Diane Helfers Petrella is currently Dean of the College of the Arts at Kent State University where she oversees academic programs in music, theatre, dance, art, and fashion, along with the Kent State Museum, the Blossom Art Initiatives and the Kent Blossom Music Festival. She previously served as Dean of the UMKC Conservatory, overseeing programs in music, theatre and dance. Prior to her tenure as Dean, Diane served the Conservatory as Keyboard Division Chair, Associate Dean of Graduate Studies, and Executive Associate Dean. She taught applied piano and piano pedagogy courses and coordinated the group piano program as a member of the UMKC piano faculty from 2006-2018.
Diane and percussionist Nick Petrella formed the Petrella Ensemble in 2002 to perform and commission new music, and the ensemble taught and performed throughout the United States and in Mexico, Poland, Austria and the Czech Republic. She has appeared as a soloist with several regional orchestras and performed as a soloist, collaborative pianist, speaker and adjudicator throughout the United States, including an appointment to the College of Examiners of the Royal Conservatory in Toronto, Canada. Additionally, Diane has presented at the national conferences of the College Music Society, Music Teachers National Association, the National Association of Schools of Music, and the National Group Piano and Piano Pedagogy Forum, and served as President of the Missouri Music Teachers Association.
Diane holds degrees in piano performance from the University of North Texas, Texas Christian University, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Eastern Illinois University.