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Jonathan S. Goldman

After attending public schools in Brooklyn, NY, I then trained to be an optometrist in Boston. Upon realizing that there should be more to a career than forever saying, "Which is clearer? One or Two?" I became the first O.D. to get an M.B.A. in Health Administration (from Temple University in Philadelphia). My career took me to Chicago where I taught; and, also took Toastmasters classes. In 1983 I moved to San Francisco and worked for the Department of Public Health for much of the end of our last century. My last two positions were as a Workers Comp Coordinator and a Hospital Trainer. In this century I also presented "Critical Thinking" workshops for various Kaiser Permanente North hospitals' staff and was manager for Project Inform's National HIV/AIDS treatment hotline. 

Happily discovering the BATS School of Improvisation (then known as Bay Area Theatresports™ in 1998, I soon became the Volunteer Director for their community service program, Laughing Stock, which provides free Improv classes to people living with life-threatening illnesses such as HIV/AIDS, Cancer, Hep C, etc., and their care partners. I continued taking specialty classes, performed occasionally with the Mirth Brokers ensemble under the direction of Gerri Lawlor, and lead Intro to Improv workshops at a variety of HIV/AIDS and men's retreats in northern and southern California and afloat on the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean.

I credit my improv skills for getting me to be a contestant for Wheel of Fortune in 2005. Although landing on a Bankrupt on my first wheel spin and then did the "Ta Dah - Circus Bow" for all of America; I later went on to the Bonus round. According to Slate.Com, I solved one of the 15 toughest WOF puzzles in the past 25 years. Improv also landed me a featured role for the Frameline32 Film Festival trailers as a game show contestant with perpetual wrong answers. And, more recently, managed to lose to Ken Jennings on MasterMinds in 2022.

I moved to Palm Springs in February 2014 with my mixed rescue terrier, Roopert, to re-invent myself. Improv has helped keep my spirits youthful (well, that and a good moisturizer) and energized. I performed with Andy Harmon's Acting Improv class at the 2014 Improv/Comedy Festival in Indio. Always looking forward to making new friends as I offer localites the opportunity to sample the fun and joy that is Improvisational Theater. Improv builds community. Come join for some laughs! Or arrange for a free demo at your club.

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