John Haynes is originally from Chicago where he was first exposed to Improvisation as a creative outlet while working in the health care field.  John is a certified crisis/trauma counselor and also worked as a Patient Representative for Regions Hospital in St. Paul, MN until deciding to work in theatre full-time.  After completing training in improvisation at the Brave New Workshop he was hired as an instructor with the Brave New Institute School of Improvisation.  For the past six years John was the Director of the Brave New Institute and also performed, wrote, and directed in various capacities for the Brave New Workshop.  John is now the Director of the Creative Institute at the Actors Theater of Minnesota, as well as being an stage and on-camera actor, writer and director in Twin Cities.  John has provided creative workplace training for Cargill, Medtronic, Saint Mary’s University, 3M, Wells Fargo, CIT, Learner’s Edge, Destination Imagination, Saint Paul Chamber of Commerce, Saint Paul Hotel, Macalester College and The Bearence Management Group as well as others.