Joann Spencer Siegrist
Professor of Puppetry & Creative Dramatics
Director, WVU Puppet Mobile
BFA – West Virginia University
MFA – University of Georgia;
Post-graduate studies – University of Northern Colorado & Rutgers University
Professor Siegrist teaches a variety of courses in children’s theatre, puppetry and creative dramatics. In addition to teaching at WVU, she has worked as an instructor for St. Vincent’s College and Radford University.
Nationally, she has appeared on Good Morning America representing the “Read American” literacy group and the AARP. She also served as the national educational consultant for the Puppeteers of America and Board member to the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center.
Currently she is President of the Board of Directors of UNIMA-USA (the international puppetry organization), which fosters puppetry abroad. Joann has conducted numerous workshops statewide, regionally and nationally on creative drama and puppetry production. She has developed educational puppet videos and worked as a consultant for national groups such as Very Special Arts; The Learning Channel; the National Environmental Education and Training Foundation in Washington, DC; and the PBS/WQED Pittsburgh Children’s TV pilot Frank’s Garage.
