Staff
Tricia Foster
Owner & Executive Director
Tricia Foster is the Owner and Executive Director of Drama Kids of NE Dallas, Rockwall, S Collin & Denton Counties. Tricia holds a BFA in Theatre Arts performance from Stephens College and attended graduate school at the University of North Texas, where she earned a Texas Teaching Certificate in Theatre Arts and English. She has been involved in theatre all her life as an actress, director, and stage manager, working at professional and community theatre venues. She has over 30 years of teaching experience, working with children of all ages.
Phillip Slay
Program Director
Phillip has been with Drama Kids since 2015 as a Drama Teacher and Program Manager and now serves as the Program Director. He acquired his Bachelor’s in Arts and performance from the University of Texas at Dallas and his Master’s in Performing Arts Administration from Roosevelt University. Phillip is very active in community theatre, both performing and directing, as well as being a resident company member of Repertory Company Theatre. He loves Drama Kids and everything that it does for students in the DFW Metroplex. Drama Kids is FUN!
Jessica Torres
Administrative Support
Since Drama Kids inception, Jessica has been working behind the scenes and handling registration processing, class scheduling, and bill processing, along with a myriad of other responsibilities. Jessica hails from Sam Houston State University. She has seen thousands and thousands of kids build confidence and life skills in DK, including her own two boys, who are now articulate young adults! Jessica is a help and friend to many, including the four-legged type!
Kelsey Rubeck
Drama Kids Lead Teacher
Kelsey is our most veteran Drama Kids teacher and has been with the Drama Kids program for over 15 years as either a student or employee. She knows the program well and has witnessed and experienced the benefits firsthand. She grew up with an appreciation for the arts and has performance experience in both dance and theatre arts. She is a true Broadway fan, having seen over 85 shows to date! She hails from UNT Dallas with a Bachelor’s degree. Kelsey’s students constantly beg to have her dramatic Cavalier Spaniel, Bonnie serve as class mascot!
Sway Sanford
Drama & Acting Teacher
Ms Sway’s Drama Kids will be thrilled that she is back for another year of dramatic fun. While working in the acting field in Atlanta, Ga, she felt the “pull” to move to Dallas and had no idea what was in store for her. Ms Sanford fell in love with her drama students and the way she could help develop their confidence while letting her own childlike spirit soar! Her BA in Speech and Theatre, coupled with her acting experience and love for children, make her an excellent DK teacher!
Lanay Barksdale
Drama & Acting Teacher
After serving as a summer camp counselor for three summers and falling in love with the creativity of children, Ms Lanay knew being a drama teacher for Drama Kids would be a great fit! She has spent the last seven years studying theatre and has been performing on stages since the age of four. Ms Lanay clearly has a passion for helping others as evidenced by her goal to complete her masters in social work and continue on to make a true difference in the lives of others. She hails from UNT and adores pink glitter and a good book!
Rylie Canales
Drama & Acting Teacher
Ms Rylie developed such great relationships with her drama kids last year that she was adamant about returning to the same school locations! Rylie not only taught at several Rockwall elementary schools, but she also led our community program and our DKI Acting Academy (tweens and teens) in Rockwall. She has been involved in theatre her entire life and loves being able to share it with her students. Rylie is passionate about teaching and plans to teach elementary school full time. She attends Collin College.
Deborah Miller
Drama & Acting Teacher
Ms Deb has a joyful heart, and we adore the kind and compassionate energy she brings to her drama classroom. She holds an AA in Music from Collin College, and her BA work at Dallas International University has been in International Studies and World Art. She has taught elementary students overseas as well as worked with them on her homeland via youth ministry in camps, VBS, weekly music classes and the like. She is quite adventurous and loves to be active. Ballroom dancing is a favorite! Deb appreciates the safe space that DK provides for children to process emotions. She is especially inspired when kids become empowered through this process and grow in confidence. We are fortunate to have her on our team!
Kara Odom
Drama Kids Substitute Teacher and Spring Performance Stage Manager
Kara is an experienced Drama Kids teacher who has been a part of the program for many years. She believes in the program and is passionate about building confidence in children. Kara has been involved in theater arts as either an actress, director, or crew member since she was a small child. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Texas Tech University and currently works as a Registered Nurse at Medical City, Plano. During our Spring Performances, Kara is the wizard who works backstage to keep things running smoothly!
Trevor Powell
Drama & Acting Teacher
One of the things that makes Mr Trevor happiest is his love of acting and sharing that passion with others! You can frequently find him performing on local stages, such as the McKinney Performing Arts Center or at the Core Theatre in Richardson. His drama students are going to love his energetic spirit. His work is definitely his play! We are excited to have Mr Trevor on our teaching staff this year.
