KATIE YOHE (she/her) - Executive Artistic Director
Originally from West Chester, PA, Katie has called Chicago home since 2007. Katie is a multi-faceted performer and educator with credits ranging from musicals to Shakespeare both in the U.S. and abroad.
Katie founded A.B.L.E - Artists Breaking Limits & Expectations in 2016 with the hope of building opportunities for others to find the same confidence, friendships, and joy she has found through the arts. In her tenure with the company, she has produced over 25 stage productions and 2 feature films, and also authored adaptations of 7 plays from the classical canon. She has a soft-spot for A.B.L.E.’s devised shows, like Thereby Hangs a Tale and O for a Muse.
Katie holds a BFA in Drama from Syracuse University and an MA with Distinction in Applied Theatre from The Royal Central School for Speech and Drama in London. Her ongoing research centers on developing creative arts programming for individuals with a dual diagnosis of Down syndrome and dementia.
In addition to her artistic life, Katie is also a certified Pilates and GYROTONIC® Instructor with over a decade of experience training clients of all ages and abilities to find healing and strength through movement.
Photo credit Joe Mazza/Brave Lux
MICHELLE BLOSE (she/her) - Development Manager
Originally from Cincinnati, Michelle has always felt at home in Chicago. She fell in love with the city after graduating with a B.A. in Telecommunications from Indiana University and settled here for good in 2011. Michelle is a proven fundraiser with over 10 years of non-profit experience working with organizations that include the Share Foundation in Indiana, the American Cancer Society in Georgia, and Junior Achievement of Chicago. She is active in her children's school and loves serving as the Chairperson for the Scholastic Book Fair and as a Brownie Girl Scout Troop Leader. Michelle recently learned how to knit and also enjoys baking for her friends and family. She stays active by running, cycling and dancing to her favorite party jam "I Gotta Feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas.
BETH SHERWOOD (she/her) - Program Manager
Originally from Green Bay, Wisconsin, Beth moved to Chicago in 2012 to pursue a master's degree and explore all the windy city has to offer. She has a B.S. in Art Therapy from Edgewood College and a M.S. in Child Development--specialization in Child Life--from the Erikson Institute. She has worked for over 8 years as a certified child life specialist and currently works at Advocate Children's Hospital Oak Lawn in the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit. Beth joined ABLE ensemble in 2015 and has enjoyed being a volunteer facilitator throughout many productions. A huge fan of devised ensemble pieces, her favorite show to assist was Gems Unseen. When she is not swimming, biking, or running, you may find her jamming to her favorite dance party song: “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus.
Photo credit Joe Mazza/Brave Lux