Dr. Deborah Giles is the Science and Research Director at the nonprofit Wild Orca. She received her Ph.D. from the University of California Davis in 2014. Her dissertation was focused on the federally listed Southern Resident killer whales. 

Between 2009-2021 Giles worked as the vessel captain for the University of Washington, utilizing a scat detection dog to locate floating killer whale scat to monitor the physiological health of Southern Resident killer whales. This killer whale health assessment model is now a core program of the nonprofit Wild Orca.

Giles is currently a resident scientist and lecturer at the University of Washington’s Friday Harbor Labs, where she teaches courses on Marine Mammals of the Salish Sea and Marine Biology.

Giles is also a killer whale scientific adviser for the Orca Salmon Alliance, a program advisor for Killer Whale Tales, and the co-founder of the San Juan Island Naturalist Program.

A once-abandoned mixed-breed dog named Eba is now helping conservation biologists study endangered whales by sniffing out their poop. Featured in the pilot episode of the new Disney Plus program “It’s a Dog’s Life,” Eba takes viewers along for a ride while she shows her crew where to go to collect floating fecal samples left by killer whales, as well as humpback, gray, and minke whales. Eba was just a few weeks old and weighed only three-and-a-half pounds when she appeared outside a Sacramento, California animal shelter. Very cold and wet, Eba had to warm up on a heating pad before rescuers could take her temperature. The pup spent months recovering before ending up in Giles’s care in 2017. It quickly became apparent that Eba was a perfect candidate for Conservation Canines, a program run by her guardian’s employer, the University of Washington Center for Conservation Biology. The organization rescues dogs, many of whom end up at shelters due to their high energy levels, and trains them to detect whale scat. Eba’s persistently playful nature got her the initial interview. Giles asked the program’s director for permission to take her newly-adopted pup out to sea, and the rest was history. Eba proved to be a natural and has worked with Conservation Canines ever since.

Guillaume Mauger is a research scientist at the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group. Specializing in Climate Science, his work focuses on understanding and adapting to the impacts of climate change on flooding and stormwater in the Pacific Northwest. Guillaume’s professional mission is to support climate-resilient floodplain management by working with managers, decision-makers, and others to increase the region’s capacity for using climate change science, identify obstacles to adapting to climate change and conduct new research that addresses the needs of managers.

Tami (she/ella), a geologist-improv enthusiast, found her way to Seattle in 2020 while pursuing a Ph.D. in Earth and Space Sciences at the University of Washington. She kickstarted her improv journey back in 2013, graduating from the Conservatory in Improv and Comedy at Lospleimovil Theater in Santiago, Chile.Before landing in the U.S., Tami traversed the improv scenes of Chile, Peru, Argentina, and Brazil, but her thirst for spontaneous laughter couldn't be contained by countries or language barriers. While fighting the American English language, she couldn't resist the appeal of long-form improv, leading her to join the Bandit crew in 2022. Since then, she's become a mainstage performer in Bandit Theater's Mad Science, harmonizing her scientific curiosity with her improv instincts. 

Erica’s improv comedy style is grounded in terrorizing all of her teammates on stage in the most supportive of ways. Her comedy roots began as an alumni of Seattle University’s D1 Improv team where she peaked. She is a current member of Captain, Yeah Okay, and any opportunity that will involve wearing a fun wig. Erica’s other passions include singing to Justin Beiber in spin classes, pumpkin spice lattes (specifically 16-oz iced, almond milk & 2 pumps), the TV show Hoarders, and a hearty wellness routine of a daily nap.

Purnam (he/him) is fond of slow-building, contemplative improv scenes that delight audience members who are still awake. He performs in the cast of Bandit Theater’s Mad Science and with improv team Yeah Okay, and is thrilled to be part of two supportive, energetic, and talented teams.

Zhi Bo started her improv journey in DC a few years ago, where she performed on a Harold team at Washington Improv Theater. She is proud to share an alma mater with Tina Fey, one of her original comedy inspirations. Her previous performance experiences were in ballet, classical piano recitals, and being an extra in school plays, so she's found improv to be a good format for expressing herself through words. She found her way to Seattle in 2023 and is excited to be back in the improv scene as a member of Mad Science. As the daughter of a scientist and the sole liberal arts representative in her family, she's thrilled to unite STEM, the arts and comedy through improv. 

