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Wednesday, June 17
 

7:00am EDT

Breakfast
Wednesday June 17, 2026 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!
Wednesday June 17, 2026 7:00am - 9:30am EDT
Campbell Student Union - Bengal Kitchen

8:30am EDT

CPS Level 1: Foundations of Creative Problem Solving
Wednesday June 17, 2026 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 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 →
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
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!
... Read More →
Wednesday June 17, 2026 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT
Caudell Hall - Room 208

8:30am EDT

CPS Level 2: Creative Problem Solving Tools
Wednesday June 17, 2026 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 Annemarie Boss

Annemarie Boss

Innovation Facilitator, Boss Collaborative
Annemarie Boss is a dynamic facilitator and strategic partner—equal parts co-creator and trusted guide for teams navigating complexity. As the founder of Boss Collaborative, she designs and facilitates transformative experiences that spark insight, deepen connection, and unlock... Read More →
avatar for Najja Bouldin

Najja Bouldin

Najja is the founding consultant at Phoenix Innovation Group, LLC, Buffalo, New York, where he serves consumers with awe-inspiring motivational speaking, life-changing performance coaching, as well as teaching and training creative leadership and the Creative Problem Solving process... Read More →
Wednesday June 17, 2026 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT
Chase Hall - Room 215

8:30am EDT

CPS Level 3: Creative Problem Solving Facilitation Techniques
Wednesday June 17, 2026 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.
CEF Staff and Wings
avatar for Ray Paull

Ray Paull

Fisheries Biologist
Ray is a lifelong practitioner of Creative Problem Solving, having grown up in and around the creative community. Introduced to CPS at birth and CPSI at age six by his mom, Renee Paser-Paull, he has been attending ever since. Now attending his 19th CPSI conference, Ray is a core workshop... Read More →
Wednesday June 17, 2026 8:30am - 12:00pm EDT
Caudell Hall - Room 234

8:30am EDT

YouthWise
Wednesday June 17, 2026 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 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 →
Wednesday June 17, 2026 8:30am - 5:30pm EDT
Campbell Student Union - Assembly Hall

9:00am EDT

Advanced CPS Tools and Organizational Creative Change
Wednesday June 17, 2026 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT
This Immersion is designed for experienced CPS practitioners ready to deepen their impact in organizations. Day 1, Tools Off the Beaten Path, explores underutilized convergent tools to strengthen decision-making and group alignment. Days 2-4, Leading Change with Agility, Versatility, and Creativity, focus on what teams create (product), the environments they work in (place), and the people and processes that shape collaboration. Through hands-on application and real-world challenges, participants will learn to diagnose team dynamics, recognize conditions that support creativity, and apply CPS as a unifying engine across ways of working. This is a practical, interactive experience for leading creative work that delivers results.

Days 2 - 4: Leading Change with Agility, Versatility, and Creativity - Michael Ackerbauer, PhD, and Christa Heydt-Hernandez
Every organization has a rhythm. Some teams find it and produce work they didn't know was possible. Others grind against each other and call it culture. The difference isn't luck — it's whether leaders can read the signals their teams are already sending and respond with the right move at the right time. This three-day immersion adapts a three-week graduate course into a hands-on practitioner experience. Across three 3.5-hour sessions, we'll work the creative systems that shape what gets built, where creativity can breathe, and how people actually collaborate when the work gets hard. Day 2 opens with the product of creativity: what we're here to make, how innovation actually happens in organizations, and why most change efforts stall before they start. Day 3 turns to place: the climate, culture, and psychological conditions that either invite creative work or quietly shut it down. Day 4 lands on the person and process: how cognitive preferences, emotional intelligence, and creative problem solving become the substrate underneath agile, design thinking, and every other framework you're already using. You'll leave able to:
  • Diagnose where your team spends its collaborative energy, and where it doesn't
  • Recognize the climate signals that predict creative outcomes before they appear in results
  • Apply Creative Problem Solving as the integrative engine beneath your existing ways of working
  • Bring a challenge from your own context. We'll work it together.



