Joleen Sheldon is the founder of the Emotional Theater as well as the author, artist, and technical talent behind the project. Aware of her own social anxiety, Joleen hopes to share the joy of expressing oneself while providing an emotional safe space for even the shyest of performers. A visual artist for over 25 years, the Emotional Theater has propelled her into new mediums. Joleen now adds poet, illustrator, and 3D designer to her portfolio. Joleen's dreams have grown as her project has grown, and a vibrant, optimistic vision for the future has come into focus. Empathetic people in connected communities can change the world if given the knowledge and tools to do so. Building those tools brought out a creativity in Joleen that is both visually striking and powerfully engaging. Today her endeavors encompass not only two books, "Jester Lester and the Mean Green Bean" and "The Emotional Theater Talent Show," but also emotionaltheater.com, poweringempathy.com, and a suite of solutions for schools, families, and communities. Her goal in creating the Emotional Theater is to make the world a kinder place for all life on earth, and Joleen is driven everyday to achieve that reality.