I am a speaker and teacher.
I harness my multi-faceted expertise, careers and experiences to inspire people from all walks of life through storytelling. I speak on the topics of identity, inheritance, belonging, inclusion, ensemble work, and the power of story to change our minds and the world. My talks are always interactive and involve experiential learning because people remember how you made them feel, not what you said. I have taught, facilitated and spoken at over 60 companies including Deloitte and NBCU, as well as conferences, summits and festivals.
“Growing Mutual Understanding through Telling Our Authentic Stories” with Katya Stepanov
Katya Stepanov joins the Four Gardens podcast to share about how storytelling can be a transformational and healing practice.
what clients & students are saying about my work…
“As I approach the end of my ten weeks with Barrington Stage Company’s MTC program I have begun to reflect upon all the wonderful experiences I’ve enjoyed this summer. I wanted to reach out and reiterate how thankful I am for the time spent in your company. Your several classes were some of the highlights of this program. I feel incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to learn and grow in such a safe, warm, and fun work environment.”
— Jenna Meadows, MTC Alum
“As I've had a bit of time to reflect on my summer with Barrington's MTC, I just wanted to thank you for your amazing class this summer. I gained so much insight and felt not only closer to my peers, but to myself as well. Throughout the entire summer, we took time to recenter ourselves as an ensemble and each time I was reminded of how amazing your class was.”
— Nina Barresi, MTC Alum
“I have had the past month or so to really reflect on my time at Barrington Stage Company this summer and I really wanted to reach out to you and thank you for working with me and the rest of the MTC students. I feel like I have undergone a transformation as a young woman and as an actor this past summer and I want to thank you for being a part of that journey. Your class has taught me how to listen with an open spirit, and you have helped me find inner strength as an actor. Your class was by far my favorite part of my summer at Barrington Stage Company and I can't thank you enough for that.”
— Kelly Dunn, MTC Alum
“Katya's yoga sessions are seamless, always filled with deep wisdom while staying focused on the present moment and your body in space. She always brings the perfect level of inspiration to challenge myself while encouraging me to honor my limits and be gentle with myself. Katya brings a soft power to her work as an instructor that makes me feel both safe and willing to take risks. I always leave a session feeling transformed in some way.”
— Y7 Yoga Student
“After the last yoga studio I was practicing at closed, I tried out a number of different yoga instructors in the city but I haven’t found anyone who tops Katya. Her instruction technique is welcoming, ensures her students push themselves and no matter what happens, reminds her students to give themselves love and be grateful that they even made it to class to try. I’ve encouraged several of my friends to take classes with Katya, as she’s one of the best instructors I’ve had!”
— Theresa, Yoga Student
"Katya is passionate about connecting and educating others. Her Inheritance Project workshop helped me explore parts of mine and my family’s migration story that I had never previously given time to think about before. The exercises and activities were thought provoking and helped me examine and contextualize my personal inheritance through a practical lens.”
— Ashley, East Seattle Group
Free Empowerment Meditation
“Voyage”
Words by Katya Stepanov, Music by Garth Stevenson, Edited by Jesse Carrey