Clarinda Ross is a veteran LAWTF performer, volunteer, and emcee. Festival 2026 marks her thirtieth year in association with LAWTF. She directs the third-year Advanced Actors class at LA City College’s Theatre Academy. Her plays have toured extensively and been produced at several Equity theatres and published by Applause Theatre Books, The Kenyon Review, and the Coachella Review. She received her MFA in Creative Writing for Performance at UC-Riverside/Palm Desert. Clarinda served for many years on the National Council of Actors’ Equity Association and as an LA delegate for SAG-AFTRA. Clarinda’s film and tv credits include BLUE SKY, IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT, UNITED STATES OF TARA, and numerous commercials. She is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild of America. She is
married to actor Googy Gress; they have three children: Clara, Frank, and Gus. They divide their time between Los Angeles and the mountains of North Carolina.