ITM: ARTS, Wellness, and LEADERSHIP

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I am an interdisciplinary and multicultural artist scholar whose research focuses on the relationship between theater, wellness, and leadership to build inclusive, creative, and sustainable communities. Wellness, to me, means "to feel whole, complete and content." It is a process and a goal. Over the last twenty years, I have traveled the world to study how humans connect to themselves, each other, the environment, and something larger than themselves.  

As a teacher, director, leader, and storyteller, it is my mission to inspire students to become wholesome artists skilled in the exploration of the self and others. Over the last ten years, I have developed a method of teaching and learning called ITM (Inviting the Medicine) that is contemplative, inclusive, and wellness-centered. Studies show that human's learning curve is impacted by mood, emotional and mental health. In my research as a full-time faculty at The Theatre School at DePaul University, I am studying how including wellness practices such as deep breathing, deep listening, mindful design, and self-awareness improve not only how teachers teach and students learn, but also the overall school climate, turning classrooms into more fun and inclusive spaces, where education is honored for what it is: an opportunity for people to grow, empower themselves, and shine. 

I am committed to connecting people to their calling, and to each other, to create a harmonious society  in which we are challenged enough to evolve, and trusting enough to feel well about ourselves.