Ben Hodge

Ben Hodge is a twenty-plus year veteran of the classroom and stage. He teaches acting and speech classes and serves as the artistic director for a Central PA high school. He has directed over 50 productions and his play Reach was performed Off-Broadway in 2009. He currently trains at Anthony Meindl’s Acting Workshop (NY/LA) and studied improvisation at the Upright Citizens Brigade and with Amey Goerlich. When not directing or acting, Ben involves himself in education leadership and currently serves as the Teach Plus PA Senior Communications Fellow, helping other teacher leaders to be courageous and bold with their communication. 

A passionate advocate for Education Policy and Diversity initiatives, he created the Panther Anti-Racist Union in 2020 to establish a safe space for students to have courageous conversations and advocacy regarding social justice issues. This group went on to overturn two book bans in their school district. Ben’s first book will debut in September 2024: a nonfiction YA book called Fighting Censorship: A Handbook on Pushing Back Against Book Bans. When he is not teaching or advocating, he is reading history, gaming, playing pickleball or binge-watching shows with his wife, two teenage children, and two Yorkies.