Deana M. Luetkenhaus (Instructor and Costume Shop Supervisor: Costume Design and Technology) is a native of St. Joseph, Mo and holds an A.A. in Theatre Arts from Western Piedmont Community College, a B.A. in both Theatre Arts and Sociology from Lenoir-Rhyne College, and a M.F.A. in Costume Design and Technology, with a secondary emphasis in Scenic Design from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. While at SIU, she was honored with the Eelin Stewart-Harrison Award for excellence in costume design and earned a second place award at the Barbizon National Costume Design Competition for her design of The Crucible. Before moving back to the Midwest, Deana worked as a free-lance designer for many years and her work has been seen in Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, Texas, North Carolina, and South Carolina. She worked with such theatres as Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, The Ice-House, McLeod Summer Playhouse and Old Colony Players. Some of her most recent production credits include; Big River, The Crucible, Fences, Othello, Lysistrata, Medea, and Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Ms. Luetkenhaus is a member of The United States Institute of Theatre Technology (USITT), American College Theatre Festival (ACTF), Alpha Psi Omega (APO) honorary theatre fraternity, The Southeast Theatre Conference (SETC), Costume Society of America (CSA), American Sociology Association (ASA) and American Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE).  She has many interests, but just a hand full is: historic reproduction of clothing, fabric modification, millinery, mask and puppet making. She has presented her work at ACTF, PKP, and ATHE conferences as well as teaching master classes at various universities and organizations.

Ms. Luetkenhaus enjoys occasionally playing the role of properties master and general stage crew. In her spare time she takes pleasure in reading, researching (just about anything), and keeping in touch with family and friends.