Current Staff Members:
Janie Cox
Artistic Director
Janie has been involved with CYT since birth! Performing since the age of 4 she has now been involved with over 150 different productions, performing, directing, choreographing, or costuming. Janie studied musical theater at Boston Conservatory and has also done film with ABC, MTV, and LXD. Her true passion is for live theater and the “next” generation training in the ARTS! Janie has two daughters, Kinley & Baelyn, who bring so much joy to her everyday life and her husband Jon who she adores. Janie’s daily goal in life is to love the Lord with all of her heart, soul, mind, & strength and to love her neighbor as herself.
Sing. Act. Dance. Live. Create. Play. Laugh. Love.
Robyn Rebold-Smith
Managing Director
Robyn attended her first CYT drama class at the age of 10. Over the years, she has had the privilege of being a CYT teacher, musical director and camp director. Although her roles within the company change, her admiration and joy for CYT always remain the same. Robyn was the Vice President of Primary Focus which was the nation's largest elementary assembly program. She is a firm believer in what the arts can do for a child's self-esteem and development. Spending time with her husband and 2 children is her favorite thing to do.
Travis Russell
Design Director Travis entered the art world decades ago as a stage lighting designer. Over the years Travis has designed over 100+ productions in locations such as San Diego, Los Angeles, New York and Puerto Rico. He has directed fully-staged musical productions including, Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Footloose, Oklahoma!, Godspell, Aladdin, and Beauty & the Beast. In 2003 he won a San Diego Billie Award for ‘Outstanding Direction’. Travis decided to pursue his dream of painting in October of 1998. Since then, he has painted over 60 paintings and sold over 20 of them at self-promoted art shows. Work experience includes Invisible Children (Technical Director), Old Globe Theatre (Lighting Designer), and Apple (Mac Specialist).
Rene Smith
Branch Administrator
Rene joined the team in January 2024 with a love for musical theater and a deep appreciation for the mission statement of CYT. She grew up performing in dance, choir, and theater and can attribute some of her most cherished childhood memories to the performing arts community. She is newly married to her husband, Dylan, and is a proud dog mom to the sweetest golden doodle pup, Casper. She feels blessed to be a part of what God is doing through the volunteers, teaching artists, and staff here at CYT and can’t wait to see what the future holds!
Debi Couch
Accounting Manager
Debi Couch comes to us with many years of small business management experience. She has been married to her husband, Robert for 25 year and has 3 beautiful children that have been heavily involved with CYT since 2014. Whether it is stage, crew, sets chair, special activities chair, resident parent, refreshments, or stage manager, it truly has been an entire family event! 3 John 1:4
Lynn Renfrow
Costume Manager
Lynn started working as the Costume Manager for CYT in 2008, but has been with the company since 2000. She earned her M.F.A. from San Diego State in Theater Design and Technical Production. She has worked at numerous theatres, including The Old Globe and The San Diego Repertory Theatre, as a scenic artist, prop-master and costumer. Lynn has been married for 19 years to her loving husband David and has a precocious senior puppy named Sammy.
Kristin Preddy
Costume Rentals Assistant
Kristin joined the CYT family in 2002 when her daughters were 6 and 9. The family continued to be involved in classes and shows through 2014. As a parent volunteer Kristin served as a member of the Costume Committee for the first two years and then was the lead costumer for the remainder of her time. She also had the privilege of costuming two CCT shows as well. Kristin recently joined the CYT Staff and her background in Art and Interior Design has been of great benefit to the Costume Department. Kristin is married to loving husband Steve. Her adult daughters are married and she has two grandchildren. Kristin feels blessed to be a part of CYT. She enjoys the creativity that the Costume Department provides and enjoys working with people to help them with their needs. 1 Peter 1:3.
Cassie Garcia
Shop & Rentals Manager
Cassie began theatre at a young age, chickening out of her first audition. In high school, in an effort to get over being shy, she marched in to drama club and asked to join. She started with CYT in 2013 and has had a hand in nearly every aspect of theatre since. She has taught classes, coordinated the after school program, worked in the box office, choreographed shows, designed hair and make-up for shows, and now has joined the shop team. Cassie believes the arts are pivotal in a child's growth and development, and she's blessed to partner with a company that fosters those opportunities for all students, and even the family as a whole. Proverbs 11:25
(619) 588-0206 x503
Megs Levi
Camp Director | Artistic Assistant
Megs is a boutique photographer by day and a passionate theatre teacher by night! In both of her fields of expertise Megs is intensely passionate about bringing out the best in what people have to offer.
"It's more than what we do, it's how loved we make people feel while we're doing it."