PANELISTS:

Jenny Anne Koppera has her MFA in Drama/Theatre for the Young from Eastern Michigan University, and she is active nationally and internationally in the field of children’s theatre. She is the Artistic Director of Spinning Dot Theatre, a company based in Ann Arbor, Michigan focused on international TYA. Jenny has worked with TYA/USA, ASSITEJ International, International Performing Arts for Youth Showcase, American Alliance for Theatre and Education, The Kennedy Center’s New Visions/New Voices program, Write Local. Play Global., and Imaginate Children’s Theatre Festival. Locally, Jenny was one of the founding creators of Eastern Michigan University’s Global Play Project, CrossTown Theatre Troupe, and Educational Theatre Collaborative. Her national awards include the AATE Doyle Fellowship Special Recognition Award in 2010, a 2011 Rye Fellowship for the International Performing Arts for Youth Showcase, the TYA/USA Delegate to the International Directors’ Seminar in 2013, and the TYA/USA 2014 Ann Shaw Fellowship.

Kassie Misiewicz is a professional Theatre for Youth director and educator and is the Executive Artistic Director and founder of Trike Theatre, Northwest Arkansas professional theatre for youth. Before moving to Arkansas, Kassie was the director of Education Outreach at Seattle Children's Theatre and Associate Artistic Director at First Stage Children's Theatre. Kassie received her Masters of Fine Arts degree in Theatre for Young Audiences from Arizona State University and her BA in Theatre from the University of Notre Dame. She has taught and/or directed at University of Notre Dame, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Arizona State University, TheatreSquared, Walton Arts Center, Growing Stage Theatre for Young Audiences and the New Jersey Shakespeare Festival. Kassie is a national arts integration consultant with Focus5 and a John F. Kennedy Center Teaching Artist. She was recently awarded an individual artist fellowship by the Arkansas Arts Council for her directing.