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Friday, June 20
 

11:00am EDT

CEF Facilitated Meeting: Tower Foundation, the Nonprofit Support Group, and CEF
Friday June 20, 2025 11:00am - 3:00pm EDT
This special CEF Facilitated Meeting is exclusively for invited guests.
CEF Staff and Wings
avatar for Beth Miller

Beth Miller

Executive Director, Creative Education Foundation
Beth is a 20+ year nonprofit leader who is passionate about history, education, leadership, and creativity.  As the Executive Director of the Creative Education Foundation (CEF), she has grown and professionalized all contributed and earned revenue streams including the development... Read More →
Friday June 20, 2025 11:00am - 3:00pm EDT
 
Saturday, June 21
 

10:00am EDT

CEF: Board of Directors Meeting
Saturday June 21, 2025 10:00am - 5:00pm EDT
The CEF Board Meeting is exclusively for invited guests.
CEF Staff and Wings
avatar for Beth Miller

Beth Miller

Executive Director, Creative Education Foundation
Beth is a 20+ year nonprofit leader who is passionate about history, education, leadership, and creativity.  As the Executive Director of the Creative Education Foundation (CEF), she has grown and professionalized all contributed and earned revenue streams including the development... Read More →
Saturday June 21, 2025 10:00am - 5:00pm EDT
 
Sunday, June 22
 

7:00am EDT

Starbucks®
Sunday June 22, 2025 7:00am - 2:00pm EDT
Fuel your creativity with your favorite Starbucks® treats—right here on campus during CPSI 2025: Stretch!
Please note: Starbucks food and beverages are not included in the CPSI meal plan and must be purchased separately.
 
Sunday June 22, 2025 7:00am - 2:00pm EDT
Butler Library -Starbucks

8:00am EDT

Welcome Brunch
Sunday June 22, 2025 8:00am - 2:00pm EDT
Enjoy our Welcome Brunch when you arrive on campus.  Meet some new friends and maybe some familiar faces too.  

Sunday June 22, 2025 8:00am - 2:00pm EDT
Campbell Student Union

9:00am EDT

Snacks
Sunday June 22, 2025 9:00am - 4:00pm EDT
Need a little something? Join us in the HUB (Caudell Hall) for some snacks, coffee and tea.
They'll be available each day - just drop in when you have chance.
Sunday June 22, 2025 9:00am - 4:00pm EDT
Caudell Hall - Lobby

10:00am EDT

Registration Open
Sunday June 22, 2025 10:00am - 7:00pm EDT
Check in with Jamie and Rosie and receive your conference bag and name tag. Get any questions answered and decorate/customize your name tag with sharpies and stickers.

Housing check-in information will also be available.
Sunday June 22, 2025 10:00am - 7:00pm EDT
Caudell Hall - Lobby

2:30pm EDT

Don’t Sleep on Networking: An Ice Water Cocktail Party
Sunday June 22, 2025 2:30pm - 4:30pm EDT
Join us for an Ice Water Cocktail Party (with a slight twist). Brave guests will do their best to go beneath the surface in their networking and connect with other guests on a deeper level. No worries if you feel you never know what to talk about in these situations…we have sneaky ways to handle awkward pauses and sleepy small talk!

Key Takeaways:
  • Learn a grid technique for sharing about themselves and learning about others
  • Interact with others to practice implementing the grid techniques
  • See and be seen in a deeper, and more connective way
Presenters
avatar for Amanda Cook

Amanda Cook

Founder, The Teacher’s Edge, Inc 501(c)(3)
Amanda is veteran public school teacher and community advocate. She is a 2008 graduate of UNCG with a BA in Dance Education and minor in Communication Studies. She holds a master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction and Teacher Leadership from Gardner Webb University.In 2020 she... Read More →
Sunday June 22, 2025 2:30pm - 4:30pm EDT

3:30pm EDT

YouthWise Family Orientation
Sunday June 22, 2025 3:30pm - 4:30pm EDT
Join us for YouthWise orientation.  Parents and children can get to know each other and meet with the YouthWise faculty.  Check out the classrooms and what your children will be learning throughout the week.



Presenters
avatar for Kit Jones

Kit Jones

Mount Vernon CSD
I have an infinity for poetry and art. In addition I love working with the Girl Scouts and camping. Topics that get me going are books, ASL, and education.
avatar for Renee Paser-Paull

Renee Paser-Paull

President, Soaring Pathways
Renee is a professional facilitator, trainer and speaker, with a Master's Degree in Adult Learning. She has been attending CPSI continuously since 1999 and has been part of the YouthWise faculty since 2005 and has also led a number of general sessions. CPSI was instrumental in Renee’s... Read More →
avatar for Dee Alexander Langsenkamp

Dee Alexander Langsenkamp

YouthWise Coordinator, Dee Alexander Consulting
Super excited to be back at CPSI as YouthWise faculty again! After a long career in radio, TV, advertising and promotions, Dee earned her MS in Creative Studies and Change Leadership at the Center for Applied Imagination at SUNY Buffalo State. Dee loves nurturing kids’ creative... Read More →
Sunday June 22, 2025 3:30pm - 4:30pm EDT
Campbell Student Union - Assembly Hall

5:00pm EDT

CPSI OPENING, Keynote, Dinner, CPSI 70th Birthday Champagne Toast
Sunday June 22, 2025 5:00pm - 7:00pm EDT
If you’ve been to CPSI before, you know about the special spark we lovingly call “CPSI Magic.” It begins the moment we welcome you at Registration and carries through to our unforgettable 70th Birthday Party Opening Celebration.
Be sure to bring a notebook and pen—we’re kicking things off with energizing activities that will expand your capacity for curiosity, creativity, and connection. Together, we’ll set intentions, explore new ideas, and begin our journey of learning and growth.
Then, we’ll raise a glass with a champagne toast to 70 years of CPSI, celebrate with cake, and enjoy the company of our creative community. A cash bar will also be available.
Presenters
avatar for Anthony Billoni

Anthony Billoni

Owner, APEX Leader Growth
I have an MS from Center for Applied Imagination. I use CPS/Deliberate Creativity daily in live and in my consulting practice. I have been leading, volunteering and presenting at CPSI for 20+ years.
avatar for Jessica Andrews-Wilson

Jessica Andrews-Wilson

Executive Director, GUIDE, Inc.
I am in love with all things CEF after my introduction to this work/CPS in 2021 thanks to Beth Miller. I have been using CPS techniques for ages without knowing it but now I have a framework and some terminology to go along with it! I have been facilitating with both youth and adults... Read More →
CEF Staff and Wings
avatar for Beth Miller

Beth Miller

Executive Director, Creative Education Foundation
Beth is a 20+ year nonprofit leader who is passionate about history, education, leadership, and creativity.  As the Executive Director of the Creative Education Foundation (CEF), she has grown and professionalized all contributed and earned revenue streams including the development... Read More →
Sunday June 22, 2025 5:00pm - 7:00pm EDT
Campbell Student Union - Social Hall
 
Monday, June 23
 

7:00am EDT

Breakfast
Monday June 23, 2025 7:00am - 9:30am EDT
Start your day at CPSI with some delicious breakfast.  Sit with someone new or some old friends.  It's a great way to connect!
Monday June 23, 2025 7:00am - 9:30am EDT
Campbell Student Union - Bengal Kitchen

7:00am EDT

Starbucks®
Monday June 23, 2025 7:00am - 2:00pm EDT
Fuel your creativity with your favorite Starbucks® treats—right here on campus during CPSI 2025: Stretch!
Please note: Starbucks food and beverages are not included in the CPSI meal plan and must be purchased separately.
Monday June 23, 2025 7:00am - 2:00pm EDT
Butler Library -Starbucks

7:30am EDT

Registration Open
Monday June 23, 2025 7:30am - 9:00am EDT
Check in with Jamie and Rosie and receive your conference bag and name tag. Get any questions answered and decorate/customize your name tag with sharpies and stickers.
Monday June 23, 2025 7:30am - 9:00am EDT
Caudell Hall - Lobby

8:30am EDT

CPS Level 1: Foundations of Creative Problem Solving
Monday June 23, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT
If you are new to CPSI, Foundations of Creative Problem Solving is your fast track to a deliberate creativity process for solving problems and capitalizing on opportunities. You’ll learn the Creative Problem Solving (CPS) Process, the research-based gold standard of creativity methods, and be exposed to the FourSight framework, which can help you understand how you and your teammates approach challenges.

In an incredibly engaging format, your team of experienced facilitators will use hands-on activities, real-world examples, and a variety of divergent and convergent thinking tools to give you the skills you need to advance your personal and professional goals.

Foundations of Creative Problem Solving is the first of four skills-building courses in Creative Problem Solving. After completing all four CPS courses, you will deepen your ability to facilitate and train others in the CPS process, while also becoming eligible to be considered to lead CPS programs at future CPSIs!

In this course, you will:
• Recognize and overcome blocks to creativity.
• Identify attitudes and behaviors conducive to creative thinking.
• Apply core concepts of creative thinking.
• Use a variety of divergent and convergent thinking tools.
• Apply the CPS method to many simulated or real situations.
• Consciously be creative when facing problems and opportunities.

NOTE: You must attend your Core CPS Course all four mornings of the conference in order to complete this program. This core track is limited to 45 attendees. You must select Foundations of CPS when registering for CPSI to attend this track (selecting it here in Sched does not qualify as reserved spot).
Presenters
avatar for Rebecca VanDerveer

Rebecca VanDerveer

Certified Master Trainer, PI Midlantic/ The LAB Team
M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction | Certified Predictive Index Master Trainer | Psychological Safety Playbook Facilitator | Helps teams unlock potential through insight and action | Excited to return to CPSI to teach Foundations!
avatar for Shay Butler

Shay Butler

Programme Manager, Tangent Innovation, Trinity College Dublin
I am winging my way over to CPSI all the way from Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. I spend my time there managing and facilitating workshops in Design Thinking, Creative Problem-Solving, and more. Keen to get creativity out in the open to play! Desperate to help un-shackle people... Read More →
avatar for Jonathan Bannister

Jonathan Bannister

Founder, Make Happy
avatar for David Lunken

David Lunken

Principal, Cedarcroft Advisors
CPSI frequenter, Core Faculty, Talent Optimizer, Problem solver, Collaborator, Husband, father of 3 girls, triathlete, gardener, baker of sourdough before Covid
Monday June 23, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT

8:30am EDT

CPS Level 2: Creative Problem Solving Tools
Monday June 23, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT
*PREREQUISITE: Level 1: CPS Foundations at previous CPSI or FLCC. If you did not take Level 1 but have a solid understanding of the Osborne-Parnes Creative Problem Solving process, you must connect with CPSI Program Staff before being enrolled.

Level 2: Creative Problem Solving Tools is a natural stepping stone if you have previously taken Level 1: Foundations of CPS. This fast-paced course allows beginner to intermediate facilitators to go deeper into the CPS process, adding more facilitation tools to your repertoire.

You will gain a clear understanding of which tools to use at each stage of the CPS process, as well as how to modify them to fit your session objectives or add a bit of creative flair. You will have time to practice tools to gain real mastery of them. You will also learn a variety of energizers and fun grouping games to keep your sessions engaging and interactive. Learn through small- and large-group work, including round-robin sharing and show-and-tell exercises.

In this course, you will:

• Explore a variety of divergent and convergent tools for individual and group problem solving.
• Learn how and where to apply different tools within the CPS process.
• Practice facilitating tools.
• Discover how to use tools when you or your team are unable to progress or working in areas of low preference.

NOTE: You must attend your Core CPS Course all four mornings of the conference to complete this program and qualify for the credential assessment for CPS Level 2.
This core track is limited to 25 attendees. You must select Tools when registering for CPSI to attend this track (selecting it here in Sched does not qualify as reserved spot).

Presenters
avatar for Kristen Peterson

Kristen Peterson

Adjunct Instructor, Creativity & Change Leadership, SUNY Buffalo State University
Kristen Peterson is a master facilitator, trainer and organizational development consultant who specializes in the people skills organizations need to create growth through innovation. She brings a big dose of passion, energy, and infectious can-do mentality to her work as an Innovation... Read More →
Monday June 23, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT

8:30am EDT

CPS Level 3: Creative Problem Solving Facilitation Techniques
Monday June 23, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT
*PREREQUISITE: Level 1: Foundations of CPS and Level 2: Creative Problem Solving Tools at previous CPSI or FLCC. If you did not take Level 1 or 2 at CPSI/FLCC but have a solid understanding of the Osborne-Parnes Creative Problem Solving process and have experience with CPS tools, you must connect with CPSI Program Staff before being enrolled.

Level 3: Facilitating CPS
Facilitation skills are central to the effective use of CPS, whether in formal meetings or informal brainstorming sessions. This course is designed for those who already know the CPS process in theory and are ready to put it into action as a facilitator. This course uses peer-group practices to prepare participants for working with actual clients. Characteristics of successful facilitation will be identified and practiced, and you will develop an awareness of your own strengths and areas for development. In this course, you will:

•Review and internalize the CPS process through the lens of the facilitator.
•Experience CPS from several points of view – as a facilitator, as the problem-owner, and as part of the resource group.
•Understand how to facilitate each step of the CPS process.
•Receive general facilitation tips that enhance any meeting.
•Receive individual and group feedback on facilitation skills.
•Explore and develop your facilitation style.


Presenters
avatar for Anthony Billoni

Anthony Billoni

Owner, APEX Leader Growth
I have an MS from Center for Applied Imagination. I use CPS/Deliberate Creativity daily in live and in my consulting practice. I have been leading, volunteering and presenting at CPSI for 20+ years.
avatar for Kareth Middlemass

Kareth Middlemass

Innovation Director, Loblaw Companies Limited
Kareth Middlemass is an innovation director with Loblaw Companied Limited, Canada's largest food and drug retailer. She is responsible for identifying consumer trends, emerging needs and aspirations and leads their branded product innovation strategy. She brings clarity to the fuzzy... Read More →
Monday June 23, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT

8:30am EDT

CPS Level 4: Advanced CPS Topics
Monday June 23, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT
*PREREQUISITE: Level 1: Foundations of CPS at previous CPSI or FLCC. If you did not take Level 1 at CPSI or FLCC but have a solid understanding of the Osborne-Parnes Creative Problem Solving process, you must connect with CPSI Program Staff before being enrolled. PREFERRED: Completion of Level 2: Creative Problem Solving Tools and Level 3: Facilitating CPS. Registrants should have a solid understanding of CPS tools and facilitation skills.

This is a series of workshops being delivered by the senior faculty at the Center for Applied Imagination at Buffalo State University. While we recommend attending all four days for a coordinated experience, each day can be taken as a free-standing, individual experience.

Day 1
Ignite Your Superpower: Creative Thinking as the Ultimate Coping Skill
Instructor: Dr. Gerard Puccio, Ph.D., State University of New Distinguished Professor and chair of the Center for Applied Imagination

Led by Dr. Gerard Puccio, State University of New York Distinguished Professor and chair of the Center for Applied Imagination, this dynamic introductory workshop explores the essential role of creativity in today’s rapidly evolving workplace. Participants will gain a deep understanding of what creativity truly is, why it has emerged as a top-tier workplace skill according to the World Economic Forum, and how it can drive innovation, adaptability, and transformation within organizations, as well as the recent research on the potent ways in which creative problem solving promotes well-being. The session will examine the powerful tension between conformity and creativity, and ways to most productively resolve this polarity. Furthermore, grounded in the latest research, Dr. Puccio will uncover the key factors that make creativity training and education effective. Through an engaging organizational simulation, attendees will experience firsthand how self-imposed constraints can stifle imagination and problem solving, and how creative thinking can break through these barriers to uncover novel solutions.

Key Learning Objectives:
  • Define creativity and understand its multidimensional nature
  • Recognize why creative thinking is increasingly vital in the modern workplace
  • Explore the transformative potential of creativity for individuals and organizations
  • Understand the tension between conformity and creativity, and how to navigate it
  • Learn evidence-based principles behind successful creativity training programs
  • Experience how self-imposed constraints can limit problem solving and how to overcome them through creative strategies


Monday June 23, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT

8:30am EDT

YouthWise
Monday June 23, 2025 8:30am - 5:30pm EDT
In YouthWise, kids will explore Creative Problem Solving through fun, hands-on activities, "field trips," and games. They will put their new and enhanced skills to work as a team, by creating and presenting a solution to a unique challenge.



