"I can. I will. I choose.
I have. I love. I enjoy.
I create. I thrive.
I am."
JESSICAÂ CHAMPION
Dynamic & Driven
Jessica has spent her life teaching, directing, performing, and designing theatre. She is a masterful coordinator of large scale programs and brings creativity and authenticity to the table with her fierce optimism and grit.
HIGHLIGHTS
Master of Educational Administration
Collaborative leader with three years experience coordinating the American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive at the University of Texas at Austin
Austin ISD Summer Theatre Series program coordinator for the 2021, 2022, and 2023 seasons
Building and Facilities manager of three university theaters at UT Austin 2017-2019
Director with experience building programs and inspiring others
Professionally trained physical theatre artist with extensive experience in Suzuki and Viewpoints actor training
Adept professional theatre artist with all-encompassing theatrical knowledge
Excellent classroom manager with ten years of experience in Austin ISD schools
Creative and innovative teacher with unique passion, energy, and interactive lessons
CREDENTIALS
Jessica attended St. Edward's University as one of four acting scholarship students in her cohort. While in college, she performed in lead acting roles and worked as the apprentice to the Technical Director. In 2007, she received her Bachelor of the Arts in Theatre with the distinction Cum Laude.
Jessica has studied physical approaches to acting, including the Suzuki and Viewpoints methods. Her training began in 2003 with members of Anne Bogart's renowned SITI company. In 2005, she attended the SITI Company Summer Intensive at Skidmore College. She continued to train intermittently with SITI through 2009. Beginning in 2010, she adapted this training to the classroom.
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Jessica has held teaching and administrative positions in the Austin Independent School District:
- 2010 - Technical Theatre Director - Crockett High School
- 2010 - 2015 - Theatre Director - John H. Reagan High School
- 2019-2020 - Theatre Director - Paredes and Bedichek Middle Schools
- 2020 - Austin ISD Summer Theatre Series Director
- 2020-2022 - Theatre Director & Fine Arts Department Chair - Bedichek Middle School
-2022-2023 - Theatre Director - Northeast Early College High School
- 2020-2022 - Austin ISD Middle School Theatre Teacher Leader
- 2021-2023 - Program Coordinator - Austin ISD Summer Theatre Series
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From 2017-2019, Jessica worked on staff in the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of Texas at Austin. She held dual roles as the Facilities Manager (overseeing all operations in departmental spaces, including three theatres) and the Program Coordinator of the American Ballet Theatre Summer Intensive (overseeing all aspects of the Intensive, including budgeting, staffing, and day to day student behavior management). She received employee of the semester in the fall of 2017 and was a finalist in the College of Fine Arts staff awards in 2019.
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Beginning in 2015, Jessica began working on a broader scale within Austin ISD. She has developed curriculum, served as the district level Middle School Teacher Leader and most recently served as the Austin ISD Summer Theatre Series Program Coordinator for the 2021, 2022, and 2023 seasons.
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Jessica has directed professionally in the Austin area and served as the Chair on the Board of Directors of Salvage Vanguard Theater from 2019 to 2023. In December of 2021, Jessica produced a staged reading of an original play titled Mo(u)rning Innocence in the professional theatre community.
Jessica continues to develop her expertise and received her Master's Degree in Educational Administration from Lamar University in 2023.
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