Facilitators

Jeff Merrell

Hello! I am the Associate Director and lecturer at the Master’s Program in Learning & Organizational Change (MSLOC) at Northwestern University where I teach a graduate-level course examining the use of social technology for sharing knowledge in organizations. I am an educational technology enthusiast and led MSLOC’s adoption of an Enterprise 2.0 platform as the backbone of its learning and teaching environment. My academic and professional interests focus on linking innovative knowledge-sharing tools and practices to organizational strategy with a particular interest on activities that lead to socially-responsible outcomes. Lately I have also been exploring the role that digital networked learning (personal learning networks and MOOCs) play in changing how people connect, learn and engage. I blog about learning and technology at my main Learn.Change.Design and about my MOOC and open learning experiences at jeffdmerrell.wordpress.com.

I hold an M.S. in Learning & Organizational Change from Northwestern and an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management. Purple Line Associates is my research and consulting practice. It is dedicated to researching and designing innovative solutions for sharing knowledge. I have been Principal Consultant of Purple Line Associates since its inception in 2001.

Kimberly Scott

Hi everyone! I’m an Assistant Professor and Director of the Master’s Program in Learning & Organizational Change and the Center for Learning & Organizational Change at Northwestern University. I joined Northwestern over eight years ago, after 10 years of management and consulting work in a variety of mid-sized and Fortune 500 companies. My PhD. and MBA are from The Ohio State University, where my studies concentrated in organizational behavior and human resource management. I don’t really blog, but when I do you can read about it here: http://mooskscott.wordpress.com/.

My work focuses on improving workplace environments and practices that foster employee wellness, learning and success. I’ve used my research opportunities to explore how people learn through problem solving and to examine relationships between organizational practices, individual engagement and well-being. I’m also interested in the transitions people experience as they move into leadership roles and how learning can be facilitated to accelerate leadership development. I have designed and taught courses that cover a range of topics, including learning and performance improvement, action learning, leadership development, change management, and the application of social network analysis to organizational change issues. As an independent consultant, my work with individuals focuses on coaching leaders and high-potential talent to develop the awareness, learning agility, and competencies that will help them achieve their career objectives. My work with organizations ranges from facilitating strategic workforce planning to designing leadership development interventions, including action learning and performance management programs.