Mary Lemmer is a creative impact-driven entrepreneur, business designer, consultant, startup advisor, humorist, author, and global speaker helping leaders and companies grow, innovate, navigate change and thrive in an unpredictable world. 

Entrepreneur starting at 14. Former Director at startup turned unicorn. Recovering venture capitalist. Author. TED speaker. Humorist. Mary has helped all sorts of companies and their leaders to innovate, solve critical business challenges, and improve performance. Her TED talk “How improv can improve your leadership and life” reflects her belief in the power of creativity and adaptability to transform and handle anything.

Mary founded Iorio Gelato as a teen, and amidst running her business and investing in startups, she discovered the power of improv comedy. Recognizing its impact on leadership and personal growth, she founded Improve, drawing from her varied experiences over a decade as an entrepreneur, investor, and improv performer. Improve has helped leaders and teams tackle challenges, enhance effectiveness, and drive transformative change. With a global reach, Improve has partnered with a diverse array of organizations, including Verizon, Lyft, Google, Pfizer, TED, and top universities like The University of Michigan and Fordham University.

Mary is a Professional Fellow with the U.S. State Department, supporting Rwandan, South African, Zambian and Zimbabwean entrepreneurs in growing their leadership capacity, professional skills, and their businesses/projects/initiatives. With the goal of building capacity and skills for agro-entrepreneurship, agri-food system innovation, and supporting women’s economic empowerment.

Mary is a graduate of the University of Michigan Ross School of Business, completed The  Human Side of Entrepreneurship, Organizational Leadership, at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, and studied improv comedy at renowned theaters like The Second City, The Groundlings, and the Upright Citizens Brigade. 

Her creative ventures include writing, directing, and performing in the award-winning short film Dating Apps In Real Life, as well as associate producing the acclaimed documentary Act Social featuring Colin Mochrie. Mary's debut comedy special, Living With My Parents, humorously captures her pandemic experience living with her folks. She created and hosted Startup Late Night, a late-night comedy show featuring business leader guests, and has entertained audiences nationwide, including at Gilda Radner's Laughfest, The Punch Line in San Francisco, and the Lady Laughs Comedy Festival.