To conclude the 2024 Scholarly Series collaboration between Wilton Library and the Wilton Historical Society, the Society will host a panel discussion to celebrate the opening of the new exhibition Wilton Works. The exhibition explores the evolving nature of the jobs and workers responsible for building and changing our town.
The panel of Chris Bishop, former IBM Corporate Internet Programs team member, Dr. Kathleen Lavorgna, Chair of Surgery at Norwalk Hospital, and Kevin Meehan, Program Director at Ambler Farm will be moderated by Wilton Historical Society Director and Wilton Works curator Nick Foster, and will discuss how three different professions have shifted over time – especially under the influence of rapidly advancing technology – and what impact that has on all of us for the future.
Panel will be held at 6 PM on Thursday, April 18th, with opening reception for Wilton Works to follow. Free and open to the public, no registration required.
Panelists:
Christopher Bishop is a TEDx speaker, ex-IBMer, former touring rock musician, deep tech MC, future workplace consultant, and a firm believer in the power of innovative technologies to drive exciting careers.
Based on his own nonlinear, multimodal path – he has had eight careers so far – Chris created a workshop called “How to succeed at jobs that don’t exist yet.” He conducts these sessions in both corporate and university settings.
Chris’s workshops provide audiences with a socio-historical perspective on jobs and skills as well as insight into the business and career implications of bleeding-edge technologies, including quantum information science, artificial intelligence, cryptoassets, blockchain, fintech, augmented/virtual reality, genomic editing and robotics.
Dr. Kathleen LaVorgna is both a practicing physician and the chair of surgery at Norwalk Hospital. She is a board-certified general surgeon with special expertise in surgical emergencies, trauma and breast disease. She is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a Connecticut representative to the American Medical Association and an active member of the Connecticut State Medical Society—all organizations that champion the rights of all patients to receive excellent care.
After a three-year hiatus, Kevin Meehan rejoined Ambler Farm as our Program Director in September 2023, and we look forward to seeing his energy and passion return to Ambler Farm’s cherished educational initiatives. With a remarkable legacy of 13 years at the Farm, he has been an instrumental figure in developing and implementing all our core programs, including the Apprentice Program and Summer Camp. His influence is also deeply ingrained in our program area, as he designed and constructed the gardens and animal enclosures one by one with apprentices.