Trina AKA “MizzO” holds a BA in Theater and an MFA from the prestigious American Conservatory Theater (ACT) and has been teaching, directing, and coaching in the Bay Area for many years. In addition to her work at O’Dowd, she has taught at the California Shakespeare Festival, Cal State East Bay, presented a master class at Stanford University, and served as a core teacher at the American Conservatory Theater (ACT) Summer Training Congress and Studio ACT. She has taught students of all ages, though high school students are her favorite—she loves their thirst for knowledge and the opportunity to inspire them and instill strong habits.

MizzO often shares her “5 D’s”—desire, drive, discipline, dedication, and determination—believing that with these, students can find success not only in theater but in whatever path they choose. Her goal is to inspire, educate, and empower her students to become agents of justice.

A licensed cosmetologist, MizzO enjoys creative expression through color and often uses her own face as a canvas. She also loves history, cooking, adventures, playing board games, and being a lifelong learner.