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2025 AATH Conference & Humor Academy Schedule At-A-Glance

Charolette, North Carolina

Thursday, May 1 - Humor Academy Day

8:00 - 8:30 a

All Academy Welcome

8:30 - 11:30 a

Humor Academy Instruction  

  • HA Level 1 Instruction w/Mary Kay Morrison CHP               

  • HA Level 2 Instruction w/Michael Cundall CHP                 

  • HA Level 3 Instruction w/Karyn Buxman CHP               

  • CHP Professional Growth w/Mary Laskin CHP

11:30 a - 12:30 p

Humor Academy Peace Luncheon

12:30 - 1:00 p

BREAK

All Conference Attendees Invited to Attend the HA Program

1:00 - 2:45 p

Humor Academy Project Presentations

3:00 - 4:00 p 

HA KEYNOTE: How Becoming a Certified Humor Professional  Enriched My Life w/Brenda Elsagher CHP

4:30 - 6:00 p

Humor Academy Graduation

6:00 - 7:30 p

AATH Welcome Reception

7:30 - 9:00 p

Talent Show

Friday, May 2 - Conference Day 1

8:00 - 8:30 a

Conference Opening

8:30 - 9:30 a

KEYNOTE: Mind Over Mirth: Exploring Cognitive Behavioral Theory and the Power of Humor w/Robin Johnson CHP

9:30 - 9:45 a

BREAK

9:45 - 10:45 a

Breakout Sessions - Choose One                 

  • 1-2-3 A-B-C See How Fun AATH Can Be w/Merry Mentors               

  • Finding the Funny In Life's Mishaps w/Gina Ramsey                 

  • Leading with Laughter: How Humor Built, Saved, and Sustains AATH w/Roberta Gold & AATH Presidents

10:45 - 11:00 a    

BREAK

11:00 a - 12:00 p

Breakout Sessions - Choose One                 

  • Impotence, Incontinence and Insolence: Fun and Facts About Coping with Prostate Cancer with Hope and Humor w/Dr. Brad Miller                 

  • Can Humor Help Make a Town Happier? w/Kate McGlynn                 

  • Laughing Our Way Towards Peace: Envisioning a Peaceful Future through Laughter, Humor, and Play w/Peace Fellows Team

12:00 - 12:30 p    

Humor Academy Poster Walk

12:30 - 1:30 p

LUNCH

1:30 - 2:45 p

Research Showcase

3:00 - 4:00 p    

Breakout Sessions - Choose One                 

  • How to Use Humor Safely and Effectively w/Patrick Harris                 

  • The Spectrum of Improv: How Improv Supports Neurodiversity w/Mallori DeSalle & Tamara Hamilton                 

  • Seeing Demise Thru Humorous Eyes w/Allen Klein

4:00 - 4:15 p

BREAK

4:15 - 5:15 p

KEYNOTE: Ed Talks: Telling the Emperor He Has No Clothes Without Losing Your Head: The Role of Irreverence in Therapeutic Humor w/Ed Dunkelblau

5:15 - 7:00 p

BREAK - Dinner on Your Own

7:00 - 9:00 p

Timeless Memories Reunion

9:00 p 

AATH Lifetime Member Dessert Reception - Invitation Only

Saturday, May 3 - Conference Day 2

8:00 - 8:15 a

Announcements

8:15 - 8:30 a

Grins & Gratitude: Honoring Our Scholarship & Fellowship Recipients and Sponsors

8:30 - 9:30 a

KEYNOTE: NeuroSpicy: Love, Life, & Comedy on the Spectrum w/Dr. Sam Shay, DC, IFMCP

9:30 - 9:45 a    

BREAK

9:45 - 10:45 a

Breakout Sessions - Choose One                 

  • Enhancing Healthcare for Neurodiverse Patients: Practical Strategies for Inclusive Care w/Dr. Sam Shay, DC, IFMCP                 

  • Humor in the Workplace: How to Successfully Introduce Laughter into Corporate Culture w/Brooklyn Dicent                 

  • "Happy Lucky Me" How to make serious Japanese more playful w/Masako Kusakari

11:00 a - 12:00 p

BREAK

11:00 a - 12:00 p

Breakout Sessions - Choose One                 

  • Indigenous Humor Meets Modern Technology: The power of YouTube for promoting peace through humor w/Dana Kristiawan and Stephanie Knox Steiner, PhD                 

  • Laugh Therapy w/Matthew Sharpe                 

  • Back to Humor Through Generations Alpha, X, Y, Z, and Beyond w/Debbie Derflinger & Patti O'Rourke

12:00 - 1:00 p    

LUNCH & AATH BOARD ELECTIONS

1:00- 1:30 p      

Say Cheese! AATH Group Picture 

1:30 - 2:30 p    

KEYNOTE: Living Fearlessly Daily: 15 Steps To Manifesting A Fearless Approach To Leadership And Life w/Saranne Rothberg, MS

2:30 - 2:45 p

BREAK

2:45 - 3:45 p

Breakout Sessions - Choose One                 

  • Strengthening Your Resiliency: Making the Most of Life's Challenges through Improv w/Mary Jo Neil         

  • Using Humor to Enhance Your Leadership Skills w/David Jacobson     

  • Wait a minute, Doc, Are Emotional Intelligence and Humor Linked? w/Tabatha Mauldin

3:45 - 4:00 p

BREAK

4:00 - 5:00 p

Breakout Sessions - Choose One                 

  • From Uncomfortable to FUNcomfortable w/Bea Bincze              

  • So You Want to Start a Podcast? w/Saranne Rothberg, MS        

  •  Intelligent Positivity w/David Lipton

5:00 - 6:30 p    

BREAK

6:30 - 11:00 p

AATH Reception & Awards Banquet — Celebration, Remembrance, & Sock Hop

Sunday, May 4 - Conference Day 3 - World Laughter Day

8:30 - 9:00 a    

Announcements

9:00 - 10:00 a

KEYNOTE: What's So Funny About Aging? w/Mary Kay Morrison CHP

10:15 - 11:45 a    

Don't Leave Laughter to Chance … Apply It! w/Cathy Grippi CHP, CLYT

11:45 a - 12:00 p

Last Laugh: Conference Wrap-Up

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