Lissa Slay is a director, educator, and teaching artist, with a B.A. in Directing for the

Theatre (CSUF), M.S. in Education (CSUF), M.F.A. in Theatre Education (MUW), and

California Teaching Credentials in elementary (multiple-subject, authorization for

Drama/Theatre – CSUF), secondary (English – UCLA), and career technical education

(Arts/Media/Entertainment - OCDE). She also serves as a consultant and teaching artist

through The Happy Theatre Teacher, providing professional development opportunities for theatre educators both online and through various school districts and arts organizations.

Lissa is currently the Theatre Program Director for Newport Harbor High School and

adjunct faculty at Vanguard University, teaching Theatre Education, having previously served as the founding Education Director of American Coast Children’s Theatre, a subset of the university’s resident professional theatre company. In her time at Vanguard, she has been integral to the development of the Theatre credential and is currently welcoming its first cohort. Lissa has taught as both an elementary and high school theatre teacher at various school sites, Theatre adjunct faculty at Santa Ana College and Chaffey College, as a film acting teacher at the film conservatory The Playground and toured seventeen states over four tours with the acclaimed Missoula Children’s Theatre in Missoula, Montana.

                     Recently, Lissa has collaborated with Cobalt Studios, No Square Theatre, and The Wayward Artist, focusing on educational workshops and programming. Lissa is a proud member of the Educational Theatre Association, California Educational Theatre Association, and Actors' Equity Association. She and her husband, Kevin, are the joyful parents to Penelope and Finley and reside in southern California.