Mara Palma’s WHY is to connect people with their Inner Self so that they live as the best version of themselves.

In her freelance business, she helps high school students amplify their artistic voice in their college applications so that they submit their materials to programs best aligned to their personal values and goals. After going from clueless high school student to college graduate from a Top 50 Liberal Arts College, Mara uses her experience to help others amplify their unique artistic voice in their applications. Mara graduated from Wellesley College with a dual degree in Theatre Studies and Political Science, where she contributed a piece to The Wellesley Globalist. She has taught students and educators through in-person and online workshops with the AVPA Theatre Program at Culver City High School, Center Theatre Group in LA, Seattle Theater Group, and Campbell Hall’s Creative Arts Academy. Her proudest accomplishments include working to launch after-school musical theater clubs in Seattle and Los Angeles through the Disney Musicals in Schools program

In her creative projects, she tells stories for the stage that bridge Self to Community, Strength to Beauty, and Old and New. She thrives on bringing ideas into reality. Mara’s work as a performer has been featured in The Seattle Times, Broadway World Seattle, Drama in the Hood, and NWAsian Weekly. She is passionate to discuss the performing arts’ capacity to develop leadership, curiosity, and autonomy. 

additional press

interview: AVPA’s Student-Written Plays Presented Through First-Ever Staged Reading