Meet the Staff

Katie De Bari

Social Media Manager & Marketing Associate

Katie De Bari is a Florida-born actor/dancer with a BFA in Acting from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, where she studied at the Experimental Theater Wing and Stonestreet Studios. She has a strong movement background, having grown up as a competitive gymnast, and continues to practice acrobatics as a stunt double.

Katie’s career has spanned various arts and nonprofit organizations, including roles at Big Dance Theater, Theater Mitu, the United Nations-accredited environmental nonprofit IDEAS For Us, and the urban farming nonprofit Fleet Farming. In addition to working with TKS, Katie runs De Bari Creative. Through her own media and digital marketing company, Katie helps a variety of small businesses and nonprofits to enhance their digital presence, reach a wider audience, and deepen their impact. Katie is deeply passionate about the the intersection of arts and sustainability, and believes that this combination can drive meaningful, positive change in the world. @katiedebari.

Marena Dunnington

Studio Manager

Marena is a Brooklyn-born and based Theatre Educator, Director and Arts Administrator. In 2017, she earned an MA in Applied Theatre (Drama in Educational, Social, and Community Settings) from Goldsmiths University of London, following a BA in Theatre with a dual-concentration in Directing and Performance Studies from Muhlenberg College. Since then, Marena has been teaching drama and managing performing arts programs at public charter schools, while also directing new works whenever possible. She is also the founder of Kahilu Performing Arts Workshop (KPAW), a non-profit theatre camp for youth in rural Hawaii, where her family moved when she was entering high school. She’s proud to say this program still thrives today, twelve years later. Marena’s fervor for theatre education at every level fuels her enthusiasm for her work at TKS, where she is thrilled to be collaborating with like-minded staff, faculty, and students who share a deep commitment to their artistry.

Molly Horan

Director of Admissions and Enrollment

Molly is a California native who made her way to New York City fourteen years ago to pursue a BFA in Theatre at NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Shortly after graduating she got the opportunity to return to her alma mater and embark on a career in admissions. She spent six years at Tisch Drama running the undergraduate artistic review process and from there moved on to lead admissions for executive education at Parsons School of Design. Molly continues to pursue her creative endeavors through playing guitar and singing at various venues around NYC including Bowery Electric, Rockwood Music Hall, and others. Molly is thrilled to be returning to the world of theater to support the growth of this incredible studio!

Kevin Kong

Student Service and Operations Coordinator

Kevin is an actor who received his BFA in Music and Computer Science from New York University, and is also a graduate of the TK Studio 2-Year Conservatory Program. When he’s not slinging it out as a young actor, you can find him holed up in a movie theater, on the dance floor, or curled up inside a good book.

Mitchell Richman 

Social Media Coordinator

Mitch Richman is a Director and actor originally from Southern Maryland. His work has been seen at The Tank, Dixon Place, Primary Stages, Pace University, Institute of the Arts Barcelona, Nebraska University, and other NYC venues.  He is a proud member of the BrooklynONE core company.  Mitch holds a BA from Pace University, where he studied acting and directing as part of their International Performance Ensemble.

Kayla Zanakis

Marketing Supervisor

Kayla Zanakis (she/her) is a Domini-Greek actor, arts marketer, and community organizer. Kayla is a first-generation college student who studied at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, where she received a Community Connector Award, President’s Service Award, and Outstanding Achievement in the Meisner Studio Award. Kayla has worked at Off-Broadway theater companies such as PlayCo, Theater Mitu, and Ars Nova. She was selected as an Emerging Leader in Theatre Fellow. In her free time, Kayla is a freelance graphic designer and has created graphics for the official Carmen Sandiego and Oregon Trail accounts with HarperCollins Productions, along with off-off-Broadway productions.

Kayla is a proud AEA member and has performed at Radio City Music Hall, HERE Arts Center, Daryl Roth Theater, Chain Theater, Caveat, Soho Playhouse, Flea Theater, and the Tank. She is an INTAR Unit 52 Member. She aims to tell clear, comical, and current stories and as an unrelenting optimist, strives to balance healthy existentialism and presence while preserving childlike wonder and curiosity in everything she does.