For over 20 years, Venustiano lived in Brooklyn, New York and was a freelance designer working the New York City theatre-scape prior to returning to academia in 2010. Professional theatre design credits in New York City include designing the costumes for the pre-Broadway Tour of Mario Fratti’s Encounter 500…Cristoforo Colombo and designing the scenery and costumes for Gifts from the Attic starring the legendary screen actor Mickey Rooney. Off-Broadway credits include Rainbow with Tony Award winning actress Debbie Shapiro-Gravitte, Annie Wobbler, which earned him mention and praise in the New York Times review of the show, The Writing on the Wall, starring HBO Soprano’s co-star Michael Imperioli, First Time, Guadeloupe, and Get Any Guy through Psychic Mind Control. Additionally, Venustiano served as the resident scenic designer and technical director for St. Bart’s Playhouse, the longest-running community theatre in New York City and The Westbeth Theatre Center in New York City's West Village. While in Brooklyn, Venustiano was also the Technical Director of the Theatre department at Brooklyn College. Venustiano was a founding member and producing artistic director for a non-profit theatre company in Upstate New York where he was in residence for 24 years. He was also the resident scenic and costume designer for the theatre company designing their productions on & off season. He directed musicals for the company as well. While in upstate New York, Venustiano was an adjunct faculty member for the Theatre department at Siena College teaching the design and stagecraft courses as well as designing scenery and costumes for the Theatre department productions. Regional theater works include designing scenery and costumes for Candlewood Playhouse in Connecticut, Shawnee Playhouse in Pennsylvania, and the Price Theater in Georgia. Venustiano received his Bachelor of Arts degree, in Theatre, from Indiana University, a Master of Arts degree, in Theatre, from the University of Michigan, and earned his Ph.D. in Education, specializing in leadership, policy and change, from Walden University.