It’s In the Experience

Join host Sherry Bagley as she chats with Sarah Gough, executive director for Play For Peace, and Marilyn Levin, development director at Play For Peace. They share their career journeys in experiential education, reflect on the impactful relationship between the Association for Experiential Education and Play for Peace, and discuss the significance of collaboration in advancing the industry. Don't miss their valuable advice for aspiring experiential educators and the insights they offer for future generations. It's in the Experience is produced by Association Briefings. Show notes Sarah Gough is a deeply committed nonprofit leader, facilitator, and mentor with a background in Social Work from the University of Michigan, specializing in Interpersonal Relationships. Her multifaceted career has spanned a multitude of leadership roles across many countries. Sarah’s work as Executive Director with Play for Peace stands as a cornerstone of her career, showcasing her dedication to fostering young leaders and community unity on a global scale. Through her engagement with Play for Peace, Sarah has created environments where children and adults from different backgrounds come together to play, learn, and grow, transcending barriers of conflict and misunderstanding. This initiative, emblematic of Sarah's approach to peace education and experiential learning, emphasizes her commitment to harnessing the transformative power of play to build bridges and nurture a culture of peace. In Guatemala, Sarah led Fotokids, breaking cycles of poverty through arts and technology, and spearheaded initiatives for sustainable development with CECI, demonstrating a unique blend of compassion and strategic vision. As the founder of Seeds of Hope, she developed a patient support services program, showcasing her dedication to healthcare and community service in a remote tuberculosis hospital. Sarah's work has been recognized with prestigious awards like the Michael Stratton Practitioner Award and featured in academic papers and global conferences, highlighting her expertise in peace education and experiential learning. Her involvement in diverse international projects and her leadership in developing partnerships and programs underscore her dedication to combating poverty, exclusion, and inequality. Marilyn Levin, MSW is the Development Director for Play for Peace. She is an award winning social justice advocate, a master trainer and professional speaker and the author of Experiential Activities for a Better World (AEE Karl Rohnke Creativity Award 2012)

Join host Sherry Bagley as she engages in a conversation with Rosanne Mistretta, assistant director for program development, SUNY NY Master Teacher Program, and Jeromy Slaby, science teacher and experiential programs coordinator at the Jewish Day School of Metropolitan Seattle. Together, they delve into their extensive careers in experiential education, sharing insights on their work focus, classroom practices, and guiding principles. Gain valuable advice for new teachers entering the realm of experiential education, learn about their commitment to community engagement, and discover the valuable lessons they've learned from each other along the way.

Join host Sherry Bagley as she engages in a conversation with Kim Sacksteder, MSW, LISW-SV, CCAT, co-owner of Adventure Therapist, and José González, director of experiential education at The Overlake School in Redmond, WA. Delve into their personal journeys in experiential education, exploring their professional focuses and the paths that led them to become volunteer leaders and integral members of the AEE Accreditation Council. Discover the significance of accreditation for programs and gain insights into what the landscape of accreditation may look like a decade into the future. It's in the Experience is produced by Association Briefings.

In this episode, host Sherry Bagley, sits down with Chris Ortiz, the associate director for the leadership development team and the program director for team development at Shavers Creek Environmental Center, and Steve Smith, founder of Experiential Consulting LLC. The three share their unique journeys into experiential education, delve into their passionate pursuits within the field, discuss the evolving needs of the industry, and reminisce about some enlightening 'ah-ha' moments.

In this episode, host Sherry Bagley, sits down with Aaron Leonard, a retired U.S. Army officer with over 35 years of leadership experience and focuses on developing therapeutic outdoor adventure programs for the well-being of our guardians military service members, veterans and first responders, and Fred Borroel, a licensed professional counselor, supervisor in Texas and founder of RelateAbility, PLLC. The three talk about their path in experiential education, helping the helpers, current struggles, finding clients and marketing efforts, and advice for the next generation of experiential educators.

