Hello

The Ignite Collective and Ignite Dance Co. were founded by Shawna Kassuba, an educator, Positive Psychology practitioner, dance educator, speaker, and nonprofit leader who believes resilience can be intentionally cultivated through meaningful experiences, human connection, and a little wonder.

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Shawna earned her Master's degree in Positive Psychology from Arizona State University, where she explored how emotional regulation, creativity, and human connection contribute to human flourishing and well-being. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Psychology further exploring resilience, well-being, and the conditions that help individuals, organizations, and communities thrive.

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Movement has been a lifelong passion for Shawna, who has danced for more than 35 years, taught dance for over 15 years, and owned and directed a dance studio for more than a decade. Throughout those experiences, she discovered that movement is a powerful pathway to resilience, develop meaningful relationships, and cultivate life skills that reach far beyond the studio. Today, those insights are reflected in the Ignite Model®, a framework that blends movement, creativity, positive psychology, and human connection to help children and family's flourish.

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Shawna also holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Entrepreneurship and a Business Leadership Certificate from the University of Michigan. Her professional journey includes more than seven years serving children and families within Michigan's mental health system, where she partnered with families, schools, community organizations, and state leaders to develop innovative education, outreach, and training initiatives. Through this work, she has helped shape family-driven and youth-guided programs, statewide curricula, and collaborative learning experiences designed to strengthen resilience, connection, and hope.

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Today, Shawna brings these experiences together through The Ignite Collective and Ignite Dance Co. She creates research-informed, wonder-inspired, human-centered experiences that help people arrive, deepen human connection, cultivate resilience, and flourish. Whether leading conference experiences, facilitating Pause by The Ignite Collective, partnering with schools and organizations, or working alongside children and families, her mission remains the same: to create spaces where people feel seen, connected, and empowered to discover strengths they may not have realized they already possessed.