Leadership & Program Development

Founding student-centered arts programs that prioritize equity and foster creative rigor is a part of my life’s work. My leadership experience includes guiding interdisciplinary councils and developing curriculum that aligns with educational standards, both within the classroom and in broader contexts.

🎟 Panther Playhouse (2021–2025)

As founder and director of Panther Playhouse, I built a theatre program from the ground up at Harrison High School. This student-driven model emphasized holistic actor training, leadership in technical roles, and real-world production experience. Over four years, our company staged full-length plays, curated original student one-acts, and developed interdisciplinary collaborations across departments.

This program became a flagship example of inclusive, student-centered theatre education—empowering emerging artists with professional-level expectations and collaborative accountability.

    • Established a sustainable season calendar including fall plays, spring showcases, and student-devised work

    • Facilitated student-led training in directing, stage management, lighting, costume design, and front-of-house operations

    • Managed production budgets, ticketing systems (GoFan, OnTheStage), and fundraising campaigns

    • Raised over $6,000 annually to fund student travel to Colorado Thespian Conference through concessions, community sponsorships, and original merch

    • Directed trauma-informed rehearsals integrating Alba Emoting, Laban, Meisner, and devised methods for emotional safety and growth

    • Launched social media marketing campaigns with student-designed visuals, increasing engagement and community turnout

🖌 Visual & Performing Arts Council (VPAC)

To deepen student voice across disciplines, I launched the Visual & Performing Arts Council in 2023—an interdisciplinary leadership body bringing together student representatives from theatre, choir, band, visual arts, and dance.

    • Weekly meetings in the Green Room (Wednesdays, 10–12 lunch), with rotating agendas based on production timelines and student concerns

    • Application-based leadership roles with equity and experience benchmarks (including verified Thespian hour tracking)

    • Officer positions included: President, VP, Secretary, Treasurer, Fundraising Officer, Equity Officer, Historian, and Trip Coordinator

    • Student-led fundraising coordination and budget planning for annual Thespian Conference trips

    • Facilitated arts-centered equity dialogues, cross-department collaboration, and peer mentorship

    • Created public-facing promotional materials, community engagement plans, and advocacy efforts for arts visibility

The VPAC became a safe and strategic space where students learned democratic leadership, event planning, conflict resolution, and peer facilitation—all grounded in the shared vision of accessible, high-quality arts education.

📘 Curriculum Development – Harrison School District 2

In alignment with district needs and evolving arts standards, I designed and submitted original curriculum frameworks for advanced theatre instruction at the high school level. My curriculum development process emphasized project-based learning, culturally responsive practices, and interdisciplinary scaffolding.

These curricular contributions supported district expansion of arts offerings and empowered teachers to implement rigorous, standards-aligned programming in a rapidly diversifying student population.

    • Middle School Drama
      An engaging introduction to acting, ensemble-building, and theatre history for grades 6–8. This course emphasized creative play, storytelling, SEL integration, and reflective performance practices.

    • Theatre Management
      A career-focused elective that taught budgeting, marketing, team leadership, front-of-house operations, and entrepreneurship in the arts. Students applied concepts directly to live production events and community fundraisers.

    • Directing for the Stage
      Designed for advanced high school students preparing for festivals or capstone projects. Covered script analysis, casting, actor coaching, prompt book creation, and the ethics of directing peers in emotionally vulnerable work.

    • Stagecraft
      A hands-on technical theatre course introducing scenic construction, costume and makeup design, lighting and sound basics, tool safety, and collaborative crew roles through active production cycles.

    • IB Theatre
      Developed to meet International Baccalaureate standards while fostering deep exploration of world theatre traditions, devised performance, and personal reflection. Included portfolio writing, performance assessments, and collaborative projects aligned with MYP Year 5.