Eloise's improv career began in 2021 (though she earned a Business Marketing degree in 2019, so who's to say when it really began) after taking classes in Seattle, where she eventually found her way to Bandit Theater. After playing in Bandit's first Tumbleweeds program, she joined the Mad Science cast. When she is not improvising, Eloise is a writer and performer for the sketch comedy group Good Crash! and a Quizmaster where she hosts trivia in bars across Seattle. 

Kevin (he/him) is an improviser and educator with over a decade of experience on stage and in the classroom. Prior to Bandit Theater, Kevin was a teacher at the University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science where his experiential curriculum design applied the practice of improv to STEM and won numerous departmental awards. Today, Kevin performs on the cast of Mad Science with Bandit Theater and co-produces the comedy mashup Ten Percent Luck with his indie team Yeah Okay. Kevin believes that everyone has a unique voice in improv and delights in supporting new improvisers as they find theirs.

Chris Carter lives in Sammamish with his wife, daughter, son, and dog. He came to comedy late in life, but has been writing since his parents divorced when he was 7. He studied creative writing at Middlebury College, got a screenwriting MFA from UCLA, and then eventually, finally, studied Improv, Sketch, and Character at UCB in L.A. Chris has written for the animated series “Hello Ninja,” “LEGO City Adventures,” and "Shezow," as well as the forthcoming “Scooby Doo & the Mystery Pups.” He hosts Bandit Theater's podcast, The Awkward Show, and has a blast playing with the rest of the cast of Mad Science!

Stephen has been performing and teaching longform improv for over 20 years. He's made Bandit Theater his improv home because he loves its inclusive community, supportive environment, excellent staff, and comedy philosophy. When not performing improv, raising his newborn son, or taking his dog to parks, he's working in his laugh-a-minute job handling corporate communications for a tech company.

Robbie has been performing Improv, Sketch, and Stand-up comedy since 2012 with a few detours along the way. Robbie was trained in comedy at The Groundlings LA, Second City Chicago, iO Chicago, and Bandit Theater. He has performed & written dozens of scripted and unscripted shows over the years, as well as bravely daring the world of TikTok (@Robbie_Lite). Robbie loves a good callback, making his teammates look good, physical comedy, and delivering accents and impressions. Robbie joined Bandit Theater in 2023 and is currently performing on "Mad Science".

(she/her) Lynn Trickey got her first taste of improv at age 14 through rejection.  She didn’t get into the play she auditioned for in the Seattle Children’s Theater Summer Session, but the kind folks at SCT threw her a bone and offered her a slot in the improv show.  She instantly fell in love… with improv, she was a late bloomer and far too awkward for anything else at that age.  After college in California, Lynn began studying more seriously at The Groundlings, iO West and UCB LA, performing across Los Angeles and with Second City Theatricals on Norwegian Cruise Lines.  Lynn began coaching Harold Teams at iO West where she discovered a passion for building group dynamic and team energy.

Caroline is a scientist by day and even more of a nerd by night. Her relationship with comedy is unrequited. You will often see her in the distant corner wistfully staring with admiration as the improv comedians work their magic. She spends time reminiscing about cool facts, strutting down the sidewalk while listening to the Eurovision Song Contest's greatest hits, and trying to pop the academic bubble that encapsulates her life as a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Washington. She pitched this idea for a science-comedy collaboration and is now the producer for Bandit Theater’s Mad Science. Always interested in learning about all the whacky, inspiring, and objectively hilarious STEM research underway in Seattle. Reach out if you want to collaborate! 

Annie Barry is the Founder and Artistic Director at Bandit. She has been performing improv and comedy for over a decade. She is delighted to be performing on "Swipe Right" and "Gram Worthy". She loves playing make believe in a world that discourages it in adults. She currently directs, "The Reader". She is a vegan, please don't hate her.