About Us
We facilitate educational experiences and change processes that source insight and wisdom across system stakeholders. Our work is grounded in awareness of internalized conditioning and worldviews, practices of deep listening, and a focus on underlying dynamics and forces that influence how systems work.
Ultimately, successful systems change reflects the conditions we cultivate within ourselves and within our groups, organizations, and communities. We strive for congruence between what we say and what we do in pursuing change efforts across these scales, and our work focuses on this critical relationship between inner and outer change.
We call this approach awareness-based systems change.
Our grounding values
We approach our work guided by a set of principles that strengthen each other and collectively support the possibility of our articulated vision.
Work from care and love
Empathy, equity, and caring accountability are necessary to make positive change happen.
Grow awareness relationally
Personal and interpersonal awareness, and awareness of the broader system are essential to informing relevant action.
Engage collaboratively
Systems are relational, so our thinking and action must be too.
Listen deeply and with humility
High quality of attention and presence are the foundations for deep understanding.
Act with integrity and purpose
Following through on our word, while staying nimble, flexible, and responsive to what emerges builds trust.
Prioritize continuous learning
Ongoing inward and outward learning is crucial as we grow as systems thinkers and human beings.
Vision
We believe that through engaging in personal awareness practice, and deeply understanding the systems we live in, we can all become powerful agents for positive change, and together create a thriving future for all of life.
Mission
We engage community leaders and organizations to develop a deep understanding of social and ecological systems, and equip them for the inner and outer work needed to act as agents of positive change.
Our team
Board
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Rhode Island, USA
With 15 years experience in higher education, business, and environmental sustainability, Jenna has worked for Dartmouth College, Yale, and currently serves as the director of Sustainable Finance Advisory for Citizens Bank. She also can be found raising a rotating gaggle of farm animals, gardening, and adventuring with her family including her two young children.
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Tennessee, USA
A self-proclaimed “system thinking nerd,” Anthony has a Bachelor’s and Master’s of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering from Tennessee State University, a Master’s of Arts Degree in Civic Leadership from Lipscomb University, and a Juris Doctorate from Howard University School of Law. He has over 30 years of experience across corporations, non-profits, public health, higher education, and positive youth development.
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Colorado, USA and Baja California Sur, Mexico
With an equal love for people and spreadsheets, Kim’s experience spans 30 years in the fields of geriatric case management, local government finance, and international higher education. Her strong commitment to systems thinking, individual growth, and cultural humility is the basis for how she leads through collaboration and teamwork. Kim directs Colorado State University Todos Santos campus and has a private consulting business as a mindfulness coach.
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Wisconsin, USA
Ed Krishok is a corporate attorney active as a community leader in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, through his work with non-profit organizations. After 11 years in private law practice and 17 years in different legal department roles at Harley-Davidson, Inc., including vice-president and general counsel of Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Ed now focuses on advising non-profit organizations making or exploring transitions. Over the years Ed has served as the board chair of a number of non-profit organizations and is a past president of Rotary Club of Milwaukee.
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Wisconsin, USA
If leading a peaceful, powerful, and purposeful life is the goal, Ken playfully has it down. Community builder, author, speaker, and nationally recognized science educator, Ken is best known for his work to grow the Urban Ecology Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Center’s formula of using environmental education as a tool for inspiring urban revitalization has captured the attention of urban planners and educators across the globe. His systems approach led to a friendship with Peter Senge and Ken’s subsequent long-time engagement with the Academy for Systems Change.
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Massachusetts, USA
Connor is a farm, environmental, and organizational planner based in western Massachusetts. Through his firm, Alosa Ecological Strategies, he applies systems thinking to tackle complex projects at the intersections of land use, climate change, and business and community strategy. His background includes experience in outdoor leadership, higher education, and diversified farm production. Connor holds a B.Sc. in Ecological Design from Gaia University International and an M.Sc. in Ecological Planning from the University of Vermont.
Staff
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New Hampshire, USA
Marta is a systems thinker and forest ecologist with teaching and research experience in ecological economics. She is passionate about revealing the profound connections between human well-being and Earth's living systems. In her role as co-director of the Academy for Systems Change, she develops collaborative learning offerings on collective leadership for social change, inspired by the work of Donella Meadows.
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Vermont, USA
Kindle’s orientation towards systems thinking and change is rooted in her experience in tidal zones and life-long love of tending and caring for plants — as well as her background in environmental studies, health, and town-level food systems. Within the Academy for Systems Change she leads the backbone operations and financial management. She also tends the Academy’s collaborative relationships, while co-stewarding program offerings.
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North Carolina, USA
Lina holds degrees in the History of Colonization, US History, and Leadership for Sustainability. These, along with experience in philanthropy, investing, and liberatory homeschool parenting, inform her work as administrative and operations coordinator at the Academy for Systems Change.
Our history
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![White branch-like structures on a dark green background.]()
1996
In 1996, Donella (Dana) Meadows founded the Sustainability Institute to provide learning opportunities, research, and consultancies on systems dynamics. Rooted in Hartland, Vermont (USA), the Sustainability Institute (our original name) was part of a larger three-part vision that also included the vibrant Cobb Hill co-housing community and a living dairy farm.
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![Ripples in water.]()
2001 – 2008
When Dana prematurely died in 2001, the Institute reorganized around three main programs: the Donella Meadows Fellows Program, Climate Interactive, and the Sustainable Food Lab. Each of these programs became independent entities in 2008.
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![Long roots of trees sprawling across ground littered with leaves.]()
2011
The Institute moved to Norwich, Vermont, and began doing business as Donella Meadows Institute with two main focuses. The first, creating a Donella Meadows archive, including a physical portion at Dartmouth’s Rauner Library and an online archive featuring over a thousand written pieces. The second focus, strengthening and promoting community-based economic innovations grounded in Dana’s core principles of sufficiency and nature’s finite capacity.
In the same year, a group of systems practitioners founded the Academy for Systemic Change focused on building awareness-based systems change capacity.
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![A forest of evergreen trees.]()
2016
Peter Senge and Hal Hamilton, who were involved in both the Sustainability Institute and the Academy for Systemic Change, initiated a merging of the two. Aligned with a newly joined and expanded focus of bringing the concepts and practices of awareness-based systems change to a broader group of community leaders, the Institute adopted the current name, Academy for Systems Change.
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![A close-up of a group of bees on a honeycomb.]()
2015 – 2021
Between 2015 and 2021, under the direction of Darcy Winslow, the Academy ran a three-year Fellows Program focused on strengthening systems leadership capacities for two cohorts of emerging leaders worldwide. Academy Fellows and faculty members have been (and continue to be!) a life force of the organization, bringing their diverse areas of excellence to our programs, board of directors, and staff.
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![A river valley, with a river flowing between two evergreen forests.]()
2019 – present
Throughout these years, the Academy practiced organizational learning. Between 2019 and 2021 the Academy engaged in a culture-change process which involved deep inquiry, learning, and practice to evolve the organization's work. This led to intentionally centering collaboration, solidarity, and equity within the Academy’s awareness-based systems change work. (Check out Our Values to see how we approach our work.)
