Shauna Mendini

College of Performing and Visual Arts, Southern Utah University

Shauna Mendini is Dean of the College of Performing and Visual Arts at Southern Utah University. Prior to her current appointment six years ago, she served as Chair of the Department of Theatre Arts and Dance for eight years and Director of Dance for nine; providing 20 years of administrative duties to the institution.
Most recently, Mendini co-directed with Chang Sheng Mei, a collaborative, original, full-length production between SUU’s College of Performing and Visual Arts and the Hubei Opera and Dance Drama Theatre, China, titled The Dream of Helen. The production debuted July 2011 at the Qintai Grand Theatre in Wuhan, China and returned for an encore performance as part of the Hubei International Arts Festival in October 2012. She was a dancer with the American Folk Ballet for nearly 28 years with highlight performances at the White Nights Festival, St. Petersburg, Russia and the Cultural Olympiad at the 2002 Winter Olympics. Mendini has served twice on the Steering Committee for institutional accreditation by Northwest Commission on College and Universities. She serves the National Association of Schools of Dance as both a site-evaluator and consultant. She is a recipient of SUU’s Distinguished Educator Award and Creative Publication Award.