)
Amy Westrup
Comedian & Improv Instructor
Amy Westrup
Comedian & Improv Instructor
Biography
Amy Westrup is an accomplished professional with a unique blend of experience in both the worlds of improv comedy and professional services marketing. With over 10 years as a player and coach at ComedySportz, and 25 years in professional services marketing, Amy has become a leader in applying improv techniques to professional development, particularly in the legal and corporate sectors.
Her journey with ComedySportz began in the workshop program, where she honed her skills and eventually became a professional player and instructor. Amy's background in professional services marketing provided a natural segue into developing applied improv programs aimed at improving workplace dynamics, communication, and performance. She co-created the Applied Improv Program at ComedySportz, which helps professionals in various industries, including law, tech, and corporate environments, integrate improv principles into their work lives.
As the author and creator of several specialized workshops like Improv for Attorneys, Improv for Attorney Wellness, “Improv in the Corporate Space? Yes, And…” and “Making Soft Skills Strong”. Amy has gained recognition for her innovative approach to professional development. Her workshops have been approved for Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit in multiple states, helping legal professionals use improv techniques to improve communication, manage stress, and foster better teamwork.
Amy's extensive career also spans 25 years in marketing and public relations, focusing on business development for law firms and professional services organizations. She has worked with some of the largest firms and corporations in the U.S. and has advised on strategic marketing, communications, and business growth. Notably, she served as the Executive Director of the Association of Corporate Counsel – Wisconsin (ACC-WI) for eight years and was recognized as a Legal Unsung Hero by the Wisconsin Law Journal in 2022 and the “Innovative Programming Award” from the ACC-Global Association, 2021-22. Prior to that she served as Director of Marketing & Communications for the Milwaukee Bar Association. Earlier in her career, Amy was Director of Marketing for Weiss Berzowski Brady LLP – a mid-sized full-service law firm with offices in Milwaukee and Delafield, WI. She has also held marketing positions in both technology and publishing enterprises.
Outside of her professional work, Amy is a founding member of the long-form improv troupe GoodLanders and performs regularly with Voyager Comedy, The Midnite Show, I Should Know This, Autonomy and other groups around the Midwest. Amy was a guest performer at the Edinburgh Fringe Comedy Festival in 2022. She has served as Emcee for non-profit and corporate events and sits on the Advisory Board of the Milwaukee Comedy Festival. She also teaches improv workshops nationwide and internationally, with clients ranging from Amazon to Northwestern Mutual. Her passion for using improv to improve professional and personal lives has made her a sought-after speaker and educator.
In addition to her work as a performer and coach, Amy is the owner of MKW Consulting and AI MKW, where she provides business development consulting to professional service providers. She has also co-founded Shift Worldwide, a virtual production and training company. Throughout her career, Amy has shown a deep commitment to blending creativity, communication, and strategy to help organizations and individuals thrive.
Amy holds a B.A. in Communication/Public Relations from Saint Louis University and is a member of the Global Applied Improv Network and Legal Marketing Association.
Speaker Videos
Improv to Improve
Speech Topics
Improv for Attorney Wellness Workshop
We live and work in a fast-paced, electronic driven world. As technology continues to advance and impact our lives, finding the balance and maintaining genuine human connection personally and professionally can be challenging and can affect our wellness. Our Improv workshop uses is AI (Applied Improv) to focus on uniquely human qualities such as creativity, emotional intelligence, adaptability and collaboration. Improv is based in human interaction and authenticity; these skills remain crucial in helping us find balance and move forward in ever changing professional and personal environments.
This 75-minute to half day workshop teaches legal professionals how to use improv as a tool to better their legal practice and lives. From creative problem solving, working in teams, and building trust to create balance. We teach foundational improv skills that incorporate basic human skills such as basic eye contact, active listening, supporting other's ideas and team work, which can be lost arts in today’s corporate environments. Applying basic improv skills to not only your team but your personal development can improve the attorney/client experience and help grow or maintain your practice, achieve better outcomes and create a more well-balanced life.
Wellness
Wellness can be defined as the act of practicing healthy habits on a daily basis so that one can not only survive but thrive. The rules and techniques of improv are based on positive, supportive communication and human interaction. They are inherently healthy, and we believe, very helpful in our quest to thrive. We focus on valuing each other, building trust, being confident in ourselves, connecting, being authentic and finding opportunities in what some would view as a mistake. There are no mistakes in improv, only opportunities to correct (if necessary) and move forward.
Value & Trust
All human beings want to feel valued and supported. In improv, all ideas have value and we constantly support. This support is reciprocal and applies to all participants. Applying improv techniques to your practice doesn’t change the giving of sound legal advice or opinions, it simply provides a way to be more effective and supportive of your client and most importantly build trust. Participants in this workshop venture out of their comfort zones as they learn to use “Yes, and” and support to move an idea or story forward in a way they had not envisioned.
Finding your voice is about finding one’s own method of telling the story when the situation keeps changing – as often happens. Being open, and accepted builds confidence, which allows us to be present and more proficient in adapting to change.
Listening, Reacting…Growing
The workshop includes a variety of exercises and games designed to enhance each participant’s ability to react and respond to situations. Improv exercises have been customized to improve listening skills and non-verbal communication. We will focus on our Emotional Intelligence, responding to the emotions of oneself and others. This grows self-awareness, empathy and effective communication.
This workshop was developed as an extension of our first CLE program: Applied Improv for Attorneys. Both have been designed by an attorney and legal marketing professional both with over 25 years of experience and when appropriate, call upon real-life attorney/client scenarios to teach and apply improv techniques. Applied Improv for Attorneys has previously been approved for 1.5 Hours of General CLE Credit by the Illinois State Bar and Wisconsin Supreme Court Office of Lawyer Regulation, State Bar of Oregon and Florida Bar.
)
)
)
)