Andrea Assaf is Lebanese American poet, playwright, director, performer, and cultural organizer. She’s the founding Artistic & Executive Director of Art2Action, and Co-Director of the National Institute for Directing & Ensemble Creation (in partnership with Pangea World Theater). Her work has been featured at the 2025 D-CAF festival in Cairo, Arab American National Museum, Detroit Public Theatre, BRAVA Theatre Center with Golden Thread Productions, Carver Community Cultural Center, Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) at CAATA’s National Asian American Theatre Festival, La MaMa, The Apollo, The Kennedy Center, and more. She has also toured internationally to Egypt, Mexico, Canada, Nicaragua, Poland, and more. Awards and recognitions include: 2026 McKnight National Residency & Commission, 2025 Creative Impact Award, 2025 Venturous Playwright finalist, 2024 Joyce Award, 2021 Silk Road Film Awards Cannes (Best Experimental Feature), 2019 NEFA National Theatre Project, 2017 Freedom Plow Award finalist (Poetry & Activism), 2010 Princess Grace Award/Gant Gaither Theater Honor (Directing), and more. Andrea has a Master’s degree in Performance Studies and a BFA in Acting, both from NYU. She currently serves on the Board of the MENA Theatre Makers Alliance, and the Executive Committee of Alternate ROOTS. She was a founding Board member of the Consortium of Asian American Theatres and Artists (CAATA), and formerly served on the International Management Committee of Women Playwrights International (WPI). For more information, visit: https://www.art2action.org/andrea-assaf