NYFA
Faculty Directory

Faculty Directory

Phil Kaufmann Associate Chair of Performing Arts Department

MFA in Acting, Yale School of Drama; BA in Drama, Dartmouth College. TV appearances on “Law and Order”, “Harry’s Law”, “The Mentalist”, as well as many commercials. Director of several short films, including pilot presentation, “Intelligence” and Emmy-nominated short-form series, “Send Me”.

Brian Kazmarck

Brian is an award winning writer/director whose films have screened all over the world. He has directed 7 shorts and a feature, including his debut feature “Terminal Legacy” and “The Portland Empire,” which premiered at the 2012 Festival De Cannes and proceeded to sell to Shorts International (U.K.) and the Worldwide Mobile Movie Theatre App in the US. His short “Standing Eight,” a boxing drama, won over 15 awards and is available for streaming on Amazon Prime. He is currently developing a feature-length horror film tentatively scheduled to shoot in the UK in early 2026.

Suzanne Kent

Founding company member of The Groundlings Theatre Company in Los Angeles and created the Sunday Company program at The Groundlings. Over 30 feature film credits, including “Middle Men,” “Honey, I Blew Up the Kid,” “Nuts,” “The Boost,” and “History of the World: Part I”. Television series regular roles on “Pee-wee’s Playhouse,” “St. Elsewhere,” “The Garry Shandling Show,” and “Brotherly Love.” Voice actor on “Rugrats,” “The Wild Thornberrys,” and “Rocket Power”.

Stephanie Jean Lane Acting for Film Instructor

Stephanie Jean Lane is an actor, dancer, writer and director based in New York City. Recent theater: Regan in King Lear (opposite Patrick Page) at Shakespeare Theatre Company, dir. Simon Godwin; Hecate and Agnes in Punchdrunk’s long-running immersive show, Sleep No More (2018-2022). Other theater: shows The Guthrie Theater, Elm Shakespeare, and Berkshire Theater Group; workshops at Lincoln Center and the Public Theater. Film and TV: Law & Order, Elementary, Enloquecer (Palm Spring ShortFest selection), and Dish (feature film). Stephanie danced professionally for several years in NYC. Her original work for stage includes Lighthouse Triptych, produced at LaMama ETC, Dixon Place, The Brick, and in Shanghai; Sweat Spot 101 with Diana Ramirez, produced at the Walker Theater; My Unfinished Girl, co-created with Kyra Sims and Sarah Todes and produced at The Cell. She is a performer, writer, and director with Society Theatre Company. Her first short film, Fort Trumbull, won Best Narrative Short at the Mystic Film Festival in 2021. Stephanie teaches acting, movement, and voice at New York Film Academy and coaches privately. BA: Barnard College; MFA: NYU Grad Acting.

Diakeim Lyles

A native New Yorker, Diakeim began his career in the business attending LaGuardia HS of the Performing Arts.

He continued studying acting with a focus on filmmaking, and spent a year abroad at Middlesex University in London via SUNY Binghamton’s BFA program.He completed a stage manager/PA apprenticeship at the Powerhouse Theater at Vassar College, working with prominent actors like Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell. His diverse training led him to pursue film/TV casting on commercials and several independent films, including The Hebrew Hammer and The Caller Returns. Diakeim Lyles has been a commercial casting for the last 21+ years and now works independently with various casting houses in the New York area including: Brooke Thomas Casting, Envision Studios, House Casting, Allison Twardziak Casting, Liz Lewis Casting to name a few. He is also a private virtual acting coach and teaches commercial audition classes. Actors respond to his outgoing personality making them feel relaxed during auditions so that clients always get their best performance. He loves casting.

T.J. Mannix

T.J. Mannix has been teaching acting and auditioning for the camera and the stage for almost two decades. His former students can be seen on Broadway, in films, and on television as series regulars and guest stars. He is an alumnus of the University of Miami, Florida and has taught master classes across the U.S., Canada, and 14 countries.

T.J. has appeared in 85+ TV and radio commercials and roles on “Law and Order: SVU,” “Law and Order,” “Law and Order: Criminal Intent,” “All My Children,” “One Life to Live,” “As the World Turns,” and numerous appearances on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien.”

