Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Lynn Jensen began her journey as an educator in 1983, when she joined the faculty at Cedar Rapids LaSalle High School and revived a lapsed Thespian troupe. After the school’s closing in 1998, Jensen joined the staff of Jefferson High School and became the first woman to take the helm of their storied theatre program, leading Thespian Troupe 561. In 1989, Jensen began serving on the Iowa Thespians board and was elected Iowa chapter director in 2009. Jensen is also proud to be the first female leader from Iowa elected to serve in her role with EdTA. Jensen’s inspirational teaching style empowered students. In fact, former student Matt Curtis of Disney Theatrical Productions wrote, “How can students express themselves fully onstage? How can we get them to invest deeply and own their actions? What is the magic formula that might unlock these authentic moments of artistic truth for young people? Perhaps the answer is people like Lynn.”
