Deanna was the recipient of the 2006 VSA Playwright Discovery Teacher Award and was honored at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. She has a Masters of Fine Arts in Theatre and a Masters in Education from the University of Southern California. She has been teaching and directing award-winning youth theatre for the past twelve years. Deanna believes that theatre allows children to play, create, explore, and discover the amazing spirit and passion that resides within them.