Management Team

Since its founding in 1998, CKMN has been dedicated to enhancing the lives of families by offering on-site dance, yoga, and fitness-based programs in daycare centers, nursery schools, and elementary schools. Our programs provide a unique opportunity for children to explore dance and yoga during the day, eliminating the need for families to sacrifice evening or weekend time to engage in extracurricular activities.

We are committed to delivering an age-appropriate curriculum taught by caring, skilled instructors who are passionate about inspiring young minds. Through our FUN, CREATIVE, and POSITIVE approach, we aim to engage children and nurture their growth through movement and mindfulness.

Principal Members

Kate DeBiase, President & Founder

Kate DeBiase is the founder and president of Creative Kids Movement Network (CKMN), a national children’s movement education company dedicated to helping children build confidence, healthy habits, and a lifelong love of movement through dance, yoga, and fitness. Kate founded Creative Kids in 1998 with a simple mission: to make movement accessible, engaging, and meaningful for young children. After a successful career in sales and corporate training, she made the leap to run the business full-time in 2016. Within her first year, she grew the company by 274%, expanded her team, and personally taught more than 30 classes each week while developing the systems that would become the foundation of CKMN. Today, with more than 25 years of experience in both business leadership and children’s movement education, Kate is leading the expansion of CKMN across the United States through a growing network of franchise owners who share her passion for improving children’s health and wellness. Together with her husband, Alex, she is building a company that not only transforms the lives of children and families but also creates meaningful business opportunities for purpose-driven entrepreneurs. Since 1998, CKMN has served thousands of children through on-site programs in daycare centers, nursery schools, and elementary schools. Designed with busy families in mind, the programs allow children to participate during the school day, giving families more quality time together in the evenings. Today, that mission has expanded even further through the CKMN app, bringing movement-based classes to families everywhere and extending access to communities beyond the reach of on-site programs. Along with her Bachelor of Science in Business Management, Kate holds a 200 hr RYT Yoga Alliance certification, two children’s yoga certifications, and National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) Youth Exercise Specialist certification. Kate is passionate about helping children establish a strong foundation for lifelong wellness while empowering others to build businesses that create lasting impact in their own communities. Her vision is simple: healthier children, stronger families, thriving communities, and opportunities that change lives.

Alex DeBiase, VP of Business Development & Co-Founder

As Vice President of Business Development and Co-Founder of Creative Kids Movement Network (CKMN), Alex DeBiase is dedicated to helping franchise owners build thriving businesses while expanding CKMN’s mission of improving children’s health and wellness through movement. He leads franchise development, sales strategy, and business coaching, equipping new owners with the tools, confidence, and systems they need to build a successful business. Drawing on an accomplished career in medical and dental sales leadership, Alex brings more than two decades of experience in business development, territory expansion, relationship management, and sales training. Prior to joining CKMN full-time, he served as Area Sales Manager for Sonendo across Upstate New York and New England, where he consistently exceeded sales goals, achieving 127% of quota in 2023. His performance earned him multiple honors, including Area Sales Manager of the Year and membership in the President’s Club. He also held leadership roles with Neuronetics and Patterson Dental, where he successfully grew territories and built lasting partnerships with healthcare professionals and industry leaders. At CKMN, Alex has developed the company’s comprehensive franchise sales training program, providing owners with proven strategies for relationship building, community outreach, sales, and business development. His passion for coaching and mentorship helps franchise owners gain the skills and confidence to create sustainable businesses while making a meaningful impact in their communities. Together with his wife, Kate, President & Founder of CKMN, Alex is helping build a nationwide network of purpose-driven entrepreneurs committed to enriching the lives of children and families. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management from Roberts Wesleyan College and is a graduate of both NAPSR’s Pharmacology/Pharmaceutical Sales Training Program and NAMSR’s Medical Sales Training Program.

Christine Williamson, Training Manager

With Creative Kids since 2009, Chris works with current and new franchisees to train on CKMN's internal systems. She also plays an important role in teaching our class format and structure to new franchisees.

Chris has spent over three decades teaching dance and teaches classes in our Rochester, NY (flagship) territory. She is also a gymnastics coach, and is certified by USA Gymnastics and hold Safe Sport training.

Deane Bautista, Digital Marketing Manager

Before joining CKMN, Deane spent nearly a decade growing her own creative business, where she combined creativity with digital marketing to create educational content, videos, and social media that reached makers around the world.

At CKMN, Deane leads digital marketing initiatives that help connect families, schools, and future franchise owners with the organization's mission. She enjoys turning ideas into engaging campaigns, finding creative solutions, and discovering new ways to help the brand grow.

Outside of work, Deane jokes that her favorite hobby is enjoying the rare quiet moments after her two kids have fallen asleep. When she's not chasing them around, she loves listening to audiobooks, discovering great Asian and Mediterranean food around Rochester, and working on creative projects that keep her imagination busy.

Tommy DeBiase, Territory Development & Operations Analyst

Tommy's technical background and experience in business analytics is invaluable in the development of CKMN's franchise territories, and maintaining databases utilized by our franchisees.

Tommy also maintains CKMN's databases to ensure seamless integration of all customer interfaces.

Jessica Bagne, Community Outreach & Engagement

With Creative Kids since 2012, Jessica leads CKMN's Community Outreach, establishing partnerships to make our programs accessible to underserved and differently abled children in the communities we serve. She also leads our public relations outreach and initiatives.

Jessica also teaches classes in our Rochester, NY (flagship) territory!