Patricia Ryan Madson

Patricia Ryan Madson is an American actress, author, and educator. She is a senior lecturer in drama, emerita, at Stanford University, and wrote the book Improv Wisdom: Don't Prepare, Just Show Up, New York, which was published in 2005.

Life and work
Madson began her university teaching career as an assistant professor of drama at Denison University in Granville, Ohio, in 1969.

In 1977 Stanford University offered her the position of leading the undergraduate Acting program. She founded the Stanford Improvisors in 1991 and launched an academic program to study improvisation at the university. In 1998 she won the Lloyd W. Dinkelspiel Award for Outstanding Innovation in Undergraduate Education.

Her tenure at Stanford University teaching undergraduates lasted from 1977 to 2005. Now a Stanford University emerita, she teaches beginning and advanced-level improvisation courses for adults through Stanford's Continuing Studies Program. She was also the founding director of the Stanford Improv Summer Stock (1993 and 1994), featuring Keith Johnstone as a guest.

Madson has also consulted for businesses and philanthropic and educational groups. She founded “The Creativity Initiative, ” an alliance of Stanford faculty who believed creativity could be taught. Financial consultants like Douglas Tsoi and best-selling authors like Daniel Pink reference Madson's work. She has also been a featured speaker at talks at Google.

Madson was a guest on the top-rated podcast, Business Minds Coffee Chat. The episode was released on November 9, 2023.