Presenters
avatar for Kit Jones

Kit Jones

Mount Vernon CSD
I have an infinity for poetry and art. In addition I love working with the Girl Scouts and camping. Topics that get me going are books, ASL, and education.
avatar for Dee Alexander Langsenkamp

Dee Alexander Langsenkamp

YouthWise Coordinator, Dee Alexander Consulting
Super excited to be back at CPSI as YouthWise faculty again! After a long career in radio, TV, advertising and promotions, Dee earned her MS in Creative Studies and Change Leadership at the Center for Applied Imagination at SUNY Buffalo State. Dee loves nurturing kids’ creative... Read More →
avatar for Renee Paser-Paull

Renee Paser-Paull

President, Soaring Pathways
Renee is a professional facilitator, trainer and speaker, with a Master's Degree in Adult Learning. She has been attending CPSI continuously since 1999 and has been part of the YouthWise faculty since 2005 and has also led a number of general sessions. CPSI was instrumental in Renee’s... Read More →
Monday June 23, 2025 8:30am - 5:30pm EDT
Campbell Student Union - Assembly Hall

9:00am EDT

Creative Connections
Monday June 23, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT
This Immersion will be four experiences in one! Each day will focus on a different topic, yet they’re all connected by developing the creative person, the creative process, the creative culture, and a creative product. Creativity thrives with a multidimensional approach. This Immersion experience will explore various facets leading to enhanced creativity.

Day 1: Trailblazing Through Change: Map Your Path with Confidence - Kathy Goller, Teal Horizon Coaching, Life & Leadership Coach, Facilitator & Presenter

Change can be challenging, but this session makes it easier by introducing an innovative model for understanding the change process and people’s responses to it. Through reflection, discussions, and hands-on activities like “change mapping,” you will learn strategies to navigate your own changes and lead others through change with greater confidence. Whether you're facing change at work or in life, this session provides strategies you can use immediately to navigate transitions effectively.

Key Takeaways:
  • Gain a deeper understanding of the process of change and common responses to it.
  • Learn actionable strategies to navigate change with greater ease and resilience.
  • Develop tools for leading others through change more effectively.

Presenters
avatar for Kathy Goller

Kathy Goller

Life & Leadership Coach, Facilitator & Presenter, Teal Horizon Coaching
Kathy Goller is a life and leadership coach who helps people who are stuck, stretched, or starting something new to live and work in a way that’s more purposeful and productive so that they can lead and serve others more generously. With 20+ years of personal and leadership development... Read More →
avatar for Terry Fulcher, BS, MS

Terry Fulcher, BS, MS

Lead Consultant, Resource-Ful One Consulting
Terry is an experienced healthcare leader, executive coach & team facilitator. Terry utilizes Appreciative Inquiry and Creativity based research as the basis for Strategic Planning work. Terry has provided executive coaching and organizational development experiences to healthcare... Read More →
avatar for Kim Marie McKernan, MBA, MS

Kim Marie McKernan, MBA, MS

Founder, Inspired Outcomes Now LLC
Kim is an international marketing leader, facilitator, and presenter. She left a career as a marketing executive at a 3 billion company to found her business, Inspired Outcomes Now, to help organizations be more positive, creative, and strategic. Over 125 organizations and individuals have leveraged her A Nu Way™ Branding and Co-Creating the Future processes to stand apart and design their desired future. With an MBA from SUNY at Buffalo, an MS in Creative... Read More →
avatar for David Eyman

David Eyman

Faculty and Innovation Director, Miami University, Oxford, OH
David Eyman believes more people should say yes to making life better through creativity. As an entrepreneur, innovation leader, and industrial designer, David Eyman brings thirty years of creative experience to his teaching at Miami University. As a catalyst, his expertise lies in... Read More →
Monday June 23, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT

9:00am EDT

How to Write a Book
Monday June 23, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT
It has been said that everyone has a book inside them. This workshop helps prospective book authors take the first steps toward getting that book OUTSIDE. This workshop is for anyone who has wanted to write a book, but hasn't been able to get it done, or even get it started; anyone who feels that they need to write a book, for career or personal reasons; and anyone who just wants to know what it takes to get a book written and published. The lessons here apply to any type of book-length manuscript: novel, memoir, poetry or essay collection, business or self-help book.

Three Takeaways:
1. Explore WHY you might want to write a book, and WHY you have been finding it
difficult to get it started or get it done.
2. Identify WHAT books you should write and who it’s for.
3. Learn HOW to actually get the book written, and HOW you might get it published.




Presenters
avatar for Paul Reali

Paul Reali

Executive Director, Charlotte Lit
Paul Reali is co-founder of Charlotte Lit, a nonprofit literary arts center in Charlotte, NC, and is a lead for its Authors Lab book-writing program. He is co-author of "Creativity Rising", which is used in introductory creativity classes at colleges worldwide. He won the 2023 Doris... Read More →
Monday June 23, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT

9:00am EDT

Leading Change with Agility, Versatility, and Creativity
Monday June 23, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT
In this dynamic series, we will explore the integration of Creative Problem Solving (CPS) with other problem solving approaches such as design thinking and agile to enhance innovation. Participants will explore how CPS underpins these processes, and how to view the collaborative process through a series of diagnostic filters. The session challenges the myth of linear workflows, emphasizing the iterative and turbulent nature of innovation. Through engaging activities and reflective exercises, attendees will identify personal strengths and areas for growth in their collaboration approach that align with the non-linear demands of creative leadership.

Participants will:
  • Identify personal strengths and areas for growth in your collaboration approach that align with the non-linear demands of creative leadership
  • Visualize where you and your team spend the most time in collaboration
  • Learn how to map your team’s project and use diagnostic filters to identify blind spots and ways to enhance innovation


Presenters
avatar for Michael Ackerbauer

Michael Ackerbauer

Cognitive Sherpa | Certified Rock Balancer, IBM
see bio here: https://twitter.com/RobertDowneyJr
Monday June 23, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT

9:00am EDT

Playology: What’s Your Next Strategic Play?
Monday June 23, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT
Why is Adult Play so important? How we play is directly linked to how we learn, think, work, feel, perform, and interact with others. What you learn in play you remember for life!

This immersion program includes everything you need for your one-stop facilitator play chest! We have strategically blended Jump into LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methods, Playsonality™ Assessment, What the Duck, and LSP 3D Diagnostic Cards into one complete 14-hour program:
Day One: The Power of Play & LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methods
Day Two: Playsonality™ Assessment
Day Three: Now What the Duck Activities
Day Four: 3D Diagnostic Cards and

If you are looking for a new way to engage with your team and you want to add morefun to your work or workplace culture, this session is designed for you. This is a facilitated thinking & communications technique. Our Playology program draws on extensive research from the field of business, organization development, psychology and learning. Using hand-brain knowledge we will share the processes that help individuals and teams surface information, explore ideas, create better options, develop deeper knowledge and identify solutions faster with 100% engagement. And yes, we have corporate, community, and education examples with case studies.

You will walk away with new insights about the power of play and how we all use play daily, and multiple new tools that you can use immediately to improve individual and team performance, while adding more play to corporate culture.

Are you looking for a session which will:
1. Unpack the value of play at work and discover the ROI of play
2. Access the Playsonality© app to decode your facilitator play style
3. Conduct a deep dive into how play formulates our identity
4. Discover new ways to stimulate powerful conversations
5. Supplement your creative program with engaging activities that people will remember
6. Gain new tools and techniques for your facilitator’s play chest
7. Explore how play paves the way to the flow zone where we do our best thinking

Learning Objectives:
-Add LEGO® bricks and directives to your workshops to improve engagement;
-Apply the five-step processes to improve communication;
-Identify when PLAY can be most useful;
-Supplement your creative program with the playstyles assessments;
-Avoid conversational roundabouts;
-Use flow theory and underlying neuroscience principles that make this so powerful and memorable.
-Facilitate and explore ideas on a deeper level using a play chest of new tools.

Let’s get ready to PLAY!

Presenters
avatar for Laura Rentas

Laura Rentas

Laura is a gifted storyteller and trainer with over two decades of success in strategic communications, public relations, and corporate affairs. As a Licensed Trainer in LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methods, Laura’s work combines play with serious work. She excels in building engagement... Read More →
avatar for Matt Jones

Matt Jones

Ph.D. student, Organizational Leadership, Purdue University
Matt Jones is a PhD student in Organizational Leadership at Purdue University, where he explores the intersection of creative problem-solving, cognitive diversity, agile strategy, and leadership training. As a recent Certified Master Facilitator in LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methods, Matt’s... Read More →
Monday June 23, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT

9:00am EDT

Wayfinding for Facilitators: Mastering the Art of Guiding Groups
Monday June 23, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT
All Aboard! Join us for a dynamic journey in our fun, hands-on facilitation session that will supercharge your skills and bring your sessions to life! Whether you’re teaching a class, leading a board meeting, guiding a strategic planning session, or simply communicating with your team, this highly interactive session will give you the tools, tips, and techniques you need to keep everyone engaged and energized. Along the way, we’ll make stops at practical exercises, engaging discussions, and real-world scenarios with real-time feedback, all designed to make facilitation feel less like a boring, highways-only road trip and more like an exciting, collaborative adventure. By the end of our journey, you’ll be ready to lead with confidence, spark creativity, and make every session a memorable experience!



Presenters
avatar for Jessica Andrews-Wilson

Jessica Andrews-Wilson

Executive Director, GUIDE, Inc.
I am in love with all things CEF after my introduction to this work/CPS in 2021 thanks to Beth Miller. I have been using CPS techniques for ages without knowing it but now I have a framework and some terminology to go along with it! I have been facilitating with both youth and adults... Read More →
avatar for Thom Gonyeau

Thom Gonyeau

Co-owner, Mountain View Group, LTD.
Thom Gonyeau is a co-owner of Mountain View Group, a creative communications agency, and media production company, where he has worked for more than 35 years.Thom began his career as a producer and has held many positions at Mountain View from business development to Chief Operating... Read More →
Monday June 23, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT

9:00am EDT

Snacks
Monday June 23, 2025 9:00am - 4:00pm EDT
Need a little something? Join us in the HUB (Caudell Hall) for some snacks, coffee and tea.
They'll be available each day - just drop in when you have chance.
Monday June 23, 2025 9:00am - 4:00pm EDT
Caudell Hall - Lobby

10:00am EDT

CPSI Pop-Up Bookstore
Monday June 23, 2025 10:00am - 4:00pm EDT
Stop by our pop-up bookstore and explore a curated collection of titles published by our very own CEF Press.
Everyone’s invited—leaders, attendees, and curious minds alike! Take a moment during your break to browse, grab a snack, and maybe even spark a conversation with a fellow creative thinker. There’s something for everyone!

Monday June 23, 2025 10:00am - 4:00pm EDT
Caudell Hall - Lobby

11:00am EDT

Lunch
Monday June 23, 2025 11:00am - 2:00pm EDT
12:00-1:00 Core CPS Track and YouthWise
12:30-1:30 Immersion Track

Join everyone at the Dining Hall for an array of meal options. Healthy, fun, and specialty diet options are available. Join a table of people you have not met yet and find your next best friend!
Monday June 23, 2025 11:00am - 2:00pm EDT
Campbell Student Union - Bengal Kitchen

1:30pm EDT

CPSIesta
Monday June 23, 2025 1:30pm - 2:00pm EDT
Every afternoon, treat yourself to short CPSIesta after lunch. Visit the bookstore in Caudell Hall, go for a walk outside, or go back to your room and decompress. How you use this mini midday break is up to you.
Monday June 23, 2025 1:30pm - 2:00pm EDT

2:00pm EDT

CPS-AI: Cl-AI-rify, AI-deate, Dev-AI-lop, and Impl-AI-ment your AI-deas
Monday June 23, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Exploring the human-machine interactions for all steps of CPS.

Participants will be taken through the basics of LLM (large language model) and image generative AI formats to show how AI can fuel increased creativity, but not provide the best ideas without human interaction.

Through a fun exercise, participants will find the most relevant market to address, ideate items, create packaging, and present their final products at the end of the session.

The project (workshop) is designed to neither advocate for nor against AI, but to show how this exciting new tool can be leveraged in creativity. The result is that participants see how to use AI well instead of being concerned about it or accusing AI of doing things it can’t.
Presenters
avatar for David Eyman

David Eyman

Faculty and Innovation Director, Miami University, Oxford, OH
David Eyman believes more people should say yes to making life better through creativity. As an entrepreneur, innovation leader, and industrial designer, David Eyman brings thirty years of creative experience to his teaching at Miami University. As a catalyst, his expertise lies in... Read More →
Monday June 23, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

2:00pm EDT

From Curiosity to Clarity: Advanced Techniques in Probing and Questioning
Monday June 23, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
This presentation will explore the transformative power of effective questioning in creative problem-solving. Attendees will learn advanced techniques for crafting probing questions that uncover deeper insights and drive innovative solutions. Through practical exercises and real-world examples, participants will enhance their inquiry skills and stretch their capabilities to new heights.
Presenters
avatar for Jim Berling

Jim Berling

SVP & Managing Director, Burke Institute
Passionate educator, coach, and qualitative researcher that believes emotions and data come together through targeted stories that uncover actionable insights.
Monday June 23, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

2:00pm EDT

Introduction to Polarity Thinking - Part 1
Monday June 23, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
What if issues exist that are inherently “unsolvable,” regardless of our best attempts to solve them? Polarity Thinking™ asserts that paradoxical issues not only exist but also present exciting opportunities for creativity, sustainable solutions, and being more effective in complex situations. Polarity Thinking is a proven way to use the energy of a universal phenomenon in human experience. You’ll learn to distinguish between either-or problem solving and both-and thinking.

You are well-trained in solving problems. Figure out the problem, figure out the solution, develop, and implement. But what about when it is more complex? It's not asking "do we need connection" or "do we need individual autonomy?" We need both.

In this two-part interactive workshop, participants will work in small groups to identify and work with one or two polarities in their lives. You will learn how to map those polarities in order to develop an effective approach for managing tensions.

We provide the framework; you provide the content.

Part 2 attendees MUST attend Part 1.


Presenters
avatar for Liz Monroe-Cook

Liz Monroe-Cook

Owner, Monroe-Cook & Associates
As the only child of two very different parents, Liz was a natural for going into psychology and being drawn to any approach that calls for “both-and” thinking. Facilitating and presenting Polarity Thinking™ for the past 24 years has been important for her work in general and... Read More →
avatar for Lindsay Burr

Lindsay Burr

CEO, Yarbrough Group
An engaging facilitator and Polarity ThinkingTM Master Trainer, Lindsay brings a depth of knowledge and a global perspective that supports seeing the known in a new way. Lindsay will unpack the key concepts of Polarity Thinking and change how you think about leadership and followership... Read More →
Monday June 23, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

2:00pm EDT

Step Into: LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methods
Monday June 23, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Are you looking for new tools for engagement?
Time to add LEGO bricks to your tool kit!

Come and sample this is a facilitated thinking & communications technique. It draws on extensive research from the field of business, organization development, psychology and learning. This session will be action packed with 90 minutes of hands-on real time learning through play!
Presenters
avatar for Laura Rentas

Laura Rentas

Laura is a gifted storyteller and trainer with over two decades of success in strategic communications, public relations, and corporate affairs. As a Licensed Trainer in LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methods, Laura’s work combines play with serious work. She excels in building engagement... Read More →
Monday June 23, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

2:00pm EDT

Work-Out Time: Stretching Participants’ Thinking Before, During, & After a Facilitation
Monday June 23, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
This three-part interactive session focuses on how we might Stretch participants’ thinking (1) at the beginning of, (2) during the core of, and (3) after a session. In this session you will participate in activities, riff on them, and share your own activities that help Stretch participants’ thinking at these three important points of a facilitated experience. Come to participate, to share your own ideas, and to connect with others as you reflect on your own practice.
Presenters
avatar for Megan E. Mozina

Megan E. Mozina

Owner & Principal Facilitator, Cresta Solutions
As Owner and Principal of Cresta Solutions, I serve as a strategic partner to purpose-driven leaders when they need groups to innovate and collaborate in order to deliver on strategic change initiatives. To get there, I serve as a facilitator, consultant, and executive coach who leverages... Read More →
avatar for Diane Testa

Diane Testa

Heart centered executive coach & creative problem solving facilitator, Diane Testa / Koi Consulting Group
My 25 years in corporate leadership sparked a passion: unlocking potential. Now, with 14 years of executive coaching and consulting experience, I empower leaders to achieve extraordinary growth. Certified in FourSight (Framework, Tools, Challenge Sprint) and Breakthrough Coaching... Read More →
Monday June 23, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

3:30pm EDT

Afternoon Break
Monday June 23, 2025 3:30pm - 4:00pm EDT
Join us in the Hub (Caudell Hall Lobby) and grab a quick drink and snack so you can recharge your batteries!
Monday June 23, 2025 3:30pm - 4:00pm EDT
Caudell Hall - Lobby

4:00pm EDT

Are You an Illuminator? Discover Ways to Bring Out the Best In Those Around You
Monday June 23, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Illuminators shine a light on others. They make people and their ideas come alive.

With their distinct blend of skills, they excel as facilitators and relationship builders. Illuminators make others feel seen, heard and appreciated. Their curiosity invites richer stories and deeper insights. They see and celebrate others’ strengths.

