CEE 2015 Workshops Round 3

Workshop Round Three

Presenter(s)

Affiliation

Title

Jane Fischer
Beth Slazak
Patrick R. Leyden

Improv Connections/ICSC
ComedySportz/ICSC
Sho-Aids, Incorporated

Jenna Smith

Beyonder Academy and

University at Buffalo, Career
Services

Tim Switalski
Laura Switalski

Darwin Associates

Yes, And! Improv for Divergent Thinking

Rockwell Hall Room 301
Job Seeking and the Creative Change Model
Rockwell Hall Room 305
Infographics, Visuals, and GraphicsOh my!
Using Creativity to Make Sense of Data to
Tell a Story
Rockwell Hall Room 306
Strengthening Creative Leadership Through
Vision, Alignment and Execution
Rockwell Hall Room 308

3A.

Yes, And! Improv for Divergent Thinking

When you think of improv, you may think of comedians making things up on stage. Theres so much more to the process
behind the curtain! Improvisation flourishes with positive, open mindsets, it explores beyond current reality, and it connects
the known and unknown. Improvisation invites a spirit of playfulness, exploration, and collaboration, all of which contribute
to a rich creative environment and experience! Integrating the principles, tools, and activities of improvisation can build your
toolbox and help you DIVERGE in engaging and effective new ways. Enhance your facilitation, coaching, and even your
own creative process!
Participants will: Experience the principles and practices of improvisation; discover the connections between improvisation
and creative thinking; and learn how, when, and why to use improv-based activities in your creative process and facilitations
Jane Fischer has 20 years of experience and leadership in health & human services, and believes that work and play go
hand in hand. In 2002, she co-founded The Unexpected Guests Improv Comedy Group in Jamestown, NY. She later
founded Improv Connections, offering Applied Improvisation facilitation for personal and organizational development. She is
a member of the Applied Improvisation Network and the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor. Jane has served
as Director of SBI Health Education at the University at Buffalo since 2006. She holds an MA in Health Arts and Sciences
from Goddard College and a Graduate Certificate in Creativity and Change Leadership from Buffalo State College.

Beth Slazak has enjoyed making people laugh her whole life. She has been performing since she was six years old, but
she did not put it to good use until she began attending Buffalo States International Center for Creative Studies, where she
received her masters degree. Slazak also holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Buffalo in History with a minor in
Dance, and a Social Studies Certification in Education from Buffalo State. She has a passion (read: obsession) for improv
and enjoys studying it at Buffalo ComedySportz and Toronto's Second City. She also is a member of the Applied
Improvisation Network and the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor.

3B:

Job Seeking and the Creative Change Model

The job market is beginning to align with research into the nature of organizational creativity. Companies are recognizing the
importance of creativity and innovation in the workplace. Creative job seekers interested in being at the vanguard of this
change must reconsider every aspect of the job search. From the format of ones rsum through the interview process,
creative job seekers must leverage creative thinking in order to succeed.
The Creative Change Model can be applied to the job search process. This session will begin by providing examples of how
the Model can aid a job seeker based on the presenters own experiences. Next, the group will work together in applying

CEE 2015 Workshops Round 3

these ideas to the job search challenges of the sessions participants. The session will conclude with an open discussion of
other ways in which the Creative Change Model (or another aspect of creativity) might aid a creative job seeker.
Patrick Leyden is a Creative Liaison Manager at Sho-Aids, Incorporated. He has broad experience managing technology
and design projects in healthcare, legal, trade show and university environments. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in
Communications from Temple University and a Master of Science degree in Creativity & Innovation from Drexel University.

3C: Infographics, Visuals, and GraphicsOh my! Using Creativity to Make Sense of Data to Tell
a Story
Ninety percent of information transmitted to the brain is visual and visuals are processed 60,000 times faster than text. In a
world that is becoming increasingly visual with social media as a driving force, the written word may not always be the best
way to communicate. How many times have you been asked to create a presentation or report using charts and
infographics to summarize data or important points? So how do you get from a pile of data to a pretty visual? In this
session, participants will learn and practice five simple steps to guide them through the creative process of making sense of
data visually as well as how to use visual data to enhance their creative toolkit in business and beyond. Additionally, I will
share with participants how visual creativity has helped blend my masters degree in creativity, designing kid-friendly
curriculum with my positions in higher education marketing.
Jenna Smith is the Coordinator of Assessment and Marketing in Career Services at the University at Buffalo (UB). Smith is
also the Co-Founder and Director of Adventure and Curriculum Design at The Beyonder Academy, an education initiative in
partnership with the International Center for Studies in Creativity focusing on empowering youth and educators to achieve
creative potential through innovative education. She received the Parnes-Noller Scholarship and was nominated for the
best masters project in 2012 for her work on The Beyonder App. She holds a bachelor's degree in public communication,
a master's degree in creative studies and is certified in Foursight. She also owns Jennaration Nest, an evolution of her
creativity consultancy business Jennaration Creative.

3D:

Strengthening Creative Leadership Through Vision, Alignment and Execution

One of the positive advances of the CPS Thinking Skills model is to apply it as an open framework that can be combined
with other models from other related fields. This workshop will explore a leadership model developed by the pioneers of the
DiSC assessment and training system who recently published The Work of Leaders and introduced the VAE model as a
product of their research. This approach focuses on the critical elements of vision, alignment and execution and the drivers
and best practices that are essential for each element. We will present the VAE model and examine how it can be combined
with CPS Thinking Skills to provide leaders with an extremely useful framework for learning and practicing truly creative
leadership.
Participants will: Examine the VAE model and the research that lead to its development; identify each of the drivers that
make each element achievable and the best practices that support each driver; and explore ways that the VAE model can
be integrated with the CPS Thinking Skills model to create a powerful framework for creative leadership.
Laura Barbero Switalski is a partner of Darwin Associates, a consulting firm in Buffalo, New York, specializing in
organizational development and creativity training and facilitation. She works with organizations across North America,
Central America and Europe to enhance teamwork and leadership, facilitate creativity and innovation, and help manage
change and transition. Switalski holds a Master of Science degree in Creativity and Innovation from the International Center
for Studies in Creativity at SUNY Buffalo State, where she is now adjunct faculty teaching a course in the Master program.
lShe is President of CREA Italia, a non-for-profit foundation that promotes CREA Conference. Switalski coauthored the
book Creativity Rising. Creative Thinking and Creative problem Solving in the 21 st Century, published by ICSC Press
(2012).
Tim Switalski is the Director of Leadership Development at SUNY Buffalo State where he is responsible for providing
ongoing learning and development opportunities for professional staff and faculty of the college related to their leadership
effectiveness. He is also founder and president of Darwin Associates where he provides training, facilitation, coaching and

CEE 2015 Workshops Round 3

consulting services to international clients focusing on the areas of Emotional Intelligence, Change Leadership, Creativity
and Innovation. Switalski holds a Master of Science degree in Creativity and Innovation from the International Center for
Studies in Creativity and serves as an adjunct faculty and guest lecturer. Tim is one of the co-founders of CREA Conference
and currently serves as the program coordinator. He also serves as a workshop facilitator at MindCamp and at CPSI.