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4:00pm CST
Festival Registration
Sunday January 19, 2025 4:00pm - 7:30pm CST
Festival Leadership JW
Associate Registrar, Truman State University
KCACTF National Committee Member at Large, South Dakota State University
Jim Wood currently serves on the KCACTF National Executive Committee as Member-at-Large. He also serves Region 5 as the Registrar and is a former Regional Chair. Jim is a Professor and the Artistic Director of Theatre & Dance at South Dakota State University. An actor, director, designer...
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8:00pm CST
Festival Launch
Sunday January 19, 2025 8:00pm - 9:30pm CST
Festival Leadership 
RED Vice Chair, Cottey College
Laura Chaney serves as the Vice Chair of RED and is a theatre generalist at Cottey College. She earned her Master of Fine Arts degree from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. At Cottey, Laura works as a director, designer, and technical director, and she is currently the...
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KCACTF National Chair, Iowa State University
Brad Dell (he/him/his) is the National Chair of KCACTF and past Chair of KCACTF Region 5. As Chair of the Department of Music and Theatre at Iowa State University Brad teaches classes in directing and performing arts. He is the recipient of the 2020 BroadwayWorld Des Moines Arts Educator...
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DTM Vice Chair, Drake University
Originally from northwest ND, Noah J. Files has worked in the theatre on both coasts and throughout the Midwest. He earned his MFA in Scenic Design from Minnesota State University, Mankato and a BA in Theatre Arts from Minot State University in Minot, ND. A former Region V student...
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NPP Co-Vice Chair, Truman State University
Cat Gleason teaches acting, directing, and stage movement, as well as theatre history and criticism. An award-winning teacher, she has received the Road Warrior and Innovative Teaching honors from The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival KCACTF5 as well as being honored...
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NPP Co-Vice Chair, Peru State College
Laura Gold (she/her) is the Associate Professor of Theatre at Peru State College. Recent Peru Theatre Company directing credits include Orphans, Love Song, Proof, and Everybody. She is especially proud of PTC's annual production The Disco Citizens—30 plays in 60 minutes, or your...
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Region 5 Co-Vice Chair, Culver-Stockton College
Haidee Heaton is a Professor of Theatre at Culver-Stockton College where she serves as Associate Division Chair of Fine, Applied, and Literary Arts and Director of the Honors Scholars Program. Haidee teaches performance, directing, critical theory, and voice. Recent directing credits...
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Region 5 Co-Vice Chair, Hutchinson Community College
Deidre is the current Co-Vice-Chair of Region 5, having previously served as the Region 5 National Playwriting Programs Vice-Chair, Coordinator of the Institute for Theatre Journalism and Advocacy, and Co-Coordinator of Dramaturgy. Deidre is also a recipient of the Region 5 Road Warrior...
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Region 5 Co-Chair, University of North Dakota
Emily Cherry Oliver is the Professor and Chair of the Department of Theatre Arts at the University of North Dakota, as well as the Co-Director of the UND AI and Human Innovation Initiative. She holds a BFA in Musical Theatre and an MFA in Directing, seamlessly integrating both disciplines...
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NPP Chair, U of Central Missouri
Aaron Scully, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Theatre at the University of Central Missouri. His plays have been produced around the country including Atlanta, Des Moines, Washington D.C., Seattle and Pittsburgh, PA. Most recently a production of his play "The Disappointments" toured...
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RED Chair, University of Missouri
Region 5 Co-Chair, Rochester Civic Theatre
Lindsey Duoos Williams is the Artistic Director at Rochester Civic Theatre in Rochester, Minnesota. For thirteen years, she served as the Theatre Director at Riverland Community College in Austin, Minnesota, where she created the state’s only AFA in Musical Theatre degree program...
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7:00am CST
Irene Ryan Headquarters
Monday January 20, 2025 7:00am - 5:00pm CST
Festival Leadership EM
Ryan Assoc. Coord, Drake University
Irene Ryan Coordinator, Graceland University
Cara is a queer director, educator, and writer based in Saint Paul, MN and Lamoni, IA. She recently directed the world premiere musical, THROUGH THE SUNKEN LANDS, by Avi Amon and Tim J. Lord for the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Cara's national work includes credits with...
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Irene Ryan Assoc. Coord, MidAmerica Nazarene U
8:00am CST
Sensory Space
Monday January 20, 2025 8:00am - 5:00pm CST
Festival Leadership
RED Vice Chair, Cottey College
Laura Chaney serves as the Vice Chair of RED and is a theatre generalist at Cottey College. She earned her Master of Fine Arts degree from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. At Cottey, Laura works as a director, designer, and technical director, and she is currently the...
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RED Chair, University of Missouri
2:00pm CST
ASPIRE: The Creative Pitch
Tuesday January 21, 2025 2:00pm - 3:15pm CST
Guest Artists 
Evolution Mgmt Consultants
Leandro is a consultant, strategist, and facilitator based in Atlanta, GA, and a co-founder of Evolution Management Consultants, a BIPOC-owned firm specializing in search, strategic planning, and capacity-building initiatives for nonprofit organizations. He has worked with theaters...
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Immediate Past National Chair, Hope College
Michelle Bombe is the Immediate Past National Chair of KCACTF, Executive Artistic Director of Hope Repertory Theatre- an Equity Theatre in Western Michigan, and Chair of the Theatre Department at Hope College in Holland, MI. Michelle received her MFA in design from U Texas- Austin...