  • Presenters
    avatar for Mike Ackerbauer

    Mike Ackerbauer

    Certified Rock Balancer, Ackerbauer Labs | Buffalo State University
    Mike Ackerbauer (Macker) spent over 25 years at IBM leading technology and change leadership initiatives across dozens of organizations and industries. He now leads Ackerbauer Laboratories, a 3rd-generation consultancy specializing in organizational culture, change leadership, and... Read More →
    avatar for Christa Heydt-Hernandez

    Christa Heydt-Hernandez

    Founder and Principle Consultant, Idea Alchemy
    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 →
    Wednesday June 17, 2026 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT
    Butler Library - Alex F. Osborn Brainstorming Center

    9:00am EDT

    Elevate Your Facilitation Toolbox: Playful Tools and Real-World Practice
    Wednesday June 17, 2026 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT
    Step into a high-energy, hands-on series designed to expand both your creative skillset and your facilitation toolbox. Through playful methods and real-time practice, participants will build practical tools while strengthening their ability to guide groups with confidence, presence, and flow. Experience what it means to learn by doing as you explore approaches that spark collaboration, deepen thinking, and elevate group outcomes.

    Day 3 (Wed): Master the Inside Moves of CPS Facilitation 
    Dr. Roger Firestien
    You know the CPS process. But here’s the real question…Can you move through it with ease, confidence, and flow? Too often, facilitation feels harder than it should. Transitions get clunky. Energy drops. You find yourself working too hard—before, during, and after the session. It doesn’t have to be that way. In this highly interactive workshop, you’ll learn the inside moves that experienced facilitators use to make CPS sessions feel natural, focused, and powerful. These are the subtle shifts—the ones that don’t always show up in the model—but make all the difference in real time. We’ll work on your real challenges. You’ll practice in the moment. And you’ll leave with approaches you can use immediately. Whether you’re just getting started or have years of experience, this session will help you step into a new level of facilitation—one where you’re more relaxed, more precise, and far more effective.


    In this workshop, you will:

    • Draw on Roger Firestien’s 48+ years of real-world CPS facilitation experience across hundreds of settings
    • Learn how to move smoothly and confidently from one stage to the next
    • Discover how to talk less—and accomplish more
    • Practice practical, all-purpose CPS techniques that work again and again
    • Get free access to 20 step-by-step facilitation videos
    • Get 20 ready-to-use CPS worksheets for your professional work.

    If you want your sessions to flow…
    If you want better results with less strain…
    If you want to truly master the art of facilitation…
    This session will show you how.

    Presenters
    avatar for Roger Firestien

    Roger Firestien

    Associate Professor Emeritus, Buffalo State University
    Dr. Roger Firestien has presented programs on innovation to over 600 organizations around the world including: fortune 500 corporations, government agencies, universities, associations, hospitals and religious institutions.
    His expert views on creativity have been covered in Fast ... Read More →
    Wednesday June 17, 2026 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT

    9:00am EDT

    Head, Heart, and How: The Practice of Creative Change
    Wednesday June 17, 2026 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT
    This week of programming explores the shared foundation of Creative Problem Solving (CPS), coaching skills, and affective skills: each shaping how people think, connect, and create change. You’ll begin the week with A Creative Coach’s Toolbox, building practical coaching tools that bring the CPS process to life in real conversations. The second half of the week focuses on The Head and Heart of Innovation: Affective Skills of CPS, where you'll deepen your awareness of the emotional and mental conditions that influence every stage of thinking. Together, these elements reveal a powerful truth: effective creativity and innovation isn’t just about process, but about how we show up within it. By the end of the week, you’ll be equipped to guide both the path of ideas and the human experience that fuels them.

     
    Part 2 (Wednesday - Thursday): 
    The Head and Heart of Innovation: Affective Skills of CPS - Jessica Andrews-Wilson and Kim Macuare
    Whether you’re a pro at using the Creative Problem Solving process or this is the first time you’re hearing of it, this session will give you a chance to explore some of the CPS skills with a new lens! Put on your rose-colored glasses, tap into your biggest dreams, and join us to explore some of the emotions that influence our thinking and how that shows up as we clarify, ideate, develop, and implement!

