Florida Creativity Conference 2025: Full Schedule

10:00am EDT

Play Your Way To Success

Thursday March 13, 2025 10:00am - 11:30am EDT

Participants will use LEGO bricks to build 3D models. They are asked to 'build' based on a question they are asked (Build a model where you feel your creativity shines) 2) They share their model (This provides them with story telling confidence and allows others to get to know them - find commonalities/differences) 3) Reflect - participants reflect on the experience, their learnings etc. Depending on the number of participants we will be able to get through 2-3 questions. A final question in each workshop is to build "one action they will take away and apply to their work/life."

Key Takeaways:

Confidence (in their ability to share)
Story Telling (ability to use alternative methods for sharing their thoughts)
Awareness (through a tactile exercise they can learn something about themselves and others for which a question may not uncover or unlock)

Speakers

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 →

Thursday March 13, 2025 10:00am - 11:30am EDT
Room 218

Breakout Workshops, Inetermediate

By Track Communication, Play, Self-Reflection, Creativity, Facilitation

1:00pm EDT

Probe the Power of Play and Paradox

Thursday March 13, 2025 1:00pm - 2:30pm EDT

Room 218

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Do you ever get stuck when deliberate creativity bumps up against reality? Do you know why? In this discovery-focused workshop, you'll combine to powerful strategies to gain insights into yourself and the creative process. You'll start with the Playmobil ProPlay™ method--a way to invoke that magical mindset that allows you to see and say things through play that are often difficult to express through words alone. Next, you'll apply Polarity Thinking™, the both/and approach that enables you to understand and leverage the normal tension of interdependent truths (for example, Focus on the Team AND focus on the individual) to shatter the most common barriers to truly productive problem solving.

Key Takeaways:

Explore ProPlay™ as a tool for understanding the key forces that can both constrain and liberate your thinking
Discover basic Polarity Thinking™ principles and explore at least one creativity polarity that is important for you
Challenge yourself to think about specific applications of these insights for those you lead, facilitate, and work with

Speakers

Tim Hurson

Consultant and Facilitator

In third grade, Tim spread pasted sheets of paper, sticky-side up, on his classroom floor. He was thrilled with the results. Not much has changed, though he now focuses on more productive activities as an innovation consultant and facilitator for businesses and social purpose start-ups... Read More →

Thursday March 13, 2025 1:00pm - 2:30pm EDT
Room 218

Breakout Workshops, Inetermediate

By Track Play, CPS Tools, Facilitation, Communication

4:30pm EDT

Using the Enneagram to Facilitate Creative Growth

Thursday March 13, 2025 4:30pm - 6:00pm EDT

Room 215

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This will be an engaging workshop that invites participants to explore the both the strengths and challenges of their personality style and learn ways to maximize the creative flow in themselves and others by thinking critically, engaging empathy, and acting mindfully. Attendees will learn about Enneagram personality styles, wings, subtypes, and patterns of thinking, feeling, and doing when in stress and when at our best that either hinder or support creativity and growth. They will collaboratively create action plans based on personality styles to help them move through their creative blocks.

Key Takeaways:

A deep dive into multiple ways to utilize the Enneagram to support their creative growth.
Ideas for how to facilitate creativity of others based on different personality styles.
Links for free resources to support their continued creative growth using the Enneagram.

Speakers

Dr. Helene Robinson

Director of Critical & Creative Design Thinking Program, University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee Campus

Thursday March 13, 2025 4:30pm - 6:00pm EDT
Room 215

Breakout Workshops, Inetermediate

By Track Creativity, Self-Reflection, Facilitation

9:00am EDT

The Neuroscience of Creativity

Friday March 14, 2025 9:00am - 10:30am EDT

Room 218

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Unleash the power of your brain to supercharge creativity and innovation! In this hands-on session, you’ll explore the neuroscience of creativity, learning how key brain networks like the Default Mode, Executive Control, and Salience Networks fuel your best ideas. Gain practical tools to overcome creative blocks, enhance problem-solving, and inspire innovation in yourself and your teams, all while collaborating in a dynamic and inspiring environment.

Key Takeaways:

Practical Neuroscience Tools: Understand how to leverage brain networks to enhance creative thinking and problem-solving, with actionable techniques to apply immediately
Overcome Creative Blocks: Learn strategies to break through mental barriers and ignite new ideas, helping you and your team stay innovative in any environment
Inspire Innovation in Teams: Gain insights into fostering a creative culture within your organization, using neuroscience-based methods to inspire collaboration and fresh solutions

Speakers

Haley Forest

Consultant, HCForest

Haley Forest is a seasoned strategist and international consultant with a deep focus on innovation, leadership, and behavioral science. Currently pursuing a PsyD in Leadership Psychology with a concentration in Neuroleadership at William James College, Haley merges her extensive background... Read More →

Friday March 14, 2025 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
Room 218

Breakout Workshops, Advanced

By Track CPS Tools, Facilitation, Communication

1:00pm EDT

Pause and Ponder: Enhancing Focus through Guided Contemplation

Friday March 14, 2025 1:00pm - 2:30pm EDT

Room 218

Feedback Survey

In this session, 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.

Key Takeaways:

Learn the basics of contemplative pedagogy.
Engage in several deep encounters with works of art.
Gain a few new tools for your facilitation practice.

