Our People

Karen Hough is the Founder & CEO of ImprovEdge, and has been using improvisation as an engaging learning tool for over 12 years. She is the author of the Amazon #1 category Bestseller, “The Improvisation Edge: Secrets to Building Trust and Radical Collaboration at Work” published by Berrett-Koehler, and the Yes! Deck, a handy deck of cards packed with exercises, tips and ideas. She is the recipient of the Athena PowerLink Award for outstanding women-owned business, and ImprovEdge is a certified WBE (Women’s Business Enterprise). Ms. Hough writes numerous articles for industry media, and has been featured in ASTD’s T&D magazine, Mashable.com and BusinessInsider.com. She is a national conference keynote speaker on topics such as executive presence and presentation skills, negotiation, and leadership. (Read Full Bio)

Christopher Rabb is a graduate of Yale College and the University of Pennsylvania’s Master’s Program in Organizational Dynamics. He has worked in the field of small business development and entrepreneurship on Capitol Hill, in the non-profit sector and as a serial entrepreneur. (Read Full Bio)

Signe has worked with clients in many industries from healthcare to contract logistics. She is also a multidisciplinary artist, teacher, trainer, and producer. Ms. Harriday earned her MFA in acting from Harvard University. She also freelances as a diversity and staff development trainer using performing arts and facilitated dialogs to empower and ignite social change. Signe also has had a broad range of experience working with non-profit organizations, corporate America, and government agencies. (Read Full Bio)

Mike Everett-Lane is a graduate of Yale University, where he received departmental honors in Political Science, and Harvard Business School, where he authored “The Holland House,” an HBS case. Mr. Everett-Lane has over fifteen years of experience in the nonprofit sector, new media, communications, and management consulting. (Read full bio.)

Michelle Wilson is a Creative Lead and Senior Facilitator for ImprovEdge. She is also a New York City based actress, director and facilitator. For the last 15 years, Michelle has been facilitating the exploration of where art and business principles meet. After training employees from numerous fortune 500 corporations, she has learned that instigating the creative flow within an organization is the key to organizational growth. “The role of play and creative learning are underutilized treasures that we at ImprovEdge mine for gold.”

With an MBA from Stanford, Jason has coached and advised senior executives at Fortune 100 to start-up companies, as well as non-profits, and governmental agencies.  He is also a stand-up comedian and producer, and actor of stage, TV and film.  Jason is currently serving his fourth elected term in the Vermont House of Representatives.

Jamie is a senior facilitator, keynote speaker and writer for ImprovEdge. She has worked around the country as an educator. A Northwestern University graduate, she is also an award winning playwright and screenwriter. Jamie originally trained as an actress, and received her improvisational training in Chicago where she lived for almost 15 years. She currently serves on the faculty of University of California at Irvine, and previously taught at Northwestern University, Columbia College and National Louis University in Chicago.

Michael has led the way in creating meaningful, memorable experiences for groups from insurance professionals to accounting partners. He is also the Artistic Director of Celebration Theatre in Los Angeles. Michael’s award-winning acting credits include roles on Broadway, and television including “NCIS,” “Criminal Minds,” “ER,” “Monk,” “Frasier,” “Friends,” “Arrested Development,” and “Ally McBeal.”

Lisa brings over 15 years of Strategic Sales and Marketing Development to ImprovEdge. She has consulted and advised clients on Business Goals, Brand Marketing, PR and Direct Marketing Concepts, in addition to serving as Regional Sales and Marketing Director for over 5 years in Ohio, Michigan and Kentucky. Building strong client relationships has been a foundation for her success.

Erika is a Lead Instructional Designer and Facilitator with ImprovEdge. In addition, Erika is the VP of Training and Operations for Wellcoaches Corporation. As a Board Certified Coach, Erika also advises the ImprovEdge Coaching practice. She has expertise in adult learning methodology and an expansive toolbox of teaching methodologies. She has consistently engaged in on-going skill development through various coaching schools as well as concentrated study in Appreciative Inquiry and Non-Violent Communication.

In addition to serving as a facilitator for ImprovEdge, April has worked with theatre companies and creative artists as an artist, director, producer, manager, instructor and dramaturg in LA, NYC, Chicago, and Columbus. As an educator, she teaches with several theatre companies in the Columbus area and creates specialty workshops and camps for children and youth.  April has also taught courses at Ohio Dominican University, Sinclair Community College, and COTC. April received her B.F.A. in Theatre Performance from Illinois Wesleyan University and her M.F.A. in Directing/Dramaturgy from Roosevelt University in Chicago.

Zoe has been a facilitator and instructional designer with ImprovEdge for the past six years.  She has a Master’s Degree in organization development from Bowling Green State University, and has been working in the field, with particular focus in the retail industry and non-profit business sector, for the past 11 years.  She specializes in designing and facilitating learning experiences, meetings and interventions that drive transformational learning in individuals, teams and organizations.  She resides in Columbus, Ohio with her husband and two children.

Before working for ImprovEdge, Ramon worked with Steps Drama, a London-based corporate training company that specialized in using improvisational techniques with professional actors. He worked for Oxford University Press Spain in a comprehensive training program for their entire sales staff by playing a wide range of potential clients. An integral part of this was improvising with the participants to ensure that specific training points were highlighted. He was also an author and teacher-trainer for Burlington Books, an English-teaching publishing company. Along with writing fourteen readers, he travelled throughout Spain instructing English teachers on how to incorporate theatre games and techniques in the classroom.

Ramon received his Bachelor of Arts degree Magna Cum Laude from Brandeis University with High Honors in his Theatre major. A professional actor for over twenty years, he has worked in theatre, cinema, television and voice work such as radio plays, voiceover work and dubbing. He is particularly proud of having founded TransAtlantic Theatre Company in Madrid – the city’s first bilingual company. As General Manager, he oversaw its rapid rise to being a reference point for excellent theatre in both English and Spanish.