Steven Peters

Steve Peters
President
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Steve Peters is President of ATHE. He serves as a representative to the newly created Coalition for Theatre Education (CFTE), a coalition that brings together the leadership of the major membership organizations in educational theatre. Peters has served two terms on ATHE's Governing Council as Chair of the 2005-2009 Strategic Planning Committee, Vice President of Membership & Marketing, Vice President for Conference 2001, Chair of the Nominating Committee, and Representative for the Directing Focus Group. He is a graduate of the ATHE Leadership Institute, and frequently chairs and presents scholarly and creative panels. He focuses his theatre practice, research and pedagogy in the areas of artistic collaboration, directing, script analysis and creativity. In his capacity as President Elect, Peters chairs the 2010-2014 Strategic Planning Committee and the Advocacy Committee's Subcommittee on Affiliations.

Peters joined the Wichita State University faculty in 2003 where he is Director of the School of Performing Arts. In addition to service on university committees, Peters launched a Speech and Theatre Secondary Education Licensure Program in 2007. He coordinates a state-wide interactive theatre project in collaboration with "Finding Words, Kansas, Inc."

Peters serves on the Executive Committee of the Wichita Arts Council and is in his third year as Chair of the Wichita Cultural Funding Review Committee. He has most recently been appointed by the Wichita City Council to serve on the Wichita Cultural Plan Steering Committee.

In 1990, Peters joined the Baylor University theatre faculty, where he implemented a widely-acclaimed applied theatre program for at-risk youth, middle school teachers and administrators. As Head of Graduate Programs in Theatre Arts, he developed the M.F.A. degree in Directing at Baylor and coordinated the department's first successful accreditation with the National Association of Schools of Theatre in 1995-1997. He served as President of the Board of Directors at St. Alban's School, and on the boards of the Waco chapter of the Friends of Jung Society, Waco Montessori School and Coe Academy.

Peters received the Ph.D. degree in Theatre from Texas Tech University in 1986. He earned a graduate degree in Theatre Arts from Baylor University in 1975, where he studied directing with Patricia Cook.

Peters and his wife, Sandra reside in Andover, Kansas, and have two sons, Jimmy and Matthew.