Meet Mel and Freda

Mel Silberman was a psychologist known internationally as a pioneer in the areas of active learning, interpersonal intelligence, and team development. As Professor of Adult and Organizational Development at Temple University, Mel has won two awards for his distinguished teaching. He was also President of Active Training, Princeton, N.J., a provider of products, seminars and publications in his areas of expertise. He had more than 35 years experience creating and honing techniques that inspired people to be people smart, learn faster and collaborate effectively.

Mel shared his original and practical ideas throughout his books, and through active training programs and customized seminars for corporate, educational, human services, and governmental organizations. His training skills, psychological insights, and engaging personality made him a popular speaker at conferences of the American Society for Training and Development, the International Society for Performance Improvement, Training Magazine, Professional and Organizational Network in Higher Education, and the North American Simulation and Gaming Association.

A graduate of Brandeis University, Mel received his Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Chicago. He was also a licensed psychologist in the State of New Jersey.

His book 101 Ways to Make Training Active was voted one of the five best training and development books of all time by Training Magazine. Among his other publications are:

• Active Training: A Handbook of Techniques, Designs, Case Examples, and Tips (third edition)
• Active Learning: 101 Strategies to Teach Any Subject
• 101 Ways to Make Meetings Active
• PeopleSmart: Developing Your Interpersonal Intelligence
• Teaching Actively
• The Consultant's Toolkit
• The Consultant's Big Book of Reproducible Surveys and  Questionnaires
• The Consultant's Big Book of Organization Development Tools
• The Active Manager's Toolkit
• The Best of Active Training I & II
• Training the Active Training Way
• The 60 Minute Active Training Series
• Working PeopleSmart: 6 Strategies for Success
• The Handbook of Experiential Learning

Mel has served as editor of The ASTD Training and Performance Sourcebook and The  ASTD OD and Leadership Sourcebook. He was also the auhor of the soon to be published book... Unforgettable Experiential Activities. Mel has been honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the North American Simulation and Gaming Association.

Sadly, Mel Silberman passed away on February 20th 2010. He holds the survival record (13 years) for stage IV metastatic lung cancer at Princeton Medical Center. During those years, he never missed a class at Temple University or a training session at a corporation, university or non-profit. All of his many treatments were scheduled around his teaching. His last book was edited the week before he entered hospice. It was his love of family, community and his work that, our family, believes helped him to survive and live life to the fullest. We are happy that so many people remember him fondly and appreciate his books, which are, indeed, a part of his wonderful legacy. Through his writings, his memory is kept alive.

Freda Hansburg is co-author of PeopleSmart, Working PeopleSmart and The 60 Minute Active Training Series. She is also a psychologist in private practice, an executive coach and an organizational consultant. She has also contributed to The Training and Performance Sourcebook and made presentations about people smart organizations to several professional organizations. Freda is known for her compelling demonstrations of handling difficult interpersonal problems and her clear, witty explanations of complex human interactions.

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