AATE 2025 National Conference

Jenna Messina is a theatre artist and educator from Cleveland, Ohio. She graduated from Baldwin Wallace University with a Bachelor's Degree in Theatre Acting and Directing and is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Applied Arts in Health at Ohio University. Jenna serves as the Associate Director of Compassionate Arts Remaking Education (CARE) with the Cleveland Play House and teaches the program at Lincoln West High School of Global Studies. Previously, she worked as the Youth Development Program Manager for the Akron Area YMCA, where she created and implemented THRIVE, a trauma-informed out-of-school- time program for students in grades K–6. Jenna is trauma certified through the Ohio Child Care Resource and Referral Association (OCCRRA) and has undergone extensive training in creating and maintaining trauma-informed environments. She is a member of the National Organization for Arts in Health (NOAH), has served as the committee chair for the Summit Education Initiative Community Action Team on Social & Emotional Development, and sits on the board of The Brecksville Theatre. An award-winning actor and director, Jenna’s work has been seen on and off stage throughout Northeast Ohio for over thirty years.