Katie Malia (birth name Kathryn Malia Knoernschild) was born in Southern California to parents of Japanese and German descent. Katie's interest and appreciation for the arts began at a very young age; her mother, a former dancer, exposed Katie to the theatre and enrolled her in dance before formal education began.Katie was an avid classical pianist and ballet dancer studying with The Boston Ballet and Joffrey Ballet, and her love of the arts and academics soon brought her to New York where she was accepted into the Juilliard School for dance but ultimately decided to double major in English Lit and Dance from Barnard College of Columbia University instead.She has appeared in over 100 national commercials and worked with acclaimed directors such as Mike Mills, Marc Forster, Todd Haynes, Rupert Sanders, Jon Watts and Fredrik Bond to name a few. And as a dancer, she's worked with choreographers like Fatima Robinson, Michael Rooney, Michelle Johnston, Rich & Tone Talauega, Ryan Heffington, Marty Kudelka and more.While continuing a dance and commercial career in both New York and Los Angeles, Katie transitioned to acting and comedy, attending a Shakespeare and Contemporary Arts summer program at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London. She continues to study, write and perform sketch at iO West, The Nerdist, Upright Citizens Brigade and The Groundlings and was a performer and writer for the 2016 CBS Diversity Comedy Showcase.