Who We Are

Meet the folks who make this work possible!

Admin Team

Click to read their bios!

Curators

Meet the folks who have shaped our Expand the Canon lists!

  • A young man with light skin, wavy brown hair, and blue eyes wearing a black sleeveless shirt and layered gold necklaces.

    Gagarin

    (2023-)
    Artist. (they/them)

  • A smiling woman with shoulder-length dark brown hair, wearing a beige cardigan, gold earrings, and a blue top, standing against a blurred indoor background.

    Kalina Ko

    (2023-)

    Director, dramaturg, and literary administrator at Ma-Yi Theater and Atlantic Theater Company.

  • A woman with curly red hair wearing a black leather jacket and dark blue top, standing with arms crossed against a textured wall.

    Emily Lyon

    (2020-)

    Expand the Canon, Artistic Director (she/her)

  • A woman smiling, wearing wedding pearls and earrings, dressed in black with a background of modern geometric window design.

    Triza Cox

    (2024)

    Theater Artist and Administrator, South Carolina Ambassador for the Dramatists Guild.

  • Portrait of a woman with wavy light brown hair, blue eyes, and fair skin, wearing a dark blue striped shirt against a dark background.

    Skye Pagon

    (2020-24)

    Actor, arts advocate, and theatre maker.

  • A portrait of a woman with natural curly black hair, wearing a green spaghetti strap top, against a purple background.

    Shannon Corenthin

    (2020-2023)

    Producer at Black Theatre Workshop, Multi-disciplinary theatre artist

  • Close-up portrait of a woman with curly brown hair, wearing pearl earrings and a red sweater, smiling softly at the camera.

    Mary Candler Lind

    (2020-2022)

    Board Chair, Co-founder of Hedgepig Ensemble Theatre

Research Team

Our current team of researchers continues to add to our internal database of 9,000+ titles – and generates other key dramaturgical info that expands the canon.

  • Kathy Bischoping

    Lead Research Associate (she/her)

  • A woman with dark brown hair, wearing a gray pinstripe blazer and a colorful beaded necklace, standing outdoors with blurred trees and a bench in the background.

    Natalie Kane

    Research Committee Coordinator

  • Close-up of a woman with long, wavy hair wearing glasses, standing indoors with a wall of colorful samples or swatches in the background.

    Alex Brinkman-Young

    Director & Teacher (she/they)

  • Portrait of a woman with dark, curly hair, wearing a white top, looking at the camera against a brown background.

    Aziza Gharib

    Actor and Intimacy Choreographer (she/her)

  • Portrait of an older woman with short gray hair, wearing a black leather jacket and white shirt, standing indoors near a window.

    Desirée Baxter

    Actor (she/her)

  • A woman with natural curly hair and light makeup wearing an orange sleeveless top.

    Tia Cassmira

    Actor (she/her)

  • A woman with red hair, glasses, wearing a sleeveless blue blouse and jeans, standing outdoors against a brick wall with open window shutters.

    Jennifer Goff

    Assistant Professor of Theatre at Centre College in Danville, KY

  • Portrait of a young man with dark brown hair wearing a maroon knitted sweater against a gray background.

    James Hyett

    Performer, producer and linguist

  • Black and white portrait of a woman with dark hair, wearing large pearl earrings, a black long-sleeve top, sitting on a stool with one hand resting on her face and the other on her knee, looking at the camera.

    Rhiannon Ling

    Playwright, Dramaturg, Actor (she/her) -Social Media Coordinator at Expand the Canon

  • Close-up of a woman with short curly brown hair, blue eyes, and a broad smile, wearing a green shirt.

    Julia Moriarty

    Visiting Assistant Professor of Theatre History at Millikin University.

  • A woman with curly hair and glasses smiling outdoors against a brick wall.

    Regina Robbins

    Playwright (she/her)

  • Close-up of a young woman with long brown hair, hazel eyes, and a slight smile, wearing a blue patterned top against a light blue background.

    Rachel Schmeling

    Multi-hyphenate Artist

  • A woman with curly brown hair and red lipstick, wearing a navy blue jacket, leans on a black surface outdoors in front of a green building.

    Kate Pitt

    Dramaturg

All of our researchers have been a part of our Reading Committee, a group of 30+ professionals who are the front lines of reading and evaluating these plays. Learn more about the reading committee here.

Our Board

  • Smiling woman with curly hair, wearing glasses and hoop earrings, in an indoor setting.

    Mary Candler Lind

    CHAIR

    Founding Artistic Director of Hedgepig Ensemble

  • Aubrie Fennecken

    TREASURER

    Chief Alchemist, Opportunity Kitchen

  • Smiling young woman with shoulder-length black hair, wearing a blue top, standing in front of green plants.

    Nick Gabriel

    MEMBER

    Assistant Professor of Acting, Chapman University


  • Gwendolyn Kelso

    MEMBER

    Co-founder, Hedgepig Ensemble Theatre

  • Rob Jones

    MEMBER

    Government Contracts Executive and Policy Advisor 


  • A woman with red hair, wearing blue glasses, a polka-dot blouse, and a necklace, smiling at the camera in an indoor setting.

    Melissa Pelkey

    MEMBER

    Director of Marketing at New 42

  • Talia Perrotta

    Member