Meet VAPA TOSA Kirsten Giard Branch
Kirsten is a proud graduate of Santana High School– class of ‘83!! Whut??
Kirsten has served as VAPA TOSA since February 2023.
Kirsten Giard taught theatre at Valhalla High School from 1991 to 2014. She taught theatre and Humanities at IDEA Center High School from 2014 to 2019. She was the theatre teacher/director and WASC Co-coordinator at Granite Hills High School from 2019 to 2023.
She has a BA in Theatre, a Master's in Curriculum and Education from SDSU, and a Master's in Theatre Design from Southern Oregon University.
Kirsten is also a proud parent of two fabulous adult children who participated in the arts when they were in high school. Her daughter is a theatre person and visual artist, and her son is a band musician who works with Indoor Competitive Percussion Groups, Marching Bands throughout San Diego County, Indoor Drumlines, and has traveled the country with Competitive Drum and Bugle Corps throughout the summer.
Kirsten has worked with local community theatres as a Board Member, Technical Director, Director, and Designer.
She is a teaching artist with The La Jolla Playhouse and co-created the Juvenile Court Schools summer program, teaching Technical Theatre to incarcerated youth. She currently provides Summer Theatre Teacher workshops in Technical Theatre through LJP.
She is the co-creator of Teach Tech Theatre, a small business focusing on helping Theatre educators navigate the world of teaching Tech Theatre, creating curriculum, and designing productions.
She co-founded the San Diego Educational Theatre Association in 1996 and has served on their board through 2021.
She served on the Board for California Thespians for the 24-25 school year, planning and implementing the Student Designer Showcase.
She served as a teacher leader for the Grossmont Union High School District Visual and Performing Arts Department, helping to create several District Strategic Plans for the Arts throughout the years.
She has been recognized at the school, district, county, and state level for her excellence in teaching and directing.
Kirsten was awarded Educator of the Year by the California Educational Theatre Association in 2010. Kirsten was chosen Teacher of the Year for Valhalla in 2004 and IDEA Center in 2018. Kirsten was awarded the 2018-2019 GUHSD Innovation and Collaboration Award for her work with Junior Humanities and Project-Based Learning.
In her spare time, she has no spare time… but if she has a few moments, she is refinishing furniture, painting, crafting, or going to Disneyland.