Administration and Design

As Chair of the Department of Global Languages and Theatre Arts, my responsibilities include overseeing and managing the day-to-day activities of two different career fields (Languages and Theatre) in five separate buildings. Acting as the Building Coordinator for the Fine Arts Building, supervising three coordinators for the department, supervising up to 21 faculty of all ranks, and two staff members. As an administrator, I oversee budgets including operational, equipment, web, course fees, scholarship, personnel, and foundation accounts. Further duties include developing or improving course and program offerings and supervising the creation of six undergraduate certificates, one master certificate, five minors, and eleven majors. I have created policies to improve operations and managed resources while supporting students, staff, and faculty. As a chair and theatre designer/professor, I understand the importance of collegiality, collaboration with the ability to work individually, creative and analytical thinking, organizational and communications skills, and providing support. I believe in an interdisciplinary approach to education, having created or supported several partnerships with Film Studies, Creative Writing, Literature, Art and Design, Mass Media, Languages, and Music.

I have a B.S. in Theatre from Western Michigan University and an M.F.A. in Scenography from Wayne State University.

As a Scenic and Lighting Designer with a 36-year career designing over 150 productions/installations, I have designed for productions across the eastern half of the United States and New Delhi India. I have worked as a Scenic Artist for most of my designs, designed for video, worked as a concert lighting director, and designed for art installations, ballet and modern dance concerts, event and museum exhibits, as well as plays, operas, and musicals.