Our Team

David Koff (HE/HIM):
FOUNDER, Improv Trainer & Teacher

David is a professional actor who has appeared on such TV shows as “The West Wing”, “The John Larroquette Show”, “Sesame Street”, and others. His acting reel showcases some of his most popular work. He is a proud member of SAG/AFTRA.

He has trained clients from Nike, Intel, Tektronix, Joyful, PWC, Comcast, and many other Fortune 500 companies using tools from the worlds of acting, improvisation, and psychology.

David learned improv at The Groundlings, then with Groundlings alum Stan Wells at The Empty Stage Theater, and lastly with Bill Steinkellner in his master class. Improv continues to play a huge role in his creative and professional life: he’s produced fully or partially-improvised shows for the stage since 1995, including the long-running “Fake Radio” and “The Wonderful Woman of Oz”.

In Portland, prior to opening Change Through Play, David taught improv classes and performed at Curious Comedy and The Brody Theater. He also taught at CSz.

In 2017, David received a RACC grant for his applied improvisation work at St. Andrew Nativity school. That work led to a documentary you can watch here and, in 2018, delivering keynote about his students at the AIN conference in Paris. You can watch his presentation to learn more or visit David on his website.

Mary Pat McCoy (she/her):
Improv Teacher & Facilitator

Mary Pat majored in dance theatre at San Jose State University (with a stint in NYC), and performed with Mobius Stageworks, a dance-theatre company. She's worked with Young Audiences as an Artist in Residence teaching creative dance, clowning, juggling, and improv in Portland-based schools. She joined CSz Portland in 2003, performing short-form improv there for 17 years. She's also done silent improv with "Concerto for Piano & Mime", musical improv with "The Screaming Mee-Mee’s" and "Note Takers", and coaches & performs with "Been There", a senior improv group. Mary Pat has been a member of Change Through Play's advanced lab for over 2 years, performing with the group "The Changelings".

Brittney Van Eck (she/her):
Client Development

Brittney’s been an integral member of our team since 2021. She brings a background of social media and communications saavy to Change Through Play and has helped anchor how we promote what we do and where.

Brittney is born and raised in South Africa and continues to live there even now. She is our first ever remote employee! What began during the pandemic has blossomed into a true partnership.

Brittney has become our client liaison and development staffer. In that role she’ll be helping the students in our Portland improv classes along with our clients who reach out to us for corporate and business training in Portland.

Christine Frieje (she/her):
Studio & Admin assistant

Christine is a gifted theatre director, deviser, and administrator in Portland, OR. Her work explores gender, identity, theatricality, and liveness. Her process is rooted in deep collaboration, consent-forward practices, trust, and play. Christine has worked with Portland Playhouse’s Fall Festival of Shakespeare, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival, Redtwist Theatre, Reject Theatre Project, Philadelphia Artists Collective, Theatre Contra, Arden Theatre Company, Theatre Horizon, Berkshire Theatre Group, and others. She is a regular collaborator of the writer-performers Jimmy Grzelak and Martin Levy. She received her MFA in Directing at The Theatre School at DePaul University, where she was named a Michael Maggio Memorial Scholar. 

Natasha Von Salza (she/her):
improv & Theater Teacher

Natasha graduated from CSU Chico State in 2013 with a degree in Political Science and Outdoor Education. She studied abroad in 2012 in Sweden, where she lived until 2021. After a corporate career as a manager for Starbucks for over 5 years, she returned to her artistic roots and now teaches outdoor education to children ages 5-12. She uses improv, structured curriculums and experiential learning to facilitate children's learning and play. Natasha studied improv under Mary Pat McCoy at Change Through Play, before going on to study under its Founder, David Koff. She remains in the studio’s Advanced Lab series, where she continues to study, develop, and refine her long-form improvisation practice and knowledge.