Alisa Saisakorn is a lighting designer and electrician originally from Washington State. Currently pursuing a BFA in lighting design at Boston University, she is enthusiastic about using lighting design to tell stories of Asian American, immigrant, and BIPOC communities.
RELATED: Meet The 2026 Pat MacKay Diversity In Design Scholarship Recipients
Live Design: What brought you to this scholarship?
Alisa Saisakorn: I first learned about this scholarship in my freshman year of college, through a weekly newsletter that the school sent out. My friend and classmate, and past scholarship recipient, Darius Knight Evans, encouraged me to apply. Upon looking at it, I felt very seen by the scholarship, as it is one of the few that provide recognition for underrepresented groups in theatrical design, in a way that allowed me to embrace my identity and how it relates to my experience in design. Its creation and sponsorship by USITT and LDI also drew me to the scholarship, for their support would be surreal, considering how much these organizations have served as important resources to me throughout my time in school.
LD: What drew you to design?
Alisa Saisakorn: From a young age, I have always found myself being drawn to creative outlets, whether it be through crafting, drawing, crochet, you name it. If I could use my hands to create art, I would be there. I participated in theater periodically growing up, but it wasn’t until my junior year of high school that I began learning about design. It was this same year that I saw a production of Hadestown on a whim with my friends. At the time, I was still new to the concept of lighting design, having given it a try for my high school’s musical a few months prior. But it was this production that mesmerized me and showed me just how much lighting can do for a show. Seeing how much emotion and immersion the design created for me deeply cultivated my enthusiasm for lighting design. It is something that greatly motivates me to design, and I hope to create that feeling for audiences too, showing that lighting can be a major player in theatrical productions.
LD: What are some of your career goals?
AS: My ultimate goal is to find myself telling and supporting stories of Asian American, POC, or immigrant backgrounds. I am enthusiastic about the prospect of working in a regional setting, whether it be as a designer or electrician.
I enjoy being well-versed in all aspects of lighting, and hope to continue engaging in a range of avenues as I go about my career.
LD: How can the industry better serve underrepresented communities?
AS: For both audiences and those working in the industry, I feel that several things can be done. For one, producing shows, both about and created by, underrepresented communities, is one way audiences and theater makers can both enrich, educate, and provide community for all who engage with a work. The stories are out there; it is just a matter of having a platform, or space in which these works can be shared. I also feel that creating networking or get-together events specifically for underrepresented theater makers. Having attended a few at USITT in 2025, I found a sense of community that I don’t often feel in my educational and work settings, and it was encouraging to know there are other theater makers similar to me out there.
LD: Who or what are your influences in terms of people or events?
AS: Some of my major influences are my family and friends, as they have greatly shaped who I’ve become to this day, especially as a queer Asian American woman. The places that I’ve been to also have a huge influence in my life. In addition to growing up in Washington and attending school in Boston, I’ve also spent many of my summers in Thailand visiting family.
LD: What challenges have you faced?
AS: A challenge I’ve encountered throughout my time in this industry is being able to advocate and establish myself in this male-dominated industry, that’s also divided by age. Specifically, being a young woman in this field I've been talked down to and over-explained to, which is frustrating. Especially seeing who else gets treated this way, when others may not experience it at all.
LD: Do you have a bucket list item?
AS: A few of my top bucket list items would be to one day visit Patagonia in South America, or the Dolomites in Italy!
The Pat MacKay Diversity In Design Scholarships are part of Live Design and LDI's Foster the Future program, which also includes the fourth annual Young Career Professionals Program for those under the age of 25 and the LDI production assistants. The scholarships have been awarded since 2019 in partnership with TSDCA and USITT and are funded by LDI and Live Design.
Meet Alisa and the other Pat MacKay Diversity In Design Scholarship recipients at LDI 2026, December 2-8, in Las Vegas.