Kate is an improv teacher, coach, and performer who thinks a lot about what makes people playful.

She caught the improv bug in Washington, DC - took a class in 2009 to do something that wasn't her day job, and never really stopped. What followed was a full-on obsession: years of training at Washington Improv Theater, workshops at UCB and Second City, performing at festivals around the country with a rotating cast of beloved teams, and eventually coaching and teaching for theaters and in corporate settings. She’s a pusher of curiosity and collaboration with all her students, whether that's a Harold team or a roomful of executives who swear they're "not creative."

Her teaching style is warm, practical, and a little bit nerdy about the craft. Students tend to leave her workshops not just with better improv skills, but with a stronger relationship to their own instincts and artistry (see testimonials below).

Part of what shapes her approach is her mindfulness meditation and yoga practice (which she also teaches - go figure). She's found that improv and meditation are genuinely complementary: both ask you to arrive fully in the present moment, stay curious, and meet what's actually happening instead of what you planned for.

Born in California, raised in Oregon — with stints in Mali for the Peace Corps, a summer internship in Alaska, a year of Eat-Pray-Loving in Maui, and a nearly-two-decade-post-law-school detour in Washington, DC — Kate has lived a lot of places and had a lot of jobs. She's recently relocated to Chicago and is actively looking to coach teams, lead workshops, and bring her brand of playful, mindful improv to new collaborators.

CERTIFICATIONS AND AFFILIATIONS

Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program, Class of 2021

Yoga Alliance, RYT 500

Prison Yoga Project, Volunteer Teacher, 2017 to present

Washington Improv Theater, Teacher & Performer, 2011 to present