    Presenters
    avatar for Jessica Andrews-Wilson

    Jessica Andrews-Wilson

    Conference & Training Consultant, Creative Education Foundation
    Jessica Andrews-Wilson currently serves Creative Education Foundation as a Conference & Training Consultant, providing ideation and implementation around anything related to FLCC, CPSI and CPS training. Outside of CEF, Jessica serves as the Executive Director at GUIDE, inc., a nonprofit... Read More →
    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 17, 2026 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT

    9:00am EDT

    Polarities in Practice
    Wednesday June 17, 2026 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT
    This immersive week explores the dynamic power of polarities as a catalyst for creativity, collaboration, and innovation. We begin with Genius Teams: Polarities in Practice, a deep dive into polarities in practice, building a shared foundation and observing live facilitation to see how teams navigate real-time tensions and unlock high performance. As the week unfolds, participants will sharpen their ability to recognize and work with these dynamics in their own contexts. We close with Assumption: Friend AND Foe, using playful, perspective-shifting approaches to challenge thinking and expand what’s possible, using polarity thinking and humor for insight and exploration.

    Part 1 (Monday - Wednesday):  Genius Teams - Lindsay Burr
    It’s one thing to understand a model. It’s another thing to watch it used in real time. This session offers both. Grounded in polarity thinking, participants will learn the Genius Team Model (9 stages of team development with a key polarity or “tension” in each stage) for navigating the ongoing tensions that create a high-performing team. This session bridges the gap between understanding a model and watching it unfold live. Designed for facilitators with some familiarity with polarities.

    Through Orientation (Day 1), Live Practice (Day 2), and Debrief/Translation (Day 3), participants will:
    • Understand the Genius Team Model
    • Recognize real-time signals of poorly leveraged stages
    • Apply practical strategies drawn from live facilitation

    DAY 3 provides the opportunity to finish action steps with the client from Day 2, wrapping with debriefing and translation to practice, and closure of Part 1.




    Presenters
    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 →
    Wednesday June 17, 2026 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT

    9:00am EDT

    Session Lab: Rapid Prototyping to Design Your Own Tools
    Wednesday June 17, 2026 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT
    In this immersion, you’ll apply the CPS process to the art of facilitation design to create experiences that truly deliver. We’ll begin by unpacking the factors that influence great design, including timing, flow, and session dynamics, so you can design with clarity and intention. You’ll also rethink how to select tools and activities.
    The Lab comes to life as we move beyond choosing from existing tools to confidently creating what’s needed in the moment. Through rapid prototyping, you’ll co-create new activities and build a repeatable method for inventing, adapting, and refining tools on the fly.
    Ideal for facilitators and trainers, this is a hands-on, design-intensive experience with meaningful, ready-to-use outcomes.


    Presenters
    avatar for Nancylyn Hogarty

    Nancylyn Hogarty

    Self Employed, Strategist, Facilitator, Guide

    Wednesday June 17, 2026 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT

    10:00am EDT

    CPSI Pop-Up Bookstore
    Wednesday June 17, 2026 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 17, 2026 10:00am - 4:00pm EDT
    Caudell Hall - Lobby

    11:00am EDT

    Lunch
    Wednesday June 17, 2026 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 17, 2026 11:00am - 2:00pm EDT
    Campbell Student Union - Bengal Kitchen

    1:30pm EDT

    Free Time
    Wednesday June 17, 2026 1:30pm - 2:00pm EDT
    Every afternoon, treat yourself to "you time" 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 17, 2026 1:30pm - 2:00pm EDT

    2:00pm EDT

    How Might I Get Curious? Creative Questions for Deep-Diving Conversations
    Wednesday June 17, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
    The same creative question starters that ignite brainstorming can also be infused into conversations of discovery, from podcast-style interviews to personal conversations. We'll show you how to strategically and seamlessly transform questions to dive deeper and discover more. Participants will be able to apply these journalist-like skills to the data gathering portions of the CPS process and to everyday conversations in their professional and personal lives.

