He has over twenty years experience as an actor, director, playwright, scholar, and teacher. Dr. Buss holds a Ph.D. in Theatre Studies from the University of Oregon. His dissertation, “Cowboy Up: Staging the American Frontier Hero, 1872-1903,” explores a landscape of blood-and-thunder frontier melodrama in late-nineteenth century American theatre. His work has been published in the Journal of Dramatic Theory and Criticism, Texas Theatre Journal, Western States Theatre Review and the North-Northwest Anthology of New Plays. Kato is a proud recipient of the McBride-Lehrman Doctoral Fellowship and KC/ACTF Graduate Scholar Award. His teaching career began as an Artist-in-Residence in the Lakota tribal schools and juvenile detention centers of South Dakota. At UCO, he teaches acting, directing, theatre history, and mentors the KC/ACTF Irene Ryan nominees and U/RTA audition candidates.