Stephanie Richards is the Pike County Extension Agent for Fine Arts, an innovative and original program designed by the University of Kentucky to strengthen the arts in rural communities. By pooling the resources of UK’s College of Agriculture and College of Fine Arts, the university has placed the nation’s first Cooperative Extension Service Program focusing on the Fine Arts. Stephanie is also the Artistic Director /CEO of Artists Collaborative Theatre, Inc. After earning her BFA in theatre from the University of Kentucky in 1988, Stephanie taught and developed theatre programming in the inner city schools of Orange County Florida for ten years. She received her MA in Directing from the Chicago School for Performing Arts and her MFA from the University of Iowa.

Stephanie has performed in many productions across the US, including: My Children, My Africa, Pride’s Crossing, On the Verge, The Making of American, Belles: Women of Appalachia, an original compilation dedicated to the strong females of the mountains. Her directing work has included: TheDiviners, West Side Story, Shakin the Mess Outta Misery, and the Appalachian debut of The Kentucky Cycle. Stephanie has received honors including: University of Iowa’s Teacher of the Year – 2002, Best Actress Central Florida, Irene Ryan Award and Who’s Who Among America’s Best Teachers. Stephanie is a member of the Association of Theatre Movement Educators, National Association of Female Executives, Educational Theatre Association, Kentucky Arts Council and is active with community and economic development through the arts.

Stephanie, a native of Pike County, eastern Kentucky, is proud to have returned to her home in the mountains to do what she loves.