Lisa Kay Solomon
Lecturer and the Futurist in Residence at the Stanford d.school
Liz Gerber, Ph.D.
Professor at Northwestern University, Co-Director of Northwestern’s Center for Human Computer Interaction + Design, and Faculty Founder of Design for America
Leaders as Futurists: Cultivating Civic Imagination for a Dynamic World
BONUS AFTER-HOURS EVENT: Webinar attendees are invited to join a free “Ask Me Anything” AFTER-HOURS event hosted by Solomon and Gerber that will start immediately after the webinar. This is an excellent opportunity for leaders looking for guidance on how to infuse futures thinking and civic imagination into community events and strategic conversations. The registration link for this After-Hours event will be posted in chat several times during the main webinar.
In today’s politically charged climate, we are inundated with a pervasive narrative of division, discord, and polarization. Yet many Americans long for a more positive, unified future, and are willing to do the work necessary to make it a reality. Leaders in schools, organizations, and corporations are uniquely positioned to inspire hope, encourage action, and actively shape the civic landscape we want for ourselves, our children, and future generations.
Join a FAN special session on harnessing the power of “futures thinking” and civic imagination with Lisa Kay Solomon, Futurist in Residence at Stanford University’s d.school. Drawing from her bestselling book Moments of Impact: How to Design Strategic Conversation that Accelerate Change, popular classes like “Inventing the Future,” and award-winning civic initiatives such as The Futures Happening and The Team’s civic tailgating program for student athletes, Solomon will share creative strategies to foster imaginative, joyful, and resilient cultures in our schools, communities, and families.
Solomon will explore what we can learn about shaping our future from unexpected sources – from Sesame Street’s Elmo to the powerful fandom movements of Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, and sports legends from the WNBA and USA Olympians. She will also share her new Futures Happening playbook designed to help school and community leaders transform current challenges into flexible opportunities for civic innovation and community building.
Solomon will be in conversation with Liz Gerber, Ph.D. (FAN ’13, ’16), a professor of mechanical engineering at Northwestern University, co-director of Northwestern’s Center for Human Computer Interaction + Design, and faculty founder of Design for America.
This event suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.
Event Sponsors
- The Alliance for Early Childhood
- The Avery Coonley School
- Baker Demonstration School
- Beacon Academy
- Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School
- British International School of Chicago, Lincoln Park
- British International School of Chicago, South Loop
- Catherine Cook School
- Chicago Jewish Day School
- Compass Health Center
- Countryside Day School
- Evanston Township High School D202
- Family Service Center
- The Frances Xavier Warde School
- Francis W. Parker School
- Glencoe D35
- Gorton Center
- Haven Youth and Family Services
- Hyde Park Day School
- Illinois Student Assistance Commission
- Kenilworth D38
- Lake Bluff D65
- Lake Forest Academy
- Lake Forest Community High School D115
- Lake Forest Country Day School
- Latin School of Chicago
- Leo Catholic High School
- Lycée Français de Chicago
- Morgan Park Academy
- Near North Montessori School
- North Shore Country Day
- Northwestern University Office of Neighborhood and Community Relations
- Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy
- Pope John XXIII School
- Regina Dominican College Preparatory High School
- Resurrection College Prep High School
- Rogers Park Montessori School
- Roycemore School
- Sacred Heart Schools
- Santa Clara University School of Law
- Stevenson High School D125
- University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice
- Wilmette Public Library
- Wolcott College Prep
- Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart
Upcoming Events
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Michael Norton, Ph.D.
Harold M. Brierley Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School
Sam Sommers, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair in the Department of Psychology and Director of the Racial Equity and Diversity Lab at Tufts University
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