Anna K. Nelson
Marketing and Development Manager (she/her)
Washington Improv TheaterAnna joined WIT's staff in June 2023 after an established career as an international journalist and humanitarian communicator. Originally from the Midwest, Anna spent 22 years living in Europe (Paris, London, Bern, and Geneva) before moving to DC in 2013.
She holds a BA in Comparative Literature from the American University of Paris (France) and an MA in International Journalism from City University of London (UK). Anna has traveled to over 35 countries and has used her storytelling skills to shed light on human suffering – and resilience – in war-torn and disaster-affected places from Pakistan and the Gaza Strip, to Bosnia and Mali. She was granted unprecedented access by the Department of Defense (as a civilian) to take photographs inside the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
She has served as a member of the Board of Directors at the District Improv Festival and is a 2023 HumanitiesDC grant recipient for her personal project, “And… Scene! An Oral History of Improv in DC.”
Anna became seriously smitten with improv in 2019, when she took a beginner-level class at the DC Improv comedy club. After exhausting their entire curriculum, she started attending courses at WIT in 2022.
In addition to her WIT Harold team, Anna performs with the French-speaking indie troupe, La Vie en French. She was a member of the atmospheric cast in the 2024 edition of WIT’s election-year satire POTUS Among Us: Beyond Belief.
Even though she works at WIT, you'll often find Anna volunteering in her spare time as a videographer or usher at WIT performances. (Because she "just can't seem to get enough improv in her diet.")
Anna encourages everyone to volunteer – regardless of whether they are taking a class, hoping to perform, or just want to see a fun show. Regular volunteers get cool perks, like class discounts and the chance to see performances for free.
Anna believes they play a really important behind-the-scenes role in making sure that WIT performances go off without a hitch. Plus, she says, “They get to peek behind the curtain and catch a glimpse of how the proverbial magic gets made.”
Anna became a member of the Harold Team Program in 2023.
Anna loves being on her current Harold team, Sentient Corn. (She spent much of her childhood in Minnesota and has big feelings about corn.)