Speakers

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 →

Friday March 14, 2025 1:00pm - 2:30pm EDT
Room 218

Breakout Workshops, Intermediate

By Track Creativity, Self-Reflection, Facilitation

4:30pm EDT

AI & CPS: Powering Up Creative Problem-Solving

Friday March 14, 2025 4:30pm - 6:00pm EDT

Room 218

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Welcome to a fresh look at how Artificial Intelligence could become a powerful partner in Creative Problem-Solving! This session will give you an engaging overview of AI’s potential to streamline effort, speed up results, and even enhance the CPS experience. Together, we'll brainstorm, explore, tinker and discuss how AI can both open doors and raise questions, all while keeping our focus on the ways it can improve our ability to support ourselves and our clients.

Key Takeaways:

A fun, friendly look at where we are now with AI integrations as of March 2025.
How AI might impact the CPS process in practical and surprising ways.
Strategies to embrace AI’s potential in CPS while being mindful of any potential pitfalls.

Speakers

Bradford Partridge

Chief Goaling Officer, Goaling Places LLC

A certified life coach and creator of The Goaling Method, Brad Partridge specializing in CPS, Career and Goal Coaching.Brad has worked in corporate partnership management, sales, marketing, and consulting within the theme park (3), media (TV, radio, print and online), pro sports... Read More →

Kristen Petersen

Adjunct Professor, 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 →

Friday March 14, 2025 4:30pm - 6:00pm EDT
Room 218

Breakout Workshops, Advanced

By Track CPS Tools, Creativity, Facilitation, AI

1:00pm EDT

Don’t Sleep on Networking: An Ice Water Cocktail Party

Saturday March 15, 2025 1:00pm - 2:30pm EDT

Room 218

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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

Speakers

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 →

Saturday March 15, 2025 1:00pm - 2:30pm EDT
Room 218

Breakout Workshops, Beginner

By Track Facilitation, Communication, Self-Reflection, Networking

3:00pm EDT

An Adventure in Creative Problem Solving – Join the Quest!

Saturday March 15, 2025 3:00pm - 4:30pm EDT

Room 214

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This engaging session brings the Creative Problem Solving (CPS) process to life through the educational strategy of gamification. Teachers and Trainers will embark on a creative adventure, guided by four problem-solving experts: The Detective (Clarifying the Problem), The Idea Engineer (Ideation), The Quality Control Solution Inspector (Develop), and The Trailblazer (Implement). As participants navigate each challenge presented, they will sharpen their communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and the creative problem-solving skills.

Key Takeaways:

By experiencing the educational strategy of gamification firsthand, educators/trainers will learn how to apply it to design more engaging, effective, and fun lessons/ training sessions.
Participants will deepen their understanding of the CPS process and the Creative Thinking Skills involved as they progress through each step of the gamification /simulation as they collaborate to solve the “Climate Quicksand Challenge.”
Educators will learn strategies to integrate the Creative Problem Solving process into their classroom curriculum and training sessions.

Speakers

Kathy Frazier

Gifted Education and Creativity Specialist, Touching the Future Today LLC

Kathy Frazier, M.A., EDS, is a gifted education specialist at Orange City Schools, Ohio, and co-founder of Touching the Future Today LLC, which provides professional development for K-12 teachers. She holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education, an Educational... Read More →

Saturday March 15, 2025 3:00pm - 4:30pm EDT
Room 214

Breakout Workshops, Intermediate

By Track CPS Tools, Creativity, Self-Reflection, Facilitation

3:00pm EDT

Picture this: Graphic facilitation for the Artistically Apprehensive

Saturday March 15, 2025 3:00pm - 4:30pm EDT

Room 218

Feedback Survey

In this workshop, we will gain a better understanding of why we doodle, demonstrate the potential of drawing as a communicative medium, and learn how to draw ten (or more!) new symbols you can begin to use right away. Whether you are taking a brave first step into the world of doodling or simply looking to add a new creative tool to your facilitation toolbox, this workshop offers practical techniques for all skill levels. No experience necessary!

Key Takeaways:

Demystify the art of graphic facilitation (it’s easy, anyone can do it!)
Demonstrate the benefits of graphic facilitation (or adding doodles to your note-taking)
Teach/Equip participants with a toolbox of basic doodles they can use all the time

Speakers

Rachel Taylor

Director of Innovative Programming, Lindsey Meyer Teen Institute, a program of Partners in Prevention

Rachel is a proud product of the Lindsey Meyer Teen Institute (Alumni ’09)! They have been a full-time staff member with LMTI & PIP since 2016 and are currently supervising the LMTI department. She is a Board-Certified Music Therapist and holds a Bachelor’s in Music Therapy as... Read More →

Mark Bylancik

Chief Administrative Officer, Partners In Prevention

Mark holds a B.A. in Contemporary Arts: Professional Communication from Ramapo College and an M.A. in Public and Organizational Relations from Montclair State University. In his spare time he teaches public speaking at MSU, enjoys movies and games, and spends time at home with his... Read More →

Saturday March 15, 2025 3:00pm - 4:30pm EDT
Room 218

Breakout Workshops, Beginner

By Track Facilitation, CPS Tools, Creativity