Vernell A. Lillie, founder and director of Kuntu is currently Chair of the Department of Africana Studies. She holds both the Doctor and Master of Arts degrees from Carnegie Mellon University in English, specializing in training teachers who train teachers; a Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech and Drama from Dillard University, New Orleans, Louisiana; and graduate studies in Education and English at Texas Southern University. In addition to her traditional academic education, she has been trained in psychodrama, playback theatre and problemsolving theatre by Louis Yablonsky, Zerka Moreno, James Slack, Hannah Weiner, James Enneis, Ray Naar, Jonathan Fox, and Meg Givinish. Kuntu Repertory Theatre has performed locally and nationally for major universities and the American Theatre Association and internationally for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Dr. Lillie's honors include: University of Pittsburgh Chancellor's Distinguished Teaching Award. Outstanding Award for Women in the Arts by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority; $5,000 grant by the Pittsburgh City Council for 1987-88; $5,000 award to study Black Theatre at the Crossroads Theatre, The Oakland Ensemble Theatre, The New Federal Theatre, and The New Freedom Threatre; Black Women on the Move Award by Renaissance Two Magazine; and the "Georgie" Award for the best director of Trevor Rhone's Two Can Play from The Ensemble Theatre in Houston, Texas; YWCA 1993 Arts and Letters Award; 1994 in Arts from the Black Theatre Network; 1997 Robert M. Frankel Award from the City Theatre; and 1997 New Works Festival Achievement Award in Theatre. The Vernell A. Lillie Scholarship was established at Dillard University by Dr. Ruth J. Simmons, President of Smith College, in June 1996. Dr. Lillie was honored at the Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) with the 2003 Career Achievement in Education Award as well as receiving an honorary award from the Black Theatre Network. 

She holds memberships in the American Society of Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama, The American Theatre in Higher Education, Black Theatre Network, National Council of the Teachers of English, and The Theatre Association of Pennsylvania. She is National Consultant for the Black Theatre Network, Board Member of the Theatre Association of Pennsylvania and the Multicultural Arts Initiative Planning Committee.

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