Dr Kay Hepplewhite is an academic and practitioner specialising in applied, community and social theatres. Her work connects research, education and artist development with participatory performance and facilitation. She has a PhD (University of Manchester, UK) and is Senior Fellow of Higher Education Academy. Dr Hepplewhite has been a senior lecturer in the UK for many years, including at Northumbria University and York St John University. She writes and reviews for academic journals, including RiDE: The Journal of Applied Theatre and Performance, and has published a monograph, The Applied Theatre Artist: Responsivity and Expertise in Practice (2020), as well as chapters on applied theatre in several edited collections.