David Koff

Facilitator, Trainer & Teacher 

  David is an actor, improviser, and facilitator based in Portland, Oregon. He specializes in bringing a unique blend of theater and movement-based training to corporations, non-profits and schools. For over 20 years, he also worked as a Senior Systems Administrator at companies like The J. Paul Trust and Nike, providing him with an extensive background and expertise in technology.

As an actor, David’s appeared on TV shows such as “The West Wing”, “The John Larroquette Show”, and “Sesame Street” and continues to appear in national commercials. But it was the art of Improvisation that changed David’s life.

He studied for four years at the famed Groundlings Theater in Los Angeles and followed that with a decade of training with Groundlings alumni Stan Wells at his innovative Empty Stage Theatre. David continues to participate in the acting/improv master class of Bill Steinkellner, executive producer of “Cheers” and “Just Shoot Me”.

  In 2016, David developed a curriculum for teaching improvisation to teenagers as a life skill at St. Andrew Nativity School, a tuition-free Jesuit middle school serving low-income families. In 2017, he was honored with a grant from the Bruce J. Heim foundation for his work and in 2018, was honored to receive grant from the Regional Arts and Culture Council (RACC) for his work at the school. That work teaches children agency over their own life stories. In 2018, he was honored to be chosen as a keynote speaker at the global Applied Improvisation Network (or AIN) in Paris where he shared his work at St. Andrew. In both 2018 and 2019, he was a session presenter at the global AIN Conferences in Paris and SUNY Stony Brook where he taught his St. Andrew curriculum to other trainers.

  David also developed a pilot program for the Alano Club in Portland, Oregon using applied improvisation to help addicts in recovery better anchor their sobriety. The program worked with 10-15 addicts over a period of four months and created mind/body connections which helped the pilot participants enjoy clear insights into their emotions and how they impact their physical bodies. Today, David brings his mind/body-oriented applied improvisation work to corporations, nonprofits, and schools all over the country through his training group: Change Through Play.

  David enjoys gardening, playing piano, surfing, and spending time with his wife Mary, their son Isaac, and their two rescued cats: Callie & Gracie.

HP : https://davidkoff.com