FOUNDER & HEAD COACH

Andrew Merit is an improviser, facilitator, therapist, and community builder who believes the best improv goes far beyond comedy.

While laughter is part of the magic, improv at its best helps people connect, take risks, trust themselves, and discover what's possible when they stop trying to get everything right.

Before founding Improv Marin, Andrew co-founded the Secret Improv Society (SF Magazine's Best Comedy) and performed with several acclaimed Bay Area improv companies. Over the past two decades, he has taught improvisation to performers, professionals, students, therapists, and people simply looking for more connection and play in their lives.

As an expert in applied improvisation, Andrew has designed and led workshops for organizations including Google, YouTube, Stanford University, and UCSF. He is also an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist whose work explores the intersection of play, creativity, relationships, and personal growth.

Whether he's leading a class, facilitating a workshop, or helping build community, Andrew brings the same philosophy to every room:

Show up. Listen to each other. Support one another. Embrace the unexpected.

His mission is simple: to create spaces where people can play, grow, laugh, and belong.

COACH

Tootsie Bellittera is a long-form improvisational specialist trained in the heart of the New York City scene. She developed her craft at the industry’s most prestigious institutions, including The People’s Improv Theatre (PIT), Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB), and The Magnet.

A veteran of the NYC indie circuit, Tootsie performed regularly with teams such as Stop Being Terrible and Motorsquid. She brings a deep technical mastery of complex formats like the Harold, La Ronde, and Deconstruction to the Improv Marin community.

COACH, FACILITATOR

Katie brings her clinical training and a Master’s in Social Work directly to our specialized Improv and Mental Health initiatives. Her coaching focuses on the mind-body connection, using collaborative play to help folks untangle old narratives and move through chronic overwhelm. Katie creates a safe, genuine space to connect honestly and laugh.

COACH

Lisa (on the left) loves giving folks a taste of improv. You might see her on stage or coaching. She’s around. Full of improv wisdom as well as human anatomical wisdom. She knows about funny bones. Lisa has performed with The First Degree Burns and Femmeprov.

COACH

Joël Micucci co-founded Secret Improv Society and has performed with Flash Family, BATS Improv, Big City Improv, and more! The picture above is NOT Joël—it’s his brother. Joël didn’t send us a photo in time, but we did have a picture of his brother. They aren’t twins, but there’s a pretty strong family resemblance—so...
Joël has been performing, coaching, directing, and producing improv since 1995-ish, I think. Not sure exactly because, as mentioned before, Joël didn’t send us his bio in time.

COACH

Jen Chan is a performer and coach. She has a Ph.D.--whoa. Jen has performed with The First Degree Burns, No Pants Improv, Jill & Jackie, Femmeprov, and more.

COACH

Taylor Ray (M.S. Adult Education, B.S. Linguistics/Neuroscience) loves to show people new ideas and skills that make them better at what they already know how to do. She is a rich source of odd facts about the human brain/body, and she teaches with an irresistible belief in the power of story.

Taylor pairs a solid background in comedy (standup/improv) with a long career in business. She most recently taught as adjunct faculty at USF in the Executive MBA program.

COACH

Mimi. So difficult to put into words.

COACH

Kristian Ruggieri has been making things up since she was a little girl. Imagine her excitement when she took a class in 1997 and learned she could call it improv! Since then, she's studied at ImprovWorks and BATS and has performed with Flash Family, Improvalicious, and Big City Improv. Now, most Friday and Saturday nights, you can find her on stage with Secret Improv Society freestyle rapping or convincing her fellow improvisers to play accent switch.

COACH

Melissa Jones Briggs is a performer and Stanford University lecturer who uses theatre as a tool for high-stakes leadership. At Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, she teaches Acting with Power, blending social science with performance techniques.

An independent consultant and honors graduate of Wake Forest, Melissa has designed global inclusion and leadership programs for giants like Intel, Twitter, Cisco, and the U.S. Naval Academy. She has also taught at London Business School and Aalto University.

Melissa serves on the Board of Youth in Arts and is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and the Actors Center Conservatory.

COACH

Judith Asséo is a performer and educator with 25 years of stage experience. She is a current company member of the award-winning Secret Improv Society in San Francisco and a former member of Big City Improv (Best of the Bay Winner).

A Cornell University graduate and veteran of the veterinary medical industry, Judy specializes in play-based communication and team-building. She is an expert in de-escalation training, presenting her signature programs to organizations and conferences across the United States.

Known for bringing lightness and humor to high-stakes environments, Judy’s classes are designed to inspire cathartic laughter and real-world connection.