    Three Key Takeaways:
    • Practicing how to elevate questions by integrating starters such as "How might..." and "In what ways might..." in a manner that feels natural and conversational.
    • Recognizing situations in which these applied curiosity techniques will be appropriate and valuable.
    • Utilizing non-verbal techniques to take conversations deeper. To this end, participants will also receive a copy (hard copy or digital) of The Conversation Handbook, which was developed by the co-presenters: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/ConversationHandbook#page/1
    Wednesday June 17, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

    2:00pm EDT

    Disaster Quick Quests: Elevate Creativity for Social Impact
    Wednesday June 17, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
    How can we turn fear of disaster into fuel for community resilience? Join this high-energy "Design Studio" to use Creative Problem Solving (CPS) to catalyze social impact. In this hands-on session, you will work in a small team to ideate and develop a "Quick Quest" — a 5-10 minute game-based activity — to help individuals and communities prepare to face a wildfire, flood, or other disaster. You’ll leave with a tangible game concept, a behind-the-scenes look at designing for social impact, and a playful yet powerful tool for rapid collaborative problem-solving.    

    Takeaways
    • Rapid CPS Iteration: Experience a ""lightning-fast"" application of the CPS stages to move from problem description to playable prototype in under 90 minutes.
    • Game Design for Impact: Embrace the concept of ""Serious Games"" and see how play can create a safe space for addressing sensitive and high-stakes issues.
    • The ""Serious Creativity"" Mindset: Discover how to maintain a bias toward results while balancing divergent exploration with convergent decision-making.


    Presenters
    avatar for Susanne Jul

    Susanne Jul

    Founder & Executive Director, Creative Crisis Leadership
    Susanne is a multifaceted professional with a passion for empowering individuals to become self-reliant, particularly in times of crisis. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Creative Crisis Leadership, a nonprofit organization dedicated to spreading social resilience and... Read More →
    GD

    Garett Dworman

    Principal Designer, Creative Crisis Leadership

    Wednesday June 17, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

    2:00pm EDT

    Kaleidoscope of You - Dream, Share, Incubate, Create
    Wednesday June 17, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
    Kaleidoscope of YOU offers an intimate yet expansive invitation to pause, play, and reawaken child-like curiosity. You will engage in guided daydreaming, visible thinking, writing, and creative mark-making to explore your past, present, and future creative selves. The journey continues in a “Living Gallery Walk.” This innovative workshop also invites others in the CPSI community to contribute to the collective creativity of the Kaleidoscope of YOU.

    Takeaways:
    • Reframe your creative identity through reflection and playful exploration.
    • Reconnect with early experiences of creativity, joy, and imagination.
    • Integrate past, present, and future creative selves into your practice.

    Presenters
    avatar for Kathy Frazier

    Kathy Frazier

    Gifted Education and Creativity Specialist, Touching the Future Today LLC

    avatar for Katie Ravich

    Katie Ravich

    Founder, InsideOut Creativity™
    Katie Ravich is a creative education specialist, systems designer and creative strategist who works at the intersection of creativity, learning ecosystems and applied neuroplasticity. With a B.A. in Visual Communications (University of Technology Sydney) and an M.Sc. in Creativity... Read More →
    Wednesday June 17, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

    2:00pm EDT

    Language of Renewal™: Using Narrative Intelligence to Expand Creative Capacity
    Wednesday June 17, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
    Narrative is one of the most under-used tools in applied creativity. This workshop introduces Language of Renewal™, a framework that helps participants reframe complexity and ambiguity through metaphor, story structure, and reflective creativity practices. Through hands-on exercises, participants learn how narration can discover insight, reduce cognitive rigidity, and strengthen creative problem-solving. The session blends research and experiential learning to help educators, leaders, and practitioners integrate narrative-based creativity into their work.    