In this session you’ll work with a partner to cultivate illuminator skills and instincts. You’ll see what distinguishes an illuminator from a diminisher and learn a variety of illuminator “moves”:

  • Genuine Curiosity: Asking surprisingly simple questions that reveal richer stories
  • Active Listening: Using your eyes and body (and silence) to make others feel heard
  • Celebration of Strengths: Expressing your partner’s unique qualities to create a deeper connection
Presenters
avatar for Sari Gluckin

Sari Gluckin

Founder, Wishful Thinking
Sari brings together her background as design thinker, facilitator, MBA, and  coach to create engaging and productive  experiences. Known for her playful yet intentional style, she leads workshops through her company, Wishful Thinking, helping teams uncover new ideas and better... Read More →
Monday June 23, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT

4:00pm EDT

Introduction to Polarity Thinking - Part 2
Monday June 23, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
What if issues exist that are inherently “unsolvable,” regardless of our best attempts to solve them? Polarity Thinking™ asserts that paradoxical issues not only exist but also present exciting opportunities for creativity, sustainable solutions, and being more effective in complex situations. Polarity Thinking is a proven way to use the energy of a universal phenomenon in human experience. You’ll learn to distinguish between either-or problem solving and both-and thinking.

You are well-trained in solving problems. Figure out the problem, figure out the solution, develop, and implement. But what about when it is more complex? It's not asking "do we need connection" or "do we need individual autonomy?" We need both.

In this two-part interactive workshop, participants will work in small groups to identify and work with one or two polarities in their lives. You will learn how to map those polarities in order to develop an effective approach for managing tensions.

We provide the framework; you provide the content.

Part 2 attendees MUST attend Part 1.
Presenters
avatar for Liz Monroe-Cook

Liz Monroe-Cook

Owner, Monroe-Cook & Associates
As the only child of two very different parents, Liz was a natural for going into psychology and being drawn to any approach that calls for “both-and” thinking. Facilitating and presenting Polarity Thinking™ for the past 24 years has been important for her work in general and... Read More →
avatar for Lindsay Burr

Lindsay Burr

CEO, Yarbrough Group
An engaging facilitator and Polarity ThinkingTM Master Trainer, Lindsay brings a depth of knowledge and a global perspective that supports seeing the known in a new way. Lindsay will unpack the key concepts of Polarity Thinking and change how you think about leadership and followership... Read More →
Monday June 23, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT

4:00pm EDT

Learn to Create Stunning Flipcharts with Business Sketch Basics
Monday June 23, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Unlock the power of business sketching to create stunning, clear, and engaging flipcharts for workshops, meetings, and sessions. In this hands-on session, you’ll learn the basics of sketching, discover design strategies for effective flipcharts, and create your own eye-catching flipchart. Walk away with practical tools to make your visual presentations more engaging and impactful.
Presenters
avatar for Jacobien Vermande

Jacobien Vermande

Business Visualization Partner, Joone Graphics
I’m Jacobien (not an easy go-to name, phonetically pronounced as Ya-koh-BEEN), founder of Joone Graphics, and I’m endlessly fascinated by how we think, create, and bring ideas to life — and how making things visible helps along the way. I help entrepreneurs, academic professionals... Read More →
Monday June 23, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT

4:00pm EDT

Stretching Your SENSE of Creativity: Using the 5 Senses Creatively
Monday June 23, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Brain Storming is often a process of using our sense of sight and sound, but we often ignore the influence of taste, smell and touch. This session is going to challenge participants to notice all five senses and how the influences can broaden our creativity. We will use a variety of activities that engage the sight, sound, taste, smell and feel experiences to broaden our thoughts and ideas.
Presenters
avatar for Mallori DeSalle, MA, LMHC, NCC, CMHC, CHP

Mallori DeSalle, MA, LMHC, NCC, CMHC, CHP

Therapist, Humorist, Trainer, and Oreo Sommelier, Mallori DeSalle, LLC
Mallori DeSalle is a licensed mental health counselor, motivational interviewing trainer, and certified humor professional. As a speaker and trainer, she has sparked curiosity in both the young and young-at-heart. Her passion for creating a lasting impact led her to the public health... Read More →
Monday June 23, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT

4:00pm EDT

The Creativity Canvas: Mapping Your Creative Ecosystem
Monday June 23, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
This workshop introduces a dynamic visual tool designed to map out your personal creative process. During this 90-minute session, you’ll explore key enhancers and critical blockers that make up your creative ecosystem. Through hands-on activities and guided discussions, you’ll design your own creativity canvas, gaining insights into how to unlock your full potential and drive creative breakthroughs.
Presenters
avatar for Kim Macuare, Ph.D

Kim Macuare, Ph.D

Director of Education and Co-Director of Innovation Labs, The Dali Museum
In her role as the lead program designer and facilitator for the Innovation Labs, Kim has helped many organizations—from non-profits to government entities to Fortune 100 companies—build their innovation capacities by developing creativity-focused mindsets and problem-solving... Read More →
Monday June 23, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT

4:00pm EDT

Dinner
Monday June 23, 2025 4:00pm - 7:00pm EDT
Monday June 23, 2025 4:00pm - 7:00pm EDT
Campbell Student Union - Bengal Kitchen

7:30pm EDT

Salon Experience: From Insights to Actions: Leveraging CPS Results
Monday June 23, 2025 7:30pm - 9:30pm EDT
Join us for the "From Insights to Action: Leveraging CPS Results to Empower Stakeholder Decisions" workshop! This dynamic, hands-on session will provide you with practical tools to turn data into insights and insights into actionable business decisions. Through interactive exercises and real-world examples, you'll gain the confidence to facilitate insights-driven workshops. Don't miss this chance to enhance your skills and understand how customer-driven insights can lead to impactful business decisions.
Presenters
avatar for Troy Geesaman

Troy Geesaman

SVP, Strategy, Seed Strategy
Troy Geesaman is Seed Strategy’s SVP of Strategy. He’s a connector in every sense, bringing together ideas and action; learning and context; humanity and leadership. As a proven innovator who has led the strategy and launch of several new products on both the client and agency... Read More →
avatar for Jim Berling

Jim Berling

SVP & Managing Director, Burke Institute
Passionate educator, coach, and qualitative researcher that believes emotions and data come together through targeted stories that uncover actionable insights.
Monday June 23, 2025 7:30pm - 9:30pm EDT
Campbell Student Union - Fireside Lounge
 
Tuesday, June 24
 

7:00am EDT

Starbucks®
Tuesday June 24, 2025 7:00am - 2:00pm EDT
Fuel your creativity with your favorite Starbucks® treats—right here on campus during CPSI 2025: Stretch!
Please note: Starbucks food and beverages are not included in the CPSI meal plan and must be purchased separately.
Tuesday June 24, 2025 7:00am - 2:00pm EDT
Butler Library -Starbucks

7:30am EDT

Breakfast
Tuesday June 24, 2025 7:30am - 9:00am EDT
Start your day at CPSI with some delicious breakfast.  Sit with someone new or some old friends.  It's a great way to connect!
Tuesday June 24, 2025 7:30am - 9:00am EDT
Campbell Student Union - Bengal Kitchen

7:30am EDT

Registration Open
Tuesday June 24, 2025 7:30am - 9:00am EDT
Check in with Jamie and Rosie and receive your conference bag and name tag. Get any questions answered and decorate/customize your name tag with sharpies and stickers.
Tuesday June 24, 2025 7:30am - 9:00am EDT
Caudell Hall - Lobby

8:30am EDT

CPS Level 1: Foundations of Creative Problem Solving
Tuesday June 24, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT
If you are new to CPSI, Foundations of Creative Problem Solving is your fast track to a deliberate creativity process for solving problems and capitalizing on opportunities. You’ll learn the Creative Problem Solving (CPS) Process, the research-based gold standard of creativity methods, and be exposed to the FourSight framework, which can help you understand how you and your teammates approach challenges.

In an incredibly engaging format, your team of experienced facilitators will use hands-on activities, real-world examples, and a variety of divergent and convergent thinking tools to give you the skills you need to advance your personal and professional goals.

Foundations of Creative Problem Solving is the first of four skills-building courses in Creative Problem Solving. After completing all four CPS courses, you will deepen your ability to facilitate and train others in the CPS process, while also becoming eligible to be considered to lead CPS programs at future CPSIs!

In this course, you will:
• Recognize and overcome blocks to creativity.
• Identify attitudes and behaviors conducive to creative thinking.
• Apply core concepts of creative thinking.
• Use a variety of divergent and convergent thinking tools.
• Apply the CPS method to many simulated or real situations.
• Consciously be creative when facing problems and opportunities.

NOTE: You must attend your Core CPS Course all four mornings of the conference in order to complete this program. This core track is limited to 45 attendees. You must select Foundations of CPS when registering for CPSI to attend this track (selecting it here in Sched does not qualify as reserved spot).
Presenters
avatar for Rebecca VanDerveer

Rebecca VanDerveer

Certified Master Trainer, PI Midlantic/ The LAB Team
M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction | Certified Predictive Index Master Trainer | Psychological Safety Playbook Facilitator | Helps teams unlock potential through insight and action | Excited to return to CPSI to teach Foundations!
avatar for Shay Butler

Shay Butler

Programme Manager, Tangent Innovation, Trinity College Dublin
I am winging my way over to CPSI all the way from Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. I spend my time there managing and facilitating workshops in Design Thinking, Creative Problem-Solving, and more. Keen to get creativity out in the open to play! Desperate to help un-shackle people... Read More →
avatar for Jonathan Bannister

Jonathan Bannister

Founder, Make Happy
avatar for David Lunken

David Lunken

Principal, Cedarcroft Advisors
CPSI frequenter, Core Faculty, Talent Optimizer, Problem solver, Collaborator, Husband, father of 3 girls, triathlete, gardener, baker of sourdough before Covid
Tuesday June 24, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT

8:30am EDT

CPS Level 2: Creative Problem Solving Tools
Tuesday June 24, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT
*PREREQUISITE: Level 1: CPS Foundations at previous CPSI or FLCC. If you did not take Level 1 but have a solid understanding of the Osborne-Parnes Creative Problem Solving process, you must connect with CPSI Program Staff before being enrolled.

Level 2: Creative Problem Solving Tools is a natural stepping stone if you have previously taken Level 1: Foundations of CPS. This fast-paced course allows beginner to intermediate facilitators to go deeper into the CPS process, adding more facilitation tools to your repertoire.

You will gain a clear understanding of which tools to use at each stage of the CPS process, as well as how to modify them to fit your session objectives or add a bit of creative flair. You will have time to practice tools to gain real mastery of them. You will also learn a variety of energizers and fun grouping games to keep your sessions engaging and interactive. Learn through small- and large-group work, including round-robin sharing and show-and-tell exercises.

In this course, you will:

• Explore a variety of divergent and convergent tools for individual and group problem solving.
• Learn how and where to apply different tools within the CPS process.
• Practice facilitating tools.
• Discover how to use tools when you or your team are unable to progress or working in areas of low preference.

NOTE: You must attend your Core CPS Course all four mornings of the conference to complete this program and qualify for the credential assessment for CPS Level 2.
This core track is limited to 25 attendees. You must select Tools when registering for CPSI to attend this track (selecting it here in Sched does not qualify as reserved spot).

Presenters
avatar for Kristen Peterson

Kristen Peterson

Adjunct Instructor, Creativity & Change Leadership, SUNY Buffalo State University
Kristen Peterson is a master facilitator, trainer and organizational development consultant who specializes in the people skills organizations need to create growth through innovation. She brings a big dose of passion, energy, and infectious can-do mentality to her work as an Innovation... Read More →
Tuesday June 24, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT

8:30am EDT

CPS Level 3: Creative Problem Solving Facilitation Techniques
Tuesday June 24, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT
*PREREQUISITE: Level 1: Foundations of CPS and Level 2: Creative Problem Solving Tools at previous CPSI or FLCC. If you did not take Level 1 or 2 at CPSI/FLCC but have a solid understanding of the Osborne-Parnes Creative Problem Solving process and have experience with CPS tools, you must connect with CPSI Program Staff before being enrolled.

Level 3: Facilitating CPS
Facilitation skills are central to the effective use of CPS, whether in formal meetings or informal brainstorming sessions. This course is designed for those who already know the CPS process in theory and are ready to put it into action as a facilitator. This course uses peer-group practices to prepare participants for working with actual clients. Characteristics of successful facilitation will be identified and practiced, and you will develop an awareness of your own strengths and areas for development. In this course, you will:

•Review and internalize the CPS process through the lens of the facilitator.
•Experience CPS from several points of view – as a facilitator, as the problem-owner, and as part of the resource group.
•Understand how to facilitate each step of the CPS process.
•Receive general facilitation tips that enhance any meeting.
•Receive individual and group feedback on facilitation skills.
•Explore and develop your facilitation style.


Presenters
avatar for Kareth Middlemass

Kareth Middlemass

Innovation Director, Loblaw Companies Limited
Kareth Middlemass is an innovation director with Loblaw Companied Limited, Canada's largest food and drug retailer. She is responsible for identifying consumer trends, emerging needs and aspirations and leads their branded product innovation strategy. She brings clarity to the fuzzy... Read More →
avatar for Anthony Billoni

Anthony Billoni

Owner, APEX Leader Growth
I have an MS from Center for Applied Imagination. I use CPS/Deliberate Creativity daily in live and in my consulting practice. I have been leading, volunteering and presenting at CPSI for 20+ years.
Tuesday June 24, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT

8:30am EDT

CPS Level 4: Advanced CPS Topics
Tuesday June 24, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT
*PREREQUISITE: Level 1: Foundations of CPS at previous CPSI or FLCC. If you did not take Level 1 at CPSI or FLCC but have a solid understanding of the Osborne-Parnes Creative Problem Solving process, you must connect with CPSI Program Staff before being enrolled. PREFERRED: Completion of Level 2: Creative Problem Solving Tools and Level 3: Facilitating CPS. Registrants should have a solid understanding of CPS tools and facilitation skills.

This is a series of workshops being delivered by the senior faculty at the Center for Applied Imagination at Buffalo State University. While we recommend attending all four days for a coordinated experience, each day can be taken as a free-standing, individual experience. 

Day 2
Solve the Real Problem: Because What You Think is the Problem is Usually Not the Problem
Instructor: Dr. Roger Firestien, Ph.D., Associate Professor Emeritus at the Center for Applied Imagination

99% of the time, what we THINK is our problem is actually NOT the problem.

We’ve all been there. You thought you solved a tough problem, and then it’s back again. Or you’ve worked and reworked your solution, and you’re hitting dead ends. Why? We have been taught to find answers to problems, not to question the problem itself.

We are still using the same strategies we learned in elementary school to solve complex, non-routine, difficult, and potentially dangerous problems. However, research has shown that investing even 5 minutes in redefining a problem produces more original and higher-quality solutions than those developed without problem clarification.

Using examples from business, medicine, education, agriculture, manufacturing, and more, Dr. Roger Firestien introduces the simplest of methods to uncover the correct problems to solve. That method? Questions. But not just any type of questions - creative questions.

Don’t waste your time solving the wrong problem.
Can you afford to spend 5 minutes to find the real problem?
Can you afford not to?

Takeaways
- How to use the four problem solving mindsets to make sure you are solving the right problem – not just a symptom.
- How to defeat the first problem fallacy – What you first think is the problem is not the problem.
- How a piece of scrap metal saved the airline industry billions of dollars. The benefit of solving the right problem.
- How to make sure you are solving the right problem at home, at work, and in your community.

You will apply what you learned to actual challenges facing your work or personal life today.






Tuesday June 24, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT

8:30am EDT

YouthWise
Tuesday June 24, 2025 8:30am - 5:30pm EDT
In YouthWise, kids will explore Creative Problem Solving through fun, hands-on activities, "field trips," and games. They will put their new and enhanced skills to work as a team, by creating and presenting a solution to a unique challenge.



Presenters
avatar for Kit Jones

Kit Jones

Mount Vernon CSD
I have an infinity for poetry and art. In addition I love working with the Girl Scouts and camping. Topics that get me going are books, ASL, and education.
avatar for Dee Alexander Langsenkamp

Dee Alexander Langsenkamp

YouthWise Coordinator, Dee Alexander Consulting
Super excited to be back at CPSI as YouthWise faculty again! After a long career in radio, TV, advertising and promotions, Dee earned her MS in Creative Studies and Change Leadership at the Center for Applied Imagination at SUNY Buffalo State. Dee loves nurturing kids’ creative... Read More →
avatar for Renee Paser-Paull

Renee Paser-Paull

President, Soaring Pathways
Renee is a professional facilitator, trainer and speaker, with a Master's Degree in Adult Learning. She has been attending CPSI continuously since 1999 and has been part of the YouthWise faculty since 2005 and has also led a number of general sessions. CPSI was instrumental in Renee’s... Read More →
Tuesday June 24, 2025 8:30am - 5:30pm EDT
Campbell Student Union - Assembly Hall

9:00am EDT

Creative Connections
Tuesday June 24, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT
This Immersion will be four experiences in one! Each day will focus on a different topic, yet they’re all connected by developing the creative person, the creative process, the creative culture, and a creative product. Creativity thrives with a multidimensional approach. This Immersion experience will explore various facets leading to enhanced creativity.

