Karen Hewitt, M. Ed.
Karen Hewitt, M. Ed.
(ze/she/they)
Senior Facilitator
Culture Creator. Leader. Writer. Poet. Artist. Karen earned her MS in Mathematics at St. Francis University (PA) and her Master of Arts in Educational Policy and Leadership at The Ohio State University. Ze has been speaking, facilitating, and coaching since 2005. Her career began as a collegiate Women’s Basketball Coach and evolved into a Workforce Development focus. Her areas of expertise are Culture and Diversity Management, Leadership Development, Intersectionality and Gender and Sexuality. Karen is a creative. She is an improv comedian and improv poet and singer. Ze is a 2020 recipient of the Create Columbus Visionary Award, a 2022 CEO Columbus Future 50 fellow, a 2023 African- American Leadership Academy (AALA) fellow, a 2021 Cohort Poet in Scott Woods’ Rhapsody and Refrain, and an ensemble member in Counterfeit Madison’s Aretha Franklin Tribute; which performed in front of a sold out Lincoln Theatre (Columbus, Ohio) in February 2020. In 2019, Karen published their first book of poetry, Grounded; and released Fire: Poetic Memoirs of a Movement in August of 2021. They are also an author in the April 2021 released anthology, The Black Woman’s Guide To Love and Business: A Blueprint To Self-Mastery. Karen is a Senior Facilitator for ImprovEdge and is in their fourth year with the ensemble. Karen lives in Columbus, Ohio with her wife, Erin and cat, Temple.
April Olt
April Olt
(she/her)
Senior Director of Content and Talent
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. April has worked with theatre companies and creative artists as a coach, director, producer, instructor and dramaturg in NYC, Chicago, Columbus, and LA where she currently resides. As an educator and award-winning director, she teaches and directs productions for high schools and theatres across the country. She has created specialty workshops and camps for children and youth to promote confidence, inclusivity, and collaboration. Along with designing and facilitating workshops for clients on five continents, April has designed and taught courses in theatre, humanities and composition at Ohio Dominican University, Sinclair Community College, and Central Ohio Technical College.
Michael Shepperd
Michael Shepperd
(he/him)
Senior Facilitator
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.
Dionysia Williams
Dionysia Williams
(she/her)
Executive Facilitator
Dionysia is a Broadway dancer, singer and actor. A proud graduate of Wright State University, Williams has toured across the country and internationally (China, Europe) performing Broadway musicals.
Jason Sudy
Jason Sudy
(he/him)
Executive Facilitator
Jason is the founder of Side Street Planning, and a Principal at OHM Advisors, a city planning firm headquartered in downtown Columbus, Ohio. Jason has 15 years of professional urban planning experience, is a senior facilitator with ImprovEdge and an adjunct professor at The Ohio State University.
Melissa Smolko
Melissa Smolko
(she/her)
Chief Operating Officer
Melissa is an accomplished program/project manager and strategist with specific expertise in operations, business development, marketing and training development. A graduate of John Carroll University, she currently resides in Cleveland, OH.
Meet the Ensemble
Made by Professionals, About Professionals, for Professionals
Our diverse team from a wide range of professional backgrounds combines real-world business experience with improv training to help you harvest the strength and confidence needed to tackle uncomfortable situations head on.
Our facilitators are proud to partner with you—acting as an extension of your business—to provide 100% customized programs, training, and insights designed with your specific needs in mind.
Meet the Ensemble
Karen Hough
Founder & CEO
She is an Amazon #1 bestselling author, Founder of a Top 1% in the US – Woman-Owned business, Yale grad and passionate improviser.
Christine Kloostra
Executive Coordinator
Why ImprovEdge
Our Purpose is Learning and Development
ImprovEdge integrates scientific research, improvisational techniques, and real-world business practices to create impactful leadership and team development programs. With a deep understanding of how adults learn, ImprovEdge meets participants at their specific learning stage, ensuring training materials resonate and stick. This approach tailors the pace and complexity of content to where participants are in their professional development, enhancing retention and long-term skill adoption. Here’s how ImprovEdge stands out:
Doing Business With ImprovEdge
ImprovEdge is proud to provide customized corporate service solutions that transform performance and drive behavior change in businesses and entities within the public sector.
NAICS Codes
| NAICS 611430 | Professional and Management Development Training – Primary |
| NAICS 541611 | Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services |
| NAICS 541612 | Human Resources Consulting Services |
| NAICS 611699 | All Other Miscellaneous Schools and Instruction |
|
UNSPSC 60105
421 |
Understanding or dealing with cultural diversity instructional materials |
| UNSPSC 80101500 | Business and corporate management consultation services |
| UNSPSC 86000000 | Education and Training Services |
| UNSPSC 86101701 | Communications vocational training services |
Central Contractor Registration
DUNS: 796849532
CAGE: 4QV59
UEI: MVYCNM1EHKW6
Small Business Certification
Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE)
Awards
Presentation Skills
Presentation Skills
Now Presenting Your Best and Most Authentic YOU!
Stage fright? Exit stage left. Presentation apprehension? Kick it to the curb. Already a great presenter? Let us help you crank up your awesomeness!
Designed to help you discover your own personal speaking style and develop/enhance your public speaking capabilities, Presentation Skills training helps leaders become better, stronger, more effective persuasive forces for their audience. Transform your ideas into memorable words and improve your presence, credibility, and authenticity by learning:
- The four presentation rules to break before you speak
- How to organize content and ensure your audience remembers your message
- Presentation preparation techniques (whether you have 30 days or 30 seconds)
- Guaranteed ways to grab your audience, read your audience, and drive your message home
Let’s improvise!
Reach out to learn how ImprovEdge training experiences deliver the biggest impact in the shortest time.
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Presence
Presence
Elevate Your Presence Game
Enhancing presence is critical to managing perception in both your personal and professional life. A person with strong presence is known to be “leadership material.” They’re self-assured, composed, and poised no matter what comes their way. They rise to the top quickly and instill confidence in subordinates, peers, and executive leaders.
Through the application of practical skills and intentional focus techniques, ImprovEdge can help you build personal connections and business successes. Take advantage of our Prescence program and discover:
- The importance of presence and how it affects you and your colleagues
- Critical attributes of great leaders with presence
- Ways to “show up” in formal and impromptu settings
- How best to use influence when you don’t have access to direct decision-making power
- Tips and tricks to appear confident, cool, and collected no matter the situation
Let’s improvise!
Reach out to learn how ImprovEdge training experiences deliver the biggest impact in the shortest time.
Related Resources & Articles
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