    Takeaways
    • How to use metaphor, reframing, and story-mapping to enhance creative problem-solving.
    • Practical methods for helping students, teams, or clients navigate ambiguity by reshaping the “story” of a challenge.
    • A replicable framework (Language of Renewal™) for integrating narrative intelligence into teaching, leadership, and innovation.

    Presenters
    MW

    Michelle Wicmandy

    Global Marketing Campaigns Manager, KBC (A Yokogawa Company)
    Michelle Wicmandy, DBA is a global marketing and communications strategist who helps organizations communicate complexity with clarity. Her work integrates applied creativity, sustainability communication, and narrative design to strengthen engagement and leadership impact. She is... Read More →
    FH

    Frederik Hertel

    Associate Professor, Aalborg University (Denmark)
    Wednesday June 17, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

    2:00pm EDT

    Possibility Books for Accessing Embodied Wisdom Before Logic
    Wednesday June 17, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
    Before we analyze, we sense.  Before we articulate, we feel.  Before we problem-solve with logic, we can access embodied wisdom. Come experience Possibility Books, a creative practice that activates and helps us access the inner wisdom living within each of us.  We’ll play with mark-making coupled with dialogue to transform these insights into actionable intuition that can be used for more logical creative problem-solving processes, which you can take with you to your own professional and personal lives.    

    Takeaways
    • An elevated understanding of how embodied wisdom generates insight
    • The transformation of insight to actionable creative ideas 
    • A method for redesigning how you begin the creative process    


    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 →
    Wednesday June 17, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

    3:30pm EDT

    Afternoon Break
    Wednesday June 17, 2026 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 17, 2026 3:30pm - 4:00pm EDT
    Caudell Hall - Lobby

    4:00pm EDT

    A Historical Perspective of Divergence and Convergence
    Wednesday June 17, 2026 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
    Creative Problem Solving (CPS) is a process with many hidden gifts and coping mechanisms to fact today's challenges. This experiential and interactive session will explore the evolution, revolution and application of Divergence and Convergence in CPS in every aspect of our daily lives, if we are willing to take the plunge. We will take a deep dive in the intricacies of divergence and convergence and leave with a self-constructed personal plan for implementation. Come open --minded, open-hearted and thirsty for the outcomes.     

    Takeaways
    • Taking this deep dive into the history of divergence and convergence helps us understand its potential and power in all aspects of our lives.
    • Exploring brain theory and emotional intelligence, as they relate to divergence and convergence, facilitates one's pathway to walking into ourselves with tools and skill sets to manage ever-increasing challenges today. 
    • Understanding the importance of self-exploration with this dynamic thinking duo promotes investment, practice, and commitment for success.     


    Presenters
    avatar for Joette Field

    Joette Field

    Consultant, Creative Problem Solving; Retired, Daemen University

    Wednesday June 17, 2026 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT

    4:00pm EDT

    Be an Illuminator: Discover Ways to Bring Out the Best in Others
    Wednesday June 17, 2026 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.

    Takeaways:
    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

    Wednesday June 17, 2026 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT

    4:00pm EDT

    Curiosity Is the New Mastery: Elevating Creative Confidence with Improv, Design Thinking, and AI
    Wednesday June 17, 2026 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
    This 90‑minute, highly interactive workshop invites CPSI participants to “elevate” their practice by shifting from mastery-as-endpoint to curiosity-as-engine, using improv, design thinking, and AI as complementary tools. Drawing on research with 94 community college students, Betsy Tuma will show how short, guided improv activities significantly elevated participants’ creative self-concept and individual idea generation, then connect those findings to her “Curiosity Over Mastery” framework for creative and critical thinking in the age of AI. AI will be treated not as an answer machine but as a live curiosity partner—something to interrogate, remix, and “yes–and” in service of more original, learner‑driven ideas.    

    Takeaways
    • Curiosity, not correctness, is the real engine of elevated creative problem solving in an AI‑saturated world.
    • Short, structured improv activities measurably boost creative confidence and idea fluency, making groups braver and more generative.
    • AI can be designed into sessions as a curiosity partner—something to interrogate, remix, and “yes–and”—rather than a shortcut to the next right answer.    


