Gerard J. Puccio is Department Chair and Professor at the International Center for Studies in Creativity, Buffalo State. Gerard has written more than 60 articles, chapters and books. His most recent book The Innovative Team, co-authored with Chris Grivas, is a fable about a team that turns around a dysfunctional situation through the use of proven creative-thinking tools. In 2011 he and his colleagues, Marie Mance and Mary Murdock, published the second edition of their widely adopted book Creative Leadership: Skills that Drive Change. Gerard is an accomplished speaker and consultant; he has worked with major corporations and universities. Some of his recent clients include the BBC, The Smithsonian Institute, BNP Paribas, Rubbermaid, and Coca-Cola. In 2013 Dr. Puccio was selected by the Teaching Company as one of America’s Great Lecturers and as such was invited to design and deliver a course comprised of 24 video sessions. This “Great Course,” titled The Creative Thinker’s Toolkit, was released in January 2014. Among other responsibilities, Gerard serves as a Distinguished Visiting Scholar at Sheridan College, Oakville, Canada, and is a member of the selection committee for the Toy Hall of Fame at the National Museum of Play.
Mary C. Murdock was an Associate Professor and graduate faculty member at the International Center for Studies in Creativity, Buffalo State College, Buffalo, NY, where she taught graduate courses and supervised master’s work. Through her career, Dr. Murdock was involved in international work, including work as a guest lecturer on qualitative research in the Cognitive Psychology Unit of the University of Bergen and in teaching Creative Problem Solving courses at international schools in five countries (Colombia, Dominican Republic, Tanzania, China, Malaysia). Her publications included two texts: Creative Problem Solving and Role Playing, co-authored with E. Paul Torrance and Creativity Assessment: Readings and Resources with Gerard Puccio. She was also a co-editor along with Center colleagues, of Understanding and Recognizing Creativity: The Emergence of a Discipline and Nurturing and Developing Creativity: The Emergence of a Discipline. Mary held a BA in English from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, an M.Ed. in Gifted Education and a doctorate in Educational Psychology from the University of Georgia.
Marie Mance is Director of Leadership Development at Buffalo State College and an adjunct faculty member at the International Center for Studies in Creativity, teaching in the undergraduate and graduate programs. She holds an M.S. in Creativity and M.Ed. in Counseling/Student Personnel. She has traveled internationally to present creativity and creative problem solving courses and workshops in Nigeria, Singapore and South Africa. She has also designed and delivered workshops in creativity, strategic planning and other change initiatives for a number of organizations in the public and private sector. Currently she is developing and presenting leadership programs for faculty, staff and students at Buffalo State with creativity as a core component. Marie also coaches in the leadership program and has completed training at the Coaches Training Institute. She is pursuing certification to become a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach. She is President of the Niagara Frontier chapter of ASTD (American Society for Training and Development) and a Colleague of the Creative Education Foundation.