Who we are
We are innovative, inclusive experiential game changers. Acting and performance is in our DNA. Our speciality lies in creating a fun and safe space for inspiring a sustainable growth mindset, underpinned by behavioural flexibility.
Since 2007 we have been supporting senior leaders and emerging talent to develop capabilities and enhance performance. Our client sectors include Global Telecommunications, European Stock Exchange, Professional Services, Soft Drinks Manufacturing, International Law Firms and Banks, Global Logistics Real Estate, The Houses of Parliament and UK wide Civil Service.
We are a team of behavioural change experts, experiential coaches and trained actors. Founded by Mairi McHaffie and Kåre Sivertsen in 2007, SceneChange has over 15 years of experience challenging people to think differently, develop leadership skills and enhance overall performance.
SceneChange delivers exciting learning solutions which builds confidence and significantly improves your ability to communicate effectively with peers and clients.
Our experiential and immersive learning experiences are highly customisable, adapted to your needs and changing social climate. Now more than ever people are working in isolated environments that can be challenging and make them feel unsupported. We address new working normalities, provide support and motivation to drive innovation and growth.
Meet the Team – Europe
Kåre Sivertsen – Founder and Director, is a corporate training specialist with expertise in design and delivery of bespoke learning and development programmes with a focus on personal impact, presentation coaching, diversity and inclusion. He is a certified DISC Behavioural Analyst, certified Prince2 Practitioner and trainer with extensive experience in programme management, facilitation and performance-related coaching. He is a professional actor and voiceover artist with over 20 years of experience and currently works regularly for the BBC.
Mairi McHaffie – Founder and Director, has over 15 years of experience as a personal impact and communications consultant. She has designed and delivered bespoke people development and talent initiatives globally across the sectors. She is founder of the Women into Leadership mentoring programme for the UK Houses of Parliament and specialises in Equality and Inclusion. She is a trained professional actress, BBC television presenter and experiential coach.
Faith Ruto MBA has over 18 years of global experience in Personal Development, Technology, Business Transformation, Internal Consulting and Marketing, with British Airways and Shell. She has designed and delivered bespoke professional development programmes for clients across all sectors and specialises in coaching leaders, especially women and BAME professionals to achieve their career objectives and build confidence and resilience to deliver sustainable results. She is passionate about championing equality, Inclusion and diversity in the workplace and is a published author – Transform Within – 7 Strategies for Professional Growth and Resilience. Faith is married with two children, enjoys playing golf, photography and running to raise funds for a school in Uganda.
Jason Traynor, behavioural coach and communication specialist, has over 20 years’ experience in L&D. He is an ILM registered coach, and has a real passion in helping others discover the power of coaching. His experience in L&D ranges from Coaching 1-2-1, helping with the journeys to transform managers into coaches, running and designing Leadership Programs from Graduates to Senior Leaders and helping deal with conflict through powerful conversations and building strong high performing teams.
Kate Copeland is an ICF accredited (ACC level) coach with further Social Styles accreditation and has worked in experiential learning since 2001. She works globally as a facilitator, executive coach and business actor, specialising in personal impact, presence and advanced communication skills. She is a passionate and active advocate for representation and inclusion across all sectors and has additional qualifications in Neuro-Linguistic Programming and numerous psychometric and behavioural profiling tools. As a classically trained actor, Kate has worked for the Royal Shakespeare Company, many of the UK’s leading theatres and is often seen on the BBC.
Lisa Reeves is an Experiential Learning Coach with over 18 years of experience designing and delivering drama-based learning solutions for a vast range of global clients. As a Positive Intelligence, Mental Health & Well Being Coach she works with individuals and teams to bring cohesion, positivity and performance into the work place. Her experience in the corporate world, public sector and local community means she is equally at home in the boardroom as on the shop floor and her empathic, fun and challenging style ensures all who work with her are supported and stretched in order to be the best version of themselves.
Sartaj Garewal began his career as a finance graduate and analyst at Baring Asset Management later becoming a professional actor & voice artist across film, TV and theatre at the highest level. He has worked with +130 organisations over 20 years, around presenting skills, executive coaching, influencing and crucial conversations. He is a qualified commercial mediator CIArb and FRSA, regularly blogs and has written for Training Journal. Sartaj has been an invited speaker for numerous events including CFA’s #Disruption 2019 at London Excel.
