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Shaneisha Dodson is an award-winning playwright and entrepreneur. She is the founder of
Brilliant Girl and Black Girlz Productions. She was born in Arkansas and currently resides in
Burbank, CA. Dodson earned a BA in psychology from Grambling State University, MA in
counseling from Dallas Baptist University, an Ed.S in education from Walden University, and a
certificate in women entrepreneurship from Cornell University. She has also completed the self-
made entrepreneurship program. Dodson is the first person in her family to attend college and
has a strong passion for education. Therefore, she has awarded six book scholarships to high
school seniors.
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Dodson has received numerous accolades: 2023 Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for
community service, 2023 Honorary doctorate from Trinity International University of
Ambassadors, 2022 Christian Women In Media Award (London, UK), 2021 Fade to Black
Winner, 2021 Featured Writer for Madwomen in the Attic, 2020 Best Director nominee, 2019
Artist of the Year, 2018 Top 30 under 40 M-lifestyle magazine, 2018 Top 25 Women In
Business by Courageous Magazine, 2018 Women Doing It Big Honoree, 2018 Top 35 Women to
Watch, 2017 Best Director and Best Play nomination at the Broadway World awards, 2017 Best
Theatrical Presentation winner by NYC Success in the Arts, 2016 ACHI Magazine Screenwriter
of the year, 2016 Black Women Are (Inspirational) award winner, 2015 Best Playwright, 2015
Extraordinary Person Honoree. Her short films and screenplays have been Official Selections at
the Bronze Lens Film Festival, Las Vegas Black Film Festival, Lift-Off Global Network, Europe
Film Festival, and the Los Angeles Film Festival. Her short film Justice received recognition
from Senator Comrie of New York.
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In 2012, she took her love of the arts to the next level and founded Black Girlz Productions,
LLC. Her company’s motto is “Dream BIG or go Home!” Her goal is to bring awareness to
social issues through theatre. Dodson has written, directed, and independently produced three
full length productions that have toured throughout the United States. In addition, her work has
been presented at the Playwrights Playground at the Classical Theatre of Harlem, Inkwell
Theatre, Soundscape theater, HBMG Foundation and Logan Theatre. Her children’s play Dog,
Cat & The Red Bird and Humans Are Weird are published in Drama Notebook. Her play Tired is
published in the 8:20 monologue collection for New World Theatre. In 2017, her one act play
Vagina Rights opened off-Broadway at the Strawberry one-act festival and won best theatrical
presentation. In 2019 and 2023, she curated Love Letters to the Black Man that received
recognition from the Mayor of Houston, TX.
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In 2021, Dodson founded the Brilliant Girl. She created the first ever 18-inch black superhero
doll, Sugamama. Her company’s goal is to bring more representation into the toy industry.
Dodson has collaborated with numerous non-profits and has donated over 125 dolls to children
in need. When Dodson is not working on her plays or creating her next doll, she enjoys dancing
spending time with loved ones, or doing community service with the Alpha Kappa Alpha
Sorority Inc
