Hi, I’m Dre Merello—a creativity researcher, artist, and seasoned facilitator passionate about helping people think in fresh ways. With roots in visual art, music, yoga, and a PhD in education policy, I design workshops and retreats that blend intuitive insight with practical tools, making creativity both meaningful and usable in everyday life.
Why Creativity,
Why Now?
Why Creativity, Why Now?
The World is Changing. Creativity isn't Optional.
Major research from the World Economic Forum, McKinsey, and IBM all agree:
Creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving are the top skills employers seek.
Creative thinking is more essential than ever. It encompasses persistence in the face of difficulty and distraction, the ability to tolerate ambiguity when immediate answers aren’t available, the initiative to assert new ideas, openness to collaboration, and the capacity to let unexpected solutions emerge. These aren’t just “nice to have” qualities—they’re core culture and problem-solving competencies.
Most companies want employees who can think this way, yet struggle to cultivate these capacities internally. As someone with a PhD in education policy, I understand the systemic gaps that have left generations of people underprepared for creative work: schools have not been designed to nurture initiative, persistence, imagination, or deep inquiry.
CMS exists to repair that gap. I help organizations develop the creative skillsets their teams need to flourish—skills that strengthen culture, elevate collaboration, and transform how people approach complex work.
At Colors Make Shapes...
CMS blends the science of creativity with the art of facilitation. My workshops are grounded in doctoral research and shaped by over a decade of real-world experience in the classroom.
My work draws from:
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Root-Bernstein’s 13 Tools of Creative Thinking
- Creativity researchers like Elliott Eisner and Csikzentmihalyi
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Embodied learning practices (Yoga Nidra, somatics)
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Deep listening and subtle group dynamics
Your team won’t just feel good; they’ll leave with tools they can apply immediately to their work.
Creative Energy
“Dre always had the capability to push us to create something even better than we could have imagined, partly because of the energy she maintained during the long sessions, and partly because her personable personality made sessions very enjoyable.”
Madison B.
Meet Dre Merello, Your Guide to Transformative Creativity
“Dre was able to find ways to interest the entire group with her personality and passion for the content we covered. Not only did I enjoy making art in this environment, I learned from Dre's facilitation style and experience.”
Terra B.
