Learning Through Play for All Ages: Joyful Reflections from the Field

April 16, 12:00 pm ET

Join us for a delightfully playful panel discussion on the importance of playful learning in the positive development of young people and adults in a variety of settings. This session will highlight the important role playful learning takes in supporting multilingual learners, classroom culture and older adults.

Moderated by Amanda Charles, program officer at The William Penn Foundation and James Doyle, program officer at The Grable Foundation, this session will also serve as the kickoff to the Playful Learning Impact Group for Grantmakers for Education members interested in learning more about this innovative work.

Playful learning seeks to augment learning that takes place in schools by transforming cities, public spaces and everyday places such as bus stops, supermarkets and parks into fun, engaging and interactive learning opportunities for children and families. Playful learning advances children, youth and adult learning and development while also promoting community-led change.

This event is exclusive to Grantmakers for Education members.

There is no cost to attend this Grantmakers for Education program. Registration closes 15 minutes prior to the program time. By registering for this program, you agree to our Learning Environment Commitment. Thank you for your patience; we review each registration in advance.

About the Speakers

Amanda Charles
Program Officer, Children and Families
William Penn Foundation

Amanda Charles manages grantmaking under the Children and Families program related to advancing our Out-of-School Learning and Caregiver Supports objectives.

Previously, Amanda worked as a child care specialist with the Arlington County Government in Virginia, balancing caseload management of child care facilities while working collaboratively to improve program quality.

Amanda holds a master’s degree in education from the University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor’s degree in education from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, where she majored in elementary and special education. When she’s not at work, Amanda enjoys walking her dog on local trails, visiting the Free Library of Philadelphia and exploring the Philadelphia food scene.

James Doyle
Program Officer
The Grable Foundation

James Doyle is a program officer at The Grable Foundation, supporting grantmaking activities for youth-serving organizations across the Greater Pittsburgh region. Previously, he served as the chief operating officer of the Environmental Charter School and as the executive director of Higher Achievement Pittsburgh. Doyle is a member of the Remake Learning Council, a board member and Governance Committee chair for the Jefferson Regional Foundation, and a board member of City Charter High School. He has also been recognized as a Pittsburgh Magazine 40 Under 40 award recipient, an Afterschool Champion by the Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool Youth Development Network (PSAYDN), and a National Afterschool Association Next Generation of Afterschool award winner.  Doyle earned a doctorate in Education with a concentration in Out-of-School Learning from the University of Pittsburgh in 2020.

Justin Forzano
Founder and CEO
Open Field

Justin Forzano is the founder and CEO of Open Field, an international sport-based youth development organization based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with the mission to improve the lives and futures of youth through sport. Open Field promotes social emotional learning, girls’ empowerment, post-secondary success through soccer. Under Forzano’s leadership, the organization engages more than 1,000 youth in positive learning experiences on soccer fields in Western Pennsylvania and in two African countries (Cameroon and Guinea).

In addition to leading the organization, Justin served as a coach mentor, facilitating programming for immigrant and refugee youth in the Pittsburgh community for more than a decade. He holds a Master of Public Policy Management from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs and is a graduate of the University of Dayton with a Bachelor of Civil Engineering. Forzano is an Albert Schweitzer Fellow for Life and was named one of Pittsburgh Magazine’s ‘40 Under 40’ in 2018.

Irv Katz
Senior Fellow Emeritus
Generations United

Mr. Katz, MSW, is senior fellow emeritus at Generations United (www.gu.org). His work in the intergenerational field has covered a range of topics, including intergenerational community planning, intergenerational housing and framing intergenerational concepts. His work at GU also included providing an intergenerational perspective to coalition efforts around playful learning landscapes.

Irv previously served for sixteen years as president and CEO of the National Human Services Assembly (National Assembly), the national association of more than seventy of the nation’s leading nonprofit human service organizations. He also served as CEO of the Assembly’s for-profit subsidiary, PurchasingPoint. Prior to joining the National Assembly, Katz enjoyed a twenty-three year career in the United Way movement, where he served as the CEO of the United Way in Indianapolis and later as SVP for community impact at United Way Worldwide.

Katz holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Indiana University, His current efforts focus on aging (as a member of the Fairfax Area Commission on Aging) and gun violence prevention.

Asia Mason
Principal
Pittsburgh Minadeo PreK-5

A proud alumna, parent and dedicated employee of Pittsburgh Public Schools, Mrs. Asia Mason serves as the principal of Pittsburgh Minadeo PreK-5. Mrs. Mason is committed to fostering a culture of excellence, equity, and engagement for all students. She is driven by a deep moral responsibility to be a positive and successful role model for students who look like her and who need her advocacy. Mrs. Mason remains passionate about ensuring that every student at Minadeo receives the high-quality, equitable, and supportive educational experience they deserve.

Mrs. Mason began her professional career in Pittsburgh Public Schools by overseeing the curriculum and programming for the Out of School Time (OST) Department, where she played a crucial role in enriching students’ educational experiences beyond the classroom. Her work in OST laid the foundation for her ongoing commitment to student engagement and success.

In her ninth year in education, Mrs. Mason continues to break educational boundaries through her unique and dynamic leadership approach. She previously served as assistant principal at Pittsburgh Colfax K-8 and as project manager for student voice under the Office of the Superintendent. Mrs. Mason earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Carlow University, along with her Post-Masters Principal K-12 Certification from Edinboro University.