Leading Through Ambiguity: A Futures Thinking Workshop

On June 2nd and September 16th, we hosted listening sessions in the Future-ready Leader Series, where we examined ambiguity through a number of lenses, from futures thinking to growth mindset. (For a full accounting of that session, please read the session highlights Summer Quarter issue of the Comm Lead Alumni Newsletter.) Most importantly we looked at how we’re all dealing with accelerated change, and explored , Alvin Toffler’s approach for understanding how rapid change creates disorientation, and what matters most in moments like this is our ability to learn, unlearn, and relearn. Through this lens, we were able to connect with our own challenges and fears so that we can reflect on what’s happening around us.

This October, you have an opportunity to return to the Comm Lead classroom and join other alumni and faculty for a full day workshop hosted by Comm Lead instructors Andrea Zeller and Laura Porto Stockwell. Attendance is limited to 40, so reserve your spot today!

Our gathering will take place at the Burke Museum’s East Classroom on the beautiful University of Washington campus for our in-person full day workshop on Sunday October 5th, where we’ll continue exploring how uncertainty shows up in our work and leadership, and what it means to communicate with honesty, clarity, and care when the path ahead isn’t fully known. (Bonus: parking on campus is free!). Morning coffee service and lunch is provided. You’ll learn how to spot signals of change, map them into possible futures, and bring those futures to life through scenarios and storytelling. This will be a hands-on workshop where you’ll have the opportunity to practice and use tools from the field of futures studies to identify and act on your preferred future and visualize different paths for your role, team or organization. You’ll leave with new tools and a new mindset to help you lead through ambiguity.

This workshop series, designed for Comm Lead alumni and faculty offers a collaborative space to explore emerging futures and possibilities together.

We’re working in a time of deep ambiguity, shaped by accelerating technology and cultural disruption, expectations on us as leaders are constantly shifting. For communicators, that ambiguity can feel both energizing and disorienting. We’re often the ones asked to make sense of change, shape narratives, and help others find clarity, even when we ourselves aren’t sure what’s coming next. In this full day workshop, we’ll reflect on how we define and experience ambiguity and discuss some of the forces that may be driving it.

Workshop Facilitators:

, CEO + Chief Strategy Officer, tmrw + tmrw

Laura Porto Stockwell is the founder and Chief Strategy Officer at tmrw + tmrw, a futures consultancy helping clients navigate change and uncover opportunities. With 20+ years of experience, she excels at crafting strategies that merge cultural insights, emerging trends, and data-driven foresight. She’s held executive roles at Razorfish, Publicis, and VML, leading innovation for clients including Microsoft, Lenovo, T-Mobile, and Toyota. Laura holds a master’s in media studies from The New School and a certificate in Futures Studies and Speculative Design from Parsons.

, UX Leader, and UW Comm Lead Advisory Board Member. Currently at Google, previously TikTok, Meta and Expedia

Andrea Zeller brings over 20 years of UX leadership in innovative technology. She excels at transforming ambiguity into product experiences and team results. Her journey spans from documentary filmmaking to pioneering UX content design for mobile, VR, and AR at companies like Expedia, Meta, TikTok, and now Google’s Android Automotive. Andrea holds a B.F.A. in Film and Television from NYU and an MA in Digital Media from the University of Washington.

Question? Email [email protected]

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