Stefanie Benjamin, Ph.D.

Dr. Stefanie Benjamin started her improvisation career in 2013 at Trustus Theater in Columbia, South Carolina while pursuing her doctorate in Education. There she learned improvisational games and participated in several workshops during the Night Owl Improv Educational Program.  After perfecting her craft, she joined a local improv troupe where she wrote comedy sketches, performed long and short form improv sets, and organized free monthly comedy shows at numerous venues in South Carolina.  Her love for comedy and improv has crossed over to her academic world where she is an Associate Professor at The University of Tennessee, and works with faculty and students to help them communicate their research in a creative and productive manner.  She facilitated several workshops at academic conferences and various businesses in addition to publishing around improv pedagogy.  Lastly, from 2016 - 2019 she was part of the Einstein Simplified Comedy Improv Troupe in Knoxville, Tennessee.    

• ​University of Tennessee  - Accolades Press on 'Improv in the Classroom'
• University of Tennessee - Mic Night on Improv
• How to yes-and: Using improvisational games to improv(e) communication, listening, and collaboration techniques in tourism and hospitality education
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Dr. Stefanie Benjamin is an associate professor at the university of tennessee and teaches several improv courses for incoming first year college students. She continues to include improv workshops within her courses in event & tourism studies along with her role as co-director of code (collaborating on dialogue and equity).

Photos of live stage Einstein Simplified performances by Cinnamon Studios