Ky'Lend J Adams is a writer, educator, and arts administrator from Washington, DC. He currently serves as the Education & Audience Engagement Coordinator at Disney Theatrical Group where he collaborates with a team of theatre practitioners in engaging communities and connecting audiences to Broadway and touring performances. Previously, he served as School of Theatre fellow at Berkeley Repertory Theatre as well as a Teaching Artist at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Where he worked at Camp Arena Stage teaching journalism and media theatre classes. He also is an alumnus of Jefferson Middle School VON ensemble and has directed other ensembles in the program. Ky'Lend holds a BA in Communication with a concentration in Media Production and a minor in Theatre from George Mason University.

Ayesis Clay is an actress, director, teaching artist, and certified mindfulness coach. Combining her extensive background in theatre and education, Ayesis founded Sculpted Clay Productions, a theatre company that uses theatrical productions, workshops, and online courses to help educators create trauma-sensitive, social-emotional-focused learning environments for teachers and students.

Jocquelyn is a filmmaker and arts administrator with over twenty years of experience working with students, arts educators, artists, and communities advancing arts education initiatives and programs for underrepresented communities. She currently serves as the Director of the Arts Council for Baltimore City where her primary focus is to provide resources and financial support to creatives and arts/culture organizations throughout the city. Jocquelyn is an avid supporter of all things arts and lives in Elkridge Maryland.

Raine Ensign (they/them) is a theatre artist, educator, and administrator based in the Washington DC Metro Area. They are currently the Engagement and Education Coordinator for Shakespeare Theatre Company. Raine holds a BFA in theatre from the University of Utah and worked as the 2019-2020 Education Apprentice for Olney Theatre Center. Raine has worked as a for teaching artist for University of Utah Youth Theatre, Lexington Children’s Theatre, Olney Theatre Center, Imagination Stage, Alexandria Children’s Theatre, BlackRock Center for the Arts, and Shakespeare Theatre Company, and they are a founding member of Nutshell Theatre Company.

The New Generations Manager at Shakespeare Theatre Company where she manages Camp Shakespeare, Classes for Youth and Teens, Apprenticeships, and Fellowships. Prior to STC, she was the Associate Artistic Director for Commonwealth Theatre Center, where she directed over 20 productions including The Tempest, Pericles, and Romeo & Juliet. Stage credits include Viola in Twelfth Night with Savage Rose Classical Theatre, Juliet in Romeo & Juliet with Kentucky Shakespeare, and Sonya in CTC’s professional company production of Uncle Vanya. She is a member of Actors’ Equity Association with an MFA from the University of Missouri–Kansas City/Kansas City Repertory Theatre.

Megan Philippi is a director, educator, and writer from Baltimore. She was a community engagement fellow at Arena Stage from 2019-2020, working with the Voices of Now program to devise Inside Voices: A Film By Arena Stage’s Voices of Now Ensembles. She received her B.A. in Theater and Performance Studies from The University of Chicago, where she devised Nothing Gets Shared at Pool Parties and directed Eurydice and After the Revolution among other productions and readings. She directed Drop at the Going Dutch Festival and assistant directed The Adventures of Augie March at Court Theatre. She has interned at Chicago Shakespeare Theater (directing), Lookingglass Theatre (education), Court Theatre (dramaturgy), and Goodman Theatre (dramaturgy). Her monologue “Brachiosaurus” won a Statue Stories Chicago writing competition and was recorded by Brian Dennehy, and her short play An Invitation was performed at a Victory Gardens Theater college night. She teaches interactive online theater, writing, and literature classes for ages 8-18 on Outschool.

Imari Pyles is the Theatre and Creative Writing teacher for Hyattsville Middle School's CPA program. In addition to this, she's an emerging teaching artist and costume designer in the Baltimore/Washington area. As an alum of both PG County's middle and high school arts program, she's very excited to now participate in the festival as an instructor teaching character development!

