Makaylee "Mak" Secrest is a theatre director, arts administrator, dramaturg, and performer born in Baton Rouge, LA and currently based in Houston, TX. Mak currently serves as an Individual Giving Assosiate at the Alley Theatre and as Artistic Director of Company OnStage. She earned a B.A. in Theatre Performance from Louisiana State University in 2024.

Mak's directing work is driven by a belief in theatre's ability to be both a mirror and a meeting place, a way of seeing ourselves more clearly and seeing each other more fully. She creates spaces where artists and audiences can engage with complex questions, connect across difference, and imagine new possibilities together. Whether reimagining classical texts or shaping new work, her approach centers specificity, collaboration, and bold theatricality. Beyond the rehearsal room, Mak is passionate about the role theatre institutions play in public life. She is especially interested in making theatre more accessible, inclusive, and resonant by developing public programming and supporting literary efforts.

In her free time, Mak enjoys collaging, live music, film photography, and learning new board games.