COSTE, TARA

Dr. Tara Grey Coste is a leadership and organizational studies professor at the University of Southern Maine. Her work focuses on refining the training processes that enhance creativity in teams and on teaching business professionals techniques to enhance their leadership abilities in multi-cultural, multi-national environments. She has published numerous articles and presented her work at venues around the world. She is a Colleague of the Creative Education Foundation, a Leader at the Creative Problem Solving Institute, a Visiting Scholar at the Centre for Entrepreneurship of the University of Greenwich, Co-Founder of the International Forum of Creativity Organizations, and Past-President and Director of Research of the American Creativity Association.

D'ALESSIO, MARK

President and Founder of Think Ahead, Stay Ahead, Mark is recognized internationally for his work in three areas: strategic thinking, branding and innovation. He’s been associated with the creation of highly successful corporate visions, missions and systems perspectives as well as brands, products and marketing campaigns for clients as varied as Absolute, Adidas, Amoco, Animal Medical Center, Burger King, Chanel, Coty Worldwide, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, General Motors, Gillette, IBM, International Flavors & Fragrances, Mercedes- Benz, Nestle, etc. Mark creates programmes and trains trainers, executives, managers, inventors, artists, educators, clergy etc in how to manage change, lead creatively and strategically and uncover their own unexpected solutions.
His studies in anthropology, semiotics, philosophy, religion and theatre contribute to his unique approach.
Mark is a frequent public speaker, appearing before media, universities and organisations, including the New York Times, Le Monde, Harvard Club, Graymoor Spiritual Life Center and various trade associations and not-for profits. As a keynoter he has returned from Brazil (speaking on “The Spirit of Change”) and has lectured in the US and abroad on organisational development, marketing, branding and creative change. He has served on a variety of boards, served as Vice-President of the Creative Education Foundation. He is also a CEF Colleague, a Life Member and has received the CEF Distinguished Service Award.
In his spare time, he has raised a mixed breed lab/whippet mutt, is a devout foodie and has sweated it all off in 105°F bikram yoga sessions.

DEPASQUALE, DAWN

Having trained over 10,000 participants worldwide, Dawn has created a solid reputation for high-energy and high-impact facilitation.  As a Master Trainer with Development Dimensions International, she is qualified to present over 65 leadership/workforce topics. She is also an Associate with the Creative Problem Solving Group-Buffalo, the Max Business Group, and a trainer for “QBQ! The Question Behind the Question.”

Current North American and global clients include: Princeton University, Reuters News Group, Securities Exchange Commission, UBS Financial Services, Philips Medical Systems, Hitachi Global, Lockheed Martin, American University, Merrill Lynch, and BASF Chemicals.

Dawn has provided keynote addresses, interactive workshops, and has facilitated CPS for groups ranging from automotive engineers to senior executives. She has served on numerous regional and national boards, including a national research journal editorial board, and has published numerous research and feature articles.

DODSWORTH, MARK

Mark is the co-founder of RedZebra, a company born in the UK and has expanded to South Africa where he was born. RedZebra aim to encourage a world community of understanding through transforming the way people communicate, using the creative powers of music and movement. He has eight years of working in many communities and corporate areas around the world. Clients include American Express, Guinness, Xerox, Searle Pharmaceuticals and Quest International. Community projects undertaken include Buffalo (USA), Brighton (UK) and Johannesburg (SA). These involve integrating people from different backgrounds who would not usually have the opportunity to interact. Seeking to action the African Renaissance through networking with many diverse groups of people. Mark is a life-long student of creative arts, communication and people.

DU TOIT, DANIE & AMANDA

Danie is an independent facilitator, trainer and consultant who serves extensively in agriculture and industry. He comes from an engineering background and has been self-employed for the past 18 years. He received his training in Creative Problem Solving at CPSI, Buffalo, USA, through modular training since 1993. He enjoys working with groups, loves travelling, learning, growing and developing through a holistic approach. He is also an addicted roadrunner.
Amanda has attended a CPSI Springboard program in Buffalo and enjoys assisting Danie in many of his workshops.

