Graduate Student
Grace Kimball (she/her/per/pers) is the Assistant Director of Professional Development in UCSB’s Graduate Division and a doctoral candidate in the Department of Theater and Dance. Her dissertation research explores the intersection of performance behaviors and faith in early modern England. Her work has been supported by multiple grants and featured at the Shakespeare Association of America and the American Society for Theatre Research conferences.
Grace has extensive professional experience as a director, intimacy director, playwright, artistic director, actor, and educator. She co-founded The Public Domain Players (PDP), a nonprofit theater company focused on accessible and community-rooted performance. She served as Artistic Director and contributed to productions at PDP as a director, playwright, producer, and stage manager. Her directing and intimacy direction credits also include work at UCSB, Isla Vista Arts, and the 14/48 Hollywood Theater Festival.
A dedicated educator and mentor, Grace has over eight years of teaching experience in both secondary and higher education, with appointments ranging from public middle schools to UCSB Teaching Associate roles. She has taught courses in acting, directing, and dramatic literature, and she actively mentors graduate students and early-career instructors through her work in professional development.
In her administrative role, Grace designs and implements programming that supports the academic, professional, and creative growth of graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. She has organized workshops and certification series on public speaking, leadership, and early career exploration, and regularly collaborates with campus partners to expand access to graduate resources.
Grace holds an M.A. with distinction in English from California State University, Northridge and a B.A. in English from Mount Holyoke College, where she earned departmental honors for her thesis on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and her teaching license.