Join us for a round table with Al Thomas, Ráni Craft Robinson, and Dan Rubin as we discuss what it means to be creative in mentorship - from what makes the experience positive or negative to the ways in which it can it be redefined.

THE ROUND TABLE EXPLORES

Together we will discuss questions such as: How could we define mentorship - from both the mentor and mentee perspective? What makes that relationship effective for all involved? We’ll explore how timing is a key factor in the full experience of this type of relationship, and how sometimes wisdom and application of advice may not be ready to be heard now or ever or maybe it could be heard later? We will also reflect upon how we can learn from the experiences that may not feel positive or uplifting at the time. We’ll follow the conversation as it flows through and land on some key takeaways we can all use when looking for a mentor relationship in our own lives.

MEET THE COLLECTIVE

RÁNI CRAFT ROBINSON. As a storyteller and a visual storyteller, Ráni brings over 18 years experience in the digital media space. She uses her writing, love for photography and video to bring the most exciting content to life. Her work has taken her across the world, producing and directing digital content in support of Travel Channel, TLC, HGTV, DIY Network and more. Throughout her career she’s developed, produced and supervised digital originals for Discovery’s owned and operated show sites, YouTube, Instagram’s IGTV and HGTV GO and TRVL GO app platforms. She developed and produced A Day in the Life and My Hometown with actor Brian Unger (of The Daily Show and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia), exploring his home of Sherman Oaks, California among many other shows. In April 2018, Ráni executive produced the Award-winning short film ‘One Last Goodbye,’ with LMK Entertainment Group, which received awards in the 2019-2020 film festival circuit.

AL THOMAS. An educational leader with a passion for creativity and the opportunities it can provide for students. Al has more than twenty years in the field of education as a teacher, principal, district-level director, and consultant. His passion is to develop and curate unique and innovative solutions that improve learning for all, and he believes that if we are to prepare students for future success, we must equip them with creative problem-solving skills that harness their talents and abilities. He is continually a sought after leader and presents with Adobe for Education, Google for Education, among other leading educational and technology conferences across the country.

DAN RUBIN. A designer, photographer, and creative director based in the United States and United Kingdom. Dan is an IPA Jury and WPO Academy member, co-curator of the portrait photography exhibition 100 | 50 | 1, and host of the Apple Event series Meet The iPhone Photographer. Dan speaks at conferences worldwide including The Photography Show, South by Southwest, UX London, and WPPI, and consults on topics including product design, user experience, photography, brand communication, art direction, and more for startups and established brands around the world. One of Instagram's earliest beta-testers and a speaker at the world's first mobile photography conference, Dan travels the globe on photographic commissions for select clientele including American Express, The Guardian, Land Rover, The Macallan, Nissan, RedBull, Travel + Leisure, and more.