Ron Russell, Founding Artistic Director, Epic Theatre Center: MFA-Directing, Louisiana State University, 1995; BA-Neuroscience, Oberlin College, 1992.  After acting as Founding Artistic Director of the nationally acclaimed Summer Theatre Enrichment Program at El Centro de Servicios in Lorain. OH, from 1992-1995, Ron founded UBI Repertory Theatre in San Diego (which reached over 2,000 needy local students with theatre education programs in 18 months), then came to New York City as Education Director at Theatre For A New Audience.  From 1996-2001, Ron administered one of the nation's most exciting and in-depth programs for introducing New York City Public School students to Shakespeare, serving over 25,000 students during his tenure, and created new programming including the Playwriting Program at Project Renewal, an assisted living facility for formerly homeless men.  Ron sat on the Arts-in-Education panel of the New York State Council on the Arts from 1998-2001 and acted as an educational advisor to programs across New York City and State.  He has also directed extensively regionally along with 12 Off-Broadway productions, including 6 for Epic.  His classroom experience includes over 50 educational sites, and his work as an educator and education administrator in NYC has been recognized by citations from the Municipal Arts Society and Mayor Bloomberg.