Simon Coleman has worked as a trainer and experiential facilitator for over 15 years. He has written and project managed various training courses for numerous clients across multiple sectors including construction, finance, health, legal & central government. His expertise covers personal impact, behavioural change, presentation skills and crucial conversations. Working within marketing and research for many years Simon has gained a wealth of corporate business experience and leadership skills. Originally training as an actor he has appeared in numerous West End productions, tv and films. He is co-founder of 1948, a PR & Communications consultancy.
Alison Nicol was a former Employment Associate at City law firm Simmons & Simmons, before retraining as an Actor, Facilitator and Executive Coach. She combines her corporate experience with her performance skills to deliver Development and Leadership programmes that are engaging, supportive and meaningful. She has worked internationally on a wide range of programmes including: Leadership skills, Diversity & Inclusion, Performance Management, Challenging Conversations and Personal Impact.
Joseph Quartson is a lead facilitator and an enthusiastic legal professional with over 20 years in the commercial and consulting legal sector and a proven ability to work and communicate effectively across all levels of an organisation.
Prior to working with Scene Change, he studied Law and Economics at the University of Keele, worked as a research assistant for a leading city firm in Brussels and completed his commercial training in the city of London.
He is a trained actor and has facilitated professional development courses in Europe and the Middle East, training legal teams, senior medical professionals and directors of small, medium and large companies.
Meet the Team – North America
Joti Patel is a British psychology post-graduate and Executive Coach with a multi-faceted career in business and the arts as an Actress, Presenter/Host and Voice Artist. Her strength is connecting to diverse audiences through a lens of cultural nuance to create authenticity in leadership. Joti’s solid Learning & Development background serves as an ideal foundation for providing high-value communication for global organisations as a Facilitator, Coach, Trainer, Presenter and Corporate Role Player in forum theatre, 1:1 and group workshops, training films, live events, and conferences.
Joti has coached and trained leaders and executives at Bloomberg, Microsoft, PwC, HSBC, Baker McKenzie, Deloitte, UBS and Mastercard to name a few. Drawing on her expertise as a Speech Coach and professional Match Maker, Joti also coaches in overcoming anxiety, social skills and the art of conversation. Through personalized coaching, content and care, clients can expect an experience aligned to a high-performance culture and business strategy for growth and transformation.
Tali de Assis is a Training Facilitator and Coach with a passion for continual development and learning. Her background as a people manager and project manager, and having earned a Green Belt in Lean Management, gives her a particular insight into the experience of those she works with. Her experience as an actor helps bring engagement and humor into her work with participants, bringing content to life.
Tali has worked with a range of organizations from non-profit to Fortune 500 companies, with clients across a wide variety of sectors including law, pharma, tech, finance, government agencies, and aerospace. She excels in working with small-group training, large-scale seminars, and one on one coaching. Whether working with entry-level individual contributors or senior leadership, she emphasizes the value of individual approaches and experiences, engaging with participants with transparency and humor.
Andrew Fallaize brings 18 years of experience and training as an actor, coach and former executive to bear on this most fundamental of skillsets. Andrew has coached executives, entrepreneurs, creatives and leaders at all levels in a wide range of industries on the communication skills vital for building working environments and relationships characterised by empowerment, passion and collaboration.
Andrew is a British, NYC-based actor, voice-over artist, facilitator and communications coach. He read chemistry at Cambridge University and then completed a diploma in Management Sciences at the Judge Business School, Cambridge University. He then worked in investment banking as a telecoms equity analyst for Deutsche Bank. In 2005 he dived into learning & development and business communication, marrying that banking and science background with the skills of theatre and performance.
Ernest Anemone is a professional facilitator and executive coach with over 15 years of experience working with audiences large and small. Using his diverse background as an attorney, filmmaker, and actor, he helps individuals and teams improve communication and navigate challenges with confidence and joy.
Ernest began his career as a trial attorney, where he honed his skills in strategic thinking, problem-solving, and storytelling. After training as an actor, he began using elements of theater education to help organizations build high-performing teams and create cultures of inclusivity. He has since worked with doctors, scientists, engineers, bankers, lawyers, and Fortune 100 executives from across the world. Ernest has a deep understanding of the challenges that leaders face in today’s fast-moving world and is able to provide both valuable insights and practical guidance for managing any situation. He has a reputation for getting results using both empathy and humor, and his clients consistently report measurable improvements in performance management and beyond.