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Aspire Coord, Truman State University
Alex is a Lecturer of Theatre in Lights/Sound from Truman State University. He is also a freelance Light/Sound Designer from Minneapolis, MN. His past credits include Hair at Premiere Playhouse, Ride the Cyclone at Truman State, and Audio mixer at the True/False Festival. He loves...
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3:30pm CST
ASPIRE: Mission, Vision, Values
Tuesday January 21, 2025 3:30pm - 4:45pm CST
Guest Artists
Evolution Mgmt Consultants
Leandro is a consultant, strategist, and facilitator based in Atlanta, GA, and a co-founder of Evolution Management Consultants, a BIPOC-owned firm specializing in search, strategic planning, and capacity-building initiatives for nonprofit organizations. He has worked with theaters...
Read More →
Immediate Past National Chair, Hope College
Michelle Bombe is the Immediate Past National Chair of KCACTF, Executive Artistic Director of Hope Repertory Theatre- an Equity Theatre in Western Michigan, and Chair of the Theatre Department at Hope College in Holland, MI. Michelle received her MFA in design from U Texas- Austin...
Read More →
Aspire Coord, Truman State University
Alex is a Lecturer of Theatre in Lights/Sound from Truman State University. He is also a freelance Light/Sound Designer from Minneapolis, MN. His past credits include Hair at Premiere Playhouse, Ride the Cyclone at Truman State, and Audio mixer at the True/False Festival. He loves...
Read More →
9:00am CST
ASPIRE: Careers Panel
Wednesday January 22, 2025 9:00am - 10:15am CST
Guest Artists 
Iowa Stage Theatre Company
Alex is a producer, resident artist, and actor with Iowa Stage Theatre Company. His undergraduate alma mater is Northwestern College in Orange City, and his graduate alma mater is the University of Idaho. If you find yourself looking for theatre work in the Des Moines metro, please...
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Iowa Stage Theatre Company
Davida D. Williams is 1 of 2 artistic producers for Iowa Stage Theatre Company. She is a Des Moines, Iowa native with more than thirty years of acting experience in stage, voice over, and film. Davida studied at Grandview University, where she developed a tenacious passion for storytelling...
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Evolution Mgmt Consultants
Leandro is a consultant, strategist, and facilitator based in Atlanta, GA, and a co-founder of Evolution Management Consultants, a BIPOC-owned firm specializing in search, strategic planning, and capacity-building initiatives for nonprofit organizations. He has worked with theaters...
Read More →
Immediate Past National Chair, Hope College
Michelle Bombe is the Immediate Past National Chair of KCACTF, Executive Artistic Director of Hope Repertory Theatre- an Equity Theatre in Western Michigan, and Chair of the Theatre Department at Hope College in Holland, MI. Michelle received her MFA in design from U Texas- Austin...
Read More →
Aspire Coord, Truman State University
Alex is a Lecturer of Theatre in Lights/Sound from Truman State University. He is also a freelance Light/Sound Designer from Minneapolis, MN. His past credits include Hair at Premiere Playhouse, Ride the Cyclone at Truman State, and Audio mixer at the True/False Festival. He loves...
Read More →
1:00pm CST
ASPIRE: Your Pitch
Wednesday January 22, 2025 1:00pm - 2:15pm CST
Guest Artists
Evolution Mgmt Consultants
Leandro is a consultant, strategist, and facilitator based in Atlanta, GA, and a co-founder of Evolution Management Consultants, a BIPOC-owned firm specializing in search, strategic planning, and capacity-building initiatives for nonprofit organizations. He has worked with theaters...
Read More →
Immediate Past National Chair, Hope College
Michelle Bombe is the Immediate Past National Chair of KCACTF, Executive Artistic Director of Hope Repertory Theatre- an Equity Theatre in Western Michigan, and Chair of the Theatre Department at Hope College in Holland, MI. Michelle received her MFA in design from U Texas- Austin...
Read More →
Aspire Coord, Truman State University
Alex is a Lecturer of Theatre in Lights/Sound from Truman State University. He is also a freelance Light/Sound Designer from Minneapolis, MN. His past credits include Hair at Premiere Playhouse, Ride the Cyclone at Truman State, and Audio mixer at the True/False Festival. He loves...
Read More →
9:00am CST
ASPIRE Presentations
Thursday January 23, 2025 9:00am - 1:00pm CST
Guest Artists
Evolution Mgmt Consultants
Leandro is a consultant, strategist, and facilitator based in Atlanta, GA, and a co-founder of Evolution Management Consultants, a BIPOC-owned firm specializing in search, strategic planning, and capacity-building initiatives for nonprofit organizations. He has worked with theaters...
Read More →
Immediate Past National Chair, Hope College
Michelle Bombe is the Immediate Past National Chair of KCACTF, Executive Artistic Director of Hope Repertory Theatre- an Equity Theatre in Western Michigan, and Chair of the Theatre Department at Hope College in Holland, MI. Michelle received her MFA in design from U Texas- Austin...
Read More →
Aspire Coord, Truman State University
Alex is a Lecturer of Theatre in Lights/Sound from Truman State University. He is also a freelance Light/Sound Designer from Minneapolis, MN. His past credits include Hair at Premiere Playhouse, Ride the Cyclone at Truman State, and Audio mixer at the True/False Festival. He loves...
Read More →
