
Dave Collins
Simple, Practical, Fun and Interactive - Talks on using Improvisational Comedy in the Workplace
Dave Collins is the Founder and CEO of Oak and Reeds, a corporate training firm dedicated to using the tools of improvisational comedy to train clients on everyday communication skills they can use at work and in life. At Oak and Reeds, Dave works as a speaker, facilitator and executive coach. In the eight years since founding the business he’s worked with clients like Nike, Salesforce, Airbus and Google to train leaders how to communicate and lead more collaboratively.
Dave is also an award-winning improviser with seventeen years of experience performing and coaching students in the art of improvisational comedy. Along with his teammates, Dave won the 2010 National Collegiate Improv Tournament, has headlined festival shows across the country, and individually has coached hundreds of students and professionals in the art and practice of applied improvisation.
Dave has a dual degree in communication and economics from Northwestern University and currently lives in Castro Valley, California with his wife, Catrina, his one year old son, Milo, and their two cats, George and Victoria.
Dave Collins is the Founder and CEO of Oak and Reeds, a corporate training firm dedicated to using the tools of improvisational comedy to train clients on everyday communication skills they can use at work and in life. At Oak and Reeds, Dave works as a speaker, facilitator and executive coach. In the eight years since founding the business he’s worked with clients like Nike, Salesforce, Airbus and Google to train leaders how to communicate and lead more collaboratively.
Dave is also an award-winning improviser with seventeen years of experience performing and coaching students in the art of improvisational comedy. Along with his teammates, Dave won the 2010 National Collegiate Improv Tournament, has headlined festival shows across the country, and individually has coached hundreds of students and professionals in the art and practice of applied improvisation.
Dave has a dual degree in communication and economics from Northwestern University and currently lives in Castro Valley, California with his wife, Catrina, his one year old son, Milo, and their two cats, George and Victoria.
Status and Power Dynanmics
Format: 45 minute keynote presentation
Who’s in charge? In your everyday life, who holds the keys to decisions, prestige, money or love? How did that person get there? And more importantly, how do I learn how to do what they do without being a jerk?
For millennia, humans have fought, bit, scratched and clawed to establish dominance, show submission and otherwise create intricate power structures. It’s easy to spot in our...
“Yes, and” for Work and Life
Format: 90 minute interactive keynote
Improving collaboration in teams is a proven way to increase employee happiness, productivity and retention. This interactive keynote teaches specific techniques designed to improve collaboration in in-person, virtual or hybrid organizations. Attendees will be laughing, learning and interacting with each other all while walking away with simple, practical techniques they can bring back to their teams.
Storytelling: The Art of Linking Pieces
Format: 60 minute interactive keynote
Learning to tell your personal story in an engaging and memorable way is a sure-fire way to unlock opportunities that will help further your career. In this interactive keynote, you’ll learn tools and techniques to use storytelling to help you gain confidence in your ability to advocate for yourself, to make an impression on new audiences, and to influence colleagues and clients to understand your thoughts in a...
Leading Through The Emotions of Change
Format: 60 minute interactive keynote
Keynote Description: In this keynote, you’ll learn tools to confidently work and lead teams through uncertain and challenging situations in order to adapt to change in creative and unexpected ways.
The speech focuses on developing the ability of leaders to support and coach their fellow leaders, colleagues and direct reports through change. This talk will provide specific skills and...


