Dr. Jim DeVivo is a theatre educator, director, and researcher with over 25 years of experience in the field. He currently teaches grades 7–12 in Holmdel Township Schools and is an adjunct professor of educational theatre at NYU. He is a dedicated advocate for student-authored work with extensive background as a reader, workshop leader, and producer for young playwrights festivals across the NYC metropolitan area. His research on this topic is published in Youth Theatre Journal, ArtsPraxis, and the Routledge Companion to Theatre and Young People. A recipient of the NJ Governor’s Award for Arts Education, Jim holds a PhD and MA from NYU, a BFA from Niagara University, and is a member of the Liverpool Central School District Fine Arts Hall of Fame. Outside the classroom, Jim co-directs Stargazer Performing Arts LLC with his wife, Bridget, alongside a "troupe" of three children and one pug—some of whom take direction well.