Get to know the Creative Team for “Kimmy!”
Each team member shares what their name means to them, or an everyday hero in their lives.
Yunina Barbour-Payne
Director
The connection I have with my name is two fold. One fold is a spiritual connection, having been inspired by the word yonin, meaning dove in Hebrew. When my mother was pregnant with me, she dreamt of doves and consequently named me as a reminder of God's peace. The other fold, is familial. My name is a combination of my aunt Eunices' name and my cousin Nina who passed away shortly before I was born. I am named in honor of them.
Sydnie Brown
Kemi
Jason Buchanan
Storyboard Advisor
Morgan Co
Ms. Anderson
Lara Dossett
Producer
My hero is my older sister, Julia. She has been my best friend and mentor since we were very little. Julia is a powerfully strong woman who is incredibly intelligent, deeply loving, hardworking and FUN. She is patient and joyful. I am constantly learning from her and I'm so thankful for her every single day.
Dillon James
Sound Designer
My olympic weightlifting coach is an everyday hero of mine. I see him almost every day, and he took me in at a very pivotal moment of my life. Being a guiding light in my life, my coach ensures that discipline, integrity, and intelligence are at the forefront of my daily experience.
Renita James
Tasia
My parents are absolutely my heroes. They have both individually and together been through so much, and it has only made them more gentle and loving. Everything I know about how to treat people and navigate the world, I learned from them!
J.E. Johnson
Production Coordinator
Gabrielle Lewis
Dramaturg
I love my name as it was given to me: Gabrielle. However, growing up, many people shortened my name to Gabby without asking if this was a nickname I liked or wanted. I was too shy and non-confrontational to say anything, so I allowed myself to be called by a name I didn't like for many years. Today, my ability and confidence to correct people who assume they can shorten my name is a huge accomplishment for me.
Liu Ningmo
Animator
Courtney Manning
Community Engagement Team Lead
I always love to share the story behind my nickname "Coco Puffs"! When I was young, my family would always call me "Coco Puffs" because my hair was big, round, and puffy like the cereal. Now that I am older, I love my nickname because it reminds me of the beauty of my natural hair!
Celina Ndibwami
Mrs. Ajayi
For me my name, Celine Munyana, holds more significants than I ever realized growing up. Due to an error through my immigration paperwork it took until 2017, when I was nineteen at the time, for the government to issue out a finalized citizenship status that read “Celina Munyana Ndibwami.”
Christopher Ndubuizu
Mr. Ajayi
My name Christopher means the bearer of Christ and my middle name , Oluchukwu (Oluchi for short) means the work of God. My heroes are my family members. My parents, sisters, and cousins are the ones that keep me going. I am thankful for them.
Andrea Nuñez
Jules
My name holds a significant meaning for me. An old lady came up to my father and told him to name his new daughter Andrea.That is how my name was decided. Ever since I can remember, I have been called Andrea with a Spanish roll on the r. I find the sound of the tongue rolling when my name is said to be very passionate, therefore I now emphasize to have my name spoken in the same way my Hispanic family has spoken it. At times I prefer to be called Andie by my peers and Andrea when I am in a professional setting. I feel at home with both names, however I feel more grown into my old soul with the name Andrea.
Phillip Owen
Sound Design Advisor
My name means “strength” and “honesty”, and also “lover of horses”!
Ezra Rose
Assistant Stage Manager
The name Ezra is important to me because I chose it for myself. To me, my name represents me taking my identity into my own hands and choosing to be seen as the person I have built myself to be.
Linn Plant
Stage Manager
I actually go by my middle name, the name of my late grandmother. It means 'lake' in Old Irish. I'm Irish and Welsh, so I feel proud to have a name that connects with my family heritage and a person that was incredibly important in my life.