Max is a Facilitator at TeamBonding, specializing in narratively-driven team building, immersive experiences, and STEM programs. An award-winning futurist and experiential designer, he blends ancient storytelling traditions with cutting-edge technology to create unforgettable events. His expertise spans event facilitation, leadership coaching, and interactive storytelling. Passionate about connection and innovation, Max designs experiences that engage, inspire, and unite teams in meaningful ways. His work has been featured in The New York Times and American Theatre Magazine.
Get to know Max
I love creating the space for people to see their colleagues with fresh eyes—as real human beings with depth and dimension. There’s something powerful about watching coworkers discover they have things in common that would never come up in typical work situations. Plus, I get to bring together parts of my background that don’t usually coexist: my experience in nonprofit business leadership and my background as a performer specializing in interactive forms of theatre. It’s rare to find work where you can genuinely improve people’s days, if not their lives, while getting to be your whole self.
It’s genuinely hard to pick just one—it feels a bit like choosing between my children. But I’m drawn to several for different reasons. Beat the Box is right in my wheelhouse—it’s an escape room-style challenge that taps into the immersive experience work I’ve done for many years. I love watching people transform from skeptical about their puzzle-solving abilities to fully energized and working together. In It to Win It brings such high energy and gets people into that youthful, childlike play spirit. The give-back programs really resonate with me too, especially the STEM-based ones like Mr. Roboto —they weave together so many of my different interests. And all the art-based programs like the Giant Mural, Charity Guitar Build, and Paint Soles for Souls really bring out a side of participants they don’t often get to show at work. That’s probably the common thread for all my favorites—they unlock parts of people that usually stay hidden in their professional lives.
Uncle Iroh from Avatar: The Last Airbender. He’s the master of flexibility and reading the room—he can shift from playful to profound in a heartbeat, connects with anyone, and always seems to know exactly what people need, whether that’s wisdom, tea, or a good pai sho game. Plus, any team needs someone who can defuse tension with genuine warmth while keeping all the balls in the air. He’d be the perfect complement to the controlled chaos of teambuilding programs.
There have been so many memorable moments over my last decade with TeamBonding! A more recent one was during a Charity Guitar Build with a group of engineers in their 20s and 30s. There was a single older participant who hung back at the start—clearly shy, keeping to himself while everyone else dove in. But as we got into the build, it turned out he was the best guitar player in the room and actually knew how to work on guitars. Over those two hours, I watched him transform from the loner in the corner to the go-to expert his teammates were gathering around for advice. By the end, he was leading his group with confidence and genuine connection and helping out all of the other teams. That’s what I love about these programs—the right activity can unlock someone completely, revealing strengths that would never surface in a typical work environment. His team left with a totally different understanding of who he was and what he brought to the table.
My dog Ludwig van Beethoven—he’s a deaf dalmatian and I don’t care if he counts as an item, I’m not going anywhere without him. My ukulele for music and morale. And my bullwhip from my renaissance festival performance days—it’s practical for survival and honestly, if I’m stranded on an island, I might as well lean into the adventure-performer aesthetic.
The Show Must Go On’ by Queen. It captures that theatrical resilience and commitment to creating experiences no matter what challenges come up—whether it’s technical glitches, last-minute changes, or unexpected group dynamics. There’s something about the combination of dramatic energy and unwavering dedication that feels right for the work of bringing people together through experiences. Plus, it’s Queen, and you can never go wrong with Queen!
France. I trained with students and collaborators of Marcel Marceau back in college, so there’s a deep pull to explore the country that shaped that whole tradition. But honestly, I’d spend most of my time eating incredible food, wandering through art museums, and getting lost in small villages. AND I’d have an excuse to finally start learning the language. There’s something about France that balances history, creativity, and just knowing how to enjoy life—which feels like the perfect vacation.
Check out the posts I've written.
San Francisco
If TeamBonding were to have a second home, it would be here. We are working with teams every week in the Bay Area and Silicon Valley, and you can’t top San Francisco and the Bay Area as the destination for team building workshops, events and activities. Marriott Fisherman’s Wharf and Mandarin Oriental provide stunning venues! We can plan an exciting team building event for your group at a San Francisco venue of your choice.
