Improv New Mexico™ fosters creativity, personal growth, and community engagement through classes/workshops, live performance, visual arts, film,
media projects, and other styles of storytelling. We offer workshops, classes, and training to develop artistic skills and apply improv-based learning to enhance communication, collaboration, and resilience. Our programs empower individuals and communities across New Mexico, using creative expression
to build life skills that extend beyond the arts. As a 501(c)(3), we are committed to making arts education accessible and impactful, ensuring diverse
communities benefit from improv-based learning and dynamic opportunities for creative expression.
team
Rachel Michaela
Board Chair, Executive Director, Instructor
Peter & Danette Sills
Founders, Advisors
Russell Maynor
Officer, VP Director, Artistic Advisor
Patsy Staehlin
Director, Operations Manager
Tonia Caselman Ph.D., LCSW
Mental Health & Wellness Advisor
Will Hines
Curriculum & Improv Advisor
Shannon O’Neill
Curriculum & Improv Advisor
Carla & Craig Cackowski
Curriculum & Improv Advisors
Aaron Alexander
Community Outreach & Media Advisor
Ben “Lightning” Acosta
Physical Wellness Advisor
Kevin Chambers
Resilience Advisor
Sherriff & John Rambo
Burnout Team
Emilio Estevez
Burnout Team
our story
And so it begins
2019: Peter and Danette Sills create Stage Santa Fe, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with the mission to promote all forms of creative expression in Santa Fe, NM. They begin their community efforts at 3209 Mercantile Court in Santa Fe.
Class is in session
2019-2023: Stage Santa Fe builds the best teaching team in New Mexico while hosting top-tier improv classes and acting workshops teaching hundreds of students in the Santa Fe area.
They also become the initial sponsors and producers of
The Faculty Lounge
™, New Mexico’s longest running professional longform improv team. Rachel Michaela, co-founder, producer, manager, and lead performer of The Faculty Lounge™,
is named the lead improv instructor
in Santa Fe.
Goodfaith efforts
2023: Stage Santa Fe donates tens of thousands of dollars in teacher salaries to a neighboring improv school experiencing diminishing success. In an act of goodwill, they become a temporary rental partner to the neighboring school to stop them from losing their lease and going out of business. Stage Santa Fe also pays for the construction of a new comedy stage in this shared space.
The legacy Continues
Jan 2024: After careful consideration and for various reasons, Peter and Danette Sills transition Stage Santa Fe out of the temporary rental agreement with the neighboring school.
The Sills move out of executive leadership and name Rachel Michaela as Chair of the Board and Executive Director of Stage Santa Fe. A new board is also named. The Sills’ continue as trusted advisors to the organization.
Launch of IMPROV4NEWMEXICO™
Rachel Michaela renames Stage Santa Fe to IMPROV NEW MEXICO™ and
refocuses the non-profit’s mission. Under Rachel’s leadership, IMPROV NEW MEXICO™
(IMPROV NM™)
launches statewide outreach initiative IMPROV4NEWMEXICO™ (IMPROV4NM
™): to transform lives and communities across New Mexico through
the power of improv™ classes, workshops, performances, trainings, and community events across New Mexico.
IMPROV NEW MEXICO™ forges meaningful partnerships with local non-profits, theater venues, performance groups, acting studios, corporate entities, educational institutions, mental health clinics, and community leaders. The Community Sponsorship and Scholarship programs are launched.
A new ChapteR
Jan 2025: IMPROV NEW MEXICO™
becomes
the only improv school in New Mexico to offer classes on a PWYC (pay what you can) model.
A series of new improv shows are produced with historical collaborations bringing something never-before-seen to the land of enchantment. IMPROV NEW MEXICO establishes residency across multiple
locations in Albuquerque, and expands the i4NM team for statewide outreach under IMPROV4NEWMEXICO™
(IMPROV4NM™
, i4NM™) program along with
the launch the iNM Fiscal Partnership program.
Improv New Mexico™
dba Improv NM™ dba Albuquerque Improv
™ dba Abq Improv™
is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
FEIN: 84-2713587
