Step Secure: The Gold Standard for Physical & Psychological Safety in Dance
PHYSICAL SAFETY SUBJECT-MATTER EXPERTS
Our investigation team is led by Step-Secure's principal partner, Brian Cooke, and Step-Secure's physical security advisory committee and board. With over 50 years of collective experience as a Federal Agent, working on international child abduction cases, personnel security and suitability, and human trafficking, Step Secure's Director guides licensed investigators using state-of-the-art investigative databases, thoroughly vetting CDE and CDEP candidates. Our comprehensive searches, reports, and services allow Step Secure to uncover background data more thoroughly and faster than ever before.
Meet Our Director of Physical Security
Brian P. Cooke, Partner
Driven by a lifelong mission to protect what matters most, I have transitioned from securing global interests to safeguarding the most precious and often overlooked assets in our society: our children in the arts. For over 25 years, I have operated at the highest levels of security and intelligence. My foundation was built in the U.S. Marine Corps, followed by a distinguished career as a Special Agent with the State Department (Diplomatic Security Service). I later translated those high-stakes skills into corporate America, building international security programs for the private sector. As a seasoned consultant for High Net Worth Individuals and Family Offices, I have mastered the art of navigating complex risk environments to provide true peace of mind.
While working within the private sector, I made a profound realization that shifted my focus. Within the arts—specifically the dance community—there is a shocking lack of government oversight and standardization across state and federal regulations. Where there are safe-guards in place, the compliance rates are unacceptably low. Unfortunately, even when the dance teachers and studios are compliant, there is little evidence to show the effectiveness of these protection measures. This gap leaves young athletes and artists vulnerable in environments that should be their sanctuaries. While other sports (like gymnastics) had massive safety regulation overhauls, dance is still behind in best practices. The current legal landscape is full of lawsuits finding dance teachers and companies responsible for hurting our youth. Dance is in a state of unprecedented growth, while safe practices are just not keeping up.
I am uniquely positioned to close this gap. By weaving together my background in federal law enforcement and executive protection with my personal journey as a champion martial artist, certified yoga teacher, and father, I approach safety through a holistic lens. I understand both the physical requirements of elite performance and the psychological necessity of a secure environment.
My mission at STEP-SECURE is simple: implement rigorous compliance and safety frameworks where they currently do not exist. Starting with the dance world and expanding across the broader arts sector, I am dedicated to creating lasting change and a safer world for the next generation of creators.
PERFORMANCE PSYCHOLOGY & PERFORMANCE MENTAL HEALTH EXPERTS
KAYTE HUGHES, PARTNER
Kayte's partnership in StepSecure was a natural progression from her lifelong love of dance, her professional expertise in mental health, and a deep-seated belief in the importance of safe adults in children's lives.
This conviction was shaped by her childhood, where her parents owned a television production company that functioned as a youth-serving organization. Immersed in this environment, Kayte witnessed firsthand the positive impact that caring, child-focused adults could have, a principle that became foundational to her career.
Kayte's extensive dance background began at age three. She trained and performed with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School under the direction of David Holiday and Patricia Wilde, and later with Leonid Lubarsky's training company. She also studied at the Larry Cervi School of Performing Arts, performed with the East End Kids professional ensemble, and took on day-player commercial and television acting roles. While pursuing her bachelor's degree at the College of Santa Fe, she also taught at the Children's Dance Program and 6th Street Studios. Her passion for dance continued through graduate school, when she began teaching and competing professionally in ballroom dancing.
Kayte received her Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and began her career working as a therapist at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). At SCAD, she led the initiative to create a Performance Mental Health outreach program. This program connected associate-level therapists with performing arts majors and athletic teams to address their specific needs, promote emotional intelligence, and provide training for professors on ways to support their students’ mental health. Kayte currently works as a mental health therapist in a group medical practice and has her own performance mental health coaching business.
In her Performance Psychology doctoral program, Kayte's dissertation research focused on how a dance teacher's psychological construct, specifically emotional intelligence, affects the minor dancers they teach. This research clarified her post-doctorate path, making her contribution to StepSecure both a personal and professional imperative.
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