Day 2: Strategic Visioning Through Positive Creativity - Kim Marie McKernan and Terry Fulcher

In today‘s fast-paced world of artificial intelligence, strategic thinking is more essential than ever. Positive Creativity introduces a cutting-edge approach to strategic visioning that leverages Appreciative Inquiry (AI) and Creative Problem Solving (CPS) to help you uncover opportunities, reframe challenges, and build actionable strategies. Using a real-world example, this immersive session will guide you in co-creating a future that harnesses strengths, successes, opportunities, and trends. Leave the session having mastered proven concepts and tools to use immediately in your professional and personal life.

Three Key Takeaways:
• Discover a Powerful Framework: Learn how integrating Appreciative Inquiry and CPS unlocks new pathways for strategic visioning.
• Build Strength-Based Strategies: Reframe problems as opportunities and leverage strengths to address challenges effectively.
• Turn Insights into Action: Apply the process to a real-world scenario and leave with practical skills to implement in your own work and personal life.

Presenters
avatar for Kathy Goller

Kathy Goller

Life & Leadership Coach, Facilitator & Presenter, Teal Horizon Coaching
Kathy Goller is a life and leadership coach who helps people who are stuck, stretched, or starting something new to live and work in a way that’s more purposeful and productive so that they can lead and serve others more generously. With 20+ years of personal and leadership development... Read More →
avatar for Terry Fulcher, BS, MS

Terry Fulcher, BS, MS

Lead Consultant, Resource-Ful One Consulting
Terry is an experienced healthcare leader, executive coach & team facilitator. Terry utilizes Appreciative Inquiry and Creativity based research as the basis for Strategic Planning work. Terry has provided executive coaching and organizational development experiences to healthcare... Read More →
avatar for Kim Marie McKernan, MBA, MS

Kim Marie McKernan, MBA, MS

Founder, Inspired Outcomes Now LLC
Kim is an international marketing leader, facilitator, and presenter. She left a career as a marketing executive at a 3 billion company to found her business, Inspired Outcomes Now, to help organizations be more positive, creative, and strategic. Over 125 organizations and individuals have leveraged her A Nu Way™ Branding and Co-Creating the Future processes to stand apart and design their desired future. With an MBA from SUNY at Buffalo, an MS in Creative... Read More →
avatar for David Eyman

David Eyman

Faculty and Innovation Director, Miami University, Oxford, OH
David Eyman believes more people should say yes to making life better through creativity. As an entrepreneur, innovation leader, and industrial designer, David Eyman brings thirty years of creative experience to his teaching at Miami University. As a catalyst, his expertise lies in... Read More →
Tuesday June 24, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT

9:00am EDT

How to Write a Book
Tuesday June 24, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT
It has been said that everyone has a book inside them. This workshop helps prospective book authors take the first steps toward getting that book OUTSIDE. This workshop is for anyone who has wanted to write a book, but hasn't been able to get it done, or even get it started; anyone who feels that they need to write a book, for career or personal reasons; and anyone who just wants to know what it takes to get a book written and published. The lessons here apply to any type of book-length manuscript: novel, memoir, poetry or essay collection, business or self-help book.

Three Takeaways:
1. Explore WHY you might want to write a book, and WHY you have been finding it
difficult to get it started or get it done.
2. Identify WHAT books you should write and who it’s for.
3. Learn HOW to actually get the book written, and HOW you might get it published.




Presenters
avatar for Paul Reali

Paul Reali

Executive Director, Charlotte Lit
Paul Reali is co-founder of Charlotte Lit, a nonprofit literary arts center in Charlotte, NC, and is a lead for its Authors Lab book-writing program. He is co-author of "Creativity Rising", which is used in introductory creativity classes at colleges worldwide. He won the 2023 Doris... Read More →
Tuesday June 24, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT

9:00am EDT

Leading Change with Agility, Versatility, and Creativity
Tuesday June 24, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT
In this dynamic series, we will explore the integration of Creative Problem Solving (CPS) with other problem solving approaches such as design thinking and agile to enhance innovation. Participants will explore how CPS underpins these processes, and how to view the collaborative process through a series of diagnostic filters. The session challenges the myth of linear workflows, emphasizing the iterative and turbulent nature of innovation. Through engaging activities and reflective exercises, attendees will identify personal strengths and areas for growth in their collaboration approach that align with the non-linear demands of creative leadership.

Participants will:
  • Identify personal strengths and areas for growth in your collaboration approach that align with the non-linear demands of creative leadership
  • Visualize where you and your team spend the most time in collaboration
  • Learn how to map your team’s project and use diagnostic filters to identify blind spots and ways to enhance innovation


Presenters
avatar for Michael Ackerbauer

Michael Ackerbauer

Cognitive Sherpa | Certified Rock Balancer, IBM
see bio here: https://twitter.com/RobertDowneyJr
Tuesday June 24, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT

9:00am EDT

Playology: What’s Your Next Strategic Play?
Tuesday June 24, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT
Why is Adult Play so important? How we play is directly linked to how we learn, think, work, feel, perform, and interact with others. What you learn in play you remember for life!

This immersion program includes everything you need for your one-stop facilitator play chest! We have strategically blended Jump into LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methods, Playsonality™ Assessment, What the Duck, and LSP 3D Diagnostic Cards into one complete 14-hour program:
Day One: The Power of Play & LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methods
Day Two: Playsonality™ Assessment
Day Three: Now What the Duck Activities
Day Four: 3D Diagnostic Cards and

If you are looking for a new way to engage with your team and you want to add more fun to your work or workplace culture, this session is designed for you. This is a facilitated thinking & communications technique. Our Playology program draws on extensive research from the field of business, organization development, psychology, and learning. Using hand-brain knowledge, we will share the processes that help individuals and teams surface information, explore ideas, create better options, develop deeper knowledge, and identify solutions faster with 100% engagement. And yes, we have corporate, community, and education examples with case studies.

You will walk away with new insights about the power of play and how we all use play daily, and multiple new tools that you can use immediately to improve individual and team performance, while adding more play to corporate culture.

Are you looking for a session which will:
1. Unpack the value of play at work and discover the ROI of play
2. Access the Playsonality© app to decode your facilitator play style
3. Conduct a deep dive into how play formulates our identity
4. Discover new ways to stimulate powerful conversations
5. Supplement your creative program with engaging activities that people will remember
6. Gain new tools and techniques for your facilitator’s play chest
7. Explore how play paves the way to the flow zone where we do our best thinking

Learning Objectives:
-Add LEGO® bricks and directives to your workshops to improve engagement;
-Apply the five-step processes to improve communication;
-Identify when PLAY can be most useful;
-Supplement your creative program with the playstyles assessments;
-Avoid conversational roundabouts;
-Use flow theory and underlying neuroscience principles that make this so powerful and memorable.
-Facilitate and explore ideas on a deeper level using a play chest of new tools.

Let’s get ready to PLAY!

Presenters
avatar for Laura Rentas

Laura Rentas

Laura is a gifted storyteller and trainer with over two decades of success in strategic communications, public relations, and corporate affairs. As a Licensed Trainer in LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methods, Laura’s work combines play with serious work. She excels in building engagement... Read More →
avatar for Matt Jones

Matt Jones

Ph.D. student, Organizational Leadership, Purdue University
Matt Jones is a PhD student in Organizational Leadership at Purdue University, where he explores the intersection of creative problem-solving, cognitive diversity, agile strategy, and leadership training. As a recent Certified Master Facilitator in LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methods, Matt’s... Read More →
Tuesday June 24, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT

9:00am EDT

Wayfinding for Facilitators: Mastering the Art of Guiding Groups
Tuesday June 24, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT
All Aboard! Join us for a dynamic journey in our fun, hands-on facilitation session that will supercharge your skills and bring your sessions to life! Whether you’re teaching a class, leading a board meeting, guiding a strategic planning session, or simply communicating with your team, this highly interactive session will give you the tools, tips, and techniques you need to keep everyone engaged and energized. Along the way, we’ll make stops at practical exercises, engaging discussions, and real-world scenarios with real-time feedback, all designed to make facilitation feel less like a boring, highways-only road trip and more like an exciting, collaborative adventure. By the end of our journey, you’ll be ready to lead with confidence, spark creativity, and make every session a memorable experience!



Presenters
avatar for Jessica Andrews-Wilson

Jessica Andrews-Wilson

Executive Director, GUIDE, Inc.
I am in love with all things CEF after my introduction to this work/CPS in 2021 thanks to Beth Miller. I have been using CPS techniques for ages without knowing it but now I have a framework and some terminology to go along with it! I have been facilitating with both youth and adults... Read More →
avatar for Thom Gonyeau

Thom Gonyeau

Co-owner, Mountain View Group, LTD.
Thom Gonyeau is a co-owner of Mountain View Group, a creative communications agency, and media production company, where he has worked for more than 35 years.Thom began his career as a producer and has held many positions at Mountain View from business development to Chief Operating... Read More →
Tuesday June 24, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT

9:00am EDT

Snacks
Tuesday June 24, 2025 9:00am - 4:00pm EDT
Need a little something? Join us in the HUB (Caudell Hall) for some snacks, coffee and tea.
They'll be available each day - just drop in when you have chance.
Tuesday June 24, 2025 9:00am - 4:00pm EDT
Caudell Hall - Lobby

10:00am EDT

CPSI Pop-Up Bookstore
Tuesday June 24, 2025 10:00am - 4:00pm EDT
Stop by our pop-up bookstore and explore a curated collection of titles published by our very own CEF Press.
Everyone’s invited—leaders, attendees, and curious minds alike! Take a moment during your break to browse, grab a snack, and maybe even spark a conversation with a fellow creative thinker. There’s something for everyone!

Tuesday June 24, 2025 10:00am - 4:00pm EDT
Caudell Hall - Lobby

11:00am EDT

Lunch
Tuesday June 24, 2025 11:00am - 2:00pm EDT
12:00-1:00 Core CPS Track and YouthWise
12:30-1:30 Immersion Track

Join everyone at the Dining Hall for an array of meal options. Healthy, fun, and specialty diet options are available. Join a table of people you have not met yet and find your next best friend!
Tuesday June 24, 2025 11:00am - 2:00pm EDT
Campbell Student Union - Bengal Kitchen

1:30pm EDT

CPSIesta
Tuesday June 24, 2025 1:30pm - 2:00pm EDT
Every afternoon, treat yourself to short CPSIesta after lunch. Visit the bookstore in Caudell Hall, go for a walk outside, or go back to your room and decompress. How you use this mini midday break is up to you.
Tuesday June 24, 2025 1:30pm - 2:00pm EDT

2:00pm EDT

Embracing Ambiguity: Getting Comfortable with Feeling Uncomfortable
Tuesday June 24, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
In this session, we'll discuss how relentless curiosity can bring you face-to-face with the unknown, sometimes unearthing fear and usually requiring the opening of the vault of vulnerability in your mind. We'll discuss what works--and share what hasn't worked--as we face ambiguity and all that it brings. Ultimately, we will strive to shine a light on the pathway to freedom to take risks and achieve more even more than we hoped.
Presenters
avatar for Troy Geesaman

Troy Geesaman

SVP, Strategy, Seed Strategy
Troy Geesaman is Seed Strategy’s SVP of Strategy. He’s a connector in every sense, bringing together ideas and action; learning and context; humanity and leadership. As a proven innovator who has led the strategy and launch of several new products on both the client and agency... Read More →
Tuesday June 24, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

2:00pm EDT

From Problem Solving to Pattern Spotting: Stretch Your Change Game For More Sustainable Impact
Tuesday June 24, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Problem solving implies a linear experience with a series of independent issues to be solved and moved on from. Life (and work) is messy, with changing variables and shifting priorities in the everyday systems we live and work in. Spotting patterns will stretch your change game from solving one problem that may be a success for today, to uncovering opportunities for shifting patterns for more sustainable change with broader impact.


Presenters
avatar for Christa Heydt-Hernandez

Christa Heydt-Hernandez

Independent Contractor
New to independent contracting and freelance work. I help organizations, teams, and individuals who have a challenge or problem to solve and do not think they have the tools or time to solve it. I work with clients to: Position the user first, whether customer, employee or individual... Read More →
Tuesday June 24, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

2:00pm EDT

The Creative Path To Belonging
Tuesday June 24, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
A sense of belonging is powerful and critical to us as humans. During this session, we will tap into the power of creative problem solving to explore how we can collectively unlock Belonging.

- You Will Unpack What Belonging Means to You
- You Will Have Opportunity to Identify Ways to Increase Belonging
- You will Foster New Creative Connections
Presenters
avatar for Christine Quil

Christine Quil

Sapphire Collab, Founder, The Creative Path To Belonging
Christine is a strategic insights and growth executive with a proven record of success artfully inspiring teams and impacting business growth for over 20 years. Her passion for building people, building teams, and building growth combined with a foundational empathetic perspective... Read More →
Tuesday June 24, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

2:00pm EDT

The Neuroscience of Personality – A New View on Creativity
Tuesday June 24, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Neuroscience and a deeper understanding of neurobiology have revolutionized what we know about how and why we are creative. Learn about the brain systems and patterns found in over 2000 published studies and why there has never been such a thing as left and right brain thinking. The session will also touch on the relationships to other tools you may already know. We will look at how the paradoxically simple and complex framework has been and can be applied to bring the best out of people and entire organizations. Participants will have the opportunity to complete the inventory, which has now been used by over 20 million people around the world.
 
Interactive nature of session: Ideas will be presented and participants will be asked to contribute their experiences through written reflection, one-on-one and small group discussions shared to the front of the room.
 
Takeaways:
  • Learn about the neuroscience behind creativity
  • Learn about how to apply this information to yourself and others
  • Learn about applications in particular fields and organizational impacts
Presenters
avatar for David Labno

David Labno

CEO, NeuroColor
For more than 25 years, Dave Labno has been a consultant, speaker, and trainer in the organizational effectiveness and personality-tool space. In addition to consulting for federal and state governments, his clients have included many large multinational companies and small businesses.Working... Read More →
Tuesday June 24, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

2:00pm EDT

The Resistant Participant: A Facilitator’s Best Friend
Tuesday June 24, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Facilitators, trainers, coaches, and change agents have all been there:  your beautiful, brilliant, potentially life-changing training/presentation/session gets derailed by one or more resistant participants, who seem fully committed to sabotaging the event.  You’ve tried everything that LinkedIn infographic recommended: smiling at them, selling the “WIIFMs,” negotiating with them. But still they won’t budge.

In this session, we’ll find more creative – and more effective – ways to address the situation. Participants will learn how to reframe the problem, engage with resistors in new ways, and leverage the potential that resistance holds for creating an even stronger session. We’ll see how a divergence/convergence approach can disarm opposition while modeling the kind of respectful and inclusive behaviors we want others to follow. And participants can share with each other what has worked – and not worked – in their own practices, to leave with an even fuller list of tools and resources for the next time a scowling attendee starts to fuss.