Alex Turner is a theatre artist and educator hailing from the D.C. metro area. He's performed with Folger Theatre, Theater Alliance, Imagination Stage, Rorschach Theatre, The Kennedy Center, Washington Improv Theatre, Pointless Theatre Company, National Players, and We Happy Few Productions - where he is a company member. When not creating theatre, he can be found goofing around with improvisers and sketch comedy writers.

Appointed Director of Education of Shakespeare Theatre Company in December 2010, where she provides vision and direction for STC’s School, Community Engagement, Training and Audience Enrichment Programs whose core purpose is to offer dynamic avenues of exploration that challenge individuals to seize the ideas contained in classic texts and to find the union between classic theatre and modern relevancy. Previously, served as Director of Education/ Associate Artistic Director at Arizona Theatre Company for thirteen seasons, where she led the creation of the education mission, department staffing design, and development of 80% of new programming during her term. In partnership with government, educational and social agencies, she created over 450 education and community enrichment activities throughout Arizona while serving as a passionate ambassador and community liaison for arts education. Under her leadership, ATC received the Outstanding Arts Education Organization award from Tucson Pima Arts and Business Council. Has been a grants panelist and guest speaker for arts organizations including Theatre Communications Group, Arizona Commission on the Arts, Tucson Pima Arts Council, Maricopa Partnership for Arts and Culture, and West Valley Arts Council and has taught and directed for University of Missouri, Arizona State University and University of Arizona. In 2007, was awarded the Buffalo Exchange Arts Award by the Community Foundation of Southern Arizona. Samantha is also a proud member of the Society of Directors and Choreographers union and partial directing credits include The Two Gentlemen of Verona, A Streetcar Named Desire, A Moon for the Misbegotten, To Kill a Mockingbird, Three Sisters, I Am My Own Wife, Noises Off!, Permanent Collection and Wit.

Robert Vaccarino teaches English and Drama at Potomac High School. He earned his B.A. in English and Drama at the Catholic University of America and his M.S.Ed. at the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to his teaching responsibilities at Potomac, Robert is the English Department Chair and coach of Proper Nonsense, the PHS Improv Comedy Club.

Was the Engagement and Education Fellow at STC this past season. He has done education work at the Alley Theatre, the New Victory Theater, and Second Stage, and has worked with students of all ages, from pre-schoolers to retirees. An avid Shakespeare enthusiast, Eliseo has read the entire canon, has performed in plays such as A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hamlet, and The Tempest, and most recently translated Timon of Athens for STC’s Spanish speaking students. He graduated from Stanford University with a BA in Theater and Performance Studies in 2018.

DeMoya Watson Brown has been instructing and choreographing professionally for over 18 years. She has created and developed programs for summer dance institutes, served as coordinator and artistic director of shows and events, and taught at various dance programs for youth and adults. After moving to the DC Metro area in 2008, Brown immersed herself in the DC arts scene where she has made appearances at Arena Stage, Ford’s Theatre, Signature Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre, and the Kennedy Center’s Washington National Opera. Other performance credits include performing in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular as a Radio City Rockette, Disney’s Beauty and The Beast and Finding Nemo the Musical, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Reflections Dance Co., Surfscape Contemporary Dance Co., and The Holy Land Experience. Television appearances include Dancing with the Stars, The Ellen Degeneres Show, CMT Top 20 Countdown, and TBN Praise the Lord.

Brown received a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Dance from Florida State University, and a Master’s of Arts in Arts Management from George Mason University.

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Jasmine proudly hails from Prince George’s County, MD where she first fell in-love with Theatre. As a graduate of an HBCU, Morgan State University, inclusion and acceptance is a top priority in her lessons. Theatre belongs to ALL of us. The opportunity to reinvest in her community as a Drama Teacher within the Arts Integration program at Edward Felegy ES is a privilege. Her mission is to use theatre and theatre games to instill a sense of compassion, confidence and community in her students.