PACC Quarterly Membership Luncheon - Jan 2024

PACC Quarterly Membership Luncheon

Critical & Creative Thinking: Old World Perspectives with New World Ideas

Aha! Great innovators combine critical thinking AND creative thinking. Critical thinking seeks to assess worth or validity of something that already exists, while creative thinking tries to create something new. In business, in order to find innovative solutions, one needs to be able to analyze and evaluate the issue or problem and formulate new ideas. This presentation is designed to share how you can analyze and solve problems effectively with the right combination of critical and creative thinking.
 
Participants will:

• learn about the importance of both critical and creative thinking in the workplace
• obtain tips to increase creative abilities
• develop strategies for learning from mistakes 

After 35+ years of leadership experience in human services, financial management, and county administration, Carri L. Brown was appointed to the position of County Auditor in October 2021. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Business Administration from Ohio University and was named Outstanding Alumna of the Year in 2022. She has a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Organizational Management. Carri also holds a certificate of Business Sustainability Strategy from Harvard University. She is a recognized thought leader who ensures quality, innovation, and service commitment across business and government entities.
 
In Fairfield County, she was the first woman to serve as Child Support Director and was honored as the State’s Director of the Year in 2005. Over the span of her career, she has managed grants totaling more than $160 million. 
 
As the first woman to serve as County Administrator, Carri supervised county department heads of multiple government functions, including Job and Family Services, Economic and Workforce Development, Human Resources, Emergency Management, Visitation Center, Dog Adoption & Shelter, Facilities, and Utilities. She managed a county budget of more than $220 million, increasing the carry-over for the $50 M+ general fund budget. 
 
Fairfield County has been awarded more than 60 state and national awards for programs under her leadership, including programs for county administration, customer service, workforce development, communications, technology improvements, public safety, and civic education.
 
In 2019, Carri was honored with the Athena Award for leadership by the Lancaster-Fairfield Chamber of Commerce. She is engaged in numerous civic groups and boards.