People leave Big Ideas Fest with lots of new ideas. They also leave with experiences that impact their work and their lives. Past participants keep us abreast of new insights they’ve gained into their jobs, how they’ve used Action Collab processes in their work, and even how Big Ideas Fest inspired them to change jobs or start a company.
We are excited that past participant Thomas Voden (Associate Professor of Mathematics and STEM Grant Director at Glendale Community College) will be returning to Big Ideas Fest this year as an Action Collab apprentice facilitator.
Action Collabs are an integral part of Big Ideas Fest.These small workshops use design thinking and improv to create innovative solutions to challenges. As an apprentice facilitator, Tom will assist a group collaborating through that process.
Let’s hear why Tom is returning to Big Ideas Fest, and why he thinks you should join him:
I’m part of a Facebook group titled “I worked for MTV when it was cool to work for MTV.” It’s fun to reminisce about riding the elevators with Kurt Loder (shorter than you might expect) and Cindy Crawford (taller than you even guessed). I’ll never forget playing pool with Hootie and several Blowfish or the time I sat next to Stevie Wonder at a supper club, and as he swayed to the music, his braids swayed in my face. Good times.
Fast forward, and now I find myself in the marketing department—I am the marketing department—at a non-profit devoted to transforming education.
We love it when educators come to Big Ideas Fest for the first time. It’s even more exciting when they come back year after year. Ainsley Lamberton (Administrative Director, Office of the VP and Associate Provost for Research and Graduate Studies, Lehigh University) is a certified BIFnik, having attended in 2012 and 2013. 2014 will be her third year.
Here’s why Ainsley flies out from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania year after year:
What brings you back to Big Ideas Fest this year?
Bringing expertise in education, information technology, and project management, Dan Gwaltney joined ISKME in August 2013 as OER Services Manager. For much of his career, Dan has striven for improvement in educational practice and design through the increased use of engaging, effective, and efficient technologies in the K-12 space. This is a perfect match with ISKME’s established focus on continuous improvement of Open Educational Resources (OER).