Natalie Álvarez is an artist-scholar, dedicated educator and accomplished researcher who has been a member of The Creative School community since 2018, with two decades of cross-institutional academic leadership.
As professor of Theatre and Performance Studies and, most recently, associate dean of Scholarly, Research and Creative Activities (SRC) at The Creative School, Natalie is known for her open, collaborative, equity-grounded leadership anchored in a deep commitment to workplace well-being and student success.
Natalie has extensive experience in designing integrative, practice-based programs that bridge theory and application. Her SRC activities span from immersive simulations in the public sphere to Latina/o/x performance and performance activism in the Americas. She has published extensively in international journals as well as scholarly and creative collections, including five books–four of which are award-winning. Additionally, Natalie has secured over $16.5 million in external funding as a principal investigator and co-applicant, and has led large, transdisciplinary teams on projects that integrate creative practice, community engagement, EDIA and policy impact.
As co-chair of The Creative School’s recent 360 Revisioning Project, Natalie has guided the collaborative shaping of an ambitious faculty-wide roadmap for curricular innovation, SRC integration, and transdisciplinary collaboration.