PHYSICAL SAFETY SUBJECT-MATTER EXPERTS

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.