Lee Nowell began her career as a professional actress in Philadelphia who specialized in new work and new play development. She trained to be a director under Obie Award-winner Lou Lippa. 

An award-winning playwright, Ms. Nowell's plays have been workshopped, commissioned, and produced at Actor's Express (Albatross; Paper House; Obsession), Georgia Public Broadcasting (Beyond Reasonable Doubt: The Troy Davis Project), Theatre in the Square (Urban Fairytale), Horizon Theatre (Blue Angels Weekend), 7Stages (Preacher from the Black Lagoon; The Commission), Ex Somnium (How to Survive Being Human), Synchronicity Theatre (Beyond Reasonable Doubt: The Troy Davis Project), Play West (Blue Angels Weekend; The Commission) and Found Stages (And Cauldron Bubble).  How to Survive Being Human was published by Ex Somnium. 

She is the recipient of two Inverness Playwriting Awards, three Turner New Voices in the Works Grants, two NEA Grants, and has been nominated for The List, a Jennie Award, two Suzi Bass Awards, Best Play of the Year by Atlanta Theatre Fans, and an NEA Distinguished New Play Development Award.  She has adjudicated plays for the National Endowment for the Arts and the Ohio Arts Council and has served as a judge for the Governor's Honors Program. 

Ms. Nowell has directed for the Piccolo Spoleto Festival, 7Stages, Horizon Theatre, Synchronicity Theatre, Georgia Ensemble Theatre, Essential Theatre, and barking dog theatre.  The productions she has directed have garnered critical acclaim, including being named one of the Top Ten Productions of the Year by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Ms. Nowell has been an actress in productions at 7Stages, Theatre in the Square, Aurora Theatre, Canton Theatre, Georgia Ensemble Theatre, Metropolitan Theatre Alliance, Theatre Gael, Society Hill Playhouse (Philadelphia), the Academy Theatre, the International Playwrights' Festival (Ireland), Theatre Emory, PushPush Theatre, barking dog theatre, and Lower Hutt Repertory (New Zealand).  She is an Artistic Associate at Synchronicity Theatre.  She graduated from Kenyon College, where she studied theatre under playwright Wendy MacLeod.