Sue Walden
Sue's experience includes a BA in Education and over 30 years of teaching, performing and adapting and widely applying the techniques of improvisation. She approaches improv training as a powerful and joyful way to peel away constraints, restraints and inhibitions, allowing the naturally expressive, collaborative and creative self to emerge.
In addition to being a master teacher in improvisational theater, Sue is a dynamic corporate facilitator, an engaging Keynote speaker, an author (Working with Groups to Enhance Relationships, Whole Person Assoc.), and for 25 years, was the director and a regular performer with San Francisco's longest-running improvisational theater company, "Flash Family". After so many years of performing with a troupe, Sue chose to walk out on a limb and try a one-woman improv show: "Sue & Friends" bringing the audience into the show in as many ways as possible.
She was also a Specialty Staff member of the Coaches Training Institute's Leadership Program for ten years, and was invited to go to Barcelona four times to train the European leadership groups. This has sparked a fire to bring her work to more corners of the world: Paris, the UK, Canada, Finland, Norway, Spain, Sweden and The Netherlands.
Sue is a founding member of The Applied Improvisation Network, actively participating on the Board of Directors and Planning Teams for the Annual Conferences. Her special interest is in assisting folks who are new to the field.
A current passion is training trainers/facilitators and consulting on how to design powerful experiential workshops.
CHRISTINE MCHUGH
Christine McHugh is all about helping people to learn and grow. From teaching theatre arts to children to training adults within organizations in everything from communication skills to teambuilding she loves the process of aiding people in becoming more effective in their lives. No where does she find more satisfaction in this than by teaching improvisation, for it calls on the cornerstone skills of all her work – being present, trusting in our innate perfection and "Yes, and". She has been a facilitator with ImprovWorks since 2000 and led creativity, teambuilding, change and stress management workshops as well as the FUNdementals of Improv public workshops. In her work as a life coach she has developed two workshops, The Zen of Improv to help build the skills of being present and watching how your mind works and Rewrite Your Life for people interested in spoken memoir. She has directed twelve solo performances and loves helping those with no experience as a performer to find their voice and the story that they want to tell. You can learn more about Christine and her work at www.findyourlightcoach.com.
ANDY SAROUHAN
Andy Sarouhan has been performing and teaching improvisation for over 10 years, starting from the time he was a wee lad in San Mateo. A graduate of UC San Diego, Andy received a B.A. in Theatre in 2000. While in San Diego, he became a founding member of When the Script Hits The Fan, a comedy/improvisation troupe that presented both professional improvisation performances and social action theatre. Andy also served as improv instructor for the La Jolla Playhouse's school outreach program, the Arts Academy. Since returning to the Bay Area, Andy has been blessed in remaining quite busy with improvisation. He is currently coaching an improv troupe for Hillsdale High School in San Mateo, leading teen outreach classes for American Conservatory Theater and ImprovWorks, and performing with ImprovWorks's professional performance troupe the Flash Family.
Cheryl Gould
"She has lots of adventures in her." That's how one insightful 8-year old described Cheryl Gould. Cheryl's latest adventures have brought together her curiosity about the inner workings of humans, her passion for true engagement, and her deep belief in the power of play. Cheryl describes herself as a learning facilitator because she believes that learning can be easy if we can get ourselves out of our own way. Over the past 16 years, Cheryl has been delivering workshops, coaching trainers, and facilitating meetings. Six years ago, Cheryl discovered the power of improv and it’s been a life-changer. Today, Cheryl uses and shares improv skills to create self-awareness, improve communication, establish trust, enhance creativity and to discover the power and joy of collaboration.