He is 24-year veteran improvisor in NYC and Chicago, and has toured with several casts of The Second City/NCL. He was an original cast member and host of the innovative, “NY Times approved,” ”BLANK: the Musical” off-Broadway.

He is the founder of the 12th annual New York Musical Improv Festival http://www.NYMIF.com and is currently touring with the epic one-man improvised musical “LimboLand.” He admits to spending a very dark year working as a Mouseketeer.

Peter Marciano Head of Acting

Peter Marciano is a New York-based actor and teacher from Syracuse, NY. He has been teaching at The New York Film Academy since 2015 and currently serves as the Head of Acting for The Professional Conservatory of Musical Theatre and Head of Voice for the Acting For Film program. He is a Designated Linklater Teacher, having studied voice and Shakespeare under master teacher, Kristin Linklater, in Orkney, Scotland. He trained with Louis Colaianni and is a Certified Colaianni Speech Practitioner, specializing in phonetics and dialects. He has most recently performed in St. Lucy of the Eyes, Richard III, If Stars Are Lit, and Twelfth Night. He has taught voice, movement, and acting on three continents, and coached actors appearing on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and National Tours. He is a Co-Founder of Purple Ribbon Shakespeare, a NYC based nonprofit theatre company. He holds an MFA in Acting from The Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University.

Marlene Marcos

Marlene Marcos earned her B.F.A. in Theatre from Florida International University and is a National Society of Arts & Letters Acting Award Recipient. She has been working as a professional actress appearing in numerous plays, national commercials, voice-overs, film and tv programs both in English and in Spanish. She has been an educator with the New York Film Academy-Miami, Florida Film Institute, New World School of the Arts and Just The Funny Theatre, where she was a co-owner and former VP of Education. Additionally, Marlene leads and designs workshops in areas of acting, voice-over, improv and public speaking skills. She is a member of the Screen Actors Guild-AFTRA union.

Jenna Mate Acting for Film Instructor

Jenna Mate is a director, actor, composer/lyricist, and audition coach who has worked extensively both in New York and Los Angeles. She holds a BFA in Acting from Syracuse University, a Masters in Educational Theatre from University of Houston, and an MFA in Directing from Stony Brook University. She was the Associate Producer for the Southampton International Theatre Festival, where her focus was supporting playwrights in the development of new works. Her original musical, ECO, was featured at New York Musical Festival in 2017. Recent directing credits include Lilith in Pisces (NY Summerfest) Art (Guild Hall) and A Steady Rain (Guild Hall.) She aims to create a nurturing, energetic environment where her students can explore and grow.

George McGrath Acting for Film Instructor

George began his career as an actor in New York. He performed with the Groundlings in Los Angeles from 1983 – 1992, where he also taught, directed the Sunday Show, and directed and created the long-running “Your Very Own TV Show.” He was one of the original writers of “Pee-wee’s Playhouse” and was a series regular on that show. He was inducted into the TV Theme Song Hall of Fame for co-writing the series theme song. He co-wrote the Paramount film “Big Top Pee-wee,” and created and starred in Nick-at-Nite’s first original late night series, “On the Television,” which he also co-executive produced. He co-starred with Tom Hanks and Sally Field in the feature film “Punchline.” He wrote the FOX TV movie “Based on an Untrue Story,” and had a recurring role on HBO’s “Tracey Takes On,” a series he also wrote and produced. Other TV appearances include “Whose Line is It Anyway?” (the London and New York productions). He has received four Emmy nominations – for writing “Pee-wee’s Playhouse,” writing and producing “Tracey Takes On,” a series for which he also won a GLAAD Award.

Mark Mocahbee Chair of Acting for Film

Mark Mocahbee has over 35 years of professional experience as a director, writer, actor, and producer. His extensive work on both sides of the camera includes numerous film and theatre productions with such distinguished artists as Barry Levinson, Dustin Hoffman, Jon Jory, Edward Albee, David Petrarca, and Rebecca Miller. Mocahbee holds his BS and MFA degrees from The University of Miami, and has worked at many of the nation’s premier theatre venues, including the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Shakespeare & Company, and Actor’s Theatre of Louisville. Mocahbee has served on the faculty of the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, Xavier University, and Miami University at Oxford.

