Certified Live/Online Director

Kathleen Zion is a Cleveland, Ohio, native, and holds a BFA from Wright State University in Musical Theatre with an emphasis on Acting. She also graduated from Chicago’s Second City Conservatory Program, studying under Second City founder Michael Gellman. While living in Chicago, she completed the iO Chicago writing program under Michael McCarthy, a former Saturday Night Live writer. These classes helped hone her skills in sketch comedy, sitcom spec script, and television writing.

While in Chicago she performed at Second City with the improv troupe PBArthur and Camo Collage. She was a member of One Group Mind, Mass Street Productions, and White Wine Flight, all of which were featured during Chicago’s yearly Sketch Fest.

Kathleen is passionate to use improv to promote positive change. She taught the first all Down syndrome improv troupe with the group Stand Up for Downs, helped start the first improvised exposure classes in Chicago, which help people with social anxiety, and performed with the group, Memorial Service to Follow, which used improv to speak openly about mental health issues.

To check out her work you can go to www.kathleenzion.com.

Certified Online/In-Person Director

Joe is a Cleveland based actor and director who grew up performing theater in Alexandria, Virginia. He studied Film and Drama at Syracuse University, where he also served as the Vice President of the campus' branch of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).  After moving to Northeast Ohio, Joe began working in the film industry and studying at the Houde School of Acting, where he was further trained in Improv comedy and the Meisner technique of acting. He later signed with a commercial agent and began regularly teaching his own improv classes in the Fall of 2017; and by 2021 had started online classes that brought students in from all over the world.  Over the past 12 years, Joe has been a part of several improv teams that have performed throughout Northern Virginia and the state of Ohio, and continues to perform regularly as a cast member and producer of an improvised murder mystery dinner theater show called The Dinner Detective. 

In 2019, Joe began using improvisation and other acting techniques to coach public speaking and team building workshops for businesses and corporations, working with a variety of clients including doctors, trial attorneys and corporate executives.  Knowing how helpful improv could be outside of the acting world, Joe was beyond excited when he discovered the Improvaneer Method and jumped at the opportunity to join this incredible organization where he continues to share his love of improv. 

Certified Live/Online Director

Tracy Radabaugh is so very excited to be part of the Improvaneers team of directors! She teaches The Improvaneer Method as part of her class at MCC and Improv is quickly becoming everyone’s favorite part of the week!

She is married to her high school sweetheart Bryan and together they have 2 daughters, Marin and Ellie.

Fun fact.. Ellie is also a proud Improvaneers director! When she’s not teaching she love hiking, going to the theater, like the Cleveland Playhouse, traveling, and enjoying time with family and friends.

She is thrilled to be part of the Improvaneers family.. she says, “Let’s go make magic happen! YES..AND!”

Certified Live/Online Director

Ellie is from Cleveland, Ohio and is a student at Bowling Green State University. She is studying special education, and is in Bad Genetics improv at BG, a long form improv comedy troupe. A True fact about Ellie: She loves cows so much and her big dream is to one day milk a cow.

When she discovered The Improvaneers she immediately knew she had to be a part of it. She loves how The Improvaneer Method gives individuals with developmental disabilities a platform to express themselves in such a unique and beautiful way, while also teaching changing life skills! When she first saw the Og’s in action, she was blown away!

Certified Online Director

Allison came to the Improvaneer Method after meeting Rob and the amazing Snow Family all the way back in 2014 and has followed the amazing journey they have been on ever since. She has a MA in special education and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst by day. She has worked with neuro-divergent children and adults for almost a decade. She also has a big brother with Down Syndrome who is the reason she does what she does on a daily basis.

Certified Online Director

Zionna is an aspiring actress and has been in about 11 musicals and dramas in her community. She wanted to be an Improvaneer Director because she has a passion for acting and would love to share it. She also thinks being a director for the Improvaneer Method would be a great way to improve her improv skills, while helping those with developmental disabilities improv theirs!

Derick Cox is from Columbus, Ohio and he has been doing improv since 2021! He started doing short form improv at Bowling Green State University where he works on getting his bachelors in fine arts. Derick is looking forward to taking his comedy further by moving out to Chicago where the comedy scene is huge! He’s been apart of the Improvaneer method since 2022 and loves to play games like Alien Interview and Quick Think! 

Certified In-Person Director

Kelly Gruber is the Managing Director at Improv Cincinnati, and is an improvisational performer. She is a co-founder of the Improv Leadership Summit, a national conference that brought together leadership teams from improv theatres around the world. Her strength is creating safe communities where people feel heard, respected, and valued. She's certified in the "Improvaneer Method" and also has practiced biofield therapy, craniosacral therapy and equine therapy. Kelly has two children and lives in the Clifton gaslight neighborhood. 

Certified In- Person Director

Emily is an Improv Cincinnati Graduate and collaborates and performs with Alphas Comedy, an all-woman Cincinnati-based sketch and improv comedy group. Co-Creator and trainer of the continuing education, No Joke: The Serious Use of Improv in Healthcare, Emily has taught colleagues and caregivers about the beauty and practical implications of using improv with the geriatric population and those with dementia diagnoses. Joining versus combatting one’s narrative can be life altering! In her non-improv adventures, she’s a Licensed Independent Social Worker, who enjoys spending time with family and friends, trying new restaurants and has been known to break into spontaneous dance, particularly in the aisles of Home Depot.

Certified Live/Online Director

Laura Davis is originally from Colorado but studied and performed improv in Los Angeles for over 10 years. She decided she needed a real job and became an Occupational therapist. This makes the Improvaneer method a perfect fit. She now lives in Washington DC with her husband, 2 kids, and cat. She loves the way improv allows us to play, teaches us how to listen, and to trust ourselves. Everyone is welcome as they are. We are going to have so much fun!

Certified Live/Online Director

De’Vonte studied theatre, music and communications at Salisbury University. He loves all things related to food, art and entertainment. He has two dogs (Suge and Katrina) and one cat (Josephine) who keep him busy with their daily activities and adventures.He also love gardening and growing fruits and veggies.

He’s thrilled to be a director of the Improvaneer Method and looks forward to sharing and growing as an artist as he and your participants explore the world of improvisation together.

Meredith is a silly make-em-up veteran who has performed professionally in New York City with several Improv groups. She is also an instructor of many skills and subjects, running an Education organization, called Art Play Learn, that provides universally inclusive programming both online and in-person in central Maryland. Meredith fell in love with working with self-advocates who have Down syndrome way back in 5th grade when she was asked to be the student assistant to the dedicated Down syndrome classroom in her elementary school. Let the games continue!

Certified Live/Online Director

DSA of Delaware