Invention Education Leadership Summit

Leveraging Creativity and Innovation for Transformative Change

March 15-17, 2026

What is the Invention Education Leadership Summit

The Invention Education Leadership Summit is an exclusive event created for recognized district leaders committed to leveraging creativity and innovation to make an impact through thought leadership, professional development and community building. Attendees will learn directly from industry leaders, build a network of fellow thought leaders, develop professional strategies to solve familiar challenges and further discover ways that invention education can support objectives beyond STEM skill building. All travel, lodging and meals are covered during your visit.

Dates: March 15-17, 2026

Location: National Inventors Hall of Fame® Headquarters, 3701 Highland Park NW, North Canton, OH 44720 and special, local destinations

Event Highlights

Thought Leadership & Collaboration

Join a cohort of forward-thinking educators and experts in creativity and innovation to share best practices and explore ways that the tools, techniques and practices of invention education can bring meaning and enrichment to your ecosystem.

Professional Development

Sharpen your knowledge with fresh insights about STEM, invention education and changing education landscapes. Plus, hear the stories and strategies of other districts overcoming obstacles and stepping into a brighter tomorrow.

Advisory Role

Help launch this inaugural summit and be among the first to add your voice and expertise to a national conversation on invention education that will influence future professional development, as well as curricula and resources for student success.

Agenda at a Glance

Attendees will arrive on Sunday, March 15 for a dinner and reception at Embassy Suites. Then, we'll have one and half days filled with project-based and inquiry-based learning sessions, mock classroom implementation, roundtable strategic planning, and networking with national peers and National Inventors Hall of Fame leaders.

Monday, March 16

  • Welcome and icebreaker, Monica Jones,  Jayme Cellitioci and Veronica Kormos
  • Keynote: The Value of Creativity, Dr. Selcuk Acar & Dr. Peter Organisciak
  • Defining Invention Education, Veronica Kormos, Ashley Giordano, Rachelle Albrechta
  • Creating Opportunity + Unleashing Talent + Transforming Futures = Invention Education, Lucie Howell
  • Roundtable: Challenges in Today’s Education Landscape, Christine Jayo
  • The Efficacy of Invention Education, Jayme Cellitioci and Ashley Giordano
  • Hands-On Experience: Invention Project, Open Mic, Christine Jayo and Ashley Giordano 
  • Wrap-up and reflections, Veronica Kormos
  • Dinner at the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Tuesday, March 17

  • Morning kickoff, Veronica Kormos
  • Behind‑the‑scenes at the National Inventors Hall of Fame
  • Keynote: Innovation, Dr. Eric R. Fossum & Susan Fossum, MBA
  • The Power of Hands‑On STEM, Jessica Fiew
  • Creating a STEM Pipeline, Christine Girtain  
  • Roundtable: Prototypes in Your District
  • Wrap-Up, reflections and lunches to go

Keynote Speakers

Dr. Selçuk Acar, Associate Professor of Educational Psychology, University of North Texas

Featured in over 70 publications, Dr. Acar is a leading expert in creative research, specializing in divergent thinking, creative assessment and gifted education. Sharing cutting-edge insights on measuring and nurturing creativity, he has led groundbreaking work in evaluating AI-powered assessment tools. Dr. Acar holds a doctorate in educational psychology from the University of Georgia, serves as associate editor of Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, and sits on the editorial boards of Gifted Child Quarterly and Creativity Research Journal.

Eric Fossum, National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductee, Inventor of CMOS Active Pixel Image Sensor Camera-on-a-Chip

Eric Fossum invented the CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) active pixel sensor camera-on-a-chip, the miniaturized camera technology that is now a fixture in imaging. It is used in more than 6 billion imaging devices produced each year, including nearly every smartphone. At Dartmouth College, Fossum is the John H. Krehbiel Sr. Professor for Emerging Technologies; vice provost for the Office of Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer; and director of the Ph.D. Innovation Program. Fossum has made many visits to Camp Invention program sites, and in 2017, he and his wife Susan Fossum established The Fossum Family Endowment Fund to provide children in New Hampshire with access to National Inventors Hall of Fame invention education programs.

Susan Fossum, Educator (Retired)

Susan Briggs Fossum worked as an environmental chemist and geochemist before earning an MBA and a teaching credential, leading to a career teaching math and science. In addition to teaching at a “last chance” high school in Los Angeles and later at an International Baccalaureate (IB) middle school in Pasadena, California, her experience with the Caltech Pre-College Science Initiative (CAPSI) reinforced her belief in the benefits of cross-disciplinary, experiential learning. After visiting Camp Invention sites in New Hampshire and witnessing the program’s impact on students and educators, Susan has been an active partner with local school leaders to bring the program to more children and expand its footprint.

