S5 Ep2: Madeline Ashby speaks about why futures work is the hardest thing you’ll ever do, and it’s easier than you think

Karl Schroeder talks about the importance of narratives and long-form fiction in foresight Karl Schroeder is the author of eleven science fiction novels including the award-winners Permanence and Lockstep. His latest book is Stealing Worlds, a near-future thriller about augmented-reality live-action role playing, murder, and talking groceries, among other things. Aside from writing, Karl also consults as a futurist, having attained a Masters in Strategic Foresight and Innovation in 2011. He is currently working on multiple writing and foresight projects. See more about Karl on his new website Narrative Futures See more about Nikolas at www.nikolasbadminton.com

Jake is Director of the Center for Futures Intelligence and Director of Operations/Engagement for National Intelligence University's Intel, Research, Education, and Solutions (IRES) Laboratory. He is also a member of the research faculty. He is an international speaker on global futures and intelligence and founded the US Air Force's Strategic Foresight and Futures Team. Jake's work spans the nexus of disruptive tech, geopolitical risk, and futures intelligence. He leads a team that helps senior leaders in the Intelligence Community and Department of Defense embrace uncertainty and build anticipatory thinking. He holds a Ph.D. in political science and geopolitical futures from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, a Master of Arts in international affairs from the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy at Tufts University, a Master of Philosophy in military strategy from the US Air Force’s School of Advanced Air & Space Studies, a Master of Military Operational Art & Science from the Air Command and Staff College, and a Bachelor of Arts in international studies from Norwich University. His work as a thought leader has been featured internationally in: The National Interest, The Diplomat, Defense News, C4ISR Journal, China-US Focus, Greece's Kathimerini, the Middle East Institute, MIT Political Science News, the Futurist Institute, the Future Today Institute, and the Delphi Economic Forum.  He is a regular speaker and lecturer on strategic foresight, global affairs, and national security. You can connect with Jake on Linkedin See more about Nikolas at www.nikolasbadminton.com

Dr. Schultz is an academically trained futurist with over forty years of global foresight practice. She has designed futures research projects for NGOs, government agencies, and businesses, and recently completed with her colleagues at SAMI Consulting four global scenarios and multiple regional scenarios on the futures of research and innovation in a post-COVID world. Wendy specializes in participatory futures workshops – most recently online for the ILO and the International Institute of Islamic Thought; other examples include face-to-face workshops offering foresight training in Kuala Lumpur and istanbul; at A Temporary Futures Institute at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Antwerp; In Cairo for the ILO; for Africa Knows in Arusha, Tanzania; with the Geneva Centre for Security Policy in Bangkok, New York, and Geneva; and in Budapest for Vodafone. Wendy teaches futures studies in the Masters Program in Strategic Foresight at the University of Houston; is a Fellow of the Geneva Centre for Security Policy; a Senior Fellow of the Center for Post-Normal Policy and Futures Studies; a member of the Association of Professional Futurists; and a Fellow of the World Futures Studies Federation. She is Director of Infinite Futures and Futures Puzzlemaster at Jigsaw Foresight. See more about Wendy at Infinite Futures See more about Nikolas at www.nikolasbadminton.com

Madeline Ashby is a science fiction writer, futurist, speaker, teacher, and immigrant living in Toronto. She is represented by Cooke McDermid, and UTA. Her fiction has appeared in Nature, Tesseracts, Escape Pod, FLURB, the Shine Anthology, and elsewhere. Her essays have appeared at BoingBoing, io9, WorldChanging, and The Atlantic. Her fiction has appeared in Slate, MIT Technology Review, Clarkesworld, and multiple anthologies. Madeline has worked with Intel Labs, the World Health Organization, the Institute for the Future, SciFutures, Nesta, Data & Society, The Atlantic Council, Changeist, and others. She has spoken at SXSW, FutureEverything, MozFest, and other events. I’m currently reading her and Scott Smith’s book ‘How to Future’ and they help people understand how to think and what to do. You can read more about Madeline at - https://madelineashby.com/ See more of Nikolas' writing at www.nikolasbadminton.com

