June 18 2026
“In times of great uncertainty, it can become even more difficult to envision and plan for the future we want,” insists gamification expert Valary Oleinik. “However, using a process from The BOX Experience methodology, you are invited to join a discussion that will help you unbox your future self.”
We welcome Valary as the star of our June 2026 Empowered Together webinar: We will make the invisible visible by mapping our inner thinking to our outward behavior and turning the impossible into actionable steps. Past participants have called this reflective journey “a spa treatment for your brain.” Countless others have returned time and again to the practice to explore pathways, ground their ideas, and commit to taking action that moves them toward their own success image.
If you missed it, you still can participate: All you need is one blank piece of paper and something to write with. Using those simple tools, you will create a physical artifact that reminds you of your experience and the commitments you choose to make to yourself. I hope you will join this low-stress experience to hear yourself think, reflect, and unbox a gift for your future self.
About Valary Oleinik: Half geek and half artist and 100% committed to helping people deliver more engaging and effective experiences in business and educational spaces, Valary has decades of experience in project management, workplace training, and higher ed professional development, combined with her innovative approach as a speaker and consultant on gamification and creative problem-solving, have earned her the titles of “maven of new thinking” and the “MacGyver of training.”
Valary is the Owner and Chief Disruptor of DandeLearn LLC, where she offers one-on-one coaching, workshops, and keynotes. She is the Past President of USDLA (United States Distance Learning Association), and a certified facilitator of The BOX Experience, a proven methodology for those times when thinking out of the box is not enough. Throughout her endeavors, she is assisted by her cat and bunny, who are lousy typists but great at shredding papers.
Let’s play a game with Val: QUAD(GROUP)LE CARDS
Have you noticed what usually happens when you ask people to pair up or break into groups during a workshop or class? People tend to work with the person(s) right next to them. And in many cases, there is a good chance this is someone they already know.
While there may be advantages to having people who know one another work together, you often want people to mix and mingle. How many lost opportunities have there been for people to exchange ideas with new and different people because they didn’t happen to sit next to one another?
As an introvert, I know that it can be a little stressful for people to participate in activities with strangers. It can be awkward. And it can use up precious learning time getting people to figure out how to break into groups. It may not be the biggest challenge you will face when teaching people, but it is something we can handle more efficiently and creatively.
That’s where the Quad(Group)le Cards come into play. I wanted to find a quick, easy way to help people feel more confident and comfortable joining groups with strangers.
Now it is your turn to get people interacting in a fun way during your next learning experience or group activity. Whether you want people to work in pairs, in groups of 3-5, divided into larger groups at random, or any other configuration you can think of, these cards can help.
Each deck of cards comes with facilitation ideas and 60 participant cards. For groups larger than that, you can use additional decks of the color scheme of your choice or mix and match colored decks to provide even more ways to help people mix and mingle.
Go explore, play, have fun, and get your learners mixed up in the best possible ways.
And stay in touch. Share your stories and pictures we me and on social media.
Psst, I also do custom versions. For example, I did a special, limited-edition New Orleans-themed deck. If you have a specific color palette, theme, or other special requests, contact me and let’s chat about it.
Stay curious and be gameful! — Valary (valary@valarywithawhy.com)
Learn more: valarywithawhy.com
To start us off, we hosted our first Zoom Mastermind meeting on Saturday, Nov. 16. These will be held monthly, and each session will be a safe space for reflection, solidarity, and empowerment. The forum will be open to sharing concerns that we plan to channel into meaningful action, personal growth, and positive change for their communities.
