Dr. Valeria McCrary advises all undergraduate students in the School of Drama. She reviews their academic progress, schedules, discusses ways to achieve their academic goals, and connects them to on-campus resources, if needed.
Dr. Valeria McCrary is the Senior Academic Advisor for all undergraduate students in the School of Drama. She holds a Doctorate in Education from the University of Pittsburgh, a masters in school guidance counseling and a bachelors in business administration from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.
Before joining Carnegie Mellon in 2019, Valeria worked for non-profit organizations within the city of Pittsburgh for over a decade and has held numerous positions in this field. Valeria is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and is passionate about helping people.
David Randolph is thrilled to be a member of the administrative and technical production teams at Carnegie Mellon’s School of Drama. David joined CMU in 1998 as the Scene Shop Supervisor. With the opening of The Purnell Center for the Arts in 1999, his role within the school changed and he was given the opportunity to serve as the Facilities Manager, a challenging position that he truly enjoys.
In 2006, Randolph received The College of Fine Arts Staff Recognition Award for Excellence in Job Performance. In 2001, David received the School of Drama Staff Appreciation Award. In the summers of 2001 & 2003 David served as the Company Manager for the CMU/QMUC production of The Collected Works of Billy the Kid, and the CMU/QMUC/Theatre Slava production of Fugitive Friends, both as part of the International Fringe Festival, held in Edinburgh, Scotland. Just prior to working at CMU, Randolph was the Manager of Theatre Productions at Duke University in Durham North Carolina.
Starting in 1993, he served as Technical Director and Adjunct Lecturer for the Duke University Drama Program and had been the Scene Shop Supervisor for Duke University Theater Operations since 1986. David was the Construction Coordinator for Kudzu, a Southern Musical, a co-production between Duke University and Ford’s Theater in Washington, D.C. He occasionally works with Lineset 10 Production Services in Los Angeles California and has worked with the Triangle Opera Theatre in Durham, N.C., Stage and Studio in Raleigh, N.C., the Hip Pocket Theatre in Fort Worth, Texas, and also worked on the filming of Paramount Pictures’ Kiss the Girls.
Randolph received his B.A. in Theatre Arts from Point Park University in 1986. During and after his college years, he worked as a carpenter for the Pittsburgh Playhouse, the Metro Stage Company, Pittsburgh Public Theater and the Allegheny County Community College Summer Theatre. Additionally, he worked as a make-up artist for the Pittsburgh Opera in 1984 & ’85 and was the Swingman for a Scotti Brothers film entitled Lady Beware. Randolph received many awards during his years at Duke University, including two Exceptional Performance awards and a Top Performer Award in the Duke Presidential Awards Program. David has also built several art installations for the Three Rivers Arts Festival and has designed scenery for Baldwin Player’s production of The Foreigner and Caravan Theatre’s production of Savage in Limbo. He is also skilled in residential construction and remodeling.
Real, true art is full of magic – when people think, dream, dance, sing, create and feel from the center of themselves, they unlock something truly special.
-Catie Brown
Catie has been part of the Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama team since 2015. During her tenure, she has served as Staff Accompanist, Music Director, Teacher and Vocal Coach within the department. She also teaches Voice for in the CMU School of Drama’s Pre-College Program.
Catie is a Pittsburgh-based Music Director, Educator, and Musician. Currently: Staff Accompanist for Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Drama, Voice Instructor for the CMU Pre-College Program, Voice/Piano Instructor for the Pittsburgh CLO Academy, and Music Director at All Saint’s Parish in Butler, PA.
Catie has previously been a faculty member at Robert Morris University and Point Park University’s Conservatory of Performing Arts. Regional theater work: Pittsburgh CLO, Pittsburgh Public Theater, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Pittsburgh Musical Theater, R.W.S. and Associates, Pittsburgh Playhouse, Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center, St. Vincent Summer Theater, and several Broadway National Tour Companies.
Catie regularly serves as Music Director/Accompanist for performances and master classes alongside the most prolific stars of Broadway and beyond.
M. Ed. in Educational Leadership (University of Cincinnati). B.M. in Music Education (Slippery Rock University).
Aimee Thomas
Audio Visual Supervisor
she/her
As the AV Supervisor, Aimee’s responsibilities include setting up, operating, and maintaining the audio and video equipment located inside the Purnell Center’s classrooms and theaters. Aimee also runs the documentation team, which records and edits the archival videos of all School of Drama shows and performances.
Aimee Thomas is a broadcast and video production professional, born and raised in Western PA. After 12 years in New York City working for bicoastal production agencies and with clients such as Stephen Colbert, Forbes, Salesforce, NBC, Discovery Channel, CBS and Comedy Network, Aimee chose to relocate back to the Pittsburgh area. Her areas of expertise fall under Stage Management, camera operation, video editing, location audio, teleprompter operation and equipment management. Her experience ranges from live sports, to live theater, commercials, sketch comedy, festivals and live television.
In addition to her production experience, Aimee has a background in graphic design and regularly completes visual design projects. Aimee first started working in graphics in 2008 at New Vision Television in Youngstown, OH. Where she created lower third and full screen graphics for live news broadcasts. Today Aimee works on various print work, digital graphics, logos, pitch decks and social posts.
Aimee earned a BA in applied media with a concentration in film and video from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.
Amy Nichols
ASSOCIATE HEAD, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
As Associate Head and Director of Operations, Amy manages the general administrative operations of the School, including allocation of resources, long term financial planning, administrative staff hiring and supervision, general classroom and course schedule management, documentation of procedures and administrative processes, and contributes to academic and curricular planning.
Amy came to Carnegie Mellon in 2014 after teaching Italian and advising students at the University of Pittsburgh. She has an MA in Italian Language and Literature from the University of Pittsburgh and a BA in Religious Studies from the University of Virginia. Her passion for connecting with students and creative problem solving have led her to where she is today. In her free time, she runs, travels, and spends time with her husband and three children.
