Educating for Creativity and Innovation

Donald J. Treffinger, Ph.D., was the president of the Center for Creative Learning in Sarasota, FL. He earned a master's degree and a doctoral degree in educational psychology from Cornell University. Treffinger previously has been a member of the faculty at Purdue University, the University of Kansas, and Buffalo State College. He now is a member of the Gifted Child Quarterly Advisory Board and has served as editor of that journal and as editor-in-chief of Parenting for High Potential, NAGC's quarterly magazine for parents.

Treffinger is the author of more than 350 articles, chapters, and books. He has written and conducted research on the nature, assessment, and nurture of creativity and Creative Problem Solving, as well as problem-solving styles, gifted education, and talent development. He has given presentations and workshops worldwide, and served as a consultant to numerous local, state, national, and international organizations. He has received the Distinguished Service Award and the E. Paul Torrance Creativity Award from the National Association for Gifted Children, the Creativity Research Award from the World Council on the Gifted and Talented, and the Risorgimenti Creativity Award from the Destination ImagiNation program.

Patricia F. Schoonover, Ph.D., is part of the Board of Directors with the Center for Creative Learning. She lives in Clintonville, WI. Pat is a consultant who works with schools and other organizations, and teaches an online Creative Problem Solving Process and Tools as an undergraduate and graduate level course through the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Pat has also worked for many years in the area of gifted education and talent development and teaches an online graduate-level course about twice-gifted children. She worked an elementary gifted education and as Director of Gifted Programming and a lecturer at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. She was the founding Executive Director for Destination ImagiNation program. Pat's research, writing, and training interests focus on creativity, CPS, creativity style preferences, and leadership.