Emily Leonard: Arts Educator

Emily has been an arts educator since her own youth, and a professional director, performer, and designer in Chicago since 1999. From 2006-2016 she held the position of Director of Outreach at Beverly Arts Center, during which time she oversaw an average of 50-60 visual and performing arts programs a year with 20-30 school partners annually. In her tenure at the Beverly Arts Center Emily also served as the director of the Theater department (2006-2013) and director of the School of the Arts (2010-2013).

Emily has also worked extensively with Chicago Improv Productions, for whom she developed and managed the Teen Comedy Fest, a national high school improv festival which grew to attract over 200 students annually from across the country for two days of study and performances.

Alongside her administrative duties, Emily has always remained active in the classroom, directing 2-3 fully produced amateur musicals a year with casts averaging 60-80 students. She has enjoyed multi-year tenures as a teaching artist with a wide array of Chicago-area arts organizations, including Hubbard Street Dance, Emerald City Theatre Company, Mad Science, Mudlark Theater, ImprovPlayhouse, and Elmhurst Children’s Theatre.

Emily holds a BFA in Directing and a minor in Dance from Ohio University.