Presenters
avatar for Mickey Bradley

Mickey Bradley

President, Buster Consulting
For over two decades, Mickey Bradley has been changing the world with an easel and some colored markers.  As President of Buster Consulting, he has worked extensively in organizations around the world and helped literally thousands of people and teams create better work experiences... Read More →
Tuesday June 24, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

2:00pm EDT

Your Life on a Sticky Note: Become the CEO of YOU
Tuesday June 24, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Imagine this: a room buzzing with energy, walls covered in vibrant sticky notes, and a community of like-minded individuals ready to push boundaries and ignite transformation!
Whether you’re searching for your next big breakthrough, feeling a little stuck, or just craving a fresh, innovative approach to personal development, this session is designed just for Y-O-U! 
Imagine stepping into the CEO suite of your own life. In this hands-on, game-changing workshop, you’ll learn how to take charge of your personal and professional journey, unlock untapped potential, and create a vision for a future YOU can’t wait to lead.
With nothing more than a stack of sticky notes and the power of your imagination, you’ll master a fun, visual methodology that top executives use to strategize their business empires—now reimagined to help YOU strategize your life. This isn't just another self-help session; it’s a fast-paced, interactive experience that will leave you energized, inspired, and equipped with actionable insights to become the architect of your destiny.
What Awaits You:
  • Unlocking Hidden Patterns: Piece together the story of your life—its successes, surprises, and lessons learned—to reveal your strengths and unique value.
  • Setting Audacious Goals: Dream boldly and then break those dreams into a step-by-step action plan you can start implementing today.
  • Designing Your Vision: Create a personalized "CEO roadmap" that aligns with your core values and sets the course for your next chapter.
Why Should You Attend?
Let’s be honest—there are dozens of ways to “think about your future,” but very few are as dynamic, creative, and downright fun as this. You’ll leave this session with a wall of colorful ideas, your very own strategic life plan, and a renewed sense of excitement about your journey ahead. Plus, you’ll pick up insights and ideas you can use over and over again to stay at the top of your game. Your future CEO self is already RSVP’ing.
Bring your curiosity, your creativity, and maybe even a friend. Let’s make those sticky notes work as hard as you do!
Presenters
avatar for Gail R Kulas

Gail R Kulas

CFO - Chief Fun Officer, Leading to Unlock, LLC
Gail is a self-described “itchy sweater” - she helps people become more comfortable being uncomfortable.  She is a dynamic force in the world of business strategy, education, and personal development. As the founder of Leading to Unlock, she has dedicated her career to unlocking... Read More →
Tuesday June 24, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

3:30pm EDT

Afternoon Break
Tuesday June 24, 2025 3:30pm - 4:00pm EDT
Join us in the Hub (Caudell Hall Lobby) and grab a quick drink and snack so you can recharge your batteries!
Tuesday June 24, 2025 3:30pm - 4:00pm EDT
Caudell Hall - Lobby

3:30pm EDT

Yoga Stretch
Tuesday June 24, 2025 3:30pm - 4:00pm EDT
Take a moment this afternoon to STRETCH your body and recharge. Join us outside on the green space for a chance to move, breathe, and connect.
Tuesday June 24, 2025 3:30pm - 4:00pm EDT
Perry Quad

4:00pm EDT

Beyond Boundaries: Unleashing Creative Potential Through Possibility Books
Tuesday June 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Discover how simple mark-making can break through traditional thinking barriers and stretch your problem-solving toolkit. This hands-on workshop introduces Possibility Books, an evidence-based method that uses abstract visual responses (no artistic skill required) to build creative confidence, embrace ambiguity, and generate unexpected connections. Participants will experience a series of guided prompts, which can be applied in classes and group facilitations, that demonstrate how reflection through mark-making followed by collaborative sharing can unlock new pathways for innovation.
Presenters
avatar for Kris Stanec

Kris Stanec

Director of Creativity and Innovation, Colorado College
Kris Stanec, MAT, directs Creativity and Innovation at Colorado College. A faculty member for 25+ years, she facilitates sessions across contexts that prioritize active engagement. Her creative leadership transforms learning, cultivates communities, and enhances possibilities for... Read More →
Tuesday June 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT

4:00pm EDT

Creative Alignment: Engaging Deeply with Ideas Before Action
Tuesday June 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
What if the key to realizing your most impactful ideas wasn’t so much in what you do, but in how you align with the idea first? In this session, we’ll explore the often-overlooked creative alignment or “phase of being” so beneficial in the creative process—the inner work of engaging deeply with your idea(s). You’ll gain a new approach, practical tools and techniques to reflect on and strengthen your relationship with your idea, uncovering what excites you, what holds you back, and what support you need. Because aligning with your ideas isn’t just about creativity—it’s about fostering joy, clarity, and purpose along the way.
Presenters
avatar for Jacobien Vermande

Jacobien Vermande

Business Visualization Partner, Joone Graphics
I’m Jacobien (not an easy go-to name, phonetically pronounced as Ya-koh-BEEN), founder of Joone Graphics, and I’m endlessly fascinated by how we think, create, and bring ideas to life — and how making things visible helps along the way. I help entrepreneurs, academic professionals... Read More →
Tuesday June 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT

4:00pm EDT

Now What the Duck?
Tuesday June 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Are you looking for some fun activities you can do with just a handful of bricks? Like most teachers, trainers, and counselors, HR professionals, management consultants, you are likely being asked to do more with less. If so, this is the perfect short session for you.

You might be working with a classroom full of students, a large group of people at a conference, or a small group, board of directors, or group of executives. Regardless, we have the activities you need to keep people engaged, communicating, and learning while time flies by.
Presenters
avatar for Matt Jones

Matt Jones

Ph.D. student, Organizational Leadership, Purdue University
Matt Jones is a PhD student in Organizational Leadership at Purdue University, where he explores the intersection of creative problem-solving, cognitive diversity, agile strategy, and leadership training. As a recent Certified Master Facilitator in LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methods, Matt’s... Read More →
Tuesday June 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT

4:00pm EDT

Stretching Across Cultures: Intercultural Communication and Creativity
Tuesday June 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
This interactive session will explore how culture and communication styles shape creative processes. Using engaging activities, discussions, and real-world applications, participants will gain insights into the concepts of individualism/collectivism, high/low power distance, and high/low uncertainty avoidance and how they impact creativity.
Presenters
avatar for Katharine Rumrill-Teece

Katharine Rumrill-Teece

Professor / Facilitator, Onondaga Community College
Tuesday June 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT

4:00pm EDT

“Stretching to Pause” in Contemplative Photography
Tuesday June 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
These days its a stretch to take a pause; usually a photo is a quick “snap” of the moment. In this workshop, we will learn how current practitioners of contemplative photography blend their taking of photos with photographic techniques that inspire pausing and reflecting. We will use our phones to practice a contemplative approach to taking photos and use reflection questions to deepen our Contemplative Photography experience.


Presenters
avatar for Cheryl Nee Gieringer

Cheryl Nee Gieringer

Citizen Project Coordinator, SAGE
I've attended and facilitated core, immersion, spark, and 90-minutes sessions at CPSI and even Youth-wise a couple of decades ago.
avatar for Mary Ellyn Vicksta

Mary Ellyn Vicksta

Founder, Vicksta Innovative Practices, LLC
Mary Ellyn started taking photos with her own camera when she was 10.  Since then, she’s explored photography in college classes, photo workshops in wonderful parts of the US and creative expression-focused workshops in Canada.  She’s devoted to taking at least one photo a day... Read More →
Tuesday June 24, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT

4:00pm EDT

Dinner
Tuesday June 24, 2025 4:00pm - 7:00pm EDT
Tuesday June 24, 2025 4:00pm - 7:00pm EDT
Campbell Student Union - Bengal Kitchen

7:30pm EDT

7:30pm EDT

Night Flights
Tuesday June 24, 2025 7:30pm - 9:30pm EDT
Night Flights present the opportunity for CPSI Leaders or Attendees to present new content or personal passions to the CPSI audience. Sessions are coordinated daily and updated daily.

If you are interested in presenting a Night Flight, look for a QR code at CPSI to complete a simple online form.
Tuesday June 24, 2025 7:30pm - 9:30pm EDT

8:30pm EDT

Creative Education Foundation Book Club
Tuesday June 24, 2025 8:30pm - 9:30pm EDT
We're launching the Creative Education Foundation Book Club!

Let's get creative and connect on another level, more details to come.
Presenters
avatar for Haley Forest

Haley Forest

Innovation & Strategy Consultant, HCForest
CEF Staff and Wings
avatar for Jane Fischer

Jane Fischer

Senior Creativity Trainer/CPSI Emcee, Creative Education Foundation
Jane has always drawn on three things: a love of humor and performing, her imagination and ideas, and the desire to help others. Her professional life began with a focus on “helping others." She has two decades of experience and leadership in health education and human services... Read More →
Tuesday June 24, 2025 8:30pm - 9:30pm EDT
Campbell Student Union - Fireside Lounge
 
Wednesday, June 25
 

7:00am EDT

Starbucks®
Wednesday June 25, 2025 7:00am - 2:00pm EDT
Fuel your creativity with your favorite Starbucks® treats—right here on campus during CPSI 2025: Stretch!
Please note: Starbucks food and beverages are not included in the CPSI meal plan and must be purchased separately.
Wednesday June 25, 2025 7:00am - 2:00pm EDT
Butler Library -Starbucks

7:30am EDT

Breakfast
Wednesday June 25, 2025 7:30am - 9:00am EDT
Start your day at CPSI with some delicious breakfast.  Sit with someone new or some old friends.  It's a great way to connect!
Wednesday June 25, 2025 7:30am - 9:00am EDT
Campbell Student Union - Bengal Kitchen

7:30am EDT

Registration Open
Wednesday June 25, 2025 7:30am - 9:00am EDT
Check in with Jamie and Rosie and receive your conference bag and name tag. Get any questions answered and decorate/customize your name tag with sharpies and stickers.
Wednesday June 25, 2025 7:30am - 9:00am EDT
Caudell Hall - Lobby

8:30am EDT

CPS Level 1: Foundations of Creative Problem Solving
Wednesday June 25, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT
If you are new to CPSI, Foundations of Creative Problem Solving is your fast track to a deliberate creativity process for solving problems and capitalizing on opportunities. You’ll learn the Creative Problem Solving (CPS) Process, the research-based gold standard of creativity methods, and be exposed to the FourSight framework, which can help you understand how you and your teammates approach challenges.

In an incredibly engaging format, your team of experienced facilitators will use hands-on activities, real-world examples, and a variety of divergent and convergent thinking tools to give you the skills you need to advance your personal and professional goals.

Foundations of Creative Problem Solving is the first of four skills-building courses in Creative Problem Solving. After completing all four CPS courses, you will deepen your ability to facilitate and train others in the CPS process, while also becoming eligible to be considered to lead CPS programs at future CPSIs!

In this course, you will:
• Recognize and overcome blocks to creativity.
• Identify attitudes and behaviors conducive to creative thinking.
• Apply core concepts of creative thinking.
• Use a variety of divergent and convergent thinking tools.
• Apply the CPS method to many simulated or real situations.
• Consciously be creative when facing problems and opportunities.

NOTE: You must attend your Core CPS Course all four mornings of the conference in order to complete this program. This core track is limited to 45 attendees. You must select Foundations of CPS when registering for CPSI to attend this track (selecting it here in Sched does not qualify as reserved spot).
Presenters
avatar for Rebecca VanDerveer

Rebecca VanDerveer

Certified Master Trainer, PI Midlantic/ The LAB Team
M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction | Certified Predictive Index Master Trainer | Psychological Safety Playbook Facilitator | Helps teams unlock potential through insight and action | Excited to return to CPSI to teach Foundations!
avatar for Shay Butler

Shay Butler

Programme Manager, Tangent Innovation, Trinity College Dublin
I am winging my way over to CPSI all the way from Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. I spend my time there managing and facilitating workshops in Design Thinking, Creative Problem-Solving, and more. Keen to get creativity out in the open to play! Desperate to help un-shackle people... Read More →
avatar for Jonathan Bannister

Jonathan Bannister

Founder, Make Happy
avatar for David Lunken

David Lunken

Principal, Cedarcroft Advisors
CPSI frequenter, Core Faculty, Talent Optimizer, Problem solver, Collaborator, Husband, father of 3 girls, triathlete, gardener, baker of sourdough before Covid
Wednesday June 25, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT

8:30am EDT

CPS Level 2: Creative Problem Solving Tools
Wednesday June 25, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT
*PREREQUISITE: Level 1: CPS Foundations at previous CPSI or FLCC. If you did not take Level 1 but have a solid understanding of the Osborne-Parnes Creative Problem Solving process, you must connect with CPSI Program Staff before being enrolled.

Level 2: Creative Problem Solving Tools is a natural stepping stone if you have previously taken Level 1: Foundations of CPS. This fast-paced course allows beginner to intermediate facilitators to go deeper into the CPS process, adding more facilitation tools to your repertoire.

You will gain a clear understanding of which tools to use at each stage of the CPS process, as well as how to modify them to fit your session objectives or add a bit of creative flair. You will have time to practice tools to gain real mastery of them. You will also learn a variety of energizers and fun grouping games to keep your sessions engaging and interactive. Learn through small- and large-group work, including round-robin sharing and show-and-tell exercises.

In this course, you will:

• Explore a variety of divergent and convergent tools for individual and group problem solving.
• Learn how and where to apply different tools within the CPS process.
• Practice facilitating tools.
• Discover how to use tools when you or your team are unable to progress or working in areas of low preference.

NOTE: You must attend your Core CPS Course all four mornings of the conference to complete this program and qualify for the credential assessment for CPS Level 2.
This core track is limited to 25 attendees. You must select Tools when registering for CPSI to attend this track (selecting it here in Sched does not qualify as reserved spot).

Presenters
avatar for Kristen Peterson

Kristen Peterson

Adjunct Instructor, Creativity & Change Leadership, SUNY Buffalo State University
Kristen Peterson is a master facilitator, trainer and organizational development consultant who specializes in the people skills organizations need to create growth through innovation. She brings a big dose of passion, energy, and infectious can-do mentality to her work as an Innovation... Read More →
Wednesday June 25, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT

8:30am EDT

CPS Level 3: Creative Problem Solving Facilitation Techniques
Wednesday June 25, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT
*PREREQUISITE: Level 1: Foundations of CPS and Level 2: Creative Problem Solving Tools at previous CPSI or FLCC. If you did not take Level 1 or 2 at CPSI/FLCC but have a solid understanding of the Osborne-Parnes Creative Problem Solving process and have experience with CPS tools, you must connect with CPSI Program Staff before being enrolled.

Level 3: Facilitating CPS
Facilitation skills are central to the effective use of CPS, whether in formal meetings or informal brainstorming sessions. This course is designed for those who already know the CPS process in theory and are ready to put it into action as a facilitator. This course uses peer-group practices to prepare participants for working with actual clients. Characteristics of successful facilitation will be identified and practiced, and you will develop an awareness of your own strengths and areas for development. In this course, you will:

•Review and internalize the CPS process through the lens of the facilitator.
•Experience CPS from several points of view – as a facilitator, as the problem-owner, and as part of the resource group.
•Understand how to facilitate each step of the CPS process.
•Receive general facilitation tips that enhance any meeting.
•Receive individual and group feedback on facilitation skills.
•Explore and develop your facilitation style.


Presenters
avatar for Kareth Middlemass

Kareth Middlemass

Innovation Director, Loblaw Companies Limited
Kareth Middlemass is an innovation director with Loblaw Companied Limited, Canada's largest food and drug retailer. She is responsible for identifying consumer trends, emerging needs and aspirations and leads their branded product innovation strategy. She brings clarity to the fuzzy... Read More →
avatar for Anthony Billoni

Anthony Billoni

Owner, APEX Leader Growth
I have an MS from Center for Applied Imagination. I use CPS/Deliberate Creativity daily in live and in my consulting practice. I have been leading, volunteering and presenting at CPSI for 20+ years.
Wednesday June 25, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT

8:30am EDT

CPS Level 4: Advanced CPS Topics
Wednesday June 25, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT
*PREREQUISITE: Level 1: Foundations of CPS at previous CPSI or FLCC. If you did not take Level 1 at CPSI or FLCC but have a solid understanding of the Osborne-Parnes Creative Problem Solving process, you must connect with CPSI Program Staff before being enrolled. PREFERRED: Completion of Level 2: Creative Problem Solving Tools and Level 3: Facilitating CPS. Registrants should have a solid understanding of CPS tools and facilitation skills.

This is a series of workshops being delivered by the senior faculty at the Center for Applied Imagination at Buffalo State University. While we recommend attending all four days for a coordinated experience, each day can be taken as a free-standing, individual experience.

Day 3
Enhancing Courses, Workshops, Presentations, and Lessons using the TIM Design to
Integrate Creativity into your Content

Dr. Susan Keller-Mathers, Associate Professor, Center for Applied Imagination, Buffalo State University

Bring your outline of a course, workshop, presentation, or lesson to this working session. We’ll dive into advanced applications of the Torrance Incubation Model (with an accelerated basic view of the model to start for anyone less familiar with it) to start. Building from the framework you’ve constructed, the redesign will enrich and enhance both your content and the creative elements. You’re strengthening the Heightening Anticipation, Deepening Expectations and Extending the Learning stage of your work while integrating an aspect of creativity. Minimally, bring a sketch of something you wish to present from any topic or subject area. Ideally, bring the plans for something you’ve done previously (in any topic area) that works and could be enriched to take it to the next level of motivation and deep learning for your audience.




Wednesday June 25, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT

8:30am EDT

YouthWise
Wednesday June 25, 2025 8:30am - 5:30pm EDT
In YouthWise, kids will explore Creative Problem Solving through fun, hands-on activities, "field trips," and games. They will put their new and enhanced skills to work as a team, by creating and presenting a solution to a unique challenge.



Presenters
avatar for Kit Jones

Kit Jones

Mount Vernon CSD
I have an infinity for poetry and art. In addition I love working with the Girl Scouts and camping. Topics that get me going are books, ASL, and education.
avatar for Dee Alexander Langsenkamp

Dee Alexander Langsenkamp

YouthWise Coordinator, Dee Alexander Consulting
Super excited to be back at CPSI as YouthWise faculty again! After a long career in radio, TV, advertising and promotions, Dee earned her MS in Creative Studies and Change Leadership at the Center for Applied Imagination at SUNY Buffalo State. Dee loves nurturing kids’ creative... Read More →
avatar for Renee Paser-Paull

Renee Paser-Paull

President, Soaring Pathways
Renee is a professional facilitator, trainer and speaker, with a Master's Degree in Adult Learning. She has been attending CPSI continuously since 1999 and has been part of the YouthWise faculty since 2005 and has also led a number of general sessions. CPSI was instrumental in Renee’s... Read More →
Wednesday June 25, 2025 8:30am - 5:30pm EDT
Campbell Student Union - Assembly Hall

9:00am EDT

Creative Connections
Wednesday June 25, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT
This Immersion will be four experiences in one! Each day will focus on a different topic, yet they’re all connected by developing the creative person, the creative process, the creative culture, and a creative product. Creativity thrives with a multidimensional approach. This Immersion experience will explore various facets leading to enhanced creativity.

