Leia Depeche has been running the theatre program at Schenectady High School in the Schenectady City School District for ten years.  Leia graduated from SUNY Potsdam in 2015 with her Bachelors in Theatre Education and holds a NYS teaching certification in Theatre, all grade levels. She received a masters degree in Theatrical Design & Production from Southern Oregon University in 2022. Leia has served on two NYSED Committees: Arts CAP and the IAAP Development Committee.

During the school year, Leia teaches Introduction to Theatre, Acting for Musical Theatre, and a theatre elective for self-contained special education classes.  Leia runs Schenectady High School's resident theatre company:  The Blue Roses Theatre Company, putting on four productions each year. Leia also developed and runs a summer theatre camp for rising 3rd-5th graders, which just completed its 3rd summer.  Leia has served as a consultant for The Rev Theatre Company's Youth Tour, assisting them in articulating how their programming meets NYS Learning Standards.  Leia's passion is curriculum development and she will work hard to ensure access to quality curriculum resources for teachers at every level of theatre education.