KAITLIN HOPKINS

Kaitlin Hopkins is an American actress, singer, director, educator, and entrepreneur born on February 1, 1964, in New York City. The daughter of acclaimed actress Shirley Knight and stage producer/director Gene Persson, Hopkins studied musical theater at Carnegie Mellon University and acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. She began her career with television appearances in soap operas such as "One Life to Live" and "Another World," and soon expanded her work to prime-time series including "Beverly Hills, 90210," "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," "Star Trek: Voyager," "Law & Order: SVU," and "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman." Her film credits include "Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles," "Confessions of a Shopaholic," and "The Nanny Diaries." On stage, she made her Broadway debut in "Noises Off" and earned critical acclaim for her performance in "Bat Boy: The Musical," receiving a Drama Desk Award nomination. Hopkins has appeared in national tours and Off-Broadway productions, contributing to several original cast albums. Since 2009, she has served as the Head of Musical Theatre at Texas State University, where she developed and led the BFA Musical Theatre program. As an educator and arts advocate, she has received multiple awards for excellence in teaching and arts education. Hopkins is also CEO of Fontus Dry Mouth Lozenges and is recognized for her contributions to mental health awareness and institutional wellness in the performing arts community