Marla Dean, MA., Ph.D. teaches creative writing at the University of Phoenix, Humanities at the University of Kaplan and Acting as well as Introduction to Theatre at Austin Community College. She was a UIL Judge for the State of Texas in film in 2014 and the finalist judge in film in 2015. Dr. Dean recently completed her first novel, SIMPLE MACHINES with her co-writer Manuel Carreon and was one of the winners of Texas Authors 2015 Short Story Competition with her story, “The Dog”. She is a director of some sixty plays and musicals and an awarded playwright. Currently her co-writer and she are completing a three book military thriller series, Mahim. .