    Presenters
    avatar for Betsy Tuma

    Betsy Tuma

    Assistant Professor, Pikes Peak State College
    Betsy Tuma, MFA, is a design educator and writer based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She teaches in the Multimedia Graphic Design program at Pikes Peak State College, where she helps students rediscover curiosity, confidence, and creative risk-taking. Her MFA in Design Thinking is... Read More →
    Wednesday June 17, 2026 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT

    4:00pm EDT

    Elevate Emerging Potential: Using CPS & Innovation Sprints to Build Creative Readiness
    Wednesday June 17, 2026 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
    Elevate Emerging Potential: Using CPS & Innovation Sprints to Build Creative Readiness    Many emerging professionals—and the educators, mentors, and managers who support them—struggle to name themselves as creative problem solvers. This session explores how Innovation Sprints, paired with Creative Problem Solving (CPS), build creative confidence, agency, and adaptability across varied age groups and experience levels. Participants will engage in hands-on activities that elevate voice, encourage collaborative problem solving, and translate across educational, professional, and community settings. Attendees will leave with practical tools to help learners and early-career professionals navigate ambiguity, contribute meaningfully, and thrive in an increasingly complex and rapidly changing world.    

    Takeaways
    • Strategies for elevating creative confidence and self-efficacy in young and emerging professionals through fast-cycle innovation experiences.
    • Adaptable CPS tools that help early-career individuals frame challenges, explore options, and act boldly.
    • Sprint-based methods educators and youth leaders can employ in classrooms, leadership programs, and internships.

    Presenters
    avatar for Jessica Driscoll

    Jessica Driscoll

    Innovation Sprints Coordinator, University at Buffalo

    Wednesday June 17, 2026 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT

    4:00pm EDT

    How to Create a Personal AI Assistant for Creative Collaboration
    Wednesday June 17, 2026 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
    In this session, participants will learn to create their own personal AI assistant by exploring and applying easy-to-use AI tools in ChatGPT. Attendees will learn to enhance their skills in creative problem solving, productivity, and innovation with the help of their personalized AI assistant. We’ll cover the fundamentals of prompt design for creating customized projects for real-world applications. Attendees will walk away with practical strategies to build AI tools that support their unique role in the workplace. They will use their AI assistant to apply the FourSight™ Collaboration model and CPS to amplify their creative thinking and collaboration skills.     

    Takeaways
    • Learn how to use ChatGPT to build a personalized AI assistant that supports your unique role, workflow, and creative challenges. 
    • Gain practical strategies to leverage AI as a thought partner—enhancing your creative problem-solving, decision-making, and overall productivity.
    • Use their new AI assistant to apply the FourSight™ Creative Mind Set Collaboration model and CPS to amplify their creative thinking and collaboration skills. 


    Presenters
    avatar for Dr. Greg Buschman

    Dr. Greg Buschman

    Co-Founder, Strategic Leadership Development

    avatar for Debbie Buschman, MPA, CDO

    Debbie Buschman, MPA, CDO

    Co-Founder, Strategic Leadership Development

    Wednesday June 17, 2026 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT

    4:00pm EDT

    Celebration Dinner
    Wednesday June 17, 2026 4:00pm - 7:00pm EDT

    Wednesday June 17, 2026 4:00pm - 7:00pm EDT
    Campbell Student Union - Bengal Kitchen

    5:00pm EDT

    On-Campus Housing: Evening Desk Hours
    Wednesday June 17, 2026 5:00pm - 9:00pm EDT
    Have questions? Need some assistance? We have evening desk hours in STAC for just that.
    Wednesday June 17, 2026 5:00pm - 9:00pm EDT
    STAC - Student Apartment Complex

    7:30pm EDT

    CPSI Rewind PUB Night
    Wednesday June 17, 2026 7:30pm - 9:30pm EDT

    Wednesday June 17, 2026 7:30pm - 9:30pm EDT
     
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