Day 3: Ask a More Impactful Question as a Leadership Superpower - Kim Marie McKernan and Terry Fulcher

Leaders often focus on finding the right answers — but what about asking the right questions? In this hands-on session, we will explore impactful questioning as a leadership superpower and tool for fostering team creativity. From classic creative problem-solving statement starters to strengths-based approaches like Appreciative Inquiry, you’ll learn how to sharpen your ability to ask questions that drive strategy, inspire teams, and grow creative potential. Bonus? We will discuss leveraging ChatGPT to fuel creativity and help re-imagine leadership connections in today’s fast-paced, idea-driven environment. Walk in with curiosity. Walk out with actionable strategies for a questioning mindset that creates impact. Continue your leadership evolution by mastering the art of asking questions that matter.

Key Takeaways:
  • Discover how meaningful questions can enhance leadership and grow team creativity.
  • Learn practical techniques, including statement starters, reframing, and questioning the questions, to foster more and better ideas
  • Explore leveraging tools like ChatGPT to grow creative potential and broaden your leadership toolbox.

Presenters
avatar for Kathy Goller

Kathy Goller

Life & Leadership Coach, Facilitator & Presenter, Teal Horizon Coaching
Kathy Goller is a life and leadership coach who helps people who are stuck, stretched, or starting something new to live and work in a way that’s more purposeful and productive so that they can lead and serve others more generously. With 20+ years of personal and leadership development... Read More →
avatar for Terry Fulcher, BS, MS

Terry Fulcher, BS, MS

Lead Consultant, Resource-Ful One Consulting
Terry is an experienced healthcare leader, executive coach & team facilitator. Terry utilizes Appreciative Inquiry and Creativity based research as the basis for Strategic Planning work. Terry has provided executive coaching and organizational development experiences to healthcare... Read More →
avatar for Kim Marie McKernan, MBA, MS

Kim Marie McKernan, MBA, MS

Founder, Inspired Outcomes Now LLC
Kim is an international marketing leader, facilitator, and presenter. She left a career as a marketing executive at a 3 billion company to found her business, Inspired Outcomes Now, to help organizations be more positive, creative, and strategic. Over 125 organizations and individuals have leveraged her A Nu Way™ Branding and Co-Creating the Future processes to stand apart and design their desired future. With an MBA from SUNY at Buffalo, an MS in Creative... Read More →
avatar for David Eyman

David Eyman

Faculty and Innovation Director, Miami University, Oxford, OH
David Eyman believes more people should say yes to making life better through creativity. As an entrepreneur, innovation leader, and industrial designer, David Eyman brings thirty years of creative experience to his teaching at Miami University. As a catalyst, his expertise lies in... Read More →
Wednesday June 25, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT

9:00am EDT

How to Write a Book
Wednesday June 25, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT
It has been said that everyone has a book inside them. This workshop helps prospective book authors take the first steps toward getting that book OUTSIDE. This workshop is for anyone who has wanted to write a book, but hasn't been able to get it done, or even get it started; anyone who feels that they need to write a book, for career or personal reasons; and anyone who just wants to know what it takes to get a book written and published. The lessons here apply to any type of book-length manuscript: novel, memoir, poetry or essay collection, business or self-help book.

Three Takeaways:
1. Explore WHY you might want to write a book, and WHY you have been finding it
difficult to get it started or get it done.
2. Identify WHAT books you should write and who it’s for.
3. Learn HOW to actually get the book written, and HOW you might get it published.




Presenters
avatar for Paul Reali

Paul Reali

Executive Director, Charlotte Lit
Paul Reali is co-founder of Charlotte Lit, a nonprofit literary arts center in Charlotte, NC, and is a lead for its Authors Lab book-writing program. He is co-author of "Creativity Rising", which is used in introductory creativity classes at colleges worldwide. He won the 2023 Doris... Read More →
Wednesday June 25, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT

9:00am EDT

Leading Change with Agility, Versatility, and Creativity
Wednesday June 25, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT
In this dynamic series, we will explore the integration of Creative Problem Solving (CPS) with other problem solving approaches such as design thinking and agile to enhance innovation. Participants will explore how CPS underpins these processes, and how to view the collaborative process through a series of diagnostic filters. The session challenges the myth of linear workflows, emphasizing the iterative and turbulent nature of innovation. Through engaging activities and reflective exercises, attendees will identify personal strengths and areas for growth in their collaboration approach that align with the non-linear demands of creative leadership.

Participants will:
  • Identify personal strengths and areas for growth in your collaboration approach that align with the non-linear demands of creative leadership
  • Visualize where you and your team spend the most time in collaboration
  • Learn how to map your team’s project and use diagnostic filters to identify blind spots and ways to enhance innovation


Presenters
avatar for Michael Ackerbauer

Michael Ackerbauer

Cognitive Sherpa | Certified Rock Balancer, IBM
see bio here: https://twitter.com/RobertDowneyJr
Wednesday June 25, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT

9:00am EDT

Playology: What’s Your Next Strategic Play?
Wednesday June 25, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT
Why is Adult Play so important? How we play is directly linked to how we learn, think, work, feel, perform, and interact with others. What you learn in play you remember for life!

This immersion program includes everything you need for your one-stop facilitator play chest! We have strategically blended Jump into LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methods, Playsonality™ Assessment, What the Duck, and LSP 3D Diagnostic Cards into one complete 14-hour program:
Day One: The Power of Play & LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methods
Day Two: Playsonality™ Assessment
Day Three: Now What the Duck Activities
Day Four: 3D Diagnostic Cards and

If you are looking for a new way to engage with your team and you want to add more fun to your work or workplace culture, this session is designed for you. This is a facilitated thinking & communications technique. Our Playology program draws on extensive research from the field of business, organization development, psychology, and learning. Using hand-brain knowledge, we will share the processes that help individuals and teams surface information, explore ideas, create better options, develop deeper knowledge, and identify solutions faster with 100% engagement. And yes, we have corporate, community, and education examples with case studies.

You will walk away with new insights about the power of play and how we all use play daily, and multiple new tools that you can use immediately to improve individual and team performance, while adding more play to corporate culture.

Are you looking for a session which will:
1. Unpack the value of play at work and discover the ROI of play
2. Access the Playsonality© app to decode your facilitator play style
3. Conduct a deep dive into how play formulates our identity
4. Discover new ways to stimulate powerful conversations
5. Supplement your creative program with engaging activities that people will remember
6. Gain new tools and techniques for your facilitator’s play chest
7. Explore how play paves the way to the flow zone where we do our best thinking

Learning Objectives:
-Add LEGO® bricks and directives to your workshops to improve engagement;
-Apply the five-step processes to improve communication;
-Identify when PLAY can be most useful;
-Supplement your creative program with the playstyles assessments;
-Avoid conversational roundabouts;
-Use flow theory and underlying neuroscience principles that make this so powerful and memorable.
-Facilitate and explore ideas on a deeper level using a play chest of new tools.

Let’s get ready to PLAY!


Presenters
avatar for Laura Rentas

Laura Rentas

Laura is a gifted storyteller and trainer with over two decades of success in strategic communications, public relations, and corporate affairs. As a Licensed Trainer in LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methods, Laura’s work combines play with serious work. She excels in building engagement... Read More →
avatar for Matt Jones

Matt Jones

Ph.D. student, Organizational Leadership, Purdue University
Matt Jones is a PhD student in Organizational Leadership at Purdue University, where he explores the intersection of creative problem-solving, cognitive diversity, agile strategy, and leadership training. As a recent Certified Master Facilitator in LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methods, Matt’s... Read More →
Wednesday June 25, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT

9:00am EDT

Wayfinding for Facilitators: Mastering the Art of Guiding Groups
Wednesday June 25, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT
All Aboard! Join us for a dynamic journey in our fun, hands-on facilitation session that will supercharge your skills and bring your sessions to life! Whether you’re teaching a class, leading a board meeting, guiding a strategic planning session, or simply communicating with your team, this highly interactive session will give you the tools, tips, and techniques you need to keep everyone engaged and energized. Along the way, we’ll make stops at practical exercises, engaging discussions, and real-world scenarios with real-time feedback, all designed to make facilitation feel less like a boring, highways-only road trip and more like an exciting, collaborative adventure. By the end of our journey, you’ll be ready to lead with confidence, spark creativity, and make every session a memorable experience!




Presenters
avatar for Thom Gonyeau

Thom Gonyeau

Co-owner, Mountain View Group, LTD.
Thom Gonyeau is a co-owner of Mountain View Group, a creative communications agency, and media production company, where he has worked for more than 35 years.Thom began his career as a producer and has held many positions at Mountain View from business development to Chief Operating... Read More →
avatar for Jessica Andrews-Wilson

Jessica Andrews-Wilson

Executive Director, GUIDE, Inc.
I am in love with all things CEF after my introduction to this work/CPS in 2021 thanks to Beth Miller. I have been using CPS techniques for ages without knowing it but now I have a framework and some terminology to go along with it! I have been facilitating with both youth and adults... Read More →
Wednesday June 25, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT

9:00am EDT

Snacks
Wednesday June 25, 2025 9:00am - 4:00pm EDT
Need a little something? Join us in the HUB (Caudell Hall) for some snacks, coffee and tea.
They'll be available each day - just drop in when you have chance.
Wednesday June 25, 2025 9:00am - 4:00pm EDT
Caudell Hall - Lobby

10:00am EDT

CPSI Pop-Up Bookstore
Wednesday June 25, 2025 10:00am - 4:00pm EDT
Stop by our pop-up bookstore and explore a curated collection of titles published by our very own CEF Press.
Everyone’s invited—leaders, attendees, and curious minds alike! Take a moment during your break to browse, grab a snack, and maybe even spark a conversation with a fellow creative thinker. There’s something for everyone!

Wednesday June 25, 2025 10:00am - 4:00pm EDT
Caudell Hall - Lobby

11:00am EDT

Lunch
Wednesday June 25, 2025 11:00am - 2:00pm EDT
12:00-1:00 Core CPS Track and YouthWise
12:30-1:30 Immersion Track

Join everyone at the Dining Hall for an array of meal options. Healthy, fun, and specialty diet options are available. Join a table of people you have not met yet and find your next best friend!
Wednesday June 25, 2025 11:00am - 2:00pm EDT
Campbell Student Union - Bengal Kitchen

1:30pm EDT

CPSIesta
Wednesday June 25, 2025 1:30pm - 2:00pm EDT
Every afternoon, treat yourself to short CPSIesta after lunch. Visit the bookstore in Caudell Hall, go for a walk outside, or go back to your room and decompress. How you use this mini midday break is up to you.
Wednesday June 25, 2025 1:30pm - 2:00pm EDT

1:30pm EDT

Let's Check In
Wednesday June 25, 2025 1:30pm - 2:00pm EDT
Let’s check in and reconnect. We’ll see where you are on your journey—and don’t forget to bring the notes you took during the Opening session!
Presenters
avatar for Anthony Billoni

Anthony Billoni

Owner, APEX Leader Growth
I have an MS from Center for Applied Imagination. I use CPS/Deliberate Creativity daily in live and in my consulting practice. I have been leading, volunteering and presenting at CPSI for 20+ years.
Wednesday June 25, 2025 1:30pm - 2:00pm EDT
Campbell Student Union - Fireside Lounge

2:00pm EDT

An Introduction to Polarity Thinking™ in Educational Leadership: How Does Changing Your Thinking Change Your Practice?
Wednesday June 25, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Founder of InsideOut Creativity, Katie Ravich and Polarity Thinking™ expert, Liz Monroe-Cook will introduce you to the powerful, creative process of leveraging polarities (dilemmas or paradoxes) specifically in educational settings. Using “both-and” thinking as a creative process within a wide variety of educational settings and within your teams has positive impacts on challenges found across the whole learning ecosystem.

Through collaborative discussion and hands-on processes we will apply Polarity Thinking to an important set of polarities educators work with every day. We will use a key tool of Barry Johnson’s Polarity Thinking, the Polarity Map®, in the workshop to explore a few key dilemmas in depth. To achieve our learning objectives, we will:
  • Map interdependent factors within education with attention to both creative thinking and emotional intelligence.
  • Explore the interdependent partnership of Polarity Thinking™ and Creative Problem-Solving (CPS).
  • Raise curiosity and flexible thinking about how to get the best from the common dilemmas in learning ecosystems.
If you are a curious-minded teacher or leader in formal or informal educational settings, this workshop will ignite both thinking and action—offering a fresh perspective on familiar challenges. We invite you to be both Challenged (and) Supported as you supplement your thinking to transform your practice.

Note: This workshop will focus on the application of Polarity Thinking™. If you are interested in a general introduction to Polarity Thinking, please see the double session workshop with Lindsay Burr and Liz Monroe-Cook earlier in the week.
Presenters
avatar for Liz Monroe-Cook

Liz Monroe-Cook

Owner, Monroe-Cook & Associates
As the only child of two very different parents, Liz was a natural for going into psychology and being drawn to any approach that calls for “both-and” thinking. Facilitating and presenting Polarity Thinking™ for the past 24 years has been important for her work in general and... Read More →
avatar for Katie Ravich

Katie Ravich

Creative Education Catalyst, Founder - InsideOut Creativity
Katie brings together creative strategy and learning design expertise for innovative solutions. She collaborates on project-based opportunities within educational organizations, integrating creativity into strategy to inspire transformational outcomes in teaching and learning... Read More →
Wednesday June 25, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

2:00pm EDT

Bind Your Life!
Wednesday June 25, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
How often do we have the chance to reflect on our lives? On what we have accomplished, what is important, and what may seem inconsequential. This workshop will give you the opportunity to pause for a few minutes and reconsider your journey so far. You'll be able to create a book using practical, seamless binding techniques (using only paper folds). This exercise will allow you to write, draw, and also bring printed photographs to include in your book. It provides you with the opportunity to share these moments in the workshop and later with others.
Presenters
avatar for Cynthia Villagómez Oviedo / México

Cynthia Villagómez Oviedo / México

Professor and researcher, Universidad de Guanajuato
A professor and researcher at Guanajuato University, Mexico since August 2002, she is the author of six books, several book chapters, and articles about Art, Digital Art, Creativity, and Design. From 2003 to 2021 she was the editor of the University of Guanajuato magazine Interiorgrafico... Read More →
Wednesday June 25, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

2:00pm EDT

Reflect, Engage, Inspire: Stretching Your Facilitation Toolbox
Wednesday June 25, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Dr. Kimberly Macuare

In this session, held at a local art museum (on or off campus), participants will engage in a series of hands-on contemplation activities designed to focus attention, deepen engagement, and enhance understanding. Using different modalities—writing, drawing, looking—you will explore how contemplative practices help build sustained attention skills and inspire inquiry and insight, revealing new ways of knowing. In addition to helping viewers develop deeper reflective practices around art viewing, participants will also consider how these activities could be used as part of their general facilitation toolbox.
Presenters
avatar for Kim Macuare, Ph.D

Kim Macuare, Ph.D

Director of Education and Co-Director of Innovation Labs, The Dali Museum
In her role as the lead program designer and facilitator for the Innovation Labs, Kim has helped many organizations—from non-profits to government entities to Fortune 100 companies—build their innovation capacities by developing creativity-focused mindsets and problem-solving... Read More →
Wednesday June 25, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Burchfield Penney Art Center
  Breakout Workshops

2:00pm EDT

The Neuroscience of Creativity
Wednesday June 25, 2025 2:00pm - 4:30pm EDT
Explore how neuroscience fuels creativity in this engaging, interactive workshop. You’ll uncover how key brain networks drive creative thinking and practice science-backed techniques like brainstorming with constraints and collaborative idea mapping to tackle challenges. Leave with actionable tools to spark innovation individually and within your teams.
Presenters
avatar for Haley Forest

Haley Forest

Innovation & Strategy Consultant, HCForest
Wednesday June 25, 2025 2:00pm - 4:30pm EDT

3:30pm EDT

Afternoon Break
Wednesday June 25, 2025 3:30pm - 4:00pm EDT
Join us in the Hub (Caudell Hall Lobby) and grab a quick drink and snack so you can recharge your batteries!

