Nurturing Tomorrow’s Visionaries
Igniting the innate creativity that AI cannot replicate. Empowering the next generation with the most valuable skill for the future: human imagination.
Why Imagination Matters Now More Than Ever
Innovation Economy
Tomorrow’s leaders need imagination to drive innovation across science, technology, art, and business.
Education Crisis
Our current system prioritizes metrics and standardized testing over creativity, leaving children unprepared for future challenges.
AI Reshapes Work
As AI masters technical skills, human imagination becomes more valuable than ever before in the workplace.
Introducing Our Flagship Program
Complete Development System
A comprehensive approach to nurturing “imaginal intelligence”
Monthly Subscription Boxes
Curated experiences for children aged 1-5
Parent-Child Connection
Activities that strengthen bonds through creative play
Each box delivers 4-5 carefully selected items that transform ordinary playtime into extraordinary adventures, creating magical moments that spark lifelong creativity.
What’s Inside Each Box?
Storytelling Materials
Beautifully illustrated books and story prompts that transport children to imaginative worlds.
Open-Ended Experiences
Versatile, high-quality experiences designed to be used in countless creative ways.
Parent Guides
Expert-designed activity cards that help parents facilitate imaginative play and development.
Beyond the Box: Our Community Platform
Family Community
Connect with like-minded parents sharing the imagination journey.
Expert Webinars
Regular sessions with childhood development specialists and creativity experts.
Shared Experiences
Virtual and in-person events that bring imaginative activities to life.
AI-Powered Guidance
On-demand suggestions tailored to your child’s unique imagination development.
Join Us in Shaping the Future
Investment Round Now Open
We’re seeking partners who share our vision for nurturing the next generation of creative leaders.
Scale Our Operations
Your investment will help us reach more families, expand our product offerings, and build our community platform.
Transform Education
Together, we’ll lead a movement that prioritizes imagination as the foundation for lifelong success.
By investing in The Academy of Imagination, you’re not just backing a business—you’re championing a future where human creativity thrives in an AI-powered world. Let’s build this future together.
Meet the Team
Michela O’Connor Abrams
Michela O’Connor Abrams is the Founder of MOCA+, a design and management advisory practice. She has built her career on intuition, emotional intelligence and a keen sense of seeing things not for what they are, but for what they could be. With a BS in Journalism her focus on good content is as foundational to her client’s success as good design. In executive and CEO roles, she’s grown tech media and design companies that include Ziff-Davis, IDG, Business 2.0 and Dwell.
Alia Aizenstat Adlakha
Alia Adlakha is a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist in private practice and is affiliate faculty at the Graduate Institute of Analytical Psychology and Psychodrama. Alia holds a master’s degree from Pacifica Graduate Institute in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Depth Psychology. She is the published author of Psychotherapy in the Digital Age: The Integration of Online Identities in the Therapeutic Process, and the founder of Virtual Identities Integration Therapy (VIIT).
Stephen Aizenstat, Co-Founder
Stephen Aizenstat is a professor of Depth Psychology with a PhD in clinical psychology, author, and a licensed marriage family therapist. He is Founder and Chancellor Emeritus of Pacifica Graduate Institute, the Founder of Dream Tending, and co-founder, CIO (Chief Imagination Officer) of the Academy of Imagination. For more than 35 years, he has explored the power of dreams and imagination through depth psychology. He has collaborated with Joseph Campbell, Marion Woodman, Robert Johnson, James Hillman, and Native Elders worldwide.
Jon Brooks
Jon Brooks is a dynamic leader in educational technology and product engagement. At The Learning Company, he spent a decade designing award-winning children’s educational games that made learning fun. He later brought this expertise to eCommerce, using engaging digital media to educate customers and boost sales by 20%, influencing retailers like Walmart, Costco, and Target. A co-founder of BRIIA, an accelerator for entrepreneurs, Jon has helped 35 startups secure $75M in funding.
Paul Denton
Paul Denton has more than 30 years of strategic-leadership experience as an executive at numerous emerging-growth technology companies. His strategic, operational and financial skills have been critical in growing over 30 venture and PE backed start-up companies and ultimately creating liquidity events for many stakeholders. Most recently he was CFO of OpenGov, helping to grow it into a Unicorn valuation through both organic growth and by acquiring and integrating six companies in five years. He now advises SaaS companies on growth, strategic planning, and financing
Linda Hayes, Co-Founder
As featured in the Wall Street Journal and as a major award-winning strategic marketing and brand expert, Linda Hayes has over 30 years of senior executive experience. Leading world-wide organizations as Chief Marketing Officer, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Executive Officer, she has proven exemplary leadership in both Fortune 500 companies and high-tech startups. Her history includes building significant shareholder value in both small and large publicly traded companies. She is a co-founder, COO, and CMO of the Academy of Imagination.
Frank McMillan, Co-Founder
An award-winning author and educator, Frank McMillan has taught cultural geography at the college level for over 30 years. An Honorary Member of the International Association for Analytical Psychology (IAAP), he founded the McMillan Institute for Jungian Studies and serves as a trustee for Pacifica Graduate Institute in Santa Barbara and the C.G. Jung Educational Center of Houston. His novel, The Young Healer, won the NAESP Foundation Children’s Book of the Year Award and was a Mark Twain Readers Award finalist. McMillan is a co-founder and the Chief Story Officer (CSO) for the Academy of Imagination.
Monika Perez
A nationally respected child care specialist, Monika Perez has a rich background in early childhood education, including years of teaching in Stanford University’s child care program and long experience as a facilitator for numerous mentor services. Complementing her decades of observations and consultations in private and public schools in the greater Bay Area, she has also served as a consultant with several corporate child care programs in Silicon Valley.
Tom Steding, Co-Founder
Tom Steding has extensive experience in founding and leading high technology companies dealing with complex applications. CEO of a dozen startups. he has raised over $600M in funding and is the author of Built on Trust and Real Teams Win. His specialties include company formation, startups, positioning, strategy, financing, leadership, team effectiveness, management consulting, and coaching. He is a co-founder and the CEO of the Academy of Imagination.
Kevin Wray
An accomplished outbound-focused leader, Kevin’s passion is in establishing product market fit and go-to-market strategy. As a co-founder / company leader, Kevin has held a number of executive positions at multiple B2B SaaS startups leading sales, marketing, and customer success teams. Notable successes include global expansion to 13 countries; four successful exits over his 30+ year career.
Contact Us
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