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!
Loryn Hatten
Managing Director
lhatten@pytnet.org
Loryn has spent over two decades working professionally in youth theatre. She began her career in 2003 as a touring stage manager and teaching artist with California Theatre Center, and joined PYT in 2014, serving as Production Manager and later Producing Artistic Director through 2020. She holds an MFA in Arts Leadership from Seattle University (2012). After a move to Sonoma to be closer to family, Loryn was thrilled to find her way back to PYT in a hybrid role, continuing her work with the company that has always felt like home. Some of her favorite directing credits at PYT include Disney’s The Lion King Jr., She Kills Monsters, and PYT’s Stories on Stage production of Alice in Wonderland. For Loryn, it’s the kids, families, volunteers, and staff who make PYT truly special: a community in every sense of the word.
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.
Peninsula Youth Theater is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization (tax ID 77-0335126). Copyright Peninsula Youth Theatre 2025.
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