In this episode, host Sherry Bagley, sits down with Stephanie Speicher, an associate professor and the digital fluency faculty in residence at Weber State University, and Antonio Galván, founder, CEO, and senior trainer at Galika. The three talk about experiential training and development for organizations, creating community and a sense of belonging in a digital landscape, facilitating experiential education for adults, creating spaces for experiential ed, and geographic differences in the industry.

In this episode, host Sherry Bagley, sits down with Joanna Bettmann Schaefer, a professor at the University of Utah College of Social Work, and W. Thomas Means, an assistant professor at University of Wisconsin La Crosse and director of Camp Brosius. The three talk about their career journeys in academia and doctoral work; the difference between wilderness, recreation and adventure therapy; finding research projects and associated researchers; and the importance of being connected in the experiential education community. It's in the Experience is produced by Association Briefings.

In this episode, host Sherry Bagley, sits down with Dr. Amy Climer, founder and CEO of Climer Consulting, and Mo Kappes, Assistant Director of Experiential Education at University of Wisconsin-Madison. The three talk about the AEE International Conference and what keeps them coming back year after year, what to look forward to at this year’s conference, challenges they’re facing in experiential education, and what they have learned from each other.

In this episode, host Sherry Bagley, sits down with Bryn Lottig, co-founder of Kikori, and Christy Brock, executive director and founder of New Adventures Counseling. The three talk about business ownership, the importance of work-life balance, being involved with AEE’s Therapeutic Adventure Professional Group, their favorite reflection prompts, and their vision for experiential education.

In this episode, host Sherry Bagley, sits down with Esther Ayers, a dedicated researcher and advocate for mental health in Latinx communities, and Shoshanna Sumka, executive director of the Independent Schools Experiential Education Network. The three talk about their experience with experiential education and personal journeys in the field, the intersection of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging and experiential education, and the differences between researchers and practitioners.

In this episode, host Sherry Bagley, sits down with Dr. Anita Tucker, a professor at the New Hampshire and associate director of the Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Center, and Tony Alvarez, owner of Alvarez Consulting LLC, formerly Adventures In Training Inc.. The three talk about their career journeys in social work and experiential, the definition of adventure therapy and how it fits into experiential education, the importance of shared experiences, collaboratively writing books, and the answer the question, “what is the weirdest thing you’ve used as a prop during an initiative.” This episode is produced by Association Briefings.

In this episode, host Sherry Bagley, sits down with Jane Panicucci, owner and principal of the Active Learning Group, and Jay Zarr, co-owner of Story Tellers Travels and Imagine If a Mind, Body and Spirit Connections Company in Colorado. The three talk about getting involved in experiential education, career journeys, equipping leaders through experiential education, the importance of volunteering, industry challenges, and creating relationships. Oh, and we have a commonality discussion on whether or not ice cream should be considered a food group! This episode is produced by Association Briefings.

In this episode, host Sherry Bagley, sits down with Callie Auman, Assistant Director for Challenge Course and Team Building at UNC Charlotte's Venture Outdoor Leadership, and Brad Daniel, co-founder and executive director of 2nd Nature TREC in Black Mountain, NC. The three talk about the evolution of experiential education, career journeys, freedoms of owning a business, the benefits of working for a university, and the differences between environmental and experiential education. All of this AND a heated discussion over the best kind of cookies!

In our inaugural episode, host Sherry Bagley, sits down with Brian Croft, Assistant Director of Outdoor Education-Touch of Nature at Southern Illinois University and Rod Field, Founder and CEO at Higher Ground Group Australia. The three talk about the commonalities and differences in experiential education in the U.S. and Australia, their career journeys in the industry, and the importance of being involved with the AEE community. Oh, and there might even be discussions about Madonna and James Bond!

The Association for Experiential Education presents It's In the Experience hosted by Sherry Bagley, executive director of AEE. She chats various guests using experiential education principles and methods, offering an engaging and often humorous journey to learn about experiential education and its many forms and uses. Check out the trailer for season one!