I’ve had the pleasure of working with Mara over several years in multiple capacities, and I cannot speak highly enough of her talent, professionalism, and dedication to students. She first joined our theatre program as a playwriting instructor, where she immediately made a deep impact. Her ability to inspire creativity, while also guiding students through the more technical aspects of structure, dialogue, and revision, has helped transform our playwriting program. The quality of student work has grown tremendously under her leadership, and audiences have consistently praised the originality of the scripts produced in her class.

More recently, Mara served as Assistant Director for our productions of The Laramie Project and Asst. Director/Producer for Grease. In these roles, she brought calm leadership, thoughtful collaboration, and a deep sense of care for both the artistic vision and the wellbeing of the cast and crew. She has a natural ability to connect with students, offering them both creative encouragement and high expectations. Her presence in the rehearsal room creates a positive and productive environment where everyone feels supported and motivated to do their best work.

What sets Mara apart is her combination of kindness, clarity, and artistic insight. She is exceptionally organized and communicates effectively with both students and staff. Her contributions always go beyond what is expected, and she lifts the entire team with her collaborative spirit and quiet strength.

I would enthusiastically recommend Mara. Working with her is a joy, and I look forward to future opportunities to collaborate.

— Heather Moses, District Arts Coordinator, Culver City Unified School District