Staff
Karen Simpson
Executive Artistic Director
ksimpson@pytnet.org
Karen has worked in virtually all areas of theater: set design, painting and construction, stage management, costume design and construction, running light and sound boards, directing and acting. Immediately after receiving her BA in Theatre Arts from Santa Clara University,(where she received the William H. Lehey award for contribution to the department) Karen fell into an administrative “day job” at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, and quickly discovered a talent and passion for arts management. Within two years she was appointed the Business and Outreach Manager of the Center, creating innovative programs to help make the arts accessible to everyone in the community. Karen obtained her Masters Degree in Nonprofit Administration from the University of San Francisco. She became the Executive Director of PYT in 2000, which melds her love of theater and arts management. Karen was the recipient of Gentry Magazine’s Community Star award in 2008. She is a graduate of Leadership Mountain View (2002) and has served on the board of directors for Mountain View Community Television and Leadership Mountain View, receiving the “Volunteer of the Year” award from that organization in 2005. In addition to writing several plays for PYT Karen was resident playwrite for Geek Club Books. She also has two wonderful, dramatic children!
Connor Day
Managing Director
connor@pytnet.org
Connor joined PYT in 2021, combining her nonprofit leadership skills with her lifelong passion for theater and music. She is from eastern North Carolina and holds a B.S. in Physics and a B.A. in Music from Agnes Scott College in Decatur, GA. She relocated to the Bay Area in 2015 and spent 5 years at the Girl Scouts of Northern California managing their iconic cookie program before joining PYT. Inspired by her parents who are both performing artists, Connor became involved in music and musical theater at a young age. She was an avid participant at her local community theater throughout her school years; her favorite roles included Snoopy in You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown and Amy in Little Women. She is also a classically trained pianist and percussionist.
Caitlyn DeRouin
Education Program Manager
caitlyn@pytnet.org
Caitlyn first became involved with PYT when she performed in her first show in the Spring of 2008. Since then she’s performed in and worked on numerous Centerstage musicals, in addition to teaching for Theatre In The Park. She joined the PYT staff in 2014. She graduated from the Foothill Theatre Conservatory in 2013 with a degree in Theatre Arts. In addition to her work at PYT, Caitlyn has assistant directed multiple musicals at Foothill College, directed for the Foothill Theatre Conservatory and has worked as the Musical Theatre instructor for Marti’s Dance Studio. She is truly thankful to be working for such an amazing company as PYT.
Copyright Peninsula Youth Theatre 2023
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