Renbrook Graduation Speaker Inspires the Class of 2026
Renbrook Alumna Barrie Kreinik ’00 Encourages Graduates to Go Where the Doors Are Opening
The Class of 2026 received an inspiring message at this year’s Renbrook School commencement ceremony from alumna Barrie Kreinik ’00, an award-winning writer, actor, singer, and audiobook narrator whose career has been defined not by following a straight path, but by embracing unexpected opportunities.
Returning to the stage where she graduated more than two decades ago, Barrie shared a deeply personal reflection about courage, change, and discovering that success often looks very different than we first imagine.
A Renbrook Journey That Began with Creativity
Barrie told graduates that even as a student at Renbrook, she loved reading, writing, and performing. Looking back at a poetry book she wrote in fifth grade, she found a short biography that perfectly captured her childhood dreams:
“I want to be an author and an actress when I grow up.”
Those dreams eventually came true, although not in the way she expected.
After graduating from Renbrook, Barrie attended Choate Rosemary Hall before earning a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and English from Cornell University and a Master of Fine Arts in Acting from Brown/Trinity Rep. She built a successful acting career, appearing in Off-Broadway and regional productions while performing in cabaret venues throughout New York City.
Today, she is an Audie Award-winning narrator of more than 200 audiobooks, including numerous New York Times bestsellers. Her original audio drama, The Queen of Fourteenth Street, was named one of Barnes & Noble’s Best Audiobooks of 2024 and received AudioFile’s prestigious Earphones Award. Her essays have appeared in LitHub, Theaterhound, Months to Years, the Madeleine L’Engle blog, and her acclaimed Substack newsletter, Points of View.
Success Is Rarely a Straight Line
Although Barrie built an impressive career as a performer, she shared openly with graduates that one of her biggest professional dreams never happened. For years, she dreamed of performing on Broadway. After appearing in several Off-Broadway productions, she believed she was on the verge of reaching that goal. Instead, years of auditions brought rejection after rejection. “It felt like I was wandering down an endless hallway lined with locked doors,” she recalled. At the same time, another opportunity quietly began to grow.
Barrie started narrating audiobooks, something she had never imagined as a career when she was a Renbrook student. What began as work between acting jobs gradually became her passion. She discovered that audiobook narration perfectly combined her love of acting with her lifelong love of reading.
She also returned to writing, eventually transforming a stage play into the award-winning audio drama The Queen of Fourteenth Street after the pandemic disrupted theater productions.
Those unexpected opportunities became the work she was truly meant to do.
Go Where the Doors Are Opening
The heart of Barrie’s message centered on one simple but powerful piece of advice.
“Go where the doors are opening.”
Rather than measuring success by a single dream, she encouraged students to remain open to new possibilities, trusting that unexpected paths can lead to meaningful lives and fulfilling careers. She reminded graduates that changing direction is not failure. Instead, it is growth. “We don’t always know where we’re going until we get there,” she said, encouraging students to enjoy the journey rather than becoming consumed by the destination.
Barrie explained that letting go of one dream ultimately allowed her to embrace another that brought even greater joy and purpose. Her work as an author and audiobook narrator now reaches audiences around the world, allowing her stories to inspire readers and listeners in ways she never anticipated.
A Message That Resonated with the Class of 2026
As the newest Renbrook graduates prepare for high school and beyond, Barrie encouraged them to pursue their interests wholeheartedly, even if those interests change over time.
Whether they discover a passion for robotics, music, athletics, theater, science, or something entirely unexpected, she reminded students that every experience teaches them more about themselves.
“High school isn’t just about getting into college,” she told the graduates. “It’s about becoming who you’re meant to be.”
Her message beautifully reflects the values that have long defined a Renbrook education. Curiosity, resilience, creativity, and the confidence to explore new opportunities prepare students not only for academic success, but for lives filled with purpose.
Celebrating a Distinguished Alumna
Barrie’s return to campus offered graduates something especially meaningful: the opportunity to hear from someone who once sat exactly where they were sitting. Her story demonstrated that success is rarely linear. The challenges, disappointments, and unexpected turns that seem difficult in the moment often become the experiences that shape our greatest achievements. As the Class of 2026 begins its next chapter, Barrie’s advice serves as a lasting reminder that sometimes the best path forward is simply to notice which doors are opening and have the courage to walk through them.
Renbrook School is grateful to Barrie Kreinik ’00 for sharing her remarkable journey and inspiring our graduates to embrace every opportunity that lies ahead.