Jessica Litwak is a multifaceted international theatre artist focused specifically on theatre for social change and community engagement. She is an award-winning playwright and actress, an educator, drama therapist, and puppet builder. She has a BFA in acting, an MFA in playwriting, a PhD in Theatre for Social Change. She is the Artistic Director of The H.E.A.T. Collective, (www.theheatcollective.org) and the founder of Artists Rise Up New York (www.arynu.org) and The New Generation Theatre Ensemble (www.ngte.org)  Her work has been published by Theatre Communications Group, Applause Books, Smith and Krause, No Passport Press, HowlRound, TCG, and The New York Times. Her plays have been translated into three languages and have been produced all over the world. She works extensively in The Middle East, Central Europe, and the UK. She is a core member of Theatre Without Borders and a Fulbright Scholar.