Our Team
The Bear is a non-profit organization that is powered by a team of storyteller believers. We could bearly survive without THE BEAR team – they share their talent, time, and passion to promote the art of storytelling in Berlin.
Dyane Neiman
Founder & Host
Dyane is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and after 30 years here, has become the most German-like American you’ll ever meet. The former theater director and choreographer once told stories with moving bodies, now she creates with moving words.
By day, Dyane works as a speaking coach with her business Moving Speaker. And every third Friday evening, – she hosts, charms, persuades and twist arms so that Berliners will take the stage and share their stories.
“With THE bEAR, we have created an intimate, friendly atmosphere for aha moments, loud laughter, deep emotions, and heart-to-heart communication. We arrive as strangers, and leave somehow changed. Because we all have stories to tell. Stories connect us.”
Hanna Martus
Design & Strategy aka “Chief Shepherd”
Hanna is a visual storyteller. As a designer, she consults with healthcare organizations, in improving the patient experience. A kind of perspective storytelling, where the main character changes in a whole system: the patient becomes the center in the healthcare system.
She also brings the ability for interdisciplinary problem solving to THE bEAR.
Hanna has her eye on THE bEAR's overall picture: Creating our own storytelling - branding, event formats, optimizing processes and resources, imagining our vision in a big way and making it tangible.
“Stories make us feel connected and understood in unexpected ways. They make us take time to really listen and be open for empathy – values that we’re often missing as a society right now.”
Read her podcast journal
Michael Rost
Story Coach & Videographer aka “Chief Wizard”
Michael moved from Bremen to Berlin in 1980 and fell in love with the city and its stories. He has turned his passion into a profession, and when he is not on stage, backstage or filmming at THE bEAR, he brings Berlin history and stories to people as a professional city guide and owner of "Berlin-Erkundungen".
As THE bEAR’s story wizard, he helps storytellers get to the heart & message of their stories. His video recordings keep our YouTube channel active.
You can see Michael’s many Berlin stories on his YouTube Channel Berlin Erleben.
Florence Ford
Designer of The Bear Trophy, Design Consultant
Florence is a native of UK, now Berlin-based, and a violin maker. She lovingly created our signature bEAR sign, “B” stage branding, and a limited series of THE bEAR trophies using her design talent and leftover pieces of fine mahogany wood from her violins. You can find Florence in her violin studio in Neukölln.
Almut Tiba-Ehlers
Business Strategy, Stage Manager, Storyteller
Almut Tiba-Ehlers, gestandene Unternehmerin und zertifizierter Coach, beschäftigt sich seit Jahren mit Menschen und ihren Herausforderungen.
Almut has helped guide our business strategy, conflict management, writing concrete words for our abstract ideas. When she is not on stage at THE bEAR, you may find her pouring wine at the bar or behind the light and sound board.
You can watch one of her stories at THE bEAR here.
Martin Bering
Photographer, Storyteller, Public Speaking Coach
It’s hard to find a photo of Martin at THE bEAR because he is usually the one behind the camera, when he is not on stage telling a story at THE bEAR.
Martin has supported THE bEAR with his regular photo documentation of our events. He is a certified, systemic coach and an award-winning speaker. You find out more about his public speaking services here.
Ash Kurre
Social Media, Storyteller, Smile-at-the-box-office
Ashlen is from the Heart of Dixie, ‘sweet home’ Alabama, and she is now in Berlin working towards her Masters Degree in Physics. She has been involved in the world of storytelling for nearly a decade and has found a home at The Bear.
“The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller. The storyteller sets the vision, values, and agenda of an entire generation that is to come.”
— Steve Job
Cassis B
Composer, Funding Strategy, Story Passion
Composer Cassis B is an accomplished music composer for film, theater, musicals, opera, among many other creative acts. You can find her full biography here.
Cassis created, performed, audio engineered THE bEAR’s jingle and branding song: “Dare To DO THE bEAR”. You can hear the song here.
Khushi Pasquale
Story Coach
Khushi is an uprooted Italian-American who leans more towards German minimalism than Italian-American embroidery and exaggeration. She grew up on drama … mostly inside the family. Then acted and directed for over 15 years.
Moving from New York to Berlin in 1995, Khushi worked as a Business English skills trainer. She is now a presentation coach, a speechwriter, and storyteller. Khushi is the founder of Center Berlin Toastmasters, one of nearly 16,000 Toastmaster clubs worldwide dedicated to developing speakers and leaders.
Characterized by enthusiasm, energy and optimism, you’ll find Khushi working behind the scenes supporting and encouraging speakers to reach their goals.
Mike Trupiano
Story Educator, Story Evaluator, Storyteller
Mike hails from the USA Heartland and has performed comedy improvisation and standup in Chicago and New York City. Besides being a Favorite storyteller at THE bEAR, he works as an actor, film narrator & dubber, and audiobook creator. He is the go-to guy for coaching to make stories and performances funnier.
More about Mike here.
A bEAR story from Mike here.