Olivia Bolden
Drama & Acting Teacher
Miss Olivia is no stranger to the world of theatre. She is currently pursuing a BA in Theatre Acting from UNT. She is excited to share her experience with our Drama Kids in Denton County. Her time as a camp counselor grew her passion for working with children. She loves to make a difference in the lives of kids and is thrilled to be joining the DK team! In her spare time, Miss Olivia also enjoys the creativity of drawing and other visual arts.
Blake Regis
Drama & Acting Teacher
Ms. Blake has a passion for making positive changes in her community, which is why she is a perfect fit for the role of a Drama Kids teacher! She genuinely enjoys working with children and appreciates their humor and ability to make her laugh. Her acting experience includes a variety of musicals and performances, including The Little Mermaid and Willy Wonka. In her free time, she enjoys painting and listening to music. Our Drama Kids will love her kind, playful spirit.
Lexi Kimmel
Drama & Acting Teacher
Ms Lexi performed with a summer theatre troupe from age 5-12, so she knows firsthand the magic that such an experience brings. She has continued performing ever since. Her favorite role was in Fiddler on the Roof! She currently attends UNT. Fun fact: Ms Lexi also teaches tennis lessons in her spare time and tends to the family bee farm!
Camille Meeks
Drama & Acting Teacher
Ms Camille is a wonderful addition to our teaching team! She adores working with children and has a passion for acting herself! She has 17 years of theatre experience and is pursuing a degree at UNT. Her previous experience as a drama camp counselor instilled an appreciation for the curiosity and creativity that children bring to the stage. When she isn’t in the classroom, you can find her enjoying live music, reading or loving on her cats!
Audrey Bersterman
Drama & Acting Teacher
Theatre performance has been a family affair for Ms Audrey for as long as she can remember! She followed in her mother’s footsteps onto the stage, and now her own children are following in hers! Ms Audrey is a returning DK teacher who adores the talent and humor she encounters in her students. She hails from Trinity Valley Community College and UNT where she studied theatre. In her spare time, Audrey loves to make pottery and paint.
Hailey Gatlin
Drama & Acting Teacher
Ms. Hailey’s greatest passion is creating an environment where kids can thrive. Pursuing her teaching career through undergraduate studies at the University of North Texas, Ms. Hailey hopes to become a Kindergarten teacher some day. In the meantime, she’s loving getting to work with her fabulous Drama Kids in the Denton area. When she’s not teaching, you can find Ms. Hailey taking care of her plants or playing the Sims!
Hannah Walker
Drama & Acting Teacher
Ms. Hannah comes to Drama Kids with an entire life background full of work in the theatre. Some of her ambitions include being a business owner herself, as long as she can do the thing that makes her the most happy – and that’s to bring other people joy! Some of her favorite pasttimes include playing Dungeons and Dragons or having fun with her own children. She’s a wonderful Drama teacher and Drama Kids is so lucky to have her!
Marcos Hillman
Drama & Acting Teacher
Mr. Marcos brings a very creative and artistic background to his Drama Kids teaching – being a dancer for many years, Mr. Marcos knows how important it is to have an outlet for creative expression. He encourages his Drama Kids to think outside of the box and be creative in a safe and nurturing way. We love having Mr. Marcos on our team!
Deirdre Joehl
Drama & Acting Teacher
Ms. DeeDee joins our Drama team with a long history of teaching in the classroom. She enjoys reading and hiking with her dog in her downtime, but is most excited to get to Drama class every day and work with her wonderful Drama Kids. Helping young individuals tap into their creativity and self-esteem is what matters most to Ms. DeeDee, and it’s evident in the work she does with Drama Kids every day.
Jenifer Webb
Drama & Acting Teacher
Ms. Jenifer has been an educator for many years and brings a wealth of knowledge to her Drama Kids. She enjoys getting to work with her kids every day and ensuring they learn wonderful life skills that will take them far in life. She is an awesome member of our teaching team, a total team player and super dedicated to her work.
Aries Boysen
Drama & Acting Teacher
Mr. Aries is one of our Rockwall area teachers and brings great fun and energy to our Drama Kids. His favorite part of Drama Kids is getting to learn and teach the plays every year, as this is where our Drama Kids truly shine and bloom. He can’t wait for all the parents and friends to see the hard work each and every one of his Drama Kids will present when it’s their time to perform.
Jade Boyer
Drama & Acting Teacher
Ms. Jade is a wonderful addition to our teaching team. Currently, she works as an educator at a private school, where she also teaches the Drama Kids class after school. She loves getting to work with her kids and ensure they have a fun and engaging time in Drama Kids each week.