TNEDTA Board of Directors

The Educational Theatre Association creates an educational and professional network for theatre arts educators, students, professionals, and enthusiasts to share ideas and support the effort to have theatre arts education recognized in all phases of education and lifelong learning.

Executive Director - Lisa Moody

 
 

Lisa Moody is starting her 32nd year at Brentwood High School in Brentwood TN as the theater teacher and Human Enrichment Department Head. She and her husband David have been involved in the high school and professional theater community for years, building sets, acting, and directing. When she is not in the theater, she enjoys family time with her husband, kids, and grand dogs. She loves lake time, Murray State Football (Go Racers!) and being involved in various ministries with her church. She has served on the Executive Board for TEDTA for the past 7 years. She looks forward to this new adventure as executive director and wants to thank you all for your support.

Conference Coordinators

Rebecca Tertzakian Williams

The theatre teacher and director for Independence High School, She began her teaching career after graduating from Concordia University Chicago with a degree in speech and theatre. While teaching in Chicago, she brought back the musical after a 20 year hiatus and directed a total of five shows. She moved to Tennessee in 2007 and founded T-Time Productions at Independence in the fall of 2009 and has directed 12 main stage productions since including Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, The Crucible, Big Fish, and Hairspray. When time allows, she gives private acting lessons and dabbles in script writing.

Madi Moody

Madi is so excited for her 4th year as Administrator for TNEdTA. She has always had a love of theater and continues to stay involved through Community theater and ThesCon. She started as a student attending Thespian conference all through high school and is an inducted member in the International Thespian Society. Madi is honored for the opportunity to play a bigger role in the conference, but also the association as a whole. She looks forward to assisting you with questions and providing beneficial resources to students, educators, and parents.

Karen Joy Thomas

Karen Joy Thomas earned her BA in Vocal Performance from Spring Arbor University, where she studied music and furthered her lifelong love of the Arts. Entering the professional world, Karen Joy taught private voice lessons and performed professionally in the US and Europe before moving to Nashville in 2000 to develop young artists in the music business.  

Karen Joy has a long history in the realm of theater both as an actor and as a director, and she is proud to have worked both in professional and educational settings throughout her career. She is a member of the Educational Theatre Association.

 Currently, Ms. Thomas is in her 16th year at CPA and serves the Academy as an instructor of US Theatre and Art of Film, producer of Coffeehouse, One Act productions, co-sponsor of Salt & Light, and sponsor of Thespians. She also serves as Head for The Production & Performance Center under the TICE umbrella. 

Michelle Tripp

Currently the theatre director/teacher at Page High School in Franklin, TN, she holds degrees in Mass Communications, emphasizing in television/radio, and Speech/Theatre, along with a Master’s in Education. She earned her certification in Theatre Education and is in her 27th year of teaching. Her theatre department has received awards for her outstanding productions, including a national award recognizing her set design for Cinderella and Noises Off. Her students and program have also been nominated for several Spotlight Awards, including winning Outstanding Lighting for Jekyll & Hyde and Outstanding Supporting Actor for Mamma Mia!. Over the years, several of her students have also represented Page at the Governor's School for the Arts. She believes it is a true honor to be one of ThesCon's coordinators and working with some of the best Theatre teachers in the state to bring this event to high school students.