Keshav Moodliar

Keshav Moodliar is an actor from New Delhi, India. He graduated from Delhi University and majored in English Literature. After graduation Keshav applied to, and is the first Indian, to be accepted into The Juilliard School’s MFA in Acting program. At Juilliard in his final year he played the swimmer ‘Ray’ in the play ‘Red Speedo’. Since graduation Keshav has performed Off-Broadway with The Acting Company. He played the role of The Duke in Measure for Measure and was also in Native Son which was heralded as one of the best plays of 2019. He also played Romeo in The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey’s production of Romeo and Juliet. He recently wrapped shooting the pilot for a new television show for FX which stars Chris Messina and Ari Graynor. He can also be seen in the mini series SINK SANK SUNK starring Laura Linney which is available on Revry TV

Anne Moore Chair of Performing Arts Department

Anne Moore has been teaching at New York Film Academy since 2010, and has been an Associate Chair in the Acting Department since 2014. In that time, she has created and produced the Student-Directed Plays Series and Alumni Industry Showcases. Her TV credits include: GREY’S ANATOMY, LIFE, VEGAS, SEX AND THE CITY, and LAW & ORDER. Her NYC Off-Broadway theater credits include: SUMMER ’69 the Musical (Douglas Fairbanks Theater) and SIT N’ SPIN, co-written by Ms. Moore (Atlantic Theater). She also was one fourth of the critically acclaimed sketch comedy group, “THE FLYING QUEENS,” and had her own multi media show at Catch a Rising Star entitled, “Anne Moore and More and More.” In 2006, Ms. Moore directed and produced the award winning short documentary, CZECH DAZE. She graduated Fordham University at Lincoln Center in New York City with a BA in Theater and Film, and studied Meisner Technique at William Esper Studios.

Franco Pejoves Acting for Film Instructor

Franco Pejoves was born and raised in the San Isidro district of Lima, Peru to a mixed Peruvian-Croatian Family. Following political turmoil, he migrated to the US and settled in Miami, Fl.

For the last 20 years he has moved from being an actor and stage fighter to choreographer in stage, opera, and film. In Miami he has worked in both local film as well as the Florida Grand Opera for the last 15 years. Internationally he has worked both in the UK and South America in choreography as well as documentary projects. His experience in movement stems from his fight experience as a black belt in the Buninkan as well as other martial arts, his 12 years with the SAFD (Society of American Fight Directors), and various artistic groups including Kabuki, Kyogen, and theater styles. Today he teaches movement and psychology as well as balancing workshops and local film projects.

Corey Pepper Acting for Film Instructor

BA, SUNY at Binghamton. Founding member of National Lampoon Players, studying improv with Chris Barnes and Michael Haggarty. Graduate of Warner Bros. Comedy Writers program. Thirty years experience as actor, writer, comic and teacher. Has appeared in such projects as “Studs Lonigan” for NBC, and “The Quickening” for A&E.

Ben Mehl Acting for Film Instructor

Ben Mehl is best known for his role as Dante on Netflix’s YOU. He has taught Movement and Shakespeare’s Clowns at the NYU Graduate Acting Program, where he also received his MFA and completed a teaching mentorship in Movement under Jim Calder and Voice under Scott Miller. He teaches at the New York Film Academy, HB Studio, and has also taught at The Public Theater, Red Bull Theater, Vim Vigor, Clown Gym, the Refugee Youth Summer Academy, the New School and as a private coach. He is a member of The Actors Center and a volunteer at the 52nd Street Project. Acting credits include: TV: YOU, THE GOOD WIFE, SUPERNATURAL INVESTIGATOR. Film: VIRAL BEAUTY, THE FLY ROOM, OFF-DUTY.Off-Broadway: THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR, SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL; (Red Bull Theater); PERICLES, COMEDY OF ERRORS (Public Theater). Regional: THE CRUCIBLE, YENTL (Cleveland Playhouse); TROUBLEMAKER (Berkeley Repertory Theatre); SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION (Williamstown Theatre Festival); HENRY V (Two River Theater); LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST (Chautauqua Theater Company). Other New York: DANNYKRISDONNAVERONICA, JULIUS CAESAR (Wheelhouse Theater); AT THE TABLE (Fault Line Theatre); HABIT (P.S. 122)

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