Dr. McKean's research focuses on the role of the teaching artist in theatre education. Before teaching at the university level, Dr. McKean was a professional actress and teaching artist. She served as director of education at the Seattle Children's Theatre, and as artistic director of the Seattle Peace Theatre where she directed collaborative works between young people and artists from Seattle, Moscow, Tashkent, and Zurich. Her book, A Teaching Artist at Work, was published by Heinemann in 2006.