Jennifer J. Toohey, M.F.A.

Jennifer Toohey is an associate professor in the Theater Department at Buffalo State and the coordinator of Women and Gender Studies program. She is a voice and speech specialist with teaching certifications in Fitzmaurice Voicework, Knight Thompson Speechwork, and Vocal Combat Technique. Jennifer has been awarded the Dr. Muriel A. Howard Presidential Award for Equity and Campus Diversity, the President’s Professional Development award, and received project funding from the E. O. Smith Arts and Humanities Faculty Development Fund. Jennifer has been a dialect coach at the Shaw Festival, in Ontario, Canada, the second largest rep theatre company in North America. Jennifer’s next project is dialect coaching Slave Play for Canadian Stage’s 2025/2026 season.

She has worked as an actor, director, and accent coach for more than 25 years at theaters across Canada and the U.S., including Obsidian Theatre (Toronto), Drayton Entertainment (Ontario), All For One Productions, The Irish Classical Theatre Company, Road Less Travelled Productions, The Paul Robeson Theatre (Buffalo), Florida Stage, Palm Beach Dramaworks, and Mad Cow Theatre (Florida). She has presented workshops and sat on panels for the Voice and Speech Trainers Association and the Association for Theatre in Higher Education. She also serves as a reader for the annual Jane Chambers Award, which recognizes excellence in new feminist playwriting. Jennifer is a proud member of the Canadian Actors’ Equity Association and the Voice and Speech Trainers Association, and serves as the Chair of the National Voice Association in Canada.

BFA in Acting, University of Windsor; MFA in Acting, Florida Atlantic University.