Djola Branner, Director
Theater Faculty and Staff List
Assistant Professor, CVPA
Assistant Professor, TheaterMimsi Janis is an assistant professor in the School of Theater at George Mason University. She is also an actor and teaching artist in the DC area. She has performed with Studio Theater, Signature Theater, Washington Stage Guild, The Kennedy Center, South Dakota Shakespeare, NextStop Theater, Chesapeake Shakespeare, Maryland Shakespeare, and many others. Her play, The Wedding Party, which she co-wrote, won Best Comedy at Capital Fringe 2015.
Assistant Professor, CVPA
Assistant Professor, TheaterMary Lechter, (B.A. University of Maryland) is a graduate of University of Maryland, College Park with a B.A. in Theater and Speech Communications, Mary has been working professionally as an actor since 1985 in the Metropolitan Washington area, Los Angeles, and New York.
Adjunct Faculty, CVPA
Adjunct Faculty, TheaterKaiulani Lee, (B.A.,American University; Honorary Doctorate of the Arts, Bowdoin College, a student of Lee Strasberg, Sandy Meisner, Jerzy Grotowski and Uta Hagen). Kaiulani Lee brings to her teaching more than thirty-five years of experience in theater, film and television. Ms. Lee has starred in over a dozen plays on and Off- Broadway. She has been nominated for the Drama Desk Award on Broadway and has won the Obie Award for “Outstanding Off-Broadway Achievement.”
Writer in Residence, Professor of Theater, Film Faculty Screenwriting Concentration, CVPA
Undergraduate Academic Advisor, CVPA
Undergraduate Academic Advisor, TheaterSara Simanski is passionate about supporting students with their collegiate journey. She has worked as the Academic Advisor for the School of Theater since 2010, working within the College of Visual & Performing Arts since 2003. Sara is a member of the Mason Academic Advising Network (MAAN) and the CVPA curriculum committee. Her previous university experience includes working as part of the Admissions office at the College of William and Mary. Sara holds a BA in Psychology from George Mason University (2001).