Schedule

8:00 Members & Sponsors set up display tables
8:30 Registration Check-In, Coffee/Tea & Danish time and visits to Members/Sponsors Displays
9:00 Welcome and Overview of EXPO20 Objectives/Programs
9:15 Panel 1 – Humor – More than a Laughing Matter!
10:45 Break & Visit Displays
11:00 Panel 2 – Water Quality – What’s the Problem?
12:30 Lunch (Light Buffet),
1:30 Adjournment

Panel on Humor and Laughter – Humor and laughter are seen as having the potential to relieve pain, create a positive outlook, and get through life’s numerous stresses. Humor and its related laughter come in various forms. The panel members on humor are experts at understanding and explaining the many subtleties of humor. They will provide us with multiple forms of humor and why laughter is important to our health and wellbeing. This is an opportunity to become engaged and enjoy a giggle or two.

Humor and Laughter Panel Members

Will Luera – Improv Institute, Florida Studio Theatre
Hedda Matza-Haughton – Laugh for the Health of It
Les McCurdy – McCurdy Comedy Theatre & Humor Institute
Aaron Watkins – The Circus Arts Conservatory

Panel on Water Quality – Water quality is often taken for granted until an event such as the recent red tide bloom captures public attention. It is becoming more apparent that with increased population growth in SWFL resulting in inadequate sewage treatment capacity, a sizable number of septic tanks still in use, the continuous elevation of fecal bacteria at our beaches, excessive amounts of nitrogen runoffs from lawns; all of which combine to threaten our water quality. Our panel members, drawing upon their respective expertise, will address these issues, explore possible policy and practical changes, and help us see ourselves as part of the solution for improving water quality in this region.

Water Quality Panel Members

Cindy Heil, Ph.D., Mote Marine
Charlie Hunsicker, Manatee County Parks & Natural Resources
Jon Thaxton, Gulf Coast Community Foundation
Aaron Welch, Ph.D., Two Docks Shellfish