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Grace Billingsley (she/her) serves as Executive Director of High Tide, where she leads the organization’s strategic growth, fundraising development, and long-term sustainability.

Originally from Joplin, Grace moved to Springfield to pursue theatre and quickly became deeply involved in the region’s arts community. At sixteen, she launched her first production company, gaining early experience not only in performance and production, but in the operational and financial stewardship required to sustain meaningful artistic work. That dual perspective, creative and administrative, continues to inform her leadership today.

With over a decade of nonprofit and arts experience, Grace specializes in fundraising strategy, grant writing, governance development, and institutional growth. She believes that bold storytelling and disciplined infrastructure are interdependent, and she is committed to building systems that allow ambitious, community-centered theatre to thrive responsibly.

Under her leadership, High Tide is focused on expanding accessibility, strengthening civic engagement, and establishing a lasting cultural presence in Springfield. Her work is rooted in the belief that theatre should spark conversation, inspire action, and endure for generations to come.