Joseph is a Scanner, Analyst, Researcher, Educator, Facilitator, Consultant. He has been a professional futurist for over two decades, he holds a PhD in theoretical physics and in his early career he spent several years in internet-related companies, including a stint at the legendary Netscape in Silicon Valley, California, in the late-1990s. Joseph has a strong belief in the need for both rigorous intellectual discipline as well as practical pragmatic utility in ‘real world’ contexts, and this belief lies at the heart of his approach to Futures Studies and strategic foresight. See more of Joseph’s thoughts at www.thevoroscope.com See more of Nikolas’ insights at www.nikolasbadminton.com See the Futurist Think Tank at www.futurist.com/think-tank

Brett is an innovation educator, adviser and investor. He has worked with leading global brands to develop innovative new products, brands and communications resulting in over 200 awards and patents. He is a behavioural economist by training with deep experience leading digitization. His recently completed research at INSEAD, the leading global business school, applied a systems psychodynamic perspective to innovation leadership. This distinguished research illuminates the inner world of repeat innovation leaders to understand the feelings, thoughts and behaviours that enable or inhibit progress. His monthly newsletter - Connecting Dots - is a thoughtful and practical exploration of the human side of innovation. Subscribe at https://www.brettmacfarlane.com See Brett’s Innovation Leadership Map (ILM) research - https://www.brettmacfarlane.com/ilm _________ Listen to more episodes on Spotify  See more of Nikolas' thoughts at www.nikolasbadminton.com

TRACEY FOLLOWS is a professional futurist identifying the future trends that will shape our world. Her clients have included Telefonica, Google, Sky, Farfetch, Conde Nast and Virgin. She has spoken at UN HQ in New York, delivered her TedX at the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office and closed at events such as Think With Google. She writes her own contributor column in Forbes and her opinions are regularly sought by national media. Tracey is also a member of the Association of Professional Futurists, World Futures Studies Federation and a Fellow of the RSA.   Her first book, The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology? published by Elliott & Thompson March 2021. Read her book - 'The Future of You'  Follow her on Twitter - @traceyfutures See more of Nikolas’ thinking at www.nikolasbadminton.com

Richard Yonck is a futurist with Intelligent Future Consulting in Seattle, where he is an advisor to businesses and organizations about emerging trends and future developments. He explores developing trends in emerging technologies including artificial intelligence, healthcare, biotechnology and genetics, transportation, robotics, and more. He’s the author of the 2020 book Future Minds explores the nature of intelligence and how our world is rapidly becoming more and differently intelligent. His previous book, Heart of the Machine: Our Future in a World of Artificial Emotional Intelligence (2017) looks at the future of the emerging technologies making it possible for computers and robots to read, interpret, and even influence human emotions. Reach out to Richard at Intelligent Future Consulting See his writing at GeekWire See more of Nikolas’ insights at www.nikolasbadminton.com

Oksana Andreiuk is a biotechnology scientist, biohacker, and futurist. She founded Canadian Biohacker with a mission of bringing health optimization and anti-aging science to the mainstream. She is also a Strategist at Klick Health, one of the top marketing and commercialization agency partners to global life sciences organizations. Oksana has a long-standing interest in the applications of biotechnology to optimizing health and performance and holds an Hons BSc in genetics and biotechnology and a Master of Biotechnology from the University of Toronto. She believes the future of healthcare lies in disease prevention as well as delaying (and even reversing) the aging process, ultimately extending healthspan and lifespan. Follow Oksana on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/canadianbiohacker/ On her Medium channel - https://medium.com/canadianbiohacker  And, on her website - https://canadianbiohacker.com/

Liza is a Retail Strategist and Industry Leader with over 21 years of experience. In her career, Liza has worked with familiar brands including Ralph Lauren Europe and Canada, Club Monaco, Nike, Walmart, and many others. Her experience encompasses brick and mortar, e-commerce and omni-channel in the areas of product creation, merchandising and product development. In shifting to consulting, she played an integral role in Accenture's Retail Strategy group, where she was responsible for consulting with fashion brands and retailers, providing insight on relevant topics such as speed to market and future retail operating models. She is a respected voice on topics such as responsible/sustainable retail, "The Future of Retail" and has led conversations on pertinent issues related to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Liza is currently the Principal at Retail Strategy Group; a consulting practice which helps companies in the retail space dramatically improve profitability.