After over 20 years of “yes, anding,” our team now includes expert facilitators, improvisers, visual artists, designers, trainers, educators, storytellers, and behavioral scientists, who all love working together.

Aden Nepom, Director: Host of The Changed Podcast. She’s also an internationally touring improv theatre professional, who’s been making things up for over 30 years. With a background in writing, a degree in Medieval European History and Political Science, she's worn almost as many professional hats, as costumes and wigs.

Beau Brousseau, Lead Facilitator: Partner at Bridge City Improv, producing public & private improvised comedy shows and providing professional role-play actors to support in-house training programs.

Brad Robertson, Partner: Brad taught at the College of Business at Portland State University for 6 years. Prior to that, Brad was the owner of Snow Dee Lite, a shaved ice company in Portland for 14 summers. Brad has a BA from University of Oregon and an MBA from Portland State.

Daryl Olson, Lead Facilitator: Daryl founded Portland’s longest running improv group, Brainwaves, which is now on it’s 35th year of making folks laugh.  With a degree in communications, Daryl has devoted his life to being a student and teacher of the craft of improvisation.  Off stage, Daryl is a proud introvert.    

Gabri Chodosh, Strategic Advisor: He uses his experience in investment banking and management consulting to grow our brand, build better partnerships and deliver amazing results for clients. Gabri graduated top of his class from the Business School at The University of Oregon’s honors college. Gabri works as a trusted advisor helping companies develop and implement growth strategies.

Gary Hirsch, Co-founder & Partner: OYF’s creative tour-de-force and house artist with an M.E.A. in Arts Education. He is a renowned artist, illustrator, and muralist with public works featured in numerous U.S. and international cities. Gary also has over 20 years of teaching and improv experience. He has also drawn over 56,000 robots.

Katie Nguyen, Facilitator: Katie is a writer, comedian, & educator. Her writing has been published in The New Yorker, her stand-up can be heard on SiriusXM, and she’s the host of the PBS Kids series Mega Wow. Katie teaches Spanish language & literature at a high school, and she also teaches stand-up comedy at Helium Comedy Club.

Kristen Schier, Facilitator: Actor and improviser with extensive improv teaching, directing, and performance experience. She holds a BFA in Performing Arts. She has toured all over the country teaching and performing at various festivals such as the Chicago Improv Festival, Vancouver International Improv Festival, Boom Chicago Comedy Festival in Amsterdam, and more.

Mame Pelletier, Lead Facilitator: Mame has been performing improv professionally since 1998 and has been acting professionally since she was 12 years old. In addition to her time on the scripted and improvised stages, she has spent her time in the writers' rooms and as a producer. This includes producing, writing, and performing two one-women shows.

Mariah Muñoz, Lead Facilitator: Artist, writer, and producer with a decade of experience in the corporate apparel & footwear industry. She is a powerhouse facilitator and educator who utilizes her background in theatrical improv to connect humans in a genuine and dynamic way.

Monica Dailey, Facilitator: Monica is a Okinawan-American artist and lover of laughs. Monica writes, performs, and directs weird things for stage and screen. Mo is also a corporate Equity & Inclusion facilitator, offering her infectious energy and empathy to inspire personal growth and connection to greater purpose.

Shelly Santa Cruz, Facilitator: Shelly is a Latinx performer in the Portland area, an improviser/member of the Curious Comedy Company, & performer with XXXY (triple XY), Portland's premier Drag King Group. Shelly is a Quality Improvement Manager at Neighborhood Health Center where she gets to explore her passion for community.  

Shelley Darcy, Director: Shelley is a trifecta of experience… specializing in interactive design, empathetic facilitation, and trusted advisor relationships. She has over 20 years experience performing improvisation and sketch comedy.

Talon Bigelow, Facilitator: Talon is a podcast host, actor improviser, & uses his BA in Theater Arts from PSU to use by crafting scripted work at Action/Adventure Theater, as well as fully improvised plays and written sketch comedy at Deep End Theater. He can be seen recreating old-timey radio broadcasts with Fake Radio, or hosting a Talk Show for kids with his puppet sidekick at NWCT.  

Troy Campbell, Chief Scientist: Troy is a highly influential academic researcher and professional designer. His tagline is “scientific mind, artistic heart” and he has a behavioral science PhD from Duke University, is a former marketing professor at the University of Oregon, and is a former Disney Imagineer.

 

We love learning from, and working with other folks who bring amazing ideas (and actions) to the world. Here are few that we collaborate with:

Robert Poynton

Co-founder of OYF, author, and current creator of The Pause Project

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Steve Brown

Author, former Intel Futurist, Founder Possibility and Purpose

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Lizzie Palmer

Facilitator, trainer, brand consultant

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Tobey Fitch

Partner Fitch Associates

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Amy Veltman

Podcast producer, facilitator, stand up comedian

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Nick Rothenberg

Facilitator coach and Founder of 2Be LLC

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