Speakers
Elizabeth Fisher
Assistant Professor
Liz Fisher is an interdisciplinary theatermaker and educator based in Central Texas.
Her directing work explores applications of mixed realities, immersive theatre strategies, and game mechanics in new play development and reimaginings of classic texts for companies and academic institutions like Fusebox Festival, Pittsburgh Public, The Tank [NYC], Zach Theatre, Penfold Theatre, Street Corner Arts, Shrewd Productions, Austin Shakespeare, National Women’s Theatre Festival, Whirligig Productions, University of Texas at Austin, James Madison University, Mary Baldwin University, St. Edward’s University, Southwestern University, University of Arkansas, and others.
She has been invited to residencies across the country to develop new plays that focus on transmedia storytelling, including The Orchard Project and the National Winter Playwrights Retreat. Her digital theater work has been streamed on the Emmys OTT platform and a winner of the Broadway On Demand’s Stage/Screen Festival. She designs and implements performance platforms as a technology consultant and creative director for organizations like Harvard University’s Center for Hellenic Studies. Liz is a recipient of the Princess Grace Award in Theatre, the Kennedy Center’s Stage Directors and Choreographer’s National Directing Award, and a fellowship to the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center. She is an award winning actress, starring in films that have premiered at the Venice Film Festival and SXSW.
Liz was a featured speaker at SXSW Interactive and other conferences and organizations on her work in building audience engagement via integrations of network technology and live performance. She has published articles on creating interactive productions for publishers that include Routledge.
In addition to her artistic work, Liz is also a producer and arts manager who has run arts incubators produced interdisciplinary new work festivals. Currently, she is an Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts at the University of the Incarnate Word and Associate Artistic Director of Penfold Theatre. SDC Associate Member. MFA: Texas State University.
Rachel Walker
Professor of Psychology
Dr. Rachel Walker, Ph.D., is a tenured Full Professor of Psychology at the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) in San Antonio, Texas. She holds a B.S. and M.S. in Marine Biology and a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from The University of Southern Mississippi. With 25 years of experience in teaching and mentoring, Dr. Walker has guided students on independent research projects and collaborated with colleagues in her field of science. Her dedication to the development and scholarly work makes her a qualified representative for CHASS in initiatives like the AI Fellowship and the Academic Technology Advisory Committee. Additionally, she has shared her experience in using generative AI for assignment design through a presentation titled “Never Would I Ever Use ChatGPT to Create Class Assignments… Or Would I?” for the Society for the Teaching of Psychology.