Community Conversations:
Change, the Future, and the OD Practitioner
with
Jayne Fleener, Ph.D. and Michael Franken, MBA
Facilitated by Susan L. Westbrook, PhD, PCC
March 13, 2025
12:00 - 1:00 pm
On Zoom
(It's at lunch time...bring your lunch and enjoy being involved in the conversation.)
Break Free from the Ordinary
Ready to go beyond passive Zoom presentations? Join us for a more immersive approach to professional development.
An Invitation to Active Engagement
This isn't your typical slide presentation. We're reimagining our collaborative learning through:
- Fully interactive dialogue
- Dynamic participant-driven exploration
- Real-world insights from expert thought leaders
Join us as we weave together:
- Michael Franken's insights on jazz as a metaphor for organizational adaptability and change
- Jayne Fleener's Futurist perspectives on systemic change
- Susan Westbrook's view on transcending now and creating the Future
- Your unique professional experiences and reflections as OD prcatitioners
More than a just a great online conversation...this is professional development opportunity.
This conversation directly connects to the Systems Change Expert competency in the Global OD Competency Framework. Follow the link to learn more.
Global OD Competency Framework - OD Network
Don't just watch. Participate.
Take away something that can impact your work as an OD practitioner.
What can you expect?
We will begin the converation with short lead-in statements by Susan, Jayne, and Michael. Each giving just enough information to generate curiosity and get the ideas flowing. After that...we will be off-and-running in a conversation involving all of our participants.
Want to do some homework before the conversation?
Michael, Jayne, and Susan will each propose a list of resources you can tap into before the event. You will receive that list of links in your reminder email the week of the event.
Our March 2025 Community Conversations Team
Jayne Fleener, PhD
Jayne Fleener is an educational futurist. She was recently appointed to the international board of The Centre for Postnormal Policy and Future Studies and is an active member of the Association of Professional Futurists (APF) and the World Federation of Futures Studies (WFFS).
Her current research and engagement activities extend her work in K-12 and adult and higher education to consider the future of education and work. She is the chief editor of the book series “Living in an Age of Transformation” and recently co-authored the book Learning and Leading in an Age of Transformation (https://www.diopress.com/product-page/learning-and-leading-in-an-age-of-transformation).
Jayne has served as a faculty member and senior academic leader at North Carolina State University (NC State), Louisiana State University (LSU), and the University of Oklahoma (OU). Her leadership roles have included dean (LSU and NC State), associate dean (OU), and program coordinator (OU and NC State) in the respective colleges of education.
Michael Franken, MBA
Michael Franken advocates using jazz as a metaphor to fuel individual and team-based results, especially amid uncertainty and change. He provides unique perspectives, as a musician with deep experience creating effective business models, leading high-impact teams and helping workers adapt to evolving market needs.
In 2025, he will conduct research and author content for an upcoming book: "No Mistakes in Jazz: A Blueprint for Exploiting Teamwork, Creativity and Change in the Workplace." Along with book writing efforts, Michael plans to make insights public through LinkedIn posts, articles, videos and focused presentations.
Michael blends jazz piano skills with business experience spanning over 25 years' work across strategy, marketing, organization change and training areas. In careers at IBM and Cisco, he led dozens of teams to expand revenue streams, transform customer-focused roles and build skills to fit new opportunities.
Michael holds degrees from The University of Notre Dame and The University of Michigan (MBA)
Susan L. Westbrook, PhD, PCC
Susan Westbrook is a transformative educator, coach, and author with four decades as a change-maker. From public schools to university research, she consistently challenged educational paradigms, leading her to found and lead a charter high school in North Carolina that embodied her vision of educational transformation.
From the education sector, Susan moved into the realm of coaching and deeper personal work. A professionally certified coach (CTI, ICF) and Reiki Master, she uniquely bridges traditional coaching methodologies with spiritual practices. Susan's book, The Five Tibetans Yoga Workshop (Findhorn Press, 2014), exemplifies her holistic approach to personal development and growth.
Susan empowers her coaching clients to transcend limiting beliefs by dismantling restrictive narratives and creating expansive pathways to their most authentic selves. Offering a creative partnership that unlocks profound personal and professional potential, Susan helps her clients transcend surface-level changes to create the Futures they dream about.
We look forward to seeing you at our March TODN Community Conversations event.Let me, Susan Westbrook, know if you have any questions.
Cheers,
Susan
Please note: Community Conversations is a program within the Triangle Organization Development Network. For a schedule of TODN programs, you can check out the TODN calendar. For more information about becoming a member of TODN, contact Susan Westbrook or any TODN Board member.
