katie Logan, *The Bold and the Beautiful* (2007–present)[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/heather-tom/) • [2](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/heather-tom/) |
| Emmy record | Six Daytime Emmy wins; in 2012 became the only actor in television history to win in all three performer categories[3](https://www.cbs.com/shows/the_young_and_the_restless/cast/61881/) |
| 2020 milestone | Tied Erika Slezak for the most Emmys won by an actress in a Daytime Drama Series[3](https://www.cbs.com/shows/the_young_and_the_restless/cast/61881/) |
| Directing | Joined the DGA in 2016; has directed more than 40 episodes of *The Bold and the Beautiful* plus episodes of *The Young and the Restless*, *Good Trouble*, and *Dynasty*[3](https://www.cbs.com/shows/the_young_and_the_restless/cast/61881/) • [4](https://www.heathertomdirector.com/biography) |
| Writing | Joined *The Bold and the Beautiful* writing team in 2024; wrote, directed, and acted in a single episode to mark her 35th year in daytime television[4](https://www.heathertomdirector.com/biography) |
| Broadway | Debut in 2004 in Mark Medoff's *Prymate* as Allison, a role for which she learned sign language[3](https://www.cbs.com/shows/the_young_and_the_restless/cast/61881/) |
## Early life
Tom grew up in Chicago and Seattle with her mother, Marie, and her twin siblings, David and [Nicholle Tom](https://www.edgepedia.org/nicholle-tom), both of whom also became actors[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/heather-tom/). The Tom children took acting and modeling jobs to help bring in additional income after their parents split[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/heather-tom/). At age 10 she performed with the Seattle Pacific Ballet, and at 13 the family moved permanently to Los Angeles, where she and her siblings began working in Hollywood[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/heather-tom/) • [3](https://www.cbs.com/shows/the_young_and_the_restless/cast/61881/). Her early television work included roles on *Who's the Boss?* and *[Kids Incorporated](https://www.edgepedia.org/kids-incorporated)*[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/heather-tom/).
## Victoria Newman on The Young and the Restless
At 15, Tom was cast as Victoria Newman, the rebellious teen daughter of [Victor and Nikki Newman](https://www.edgepedia.org/victor-and-nikki-newman), on *The Young and the Restless*, making her debut on November 16, 1990[5](https://parade.com/tv/heather-tom-young-and-the-restless-parents-eric-braeden-melody-thomas-scott-interview). She won her first Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Younger Actress in 1993, at 16, and a second in the same category in 1999[6](https://heathertom.com/bio). Her second win came from a storyline in which a pregnant Victoria lost her baby[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/heather-tom/). She earned nine Emmy nominations for the role, eight of them consecutively from 1993 to 2000 and again in 2004[3](https://www.cbs.com/shows/the_young_and_the_restless/cast/61881/).
In 2003 Tom left the show, citing her character's lack of storyline and being asked to take a pay cut while still under contract, and relocated from Los Angeles to New York to join *One Life to Live*[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/heather-tom/).
## Kelly Cramer and Katie Logan
From 2003 to 2006 Tom played Kelly Cramer Buchanan on ABC's *One Life to Live*, also appearing in the role on *All My Children*, and earned two more Daytime Emmy nominations, in 2005 and 2007[2](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/heather-tom/) • [3](https://www.cbs.com/shows/the_young_and_the_restless/cast/61881/).
In 2007 she joined *The Bold and the Beautiful* as Katie Logan, a role that produced her later Emmy wins: Outstanding Supporting Actress in 2011 and Outstanding Lead Actress in 2012, 2013, and 2020[2](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/heather-tom/). With the 2020 win she tied her former mentor [Erika Slezak](https://www.edgepedia.org/erika-slezak) for the most Emmys won by an actress in a daytime drama series[3](https://www.cbs.com/shows/the_young_and_the_restless/cast/61881/). Her eight nominations for Katie Logan span 2008 to 2020[3](https://www.cbs.com/shows/the_young_and_the_restless/cast/61881/), and she was again nominated for lead actress in 2026[7](https://apnews.com/article/23a97692c66b4bcc71ec27ed9d8f474d). In 2013 *Variety* named her to its "Daytime TV Impact Honorees" list; among the 30 nominees across all genres, she was the only actor listed[3](https://www.cbs.com/shows/the_young_and_the_restless/cast/61881/).
