Our Mission
Through standup comedy writing and improvisation, we seek to use humor to inspire, empower, and educate at-risk teenagers.
Our Platform
We aim to bridge the gap among students, donors, and comedy educators. Through comedy writing and performing arts education, we strive to teach teenagers how to leverage humor as a form of self-expression.
Our Team
Chief Laughing Officer
Cathy Zhao
Cathy Zhao is a stand-up comedian and a sit-down entrepreneur based in Palo Alto, California. Growing up in China, her English pronunciations and improper word usage have brought laughters and embarrassments to many people (herself included). Her unique ridiculous perspective of American culture, and her brutal honesty about Asian immigrants' lives, also earned her the title of “insult comic”. She performed around the bay area comedy venues at night before the quarantine and now practices comedy therapy for her friends to improve their mental health for free.
Chief Debugging Officer
Bethany Wang
Bethany Wang is a software engineer and a sincere stand-up comedy apprentice. She is swift in coding without having to look at the keyboard, yet carefully staring at every word she has on her comedy draft paper. She is dedicated to volunteering work in empowering underprivileged university students in Asia, and breaking through barriers for women in STEM fields.
VP of Affairs
Denise Lee
Denise Lee spends her days in a high-stakes job, delivering birthday cakes to dogs, and her evenings performing standup comedy as a coping mechanism for the pressure of being the backbone of the American economy. With an educational background in sociology focused on community development, Denise is passionate about supporting equitable solutions to systemic problems in local communities.
VP of Advocacy
Bo Ma
Bo Ma is a materials scientist and an aspiring educator. She is grateful for many amazing advisors and mentors she has had and strives to be that positive impact for the next generation of scientists and researchers. Bo currently resides in Durham, North Carolina and performs standup comedy all over the Triangle area. Dry humor is her coping mechanism for the humid climate and her deadpan delivery covers up the fact that she is constantly tired. Bo loves volunteering work and is committed to increasing diversity and uplifting the underrepresented.
Advisory Board
Tom Dreesen
Comedian Tom Dreesen appeared on stage for the first time 51 years ago in Chicago Heights, IL. He has since made over 500 successful appearances on national television as a stand up comedian including 61 appearances on The Tonight Show! He was a favorite guest of David Letterman’s and even hosted the show during David's absence. Tom is a consummate professional. A regular in all the main showrooms in Las Vegas, Atlantic City and Reno for years, and for 14 years Tom toured the continent as the opening act for Frank Sinatra. He is currently touring the country with his highly acclaimed original one man show “The Man Who Made Sinatra Laugh".
Tom Dreesen delivers a mix of inspiration and comedy designed to help you achieve the best in you.
Tom shares his personal story of a childhood in poverty to making a decision in life to pursue his dreams and become a successful entertainer. So, whether your goals and dreams are to be
an entertainer or an entrepreneur, or to be more successful where you are, Tom’s insights will motivate you to find the winner in you and accomplish more goals.
Tony Sparks
Tony has been performing standup comedy for a good part of his life. He's worked with many famous comics long before they were a name brand (Chris Rock, Ali Wong, Kim Coles). He's written for many comics on television and others currently working on the comedy circuit. He's a major fixture in the San Francisco/Bay Area comedy scene and has been dubbed the Godfather of Bay Area Comedy.