Wednesday June 25, 2025 3:30pm - 4:00pm EDT
Caudell Hall - Lobby

3:30pm EDT

Yoga Stretch
Wednesday June 25, 2025 3:30pm - 4:00pm EDT
Take a moment this afternoon to stretch your body and recharge. Join us outside on the green space for a chance to move, breathe, and connect.
Wednesday June 25, 2025 3:30pm - 4:00pm EDT
Perry Quad

4:00pm EDT

Art of the Decision
Wednesday June 25, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Anthony Billoni

Most people are looking for an edge in their decision-making. We spend time clarifying the challenges in our workplace and in our lives, developing ideas, and then planning for action only to find ourselves stalled or back at square one just a bit frustrated. Wouldn’t it be great if there existed a resource that would yield more novel and useful ideas than you could have ever imagined? Creativity expert and arts professional Anthony Billoni developed and tested a process that combines using a setting filled with original art with CPS tools that will guide you toward this treasure trove of new and useful ideas. By the end of the session you will have experienced art like never before.
Presenters
avatar for Anthony Billoni

Anthony Billoni

Owner, APEX Leader Growth
I have an MS from Center for Applied Imagination. I use CPS/Deliberate Creativity daily in live and in my consulting practice. I have been leading, volunteering and presenting at CPSI for 20+ years.
Wednesday June 25, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Burchfield Penney Art Center
  Breakout Workshops

4:00pm EDT

Exploring Pressure Through Play: Games that Expand Capacity & Strengthen Culture
Wednesday June 25, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Effective collaboration requires more than understanding tasks; it demands a deep awareness of team dynamics, communication preferences, and the shared processes that drive results. This interactive workshop introduces the art and science of Play Facilitation, equipping you to use tabletop games as part of engaging and meaningful team experiences that transform team learning and culture-building. Through hands-on play and guided reflection, you’ll discover how to leverage game mechanics to address common team dynamics, such as:

Building trust and a shared team identity.
Improving communication and collaboration.
Navigating difficult conversations about processes and expectations.

Avoid the pitfalls of “awkward, forced fun” and instead create environments that spark self-awareness, foster connection, and drive motivation. Whether you’re a leader, facilitator, or team coach, this session will provide you with practical tools and fresh ideas to expand your team’s capacity—and have fun while doing it!


Presenters
avatar for Alexandra Suchman

Alexandra Suchman

CEO and Co-founder, Barometer XP
Alexandra (Alex) Suchman is a DC-based play facilitator passionate about empowering leaders to create cultures where people are excited about their work and feel a strong sense of purpose and belonging. As CEO and co-founder of Barometer XP, she helps companies leverage the power... Read More →
Wednesday June 25, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT

4:00pm EDT

The Art of Stretching Your Brand Personality
Wednesday June 25, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Struggling to make your communications stand out? This session will help you uncover your brand's DNA and role in people’s lives, enabling you to express it in more extraordinary ways. Using proven brand archetyping tools, you'll leave with a unique brand personality and story to differentiate your future communications, whether you’re a solo-preneur, work inside of an organization, or want help defining your own personal brand.
Presenters
avatar for Amie Dowker

Amie Dowker

Illinois, United States, 360i
Wednesday June 25, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT

4:00pm EDT

The Power of Creative Climate: Leadership Tools for Innovation and Change
Wednesday June 25, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Whether you are leading a team or facilitating a group, how you behave creates a working climate. The question is, are you creating the right kind of climate, one that helps those you lead engage, solve problems creatively, and use their collective talent to better the team or company? During this session you will discover how the climate you create can turn your efforts toward innovation or stagnation; you will see how developing a creative climate leads to measurable business results; you will learn about nine dimensions of climate; and walk away with tools to help build climate and stretch groups to new levels of innovation and change.
Presenters
avatar for K. Brian Dorval

K. Brian Dorval

Co-Founder, Better Change Tools
K. Brian Dorval has spent 35+ years helping individuals, teams, and organizations significantly improve their personal performance and business results. Co-founder of Think First Serve Inc. and Better Change Tools, Brian has delivered hundreds of creativity, innovation, leadership... Read More →
avatar for Samantha Stead

Samantha Stead

Co-Founder, Better Change Tools
Sam has spent 25+ years leading and facilitating organizational change. Co-founder of Think First Serve Inc. and Better Change Tools, Sam has helped people in teams and organizations around the world think better, lead better, and work better together in pursuit of new ways to grow... Read More →
Wednesday June 25, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT

4:00pm EDT

Where Creativity Meets Fun: the Argentine Experience
Wednesday June 25, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Eduardo Kastika
Sofia Kastika

Techniques for generation and selection of ideas, explained in a simple way and combined with artificial intelligence (mind mapping, analogies, SCAMPER, and lateral thinking). We are going to explain how to apply these tools using a concrete example: Argentine “alfajores”. Everything is going to be shown with real-life examples, real and not widely known.
Presenters
avatar for Eduardo Kastika

Eduardo Kastika

CEO, Kastika & Asoc
I have been dedicated to creativity for 35 years.My first CPSI was in 1991.I write books, give conferences, advise companies.I play the piano.I live in Argentina.
avatar for Sofia Kastika

Sofia Kastika

Economist, Inter-American Development Bank
I’ve been coming to CPSI for as long as I can remember; it’s truly my favorite time of the year! I did +10 years of YouthWise, took part in the mentoring program, and enjoyed coming with my whole family, which is why I am incredibly excited to be back this year as a co-presenter.Besides... Read More →
Wednesday June 25, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT

4:00pm EDT

Dinner
Wednesday June 25, 2025 4:00pm - 7:00pm EDT
Wednesday June 25, 2025 4:00pm - 7:00pm EDT
Campbell Student Union - Bengal Kitchen

7:30pm EDT

Planetarium Experience
Wednesday June 25, 2025 7:30pm - 8:30pm EDT
The Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium at Buffalo State University is a state-of-the-art facility offering immersive educational and entertainment experiences in astronomy and beyond. Located within the Science and Mathematics Complex on campus, the planetarium features a 35-foot diameter dome and is equipped with advanced projection systems—including a Spitz SciDome 4K digital projector, a Zeiss ZKP4 opto-mechanical star projector, an AVI SkyLase laser system, and a 5.1 surround sound system—it provides audiences with captivating visual and auditory experiences.

This special CPSI experience is exclusively for registered conference attendees.
Wednesday June 25, 2025 7:30pm - 8:30pm EDT
Science and Math Complex - Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium

7:30pm EDT

Night Flights
Wednesday June 25, 2025 7:30pm - 9:30pm EDT
Night Flights present the opportunity for CPSI Leaders or Attendees to present new content or personal passions to the CPSI audience. Sessions are coordinated daily and updated daily.

If you are interested in presenting a Night Flight, look for a QR code at CPSI to complete a simple online form.
Wednesday June 25, 2025 7:30pm - 9:30pm EDT

8:30pm EDT

Planetarium Experience
Wednesday June 25, 2025 8:30pm - 9:30pm EDT
The Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium at Buffalo State University is a state-of-the-art facility offering immersive educational and entertainment experiences in astronomy and beyond. Located within the Science and Mathematics Complex on campus, the planetarium features a 35-foot diameter dome and is equipped with advanced projection systems—including a Spitz SciDome 4K digital projector, a Zeiss ZKP4 opto-mechanical star projector, an AVI SkyLase laser system, and a 5.1 surround sound system—it provides audiences with captivating visual and auditory experiences.

This special CPSI experience is exclusively for registered conference attendees.
Wednesday June 25, 2025 8:30pm - 9:30pm EDT
Science and Math Complex - Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium
 
Thursday, June 26
 

7:00am EDT

Starbucks®
Thursday June 26, 2025 7:00am - 2:00pm EDT
Fuel your creativity with your favorite Starbucks® treats—right here on campus during CPSI 2025: Stretch!
Please note: Starbucks food and beverages are not included in the CPSI meal plan and must be purchased separately.
Thursday June 26, 2025 7:00am - 2:00pm EDT
Butler Library -Starbucks

7:30am EDT

Breakfast
Thursday June 26, 2025 7:30am - 9:00am EDT
Start your day at CPSI with some delicious breakfast.  Sit with someone new or some old friends.  It's a great way to connect!
Thursday June 26, 2025 7:30am - 9:00am EDT
Campbell Student Union - Bengal Kitchen

7:30am EDT

Registration Open
Thursday June 26, 2025 7:30am - 9:00am EDT
Check in with Jamie and Rosie and receive your conference bag and name tag. Get any questions answered and decorate/customize your name tag with sharpies and stickers.
Thursday June 26, 2025 7:30am - 9:00am EDT
Caudell Hall - Lobby

8:30am EDT

CPS Level 1: Foundations of Creative Problem Solving
Thursday June 26, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT
If you are new to CPSI, Foundations of Creative Problem Solving is your fast track to a deliberate creativity process for solving problems and capitalizing on opportunities. You’ll learn the Creative Problem Solving (CPS) Process, the research-based gold standard of creativity methods, and be exposed to the FourSight framework, which can help you understand how you and your teammates approach challenges.

In an incredibly engaging format, your team of experienced facilitators will use hands-on activities, real-world examples, and a variety of divergent and convergent thinking tools to give you the skills you need to advance your personal and professional goals.

Foundations of Creative Problem Solving is the first of four skills-building courses in Creative Problem Solving. After completing all four CPS courses, you will deepen your ability to facilitate and train others in the CPS process, while also becoming eligible to be considered to lead CPS programs at future CPSIs!

In this course, you will:
• Recognize and overcome blocks to creativity.
• Identify attitudes and behaviors conducive to creative thinking.
• Apply core concepts of creative thinking.
• Use a variety of divergent and convergent thinking tools.
• Apply the CPS method to many simulated or real situations.
• Consciously be creative when facing problems and opportunities.

NOTE: You must attend your Core CPS Course all four mornings of the conference in order to complete this program. This core track is limited to 45 attendees. You must select Foundations of CPS when registering for CPSI to attend this track (selecting it here in Sched does not qualify as reserved spot).
Presenters
avatar for Rebecca VanDerveer

Rebecca VanDerveer

Certified Master Trainer, PI Midlantic/ The LAB Team
M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction | Certified Predictive Index Master Trainer | Psychological Safety Playbook Facilitator | Helps teams unlock potential through insight and action | Excited to return to CPSI to teach Foundations!
avatar for Shay Butler

Shay Butler

Programme Manager, Tangent Innovation, Trinity College Dublin
I am winging my way over to CPSI all the way from Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. I spend my time there managing and facilitating workshops in Design Thinking, Creative Problem-Solving, and more. Keen to get creativity out in the open to play! Desperate to help un-shackle people... Read More →
avatar for Jonathan Bannister

Jonathan Bannister

Founder, Make Happy
avatar for David Lunken

David Lunken

Principal, Cedarcroft Advisors
CPSI frequenter, Core Faculty, Talent Optimizer, Problem solver, Collaborator, Husband, father of 3 girls, triathlete, gardener, baker of sourdough before Covid
Thursday June 26, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT

8:30am EDT

CPS Level 2: Creative Problem Solving Tools
Thursday June 26, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT
*PREREQUISITE: Level 1: CPS Foundations at previous CPSI or FLCC. If you did not take Level 1 but have a solid understanding of the Osborne-Parnes Creative Problem Solving process, you must connect with CPSI Program Staff before being enrolled.

Level 2: Creative Problem Solving Tools is a natural stepping stone if you have previously taken Level 1: Foundations of CPS. This fast-paced course allows beginner to intermediate facilitators to go deeper into the CPS process, adding more facilitation tools to your repertoire.

You will gain a clear understanding of which tools to use at each stage of the CPS process, as well as how to modify them to fit your session objectives or add a bit of creative flair. You will have time to practice tools to gain real mastery of them. You will also learn a variety of energizers and fun grouping games to keep your sessions engaging and interactive. Learn through small- and large-group work, including round-robin sharing and show-and-tell exercises.

In this course, you will:

• Explore a variety of divergent and convergent tools for individual and group problem solving.
• Learn how and where to apply different tools within the CPS process.
• Practice facilitating tools.
• Discover how to use tools when you or your team are unable to progress or working in areas of low preference.

NOTE: You must attend your Core CPS Course all four mornings of the conference to complete this program and qualify for the credential assessment for CPS Level 2.
This core track is limited to 25 attendees. You must select Tools when registering for CPSI to attend this track (selecting it here in Sched does not qualify as reserved spot).

Presenters
avatar for Kristen Peterson

Kristen Peterson

Adjunct Instructor, Creativity & Change Leadership, SUNY Buffalo State University
Kristen Peterson is a master facilitator, trainer and organizational development consultant who specializes in the people skills organizations need to create growth through innovation. She brings a big dose of passion, energy, and infectious can-do mentality to her work as an Innovation... Read More →
Thursday June 26, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT

8:30am EDT

CPS Level 3: Creative Problem Solving Facilitation Techniques
Thursday June 26, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT
*PREREQUISITE: Level 1: Foundations of CPS and Level 2: Creative Problem Solving Tools at previous CPSI or FLCC. If you did not take Level 1 or 2 at CPSI/FLCC but have a solid understanding of the Osborne-Parnes Creative Problem Solving process and have experience with CPS tools, you must connect with CPSI Program Staff before being enrolled.

Level 3: Facilitating CPS
Facilitation skills are central to the effective use of CPS, whether in formal meetings or informal brainstorming sessions. This course is designed for those who already know the CPS process in theory and are ready to put it into action as a facilitator. This course uses peer-group practices to prepare participants for working with actual clients. Characteristics of successful facilitation will be identified and practiced, and you will develop an awareness of your own strengths and areas for development. In this course, you will:

•Review and internalize the CPS process through the lens of the facilitator.
•Experience CPS from several points of view – as a facilitator, as the problem-owner, and as part of the resource group.
•Understand how to facilitate each step of the CPS process.
•Receive general facilitation tips that enhance any meeting.
•Receive individual and group feedback on facilitation skills.
•Explore and develop your facilitation style.


Presenters
avatar for Anthony Billoni

Anthony Billoni

Owner, APEX Leader Growth
I have an MS from Center for Applied Imagination. I use CPS/Deliberate Creativity daily in live and in my consulting practice. I have been leading, volunteering and presenting at CPSI for 20+ years.
avatar for Kareth Middlemass

Kareth Middlemass

Innovation Director, Loblaw Companies Limited
Kareth Middlemass is an innovation director with Loblaw Companied Limited, Canada's largest food and drug retailer. She is responsible for identifying consumer trends, emerging needs and aspirations and leads their branded product innovation strategy. She brings clarity to the fuzzy... Read More →
Thursday June 26, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT

8:30am EDT

CPS Level 4: Advanced CPS Topics
Thursday June 26, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT
*PREREQUISITE: Level 1: Foundations of CPS at previous CPSI or FLCC. If you did not take Level 1 at CPSI or FLCC but have a solid understanding of the Osborne-Parnes Creative Problem Solving process, you must connect with CPSI Program Staff before being enrolled. PREFERRED: Completion of Level 2: Creative Problem Solving Tools and Level 3: Facilitating CPS. Registrants should have a solid understanding of CPS tools and facilitation skills.

This is a series of workshops being delivered by the senior faculty at the Center for Applied Imagination at Buffalo State University. While we recommend attending all four days for a coordinated experience, each day can be taken as a free-standing, individual experience. More information about each session can be found at cpsi2025.sched.com.

Day 4
Redefining Leadership: The Transformative Power of Creativity
Instructor: Dr. Gerard Puccio, State University of New Distinguished Professor and chair of the Center for Applied Imagination

In today’s volatile and fast-changing world, effective leadership demands more than just traditional management skills—it requires creativity. This workshop, grounded in the pioneering work of Dr. Gerard Puccio and his Creative Leadership: Skills that Drive Change, explores the vital intersection of creativity and leadership. Participants will examine the role of leaders as creative problem solvers, tasked with navigating complexity and ambiguity through imaginative thinking. Drawing from cutting-edge research, the session highlights how core creativity skills—especially divergent thinking—are strong predictors of leadership success. The workshop also considers global findings that identify creativity as the most valued leadership competency in the modern workplace. Through discussion, reflection, and interactive activities, participants will discover how to strengthen their own creative leadership capacity and foster it in others.

Key Learning Objectives:
  • Understand the concept of creative leadership and why it matters today
  • Recognize the leader’s role as a creative problem solver in complex environments
  • Explore the connection between divergent thinking and leadership effectiveness
  • Review global data and research underscoring creativity as a top leadership skill
  • Develop personal strategies to enhance creative leadership capacity


Thursday June 26, 2025 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT

8:30am EDT

YouthWise
Thursday June 26, 2025 8:30am - 5:30pm EDT
In YouthWise, kids will explore Creative Problem Solving through fun, hands-on activities, "field trips," and games. They will put their new and enhanced skills to work as a team, by creating and presenting a solution to a unique challenge.



Presenters
avatar for Kit Jones

Kit Jones

Mount Vernon CSD
I have an infinity for poetry and art. In addition I love working with the Girl Scouts and camping. Topics that get me going are books, ASL, and education.
avatar for Dee Alexander Langsenkamp

Dee Alexander Langsenkamp

YouthWise Coordinator, Dee Alexander Consulting
Super excited to be back at CPSI as YouthWise faculty again! After a long career in radio, TV, advertising and promotions, Dee earned her MS in Creative Studies and Change Leadership at the Center for Applied Imagination at SUNY Buffalo State. Dee loves nurturing kids’ creative... Read More →
avatar for Renee Paser-Paull

Renee Paser-Paull

President, Soaring Pathways
Renee is a professional facilitator, trainer and speaker, with a Master's Degree in Adult Learning. She has been attending CPSI continuously since 1999 and has been part of the YouthWise faculty since 2005 and has also led a number of general sessions. CPSI was instrumental in Renee’s... Read More →
Thursday June 26, 2025 8:30am - 5:30pm EDT
Campbell Student Union - Assembly Hall

9:00am EDT

Creative Connections
Thursday June 26, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT
This Immersion will be four experiences in one! Each day will focus on a different topic, yet they’re all connected by developing the creative person, the creative process, the creative culture, and a creative product. Creativity thrives with a multidimensional approach. This Immersion experience will explore various facets leading to enhanced creativity.