DURR, MARITA

Marita is the Operations Manager at Solutionsfinding, a company that develops and provides specialist training in the use of the full battery of Neethling Brain Instruments (NBI®), equipping you with the tools to take responsibility for your own success.

Marita has a wide range of both education and business sector work experience, and is, apart from providing Solutionsfinding’s consultants with valuable help and support, involved in the development of a variety of new whole brain models in education, sport, etc.  

She holds a BA degree along with a variety of certificates and diplomas in counseling, play therapy, holistic reading and Brain Gym®. Previous roles have included 15 years in the educational field, mostly in special education.

Experience outside the educational field includes working for Remata iNathi Printing and Communication, while furthering her education in counseling.

Her strong interest in the human mind and the achievement of success was one of the main reasons for accepting the job at Solutionsfinding. Working closely with Dr Kobus Neethling and the other directors of Solutionsfinding is a privilege and bring truth to the statement: “If you love what you’re doing, you don’t have to work another day in your life”

ENGELBRECHT, MAGRIET

Magriet holds a BA Honours Degree in English Literature and an M.Ed Degree (Cum Laude). She taught and lectured English at Paarl Gymnasium High School and the Oudtshoorn Teachers' Training College before joining the SA Communication Service as Assistant Director and later Deputy Director. During this period she was the project manager for several communication campaigns, including the campaign to introduce VAT (1991) and the Transitional Constitution Campaign (1994). She was Director: Communications at the Department of Agriculture from 1995 to June 2001. She is now a kinesiologist. Kinesiology is a method for monitoring the bio-energy of the body so that energy imbalances and blockages can be corrected.

GIBSON, ALBERT S

Albert Gibson, after 30 years with Mars Inc., is an independent consultant in Southern California. His corporate work as MR Director bridged Marketing Research and Management Science emphasizing intercultural/international issues in strategic planning and organization development. His consulting work focuses on three areas of practice: complex decision analysis and sustainable business models. Albert's formal education is in Economics. His continuing education has emphasized facilitation of group problem solving and applications in consumer and team psychology. He is experienced with facilitation methods focused on strategic planning and creative problem solving.

GODDARD, JENNIFER

Jennifer is the Director, Buzan Centre: Australia/NZ and co-founder of Mindwerx International.  Specialising in the area of creativity and innovation, Jennifer works with a wide variety of organisations and schools in Australia, NZ, UK and Asia.  One of only four Master Trainers in Buzan’s Mind Mapping® and other Advanced Learning Techniques, including Speed Reading and Memory, she mentors a worldwide network of instructors.

Jennifer has a passion for mental literacy, whole brain thinking, holanthropy (the study of interrelated functions of brain and body), and multiple intelligences and frequently works with Tony Buzan around the world. She holds a Masters of Entrepreneurship and Innovation and is an accredited trainer in de Bono's Lateral Thinking™ techniques and Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI)®.

Interestingly, Jennifer is the convenor of the Australian Memory Championships, and is regularly the Chief Arbiter at the World Memory Championships.

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GREENE, KIM

Kim Greene is a Creative Process Consultant with Ideas To Go, Inc. where she designs and facilitates ideation sessions to help clients create new products and services, position existing products, and explore possibilities for using new technology. In her ten years at Ideas To Go, Kim has worked with U.S. and international teams from major corporations across many categories including: hard goods; household products; food; financial services; airlines; automotive; technology; insurance; and pharmaceuticals.

Kim also works with teams, primarily in the non-profit arena, on team building and leadership development. For this work, Kim often focuses on MBTI and KAI. Kim is an advanced practitioner of KAI and qualified to administer the MBTI.

For the past few years, Kim has participated as a leader at the annual Creative Problem Solving Institute (CPSI) in the U.S. and CREA in Italy.

Kim is also a lawyer and in her former career she was an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Minnesota. She has used her legal skills as legal counsel for Ideas To Go.
Kim loves to dance and at night you’re likely to find her on the dance floor.