I am pleased to announce the appointment of Natalie Álvarez as dean of The Creative School effective September 1, 2025.

A dedicated educator and accomplished researcher with a passion for curriculum development and creative innovation, Natalie has been a valued member of The Creative School community since 2018.

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.

She also has a strong capacity to navigate complexity, and her ability to unite diverse stakeholders around shared vision and action allows her to create deep relationships that have broad impact.

Natalie brings to the role of dean two decades of cross-institutional academic leadership. As an artist-scholar, she possesses a deep working knowledge of The Creative School’s breadth and an interdisciplinary, practice-based perspective on curriculum development and SRC activities. 

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 PI 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.

Her leadership in creating structures for collegial governance, equity-focused faculty development programs, as well as creative learning environments demonstrates her commitment to building a diverse, inclusive and resilient academic community.

I look forward to working with Natalie in her new role as dean of The Creative School and I would like to thank the committee members involved in this important search:

Committee members:

Jonathon Anderson, Associate Professor, Interior Design
Miranda Campbell, Associate Professor, Creative Industries
Cynthia Holmes, Dean, Ted Rogers School of Management
Carl Kumaradas, Vice-Provost and Dean, Yeates School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
Asmaa Malik, Professor, Journalism
Aneesh Tiberias Murali, Lead, Finance and Operations in the Production Unit (RTA, BPM, IMA and JRN)
Elina Ninan, Student, Creative Industries
Caroline O’Brien, Chair, School of Performance
Laurie Petrou, Associate Professor, RTA School of Media

Please join me in welcoming Natalie as our new dean of The Creative School.

Roberta Iannacito-Provenzano
Provost and Vice-President, Academic