Meet the Team
Nathan Hartswick (Co-Founder)
Nathan Hartswick (he/him) is a performer, educator, producer, and the co-founder and co-owner of Vermont Comedy Club. Day-to-day, he is the talent buyer at VCC, ensuring Burlington gets to enjoy the world’s leading standup talent. (Check out our calendar!)
Nathan has taught standup comedy for over a decade, and was twice voted “Best VT Standup Comedian” by readers of Seven Days.
Nathan also performed for years with VCC’s mainstage improv team. As a member of “The Unmentionables” and “Kingdom Kids,” he has appeared on festivals in Montreal, NYC, London, and more.
He also teaches improv at VCC as well as other theaters, festivals and retreats. He studied extensively with instructors from Upright Citizens Brigade, The Second City and iO.
Nathan is a previous recipient of VT Business Magazine’s “Rising Stars” award.
Natalie Miller (Co-Founder)
Natalie Miller (she/her) is a performer, educator, producer, and the co-founder and co-owner of Vermont Comedy Club, and works hands-on in every aspect of operations for the business.
Natalie performed for years with VCC’s mainstage improv team. As a member of “The Unmentionables” and “Kingdom Kids,” she appeared on festivals in Montreal, NYC, London, and more.
A teacher of improv, Natalie has studied with instructors at Upright Citizens Brigade, The Second City, and iO, and taught workshops at theaters and festivals. She also trained in voice, theater and dance at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy and has performed in national and regional theater productions, films and commercials. Natalie is a previous recipient of VT Business Magazine’s “Rising Stars” award.
In addition to her duties at Vermont Comedy Club, Natalie is also the Executive Director of the new nonprofit, Vermont Comedy Arts.
Charlotte Layn (General Manager)
Charlotte Layn (she/her) is the all-important General Manager at VCC, and you will see her everywhere from the host stand to behind the bar, the box office to the showroom floor, making sure things run smoothly every damn night. Nobody knows the ins and outs of every front-of-house role here the way Charlotte does!
Charlotte is a native Vermonter who grew up (and currently lives on) a farm. She loves her many animal friends, reading, and crafting.
If you are reading this in the Fall, definitely go check out the Layn Farm corn maze! And make sure you say hi to Charlotte the next time you’re at the club!
Bonnie Hiliadis (Event Marketing & Sales Manager)
Bonnie Hiliadis (she/her) is our secret weapon when it comes to all manner of comedy club business: private event rentals for the cafe and showroom; on- and off-site private shows and workshops; group sales; affiliate and sponsor relationships, and more.
And because she won’t sit still for a moment, often she takes on things like fixing broken doors and tables or, say, managing the entire club, when those things are called for. Honestly, it’s exhausting how productive this lady can be.
If you see her around the club, ask Bonnie about her adorable baby, her adorable dog, or her adorable Airbnb!
Mo Doukhi (Kitchen Manager)
Mo Doukhi (he/him) is a good-natured guy with an easy laugh who has worked in many roles at the comedy club over the past 2+ years.
Currently he is the kitchen manager, and is responsible for the development and execution of the food menus at Happy Place Cafe and Vermont Comedy Club. (A few of his family recipes from the Middle East have even made it onto the menus recently!)
Mo is also an extremely funny local standup comedian. He pairs a wickedly dark sense of humor with a charming smile, so you don’t realize what you’re laughing at until it’s too late.
Nic Sisk (Technical Director)
Nic Sisk (they/he) is a standup comedian, improviser, sketch writer and producer who has been in the comedy community in Vermont for over a decade, starting their journey as an intern for VCC’s predecessor, Spark Arts.
As a standup comedian, Nic has opened for national talent such as Atsuko Okatsuka, Bob the Drag Queen, and Tom Green, and was a finalist in the 2025 Vermont’s Funniest Comedian competition. They can also be seen in the sketch comedy groups Chicken Sketchatore and Pet Store, as well as their improv team, The Babies.
As Technical Director for Vermont Comedy Club, Nic is responsible for the audio and visual production of all live shows.
Jared Hall (Cafe Manager/Barista)
Jared Hall(he/him) is the daytime manager of Happy Place Cafe, the coffee shop that operates out of the Vermont Comedy Club lounge Wed-Sun, 8am-3pm.
In addition to his duties slinging lattes at 101 Main, Jared is a standup comedian, actor, improviser and writer.
He was the 2022 winner of the VT’s Funniest Comedian contest, and he and his girlfriend Kaitie won the “March Madness” two-person improv competition the same year. He produced several long-running comedy shows in Burlington, and is currently a member of the improv teams Alice, All the Worst People, and The Babies.
Brian DeLaBruere (Marketing/Social Media Manager)
Brian DeLaBruere (he/him) is a multitalented performer and filmmaker who manages all aspects of Vermont Comedy Club’s social media presence and marketing strategy. An accomplished photographer and videographer, he creates fun, visually appealing content that gets more eyes on VCC (and more butts in VCC seats).
Brian also performed improv with “The Unmentionables” and “Kingdom Kids” at VCC and festivals throughout the country. His wild style and reverence for the art form is well-known, and make him a popular teacher at VCC.
Brian also co-wrote, co-directed and performed in VCC’s first sketch revue in 2019.
Tina Fey (Co-Mascot)
Yes, she is named for that Tina.
Tina is a sassy, three-legged mutt who lives with co-founders Nathan and Natalie.
She has a keen nose for microscopic crumbs in the showroom. In her spare time, she hates the UPS driver.
Ellen (Co-Mascot)
No, she is not named for that Ellen.
Ellen lives with co-founders Nathan & Natalie, and has the canter of a racehorse and the disposition of a teddy bear. She gets lots of compliments on her brindle markings and cocked ear. One day she hopes to play tug-of-war with a Mack truck.
Penny (Co-Mascot)
Nobody has spent more time at Happy Place Cafe than Penny.
She’s such a staple in our daytime coffee stop that she’s been given her own green leather throne. She loves people, is soft as heck, and has only three feet. Her human, Holly, owns Wild Perennial Jewelry!
Davey (Co-Mascot)
You probably won’t see him. But he’s hard at work.
Davey belongs to our Tech Director, Nic Sisk, and as such, prefers to camp out in the sound and lighting booth, listening to comedy through the glass partition and waiting for staff members to come in and pet him throughout the night.
Khi (Co-Mascot)
She’s an off-hours type of mascot.
Khi belongs to our Event/Sales Manager, Bonnie, and as such, spends a lot of time at the club when it’s not open (when her human is working on a laptop).
Khi would love to show you her giant carrot toy, and if that leads to butt scritches, that’s even better.
Ruby (Co-Mascot)
Sightings of this Ewok - er, dog - are rare.
Ruby belongs to our General Manager, Charlotte, which means she’s very happy living on a farm most of the time.
But occasionally she gets to visit the club, and everyone asks her for autographs.
Maeby (Co-Mascot)
Seen here picking up a shift in the Box Office.
Maeby’s human, Maddy, is a server at VCC and a standup, improv and sketch comedian.
That means Maeby occasionally gets to tag along, hang out, and even work Box Office shifts at the club.