Graduates of the Innovation Institute have gone on to accomplish feats not possible before they had this experience. Read on to see how their experiences from the Innovation Institute directly translated into amazing transformations, both personally and professionally.

Since experiencing The Innovation Institute, I am seeing through a new set of filters! I am now more inclined to express my opinions even when they are NOT consistent with the majority. I am thinking and processing more creatively, I look at the issues with more dimensional thought versus my traditional one-sided views. The Institute is truly a transformational experience! It ignited a spirit of advocacy for the "art of the possible"  both personally and professionally.


Vonda C. Frazier
IBM, Bank of America Consumer Client Executive

When I graduated from college, my then boss and beloved curmudgeon of a mentor gave me one nugget of advice, "Pay Attention" he said. I thought maybe he was holding out on me. In fact, for years I simmered. How could I know he was also saying "be present"?
Simmer simmer simmer. Aha.

The Innovation Institute is one of those big "aha" moments for me. Working with artists who use uncertainty, calamity and limited information right alongside vision, courage and leadership as they produce their work every day was an eye popper for me - and key to understanding that I can do the same thing in my work every day as well. That key was, of course, paying attention! Pay attention to small things, big things and all things. 

Pay attention. Truer words never uttered in life and business. An easier path might be to slog through projects, and ignore the space and time to find a different and deeper answer. Innovation Institute reminded me that the first path might not be a path at all, and in a business sense that opportunity for more creative solutions to business challenges has helped me be a better problem solver. On a personal level, Innovation Institute helped me see just how important paying attention is to the loved ones in my life. It is a happy combination of focus, commitment and joy!


Kelly Chopus
Director, Community Relations
Goodrich Corporation



Here’s the thing about the Innovation Institute: the changes are all on the inside. That is its great benefit and its great challenge.

The Innovation Institute renewed my sense of perspective about myself. I learned a lot about myself, but it felt more like remembering, and some of the rememberings go all the way back to childhood. I felt again what it means to have creativity come naturally. I rediscovered the sense that I knew how to do very little but still absolutely certain I could do anything. I found the power of not being bound by all my accumulated knowledge, experience and skills and instead relying, well…on me.

The experience with the artists was just amazing. Do you know how long it’s been since I spent time with people who don’t live and breathe spreadsheets, emails, and powerpoints!? These are people who live comfortably outside the safety-zone every day and my admiration for them grew immensely. They showed me the fundamental power of seeing each day – each challenge – as a blank canvas and not just another problem to be solved.

The Innovation Institute gave me an ability to find a new perspective in every moment. It was transformative and not a day goes by that I don’t sense its effect on me. Again, these are changes on the inside – but what would a casual observer say? They would say (and have said) I am the same but with more presence. I am more available, truly open, and fixated on deriving the best creativity from myself and my colleagues.

I also like myself and my job a lot more. Maybe I just remembered how fun it all can be.
The Innovation Institute experience is anything but childish (totally opposite in fact!). But it reminds me of the movie “Big,” where the child magically turns into a grown-up toy executive. He achieves startling results because he has child-like curiosity and perceptions. His imagination is unleashed because it was never “leashed” to begin with.

That’s what happened to me.


Charlie Elberson
VP Brand Development
Wray Ward