Peter Organisciak, Associate Professor of Library and Information Science, University of Denver

Peter Organisciak works at the intersection of education and artificial intelligence, building and validating tools to help educators support student ideation, give meaningful feedback and evaluate creative work. His work has supported initiatives from both the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Institute for Museum and Library Services. During his postdoctoral research, Organisciak used machine learning to improve discovery and scholarly value in large digital library collections. He is a collaborator on the Measure of Original Thinking in Elementary Students (MOTES) project and is currently the principal investigator of Innovative AI Systems for Nurturing and Assessing Creativity in K-12 Learning Environments, a project funded by the National Science Foundation.

Event Speakers

Jayme Cellitioci, Senior Director of Education, National Inventors Hall of Fame

An integral member of the National Inventors Hall of Fame’s education team for more than a decade, Jayme Cellitioci leads the vision and strategy for the Hall of Fame’s invention education programs. Guiding research-based curriculum development and comprehensive National Inventors Hall of Fame initiatives, she is committed to moving the needle on invention education’s national impact as a vehicle for building children’s skills in STEM, creative problem solving, Intellectual Property Literacy® and entrepreneurship. Jayme holds dual bachelor’s degrees in psychology and biology, a master’s degree in creativity and change leadership, and a professional certificate in free-choice learning.

Jessica Fiew, Regional Program Manager, National Inventors Hall of Fame

Jessica Fiew is the National Inventors Hall of Fame’s Regional Program Manager for North Texas and Customized Program Manager for the state of Texas. Prior to joining the Hall of Fame, she was a gifted and talented teacher and STEAM coordinator for White Settlement Independent School District in Fort Worth, Texas. She also served as a Camp Invention Director in the district for two years. A STEM-certified teacher through the Science and History Museum in Fort Worth, Jessica received her bachelor’s degree in education and her master’s degree in gifted and talented education from Texas Wesleyan University. 

Ashley Giordano, Manager of Program Management, National Inventors Hall of Fame

Ashley Giordano guides the tactical details of the National Inventors Hall of Fame’s large-scale invention education programs, including product development and dissemination. Engaged in research on behalf of the Hall of Fame, she is a member of the Strategic Data Project Fellowship, a program of the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University. She holds a master’s degree in history and a museum studies certificate from the University of Delaware.

Christine Girtain, STEM Educator, Toms River Regional Schools

A longtime leader of Camp Invention, Christine Girtain is an award-winning STEM educator and national leader in research and invention education. Serving students in New Jersey for more than three decades with Toms River Regional Schools, she is the 2023 New Jersey State Teacher of the Year and the 2022 National Genetics Educator of the Year. Christine directs a three-year Authentic Science Research program; serves as regional director of the East Coast Space Settlement Design Competition; and is co-founder of the Jersey Shore STEM Ecosystem. Known for building rigorous, student-driven programs that cultivate curiosity, resilience and problem solving, she leads students to not only learn science but use it to shape the future.

Lucie Howell, Director, University of Michigan Museum of Natural History (UMMNH)

An engineering scientist and educator, Lucie Howell values authentic, transdisciplinary formal and informal learning opportunities. She is focused on leading UMMNH’s mission to transform hearts and minds by promoting understanding of the natural world, our place in it and our impact on it. Lucie believes in empowering learners by allowing them to demonstrate their strengths while growing and developing new skills and expertise. This approach drives the museum’s focus on communicating about science, sharing cutting-edge research and creating effective educational experiences for all. 

Christine Jayo, Director of Customized Sales, National Inventors Hall of Fame

Christine Jayo builds and supports relationships with school and district administrators to bring solutions to the National Inventors Hall of Fame’s partners in STEM education. She collaborates directly with partners across 11 states, supporting district leaders and educators through both invention education program implementation and professional development. Christine holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Utah and a master’s degree in business management from Boise State University.

Monica Jones, CEO, National Inventors Hall of Fame

Guided by the core values of the nonprofit National Inventors Hall of Fame®, CEO Monica Jones leads with compassion, accountability and purpose to inspire innovation across America. Having previously served as COO, Monica contributed to a 370% increase in children served annually through invention education programs, reaching a total of 387,000 students in 2024. Monica’s strategic vision includes partnering with more school districts to provide STEM enrichment solutions, supporting educators and families to empower the next generation, and continuing to provide meaningful experiences designed to guide all children to learn that they belong in STEM.

Veronica Kormos, Senior Director of Educational Partnerships, National Inventors Hall of Fame

Veronica Kormos leads the National Inventors Hall of Fame’s organizational growth strategies and national strategic initiatives. With more than 16 years of experience in the education field, she has held leadership roles with organizations including The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation and co-founded Invention Convention Worldwide. As a dedicated advocate for ensuring access to Invention Education for all learners, Veronica believes it is essential to prepare students with the problem-solving and critical-thinking skills required for the jobs of the future. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and political science with a minor in aerospace studies from Miami University. 

Have Questions?

For more information, reach out to your National Inventors Hall of Fame contact, or to Veronica Kormos at [email protected] or 234-449-0330.

This training is provided with support from: