Dylan Reiff - Artistic Director

Dylan Reiff is an improviser and creative living in the dream boat city of Portland, OR where he wears the same five t-shirts, teaches and performs comedy, creates interactive games and immersive theater, and plays a lot of pinball.

Dylan began his improv career at the Annoyance Theater in Chicago after moving there to create experimental theater and study with the Neo-Futurists in the late 00’s. Since Chicago, he's studied with the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, The Liberators.

Dylan co-founded Kickstand Comedy in 2014, and has performed at The Bridgetown Comedy Fest (Portland, OR), Bumbershoot (Seattle, WA), the Del Close Marathon (New York City), Out of Bounds Comedy Fest (Austin, TX), The Stumptown Improv Festival (Portland, OR), and later this year in the show MONDO at the Vancouver International Improv Festival (BC).

Kara Moore - Managing Director

Kara graduated with a BA in American Sign Language/English Interpretation with a Minor in Theater from Columbia College Chicago in 2012. She has over 10 years of experience in a wide range of management, procedural development, and organizational support. In Chicago Kara worked at Jewish Vocational Services and at Hinsdale South High School where she worked closely with Deaf and Hard of Hearing young adults and adults as a career counselor with a main focus on management of case files, advocacy and career support. She also was the administrative assistant at Larkins Vacura Kayser LLC where she excelled in areas of procedural development, organization of clients files and was in charge of all supply orders. Kara co-managed Monday's with Bella at The Playground Theater in Chicago, IL from 2008 to 2014. Kara has over 17 years of experience teaching, coaching and performing comedy at theaters such as iO Chicago, The Annoyance Theater, and Second City Donny's Skybox.

Michael Knackstedt - Strategic Development Manager

Michael is a nonprofit arts administrator, improviser, writer and actor. Michael holds a Master of Nonprofit Management from The University of Oregon and a Bachelor of Arts in Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management from Columbia College Chicago. With nearly a decade of experience working in the nonprofit sector, Michael currently serves as Head of Grants & Foundation Relations at the Portland Art Museum, where he helps advance institutional fundraising. He has served on the board of directors at Oregon Contemporary Theatre, and currently serves on the Development Committee at Open Signal: Portland Community Media Center. He brings a wealth of knowledge about nonprofit management of arts organizations, fundraising, project management and strategic planning to Kickstand’s Leadership Team.

When not obsessing over music or challenging you to an air hockey match, he can be found performing improv with the Kickstand CVLT and New York Dads.

Lauren Sinner - Marketing & Outreach Manager

Lauren is a multi-disciplinary and independent artist, curator, educator, writer, and performer in Portland. She currently works at the Managing Editor of Surface Design Journal, Studio Assistant to Marie Watt, and Independent Contractor to many arts organizations around the country. She has studied at Kickstand Comedy and Curious Comedy Theater, and has a Masters in Applied Craft + Design from PNCA/OCAC. Lauren is the producer of Night Cheese—an absurd comedy show combining art, food, and nonsense, that builds in chaos as the hour progresses. She has performed at the Del Close Marathon, All Jane Festival, and Vancouver International Improv Festival. You can catch her performing with Mechanik, Shankman, Sinner & Associates, PARTS DEPT, Dear Diary, MONDO, Twist & Shout, Kickstand CVLT, and Girls With Heads.

Eric Simons - Assistant Operations Manager

Eric is an advertising copywriter, improviser, actor, and teacher. With a Bachelor of Arts in Business Marketing from Augustana University (Sioux Falls, SD), he has spent the last seven years thriving in the advertising world and has another 10 years of experience working within the service industry. This, combined with over 13 years of experience performing and teaching improv, has helped Eric strengthened his understanding of communication and service—working with individuals and corporations, on both a local and national scale. You can see Eric perform with Broke Gravy and Kickstand CVLT.