SELeCTED WORK & REcognition
Stories worth telling. Voices worth hearing. Work worth sharing.
My work as an educator, theatre director, and performance artist is rooted in a simple belief: when people feel that they belong, they become more willing to take creative risks, discover their voices, and make something extraordinary together.
Since joining Saddleback College in 2006, I’ve collaborated with students and colleagues to create performances that entertain, challenge assumptions, and invite audiences to see the world differently.
This portfolio celebrates selected productions, original performance work, professional recognition, and the communities that make it all possible.
Featured Productions
Theatre that sparks conversation, challenges perspectives, and amplifies voices.
Tower 16 (2024)
Original Interpreter’s Theatre | Gun Violence on College Campuses
How do we make space for difficult conversations? Tower 16 explored gun violence on college campuses through original performance, bringing students together to examine a complex issue through theatre.
Recognition
Gold medal — Phi Rho Pi National Tournament
Bronze medal — California Community College Forensics Association State Championship
Fourth place — American Readers Theatre Association National Tournament
Nominations for Innovation Set and Best Actress — American Readers Theatre Association
Blood (2018)
Original Scriptwriting & Directing | Homelessness and Social Justice
Written and directed as an original interpreter’s theatre production, Blood examined the mistreatment of people experiencing homelessness in America. The project used collaborative performance to explore human dignity, social responsibility, and the stories society chooses to tell.
Recognition
Bronze medal — Phi Rho Pi National Tournament
Best Music — American Readers Theatre Competition
Additional nominations for Best Script, Best Costume, Best Blocking, and Best Set
Infected Memory (2015)
Original Scriptwriting & Directing | History, Family, and Collective Memory
How do historical events live on through families, communities, and the stories we share? Infected Memory explored the Holocaust’s impact on family, community, and media memory, using theatre to examine the relationship between history and the present.
Recognition
Gold medal — California Community College Forensics Association State Championship
Nominations for Best Costume, Best Acting, and Best Blocking — American Readers Theatre Competition
Selected Original Works
My interpreter’s theatre productions have explored social justice, educational access, identity, memory, and the experiences of people whose perspectives deserve greater attention.
Passing (2007) — Explored death, memory, and parenthood. Bronze medal, Phi Rho Pi National Tournament.
A Bitter End (2010) — Examined the positive and negative impacts of the coffee industry on developed and developing countries. Silver medal, Phi Rho Pi National Tournament.
Slighted (2011) — Explored educational opportunities for disabled individuals and magic as a learning modality.
Silence (2012) — Examined the ways students’ voices can be silenced in education.
Signs (2016) — Explored the significance of Deaf theatre to theatre studies and Deaf communities.
Tamed (2008) — Examined the ways professionals’ voices can be silenced as they prepare to enter the professional world.
These projects reflect my interest in using performance not only to tell stories, but also to create opportunities for dialogue, empathy, and change.
Directing at Saddleback College
The magic happens because we make it together.
As a director, I’m interested in what happens when students are encouraged to experiment, contribute their perspectives, and take ownership of the creative process. A production is never just the finished performance. It is also the discoveries made in rehearsal, the problem-solving backstage, the courage it takes to step into a role, and the collaboration that brings an idea to life.
Selected directing projects include:
Puffs, or: Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic (2026)
Tiny Tim’s Christmas Carol (2025)
Charlie Brown Musical (2022)
Every production represents a community of performers, designers, technicians, stage managers, and collaborators. Celebrating their work—and elevating the students who make these productions possible—is one of the most meaningful parts of directing.
Watch, Learn & Explore
Performance, teaching, and community beyond the stage.
Video gives us another way to share ideas, revisit creative work, and connect with audiences beyond the theatre. The following selections highlight educational conversations, student performance, and initiatives centered on confidence and belonging.
Performance & Confidence
Simplifying Performance to Gain Confidence
Saddleback Arts: Live at Home, Episode 13. An exploration of performance and confidence.
Saddleback College’s Virtual Vaudeville (2021)
A division-wide student performance showcase celebrating creativity and collaboration.
Saddleback College’s Virtual Vaudeville (2020)
The first edition of Saddleback College’s virtual student performance competition.
Neurodiversity & Inclusion
Neurodiversity in Postsecondary Education
A conversation about neurodiversity in higher education and the experiences of neurodivergent students.
Creating a Sense of Belonging for LGBTQIA+ Students
A professional development conversation about building inclusive environments in the classroom and across campus.
LGBTQIA+ Administrators Leadership in Higher Education Forum
A forum focused on leadership and LGBTQIA+ inclusion in higher education.
A professional development video featuring neurodivergent performers and a academic conversation about strategies for inclusion
Awards & Professional Recognition
Recognition is meaningful because it reflects the work of students, colleagues, mentors, and creative collaborators. I’m grateful for the opportunities I’ve had to learn from these communities and to contribute to the fields of communication, performance, and education.
Selected honors include:
2019 — Vets Program Faculty Member of the Year, Saddleback College.
2019 — Wyman-Howe Award, Pacific Southwest Collegiate Forensics Association, recognizing significant contributions to the California speech and debate community.
2018 and 2019 — Alpha Gamma Sigma Teaching Award, Saddleback College.
2006 — Top Four Papers in Performance Studies, Western Communication Association, for research on Moms Mabley and comedic oral storytelling.
2006 — Top Four Papers in Rhetoric and Public Address, Western Communication Association.
2006 — Top Student Researcher Award, California State University, Los Angeles, Department of Communication Studies.
I was also nominated for Saddleback College’s Faculty of the Year Award in 2020 and 2024.
Leadership & Community Impact
Belonging is something we create together.
Some of my most meaningful work happens beyond the classroom and rehearsal room. Throughout my career, I’ve contributed to college leadership, faculty mentorship, student advocacy, and professional organizations, with a continuing focus on creating opportunities for people to participate and thrive.
Selected experiences include:
Co-adviser and co-chair of Saddleback College’s Neurodiversity Student Union.
Former President, President-Elect, and Vice President of Saddleback College’s Academic Senate.
Former President and Vice President of the California Community College Forensics Association.
Former leadership roles with the Pacific Southwest Collegiate Forensics Association.
Faculty mentor and coordinator for the South Orange County Community College District’s B.L.O.O.M. Faculty Internship Program.
Support for campus initiatives focused on neurodiversity, LGBTQIA+ inclusion, Latinx students, and student performance.
Whether I’m mentoring a colleague, supporting a student organization, or directing a production, my goal remains the same: to help people find their voices, recognize their strengths, and discover what they can accomplish together.
The Work Continues
The awards tell part of the story. The productions capture moments in time. But the heart of this work is the people: the students who take a chance, the collaborators who share an idea, and the communities that make room for new possibilities.
I’m proud of what we’ve created, and I’m even more excited about what comes next.
Where we belong. Where we make mistakes. Where we make magic.
Come Behind the Scenes
Follow along for production updates, student creativity, rehearsal-room discoveries, and the people who bring theatre to life at Saddleback College.
The show is only part of the story. Come see what happens behind the scenes.
