Theatre Artist & Youth Arts Advocate
As an artist and youth advocate, Kristina wears many hats. She is the Director of Innovation and Engagement at Sitar Arts Center in Washington, DC. where she leads the innovation team in designing, implementing, and supporting arts-based workforce development programs for youth ages 14-24. Additionally, she works as the Director of Education at Young Artists of America, a youth-focused musical theatre training company for singers, actors, dancers, and musicians in Rockville, MD.
Kristina’s scholarly-artistic work focuses on two main avenues of inquiry: (1) presence and participation in digital and in-person rehearsals/performances and (2) audience engagement strategies that extend contact time with a performance to fuel responsive interactions between artists and the audience. Artistically, she explores these subjects through diverse approaches to theatre performance centered on social change. Whether devising socially engaged work, directing plays and musicals, or crafting original interactive performances, Kristina experiments with opportunities for play between artists and audiences as a means of building connection and coalition towards community-desired change.
Kristina recently completed her MFA in Theatre for Youth and Community at Arizona State University. She has completed a certificate in teaching at Notre Dame of Maryland and holds a BA in Theatre from the University of Maryland
Recent Awards and Recognitions
Outstanding Graduate Student for Community Engagement 2022, presented by the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts
Don and Elizabeth Doyle Award 2021, presented through American Alliance for Theatre in Education
Directing Debut Panel Award 2022, presented by Association for Theatre in Higher Education
Jim Rye Fellow 2020, International Performing Arts for Youth
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