Day 4: Make Creativity Happen - Now! Stretch Yourself Further By Getting Stuff Done More Creatively, Effectively, and Efficiently
David Eyman, Faculty / Innovation Director, Miami University (Oxford, Ohio)

We get busy and often forget to create novelty. Instead, we often go with the flow and are left unsatisfied by the work we do or the relationships we share. I believe we can stretch ourselves to be more creative more often and have more satisfaction in life through creativity. People who get more done earn respect, trust, and promotions over those who say they’ll get to it eventually or obediently provide mediocre results as instructed or expected.
Get Stuff Done is a mindset affirmation to help you be yourself more often.

Key Takeaways:
Build your Creative Confidence
Set your Vision - Big vision and Micro vision...plan it, write it, make a plan
Spark your Entrepreneurial Hustle - learn how to get out of your own way

Presenters
avatar for Kathy Goller

Kathy Goller

Life & Leadership Coach, Facilitator & Presenter, Teal Horizon Coaching
Kathy Goller is a life and leadership coach who helps people who are stuck, stretched, or starting something new to live and work in a way that’s more purposeful and productive so that they can lead and serve others more generously. With 20+ years of personal and leadership development... Read More →
avatar for Terry Fulcher, BS, MS

Terry Fulcher, BS, MS

Lead Consultant, Resource-Ful One Consulting
Terry is an experienced healthcare leader, executive coach & team facilitator. Terry utilizes Appreciative Inquiry and Creativity based research as the basis for Strategic Planning work. Terry has provided executive coaching and organizational development experiences to healthcare... Read More →
avatar for Kim Marie McKernan, MBA, MS

Kim Marie McKernan, MBA, MS

Founder, Inspired Outcomes Now LLC
Kim is an international marketing leader, facilitator, and presenter. She left a career as a marketing executive at a 3 billion company to found her business, Inspired Outcomes Now, to help organizations be more positive, creative, and strategic. Over 125 organizations and individuals have leveraged her A Nu Way™ Branding and Co-Creating the Future processes to stand apart and design their desired future. With an MBA from SUNY at Buffalo, an MS in Creative... Read More →
avatar for David Eyman

David Eyman

Faculty and Innovation Director, Miami University, Oxford, OH
David Eyman believes more people should say yes to making life better through creativity. As an entrepreneur, innovation leader, and industrial designer, David Eyman brings thirty years of creative experience to his teaching at Miami University. As a catalyst, his expertise lies in... Read More →
Thursday June 26, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT

9:00am EDT

How to Write a Book
Thursday June 26, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT
It has been said that everyone has a book inside them. This workshop helps prospective book authors take the first steps toward getting that book OUTSIDE. This workshop is for anyone who has wanted to write a book, but hasn't been able to get it done, or even get it started; anyone who feels that they need to write a book, for career or personal reasons; and anyone who just wants to know what it takes to get a book written and published. The lessons here apply to any type of book-length manuscript: novel, memoir, poetry or essay collection, business or self-help book.

Three Takeaways:
1. Explore WHY you might want to write a book, and WHY you have been finding it
difficult to get it started or get it done.
2. Identify WHAT books you should write and who it’s for.
3. Learn HOW to actually get the book written, and HOW you might get it published.




Presenters
avatar for Paul Reali

Paul Reali

Executive Director, Charlotte Lit
Paul Reali is co-founder of Charlotte Lit, a nonprofit literary arts center in Charlotte, NC, and is a lead for its Authors Lab book-writing program. He is co-author of "Creativity Rising", which is used in introductory creativity classes at colleges worldwide. He won the 2023 Doris... Read More →
Thursday June 26, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT

9:00am EDT

Leading Change with Agility, Versatility, and Creativity
Thursday June 26, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT
In this dynamic series, we will explore the integration of Creative Problem Solving (CPS) with other problem solving approaches such as design thinking and agile to enhance innovation. Participants will explore how CPS underpins these processes, and how to view the collaborative process through a series of diagnostic filters. The session challenges the myth of linear workflows, emphasizing the iterative and turbulent nature of innovation. Through engaging activities and reflective exercises, attendees will identify personal strengths and areas for growth in their collaboration approach that align with the non-linear demands of creative leadership.

Participants will:
  • Identify personal strengths and areas for growth in your collaboration approach that align with the non-linear demands of creative leadership
  • Visualize where you and your team spend the most time in collaboration
  • Learn how to map your team’s project and use diagnostic filters to identify blind spots and ways to enhance innovation


Presenters
avatar for Michael Ackerbauer

Michael Ackerbauer

Cognitive Sherpa | Certified Rock Balancer, IBM
see bio here: https://twitter.com/RobertDowneyJr
Thursday June 26, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT

9:00am EDT

Playology: What’s Your Next Strategic Play?
Thursday June 26, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT
Why is Adult Play so important? How we play is directly linked to how we learn, think, work, feel, perform, and interact with others. What you learn in play you remember for life!

This immersion program includes everything you need for your one-stop facilitator play chest! We have strategically blended Jump into LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methods, Playsonality™ Assessment, What the Duck, and LSP 3D Diagnostic Cards into one complete 14-hour program:
Day One: The Power of Play & LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methods
Day Two: Playsonality™ Assessment
Day Three: Now What the Duck Activities
Day Four: 3D Diagnostic Cards and

If you are looking for a new way to engage with your team and you want to add more fun to your work or workplace culture, this session is designed for you. This is a facilitated thinking & communications technique. Our Playology program draws on extensive research from the field of business, organization development, psychology, and learning. Using hand-brain knowledge, we will share the processes that help individuals and teams surface information, explore ideas, create better options, develop deeper knowledge, and identify solutions faster with 100% engagement. And yes, we have corporate, community, and education examples with case studies.

You will walk away with new insights about the power of play and how we all use play daily, and multiple new tools that you can use immediately to improve individual and team performance, while adding more play to corporate culture.

Are you looking for a session which will:
1. Unpack the value of play at work and discover the ROI of play
2. Access the Playsonality© app to decode your facilitator play style
3. Conduct a deep dive into how play formulates our identity
4. Discover new ways to stimulate powerful conversations
5. Supplement your creative program with engaging activities that people will remember
6. Gain new tools and techniques for your facilitator’s play chest
7. Explore how play paves the way to the flow zone where we do our best thinking

Learning Objectives:
-Add LEGO® bricks and directives to your workshops to improve engagement;
-Apply the five-step processes to improve communication;
-Identify when PLAY can be most useful;
-Supplement your creative program with the playstyles assessments;
-Avoid conversational roundabouts;
-Use flow theory and underlying neuroscience principles that make this so powerful and memorable.
-Facilitate and explore ideas on a deeper level using a play chest of new tools.

Let’s get ready to PLAY!


Presenters
avatar for Matt Jones

Matt Jones

Ph.D. student, Organizational Leadership, Purdue University
Matt Jones is a PhD student in Organizational Leadership at Purdue University, where he explores the intersection of creative problem-solving, cognitive diversity, agile strategy, and leadership training. As a recent Certified Master Facilitator in LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methods, Matt’s... Read More →
avatar for Laura Rentas

Laura Rentas

Laura is a gifted storyteller and trainer with over two decades of success in strategic communications, public relations, and corporate affairs. As a Licensed Trainer in LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methods, Laura’s work combines play with serious work. She excels in building engagement... Read More →
Thursday June 26, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT

9:00am EDT

Wayfinding for Facilitators: Mastering the Art of Guiding Groups
Thursday June 26, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT
All Aboard! Join us for a dynamic journey in our fun, hands-on facilitation session that will supercharge your skills and bring your sessions to life! Whether you’re teaching a class, leading a board meeting, guiding a strategic planning session, or simply communicating with your team, this highly interactive session will give you the tools, tips, and techniques you need to keep everyone engaged and energized. Along the way, we’ll make stops at practical exercises, engaging discussions, and real-world scenarios with real-time feedback, all designed to make facilitation feel less like a boring, highways-only road trip and more like an exciting, collaborative adventure. By the end of our journey, you’ll be ready to lead with confidence, spark creativity, and make every session a memorable experience!




Presenters
avatar for Jessica Andrews-Wilson

Jessica Andrews-Wilson

Executive Director, GUIDE, Inc.
I am in love with all things CEF after my introduction to this work/CPS in 2021 thanks to Beth Miller. I have been using CPS techniques for ages without knowing it but now I have a framework and some terminology to go along with it! I have been facilitating with both youth and adults... Read More →
avatar for Thom Gonyeau

Thom Gonyeau

Co-owner, Mountain View Group, LTD.
Thom Gonyeau is a co-owner of Mountain View Group, a creative communications agency, and media production company, where he has worked for more than 35 years.Thom began his career as a producer and has held many positions at Mountain View from business development to Chief Operating... Read More →
Thursday June 26, 2025 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT

9:00am EDT

Snacks
Thursday June 26, 2025 9:00am - 4:00pm EDT
Need a little something? Join us in the HUB (Caudell Hall) for some snacks, coffee and tea.
They'll be available each day - just drop in when you have chance.
Thursday June 26, 2025 9:00am - 4:00pm EDT
Caudell Hall - Lobby

10:00am EDT

CPSI Pop-Up Bookstore
Thursday June 26, 2025 10:00am - 4:00pm EDT
Stop by our pop-up bookstore and explore a curated collection of titles published by our very own CEF Press.
Everyone’s invited—leaders, attendees, and curious minds alike! Take a moment during your break to browse, grab a snack, and maybe even spark a conversation with a fellow creative thinker. There’s something for everyone!

Thursday June 26, 2025 10:00am - 4:00pm EDT
Caudell Hall - Lobby

11:00am EDT

Lunch
Thursday June 26, 2025 11:00am - 2:00pm EDT
12:00-1:00 Core CPS Track and YouthWise
12:30-1:30 Immersion Track

Join everyone at the Dining Hall for an array of meal options. Healthy, fun, and specialty diet options are available. Join a table of people you have not met yet and find your next best friend!
Thursday June 26, 2025 11:00am - 2:00pm EDT
Campbell Student Union - Bengal Kitchen

1:30pm EDT

CPSIesta
Thursday June 26, 2025 1:30pm - 2:00pm EDT
Every afternoon, treat yourself to short CPSIesta after lunch. Visit the bookstore in Caudell Hall, go for a walk outside, or go back to your room and decompress. How you use this mini midday break is up to you.
Thursday June 26, 2025 1:30pm - 2:00pm EDT

2:00pm EDT

Beyond Bubble Baths: A Self-Care Shift from Vanity to Sanity
Thursday June 26, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
We all know self-care is important, but finding time for it often feels impossible. In this session, we'll break down the myths around "self-care" and dive into the essential elements of rest, renewal, and review—and why each one is crucial for keeping our creativity and energy flowing. Using creative problem solving tools, you’ll develop personalized strategies that actually fit into your life, so you can recharge, reignite your creativity, and avoid burnout.
Presenters
avatar for Kathy Goller

Kathy Goller

Life & Leadership Coach, Facilitator & Presenter, Teal Horizon Coaching
Kathy Goller is a life and leadership coach who helps people who are stuck, stretched, or starting something new to live and work in a way that’s more purposeful and productive so that they can lead and serve others more generously. With 20+ years of personal and leadership development... Read More →
Thursday June 26, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

2:00pm EDT

Creating Time
Thursday June 26, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
What if you could create time — what would you do with it? Time is the stuff your life is made of, the most precious commodity you have, and the only one you can’t create more of—or can you? In this session you will create time where there was no time, so that you have more time to create.
Presenters
avatar for Paul Reali

Paul Reali

Executive Director, Charlotte Lit
Paul Reali is co-founder of Charlotte Lit, a nonprofit literary arts center in Charlotte, NC, and is a lead for its Authors Lab book-writing program. He is co-author of "Creativity Rising", which is used in introductory creativity classes at colleges worldwide. He won the 2023 Doris... Read More →
Thursday June 26, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

2:00pm EDT

Creative Ways of Dealing With Difficult People...and Looking Forward to It! The Positive Messages These People Bring to our Lives
Thursday June 26, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Steve Shama

If you are a member of a committee, head of a business or organization or simply a person who has difficult people in your life, like a colleague, friend, family member, who are e.g. angry, controlling, demanding, this course is for you. You'll experience creative ways of dealing with difficult people so you make peace not war. Bring your difficult people scenarios and we’ll generate, thru role playing, many powerful and practical approaches to solving these frustrating situations and you'll leave with a time-tested handout of tools and techniques, in a session that will be filled with humor and poignant moments.
Presenters
avatar for Steve Shama

Steve Shama

Retired, JoyWorks
Steve is a retired physician and a proud 25 year member of the CPSI and the creativity community, giving  many sessions at CPSI and Mindcamp. He's a full time professional speaker,  engaging audiences on topics dear to his heart…endearing communications, empathic connections between... Read More →
Thursday June 26, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

2:00pm EDT

Hello Fellow CPSIcians (sipSISHinz)! Is Your Mind Abuzz with Ideas? Let's do something about them!
Thursday June 26, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Jen Verbakel

After an enlightening and stimulating conference, participants have the chance to give themselves the gift of time for pausing and reflecting, so they can be more effective at implementing change when they get home. This workshop serves as an opportunity for participants to consider what they've learned and how they will implement their new ideas. This session will incorporate collaboration, mindfulness, reflection, and planning.
Presenters
avatar for Jen Verbakel

Jen Verbakel

Owner, The Art of Amateurity
Jen is a doodler, a creative dabbler, and a sewing gal! She is also a certified Kaizen Muse Creativity Coach. She believes that creativity helps people take up their own unique space, and she is working towards embodying that presence as well. She loves to chat about creative... Read More →
Thursday June 26, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

2:00pm EDT

Think Neighborly: Using CPS Basics to Build Community
Thursday June 26, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
MaryEllyn Vicksta
Cheryl Nee-Gieringer

This session explores how core practices of creative problem solving such as deferred judgement, listening generously, and assumption reversals provide a natural antidote to prevailing divisiveness and polarization. It then looks at how these tools can be used to revitalize civil discourse and even create opportunities for constructive conversation.
Presenters
avatar for Cheryl Nee Gieringer

Cheryl Nee Gieringer

Citizen Project Coordinator, SAGE
I've attended and facilitated core, immersion, spark, and 90-minutes sessions at CPSI and even Youth-wise a couple of decades ago.
avatar for Mary Ellyn Vicksta

Mary Ellyn Vicksta

Founder, Vicksta Innovative Practices, LLC
Mary Ellyn started taking photos with her own camera when she was 10.  Since then, she’s explored photography in college classes, photo workshops in wonderful parts of the US and creative expression-focused workshops in Canada.  She’s devoted to taking at least one photo a day... Read More →
Thursday June 26, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

3:30pm EDT

Afternoon Break
Thursday June 26, 2025 3:30pm - 4:00pm EDT
Join us in the Hub (Caudell Hall Lobby) and grab a quick drink and snack so you can recharge your batteries!

Thursday June 26, 2025 3:30pm - 4:00pm EDT
Caudell Hall - Lobby

4:00pm EDT

CPSI Conference Closing
Thursday June 26, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
All good things must come to an end—but at CPSI, the Closing Celebration is just the beginning of what’s next. Join us as we reflect on our shared experience, explore ways to stay connected, and discover how to keep stretching, growing, and creating beyond the conference.
Presenters
avatar for Jessica Andrews-Wilson

Jessica Andrews-Wilson

Executive Director, GUIDE, Inc.
I am in love with all things CEF after my introduction to this work/CPS in 2021 thanks to Beth Miller. I have been using CPS techniques for ages without knowing it but now I have a framework and some terminology to go along with it! I have been facilitating with both youth and adults... Read More →
avatar for Anthony Billoni

Anthony Billoni

Owner, APEX Leader Growth
I have an MS from Center for Applied Imagination. I use CPS/Deliberate Creativity daily in live and in my consulting practice. I have been leading, volunteering and presenting at CPSI for 20+ years.
CEF Staff and Wings
avatar for Beth Miller

Beth Miller

Executive Director, Creative Education Foundation
Beth is a 20+ year nonprofit leader who is passionate about history, education, leadership, and creativity.  As the Executive Director of the Creative Education Foundation (CEF), she has grown and professionalized all contributed and earned revenue streams including the development... Read More →
Thursday June 26, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Ciminelli Recital Hall - Ciminelli Recital Hall

5:00pm EDT

Closing Dinner
Thursday June 26, 2025 5:00pm - 7:00pm EDT
Enjoy our farewell dinner at CPSI 2025.
Thursday June 26, 2025 5:00pm - 7:00pm EDT
Campbell Student Union - Bengal Kitchen
 
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