Hedria Lunken Saltzman and her Son David Lunken – Creativity as a Family Business

Creative Flow: Thinkers and Change Agents

Our thirteenth episode of the Creative Flow: Thinkers and Change Agents Podcast Series features a mother, Hedria Lunken Saltzman, and her son David Lunken. In this inter-generational discussion, we explore their work and how Creativity has impacted their relationship and family.

Hedria, now 82, is a speaker, coach, writer, and authority in Creativity. She has presented and worked for fortune 500 companies on five continents and has earned her MS in Creativity and Change Leaders at the Center for Applied Imagination, SUNY Buffalo State (SUNY). She also served as President of the Creative Education Foundation (CEF) and wrote the book Square One at 51: What I did the day after I buried my life. David is the principal of Cedarcroft Advisors, where he helps leaders build effective teams and a senior consultant for PI Midlantic, a talent optimization consultancy. He is also on the faculty at CEF and a beloved presenter at the Creative Problem Solving Institute.

Hedria describes her work and many achievements, from traveling to Turkey to start a conference to teaching introduction to Creative Problem Solving at MBA programs across the country. She had a profound impact as an early leader in the field and shares her work with FourSight and how it was her idea to include the "o" in the famous PPCo Tool for CPS. Her discussion of losing her first husband suddenly and how CPS became not just a career but the way she lives her life.

David describes how his mother influenced and inspired him to use CPS from a young age. While he teaches and uses the CPS methodology in his work, he prefers to frame it to clients in a way that helps to ensure meetings are productive, everybody is engaged, and there is a positive outcome. He describes working with clients on retreats, team building, and a wide range of projects.

You can feel the love and pride that this mother and son have for each other and how they have integrated Creativity into their family. They describe working with each other and David's other siblings and highlight a recent Zoom session, Hedria led with her ten grandchildren to discuss current social and political issues. Don't miss this episode to see the impact that Creativity can have across generations of a family.