## Directing and writing
Tom joined the [Directors Guild of America](https://www.edgepedia.org/directors-guild-of-america) in 2016 and began directing, participating in CBS's Diversity Directors Internship program[3](https://www.cbs.com/shows/the_young_and_the_restless/cast/61881/). She has directed more than 40 episodes of *The Bold and the Beautiful*, was nominated for a 2018 Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series Directing Team, and was one of four directors accepted into the 2018–2019 CBS Directors Initiative[4](https://www.heathertomdirector.com/biography). That program led to her first prime-time directing job on Freeform's *Good Trouble*, followed by six episodes of [The CW](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-cw)'s *Dynasty*[4](https://www.heathertomdirector.com/biography).
Her short films as a director include *Serenity* and *Bigfoot's Love Slave*, which played festivals including the Festival de Cannes, Santa Barbara International Film Festival, and HollyShorts[4](https://www.heathertomdirector.com/biography). In 2024 she joined *The Bold and the Beautiful*'s writing team, and to celebrate her 35th year in daytime television she wrote, directed, and acted in a single episode[4](https://www.heathertomdirector.com/biography). She is developing a feature film adapted from Jennifer Longo's young adult novel *What I Carry* and a pilot, *The Women Winchester*, based on Amanda Lee's *The Wicked Witches of the Midwest* series[4](https://www.heathertomdirector.com/biography).
## Stage and other work
In 2004 Tom first appeared on Broadway in Mark Medoff's *Prymate* as Allison; to prepare for the part she learned sign language fluently, and her performance in the Los Angeles staging earned her a Best Actress nomination for a Robbie Theatre LA Award[3](https://www.cbs.com/shows/the_young_and_the_restless/cast/61881/). Her other stage credits include *The Heiress* at the [Pasadena Playhouse](https://www.edgepedia.org/pasadena-playhouse), *The Glass Menagerie*, and a national touring company of *Vanities*[3](https://www.cbs.com/shows/the_young_and_the_restless/cast/61881/). As a producer, she won five Dramalogue Awards for a revival of [Neil Simon](https://www.edgepedia.org/neil-simon)'s *Biloxi Blues*, in which she also played Daisy[3](https://www.cbs.com/shows/the_young_and_the_restless/cast/61881/).
Her television credits beyond the soaps include recurring roles on *Ugly Betty*, David E. Kelley's *The Wedding Bells*, and *All My Children*, and guest appearances on *Lucifer*, *Criminal Minds*, *Rizzoli & Isles*, *The Mentalist*, *Monk*, and *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit*[3](https://www.cbs.com/shows/the_young_and_the_restless/cast/61881/). In 2013 she starred with her husband in the HGTV reality mini-series *Renovation Unscripted*; the couple's company, Tight Rope Designs, redecorates homes in the Los Angeles area[3](https://www.cbs.com/shows/the_young_and_the_restless/cast/61881/).
## Personal life
Tom is married to musician James Achor; their son Zane was born in 2012[2](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/heather-tom/). In 2000, she and her brother David achieved a Hollywood first: they became the only sibling pair ever to receive Emmy Award nominations during the same year.[6](https://heathertom.com/bio)
## References
1. [Heather Tom – Actress, Director, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/heather-tom/)
2. [Heather Tom News, Soap Opera Digest](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/heather-tom/)
3. [Heather Tom – The Young and the Restless Cast Member, CBS](https://www.cbs.com/shows/the_young_and_the_restless/cast/61881/)
4. [Biography — Heather Tom, heathertomdirector.com](https://www.heathertomdirector.com/biography)
5. [Heather Tom Reveals How 'Y&R' Legends Shaped Her Career, Parade](https://parade.com/tv/heather-tom-young-and-the-restless-parents-eric-braeden-melody-thomas-scott-interview)
6. [Heather Tom Biography, heathertom.com](https://heathertom.com/bio)
7. [Duchess of Sussex earns a Daytime Emmy nomination for Netflix's 'With Love, Meghan', AP News](https://apnews.com/article/23a97692c66b4bcc71ec27ed9d8f474d)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames Sw to T*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license