We’re working hard to create an engaging conference program and are thrilled to share the sessions we’ve planned for you.
Take a look at the session descriptions and speaker biographies below the agenda to start planning your experience.
CONFERENCE AGENDA
Pre-Conference Event: Tuesday 2 September
| TIME | SESSION | ROOM |
|---|---|---|
| 09:00 | Optional Workshop: Creating Conditions to Encourage a Positive Organization: An Introduction to Systems Leadership | See pre-event tab for more details | |
| 14:00 | ODWS Registration Desk opens | - |
| Informal Networking |
Day 1: Wednesday 3 September
| TIME | SESSION | SPEAKER |
|---|---|---|
| 08:00 | Registration | - |
| 09:00 | Opening Ceremony: cultural drumming & dancing | |
| 09:30 | Welcome address by IODA President | Noble Kumawu |
| IODA book launch | ||
| Solidarity messages from ODN, ISODN, Africa OD Net and ODPA | ||
| Welcome message from a Government Official | ||
| Keynote Address | Peter Wallman (Australia) | |
| Plenary Session | ||
| 10:45 | Panel Discussion | |
| 11:30 | Health Break | |
| 12:00 | Concurrent Sessions | Isaac Selvaraj Peter (Malaysia) Kelly King (USA) Gloria Kumawu (Ghana) |
| 14:00 | Lunch Break & Networking | |
| 15:00 | Plenary Session | Alette Vonk (Netherlands) Michelle de Bruyn (South Africa) Jen Freeman (USA) |
| 16:00 | Keynote Address | Peter Block (USA) |
| Plenary Session | ||
| 17:00 | IODA Members' Meeting | Rod Barnett, Ulla Nagel, Peter Kalmar |
| 18:30 | Free evening |
Day 2: Thursday 4 September
| TIME | SESSION | SPEAKER |
|---|---|---|
| 08:00 | Cocoa time & Networking | |
| 09:00 | Pro-bono Consulting sessions | |
| Case Study 1: Ministry of Transport | ||
| Case Study 2: Management Services Department | ||
| Case Study 3: Department of Community Development | ||
| Case Study 4: Ghana Gaming Commission | ||
| Case Study 5: Labour Department | ||
| Case Study 6: HR Lead of Cooperative Department | ||
| 16:30 | Plenary Session | |
| Gallery Walk | ||
| Networking | ||
| 18:00 | Gala Night | |
| Dinner | ||
| Awards |
Day 3: Friday 5 September
| TIME | SESSION | SPEAKER |
|---|---|---|
| 08:00 | Cocoa time & Networking | |
| 09:00 | Concurrent Sessions | Phil McInnes (South Africa) |
| Alex Amissah (Ghana) | ||
| Peter Wallman (Australia) | ||
| 10:00 | Keynote Address | Terrence Taylor (USA) |
| Plenary Session | ||
| 11:30 | Health Break | |
| 12:00 | Concurrent Sessions | Isaac Selvaraj Peter (Malaysia) & Alette Vonk (Netherlands) |
| Sushma Sharma (India) | ||
| Albert Attom (UK) | ||
| 14:00 | Lunch Break & Networking | |
| 15:00 | Concurrent Sessions | Jim Maddox (USA) |
| William Zayback (USA) | ||
| Isaac Peter (Malaysia) | ||
| 16:30 | Closing Ceremony | |
| Cultural group | ||
| Light refreshments | ||
| Wrap-up |
Post-Conference Event (Optional): Saturday 6 September
| TIME | LOCATION |
|---|---|
| 07:00 | Join Buses to Elmina Castle / Dodi Princess |
| 18:30 | Return to the Mensvic Hotel |
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
PETER WALLMAN
TOPIC: Who Do I Need to Be as a Practitioner in an AI World?
Peter brings decades of experience in IT and in uplifting the human condition. He has developed world-leading OD techniques for generating deep collective identity, genuine passion, and cultural unity from diversity.
Peter is the author of the bestselling The Wisdom of Passion and the inventor of Passion Mapping™.
He has been involved in IT for over 50 years, having graduated with honors in Computer Science from Sydney University. Peter has developed innovative IT applications for bond trading, knowledge management, and business strategy. He now focuses on AI as a key capability for his company.
SESSION:
As AI reshapes the future of work, leadership, and learning, a profound question emerges for us as practitioners: Who do I need to be?
This moment calls for more than surface change—it demands inner alignment with ourselves, our sponsors, and the organizations we serve. AI doesn’t diminish our humanity; it demands more of it.
We must first return to self—grounding in emotional intelligence, clarity, and presence. In an automated world, authenticity is our edge. Second, we must meet sponsors as courageous truth-tellers, guiding them through uncertainty with insight and integrity. Third, we must help shape ethical, human-centered organizations—honoring culture, community, and place alongside technology.
The world needs more than new tools. It needs new humans—curious, compassionate, and resilient. This is not just a call to learn, but to become who we’re truly meant to be.
PETER BLOCK
TOPIC: OD: More needed than ever
American author, consultant, and community leader known for his influential work in organizational development and community building. He advocates for collaborative leadership, citizen empowerment, and creating belonging through deep, meaningful dialogue.
Peter’s bestselling books—such as Flawless Consulting and Community: The Structure of Belonging—challenge traditional hierarchies and promote community-led change. His initiatives, like Designed Learning and the Common Good Collective, focus on building local capacity, fostering connection, and addressing social and economic isolation.
SESSION:
Artificial intelligence may transform how we analyze data, automate tasks, and even simulate aspects of human interaction. But it will never replace the human heart. It cannot build trust, foster belonging, or create the kind of authentic relationships that make organizations and communities whole. That is the irreplaceable role of Organization Development.
In a world increasingly shaped by technology and efficiency, the practice of OD reminds us that progress depends on our ability to connect, to listen, and to hold one another accountable in ways that honor both freedom and responsibility. OD is not simply a methodology—it is a calling to restore our shared capacity for trust, dialogue, and care.
This keynote will explore why OD matters more than ever: to counter the isolating effects of digital life, to bring meaning into the workplace, and to create spaces where people feel they belong and have the power to act. The future of work, community, and even democracy depends not on smarter machines, but on deeper human connection. And that is the enduring work of OD.
Terrence Okeke Taylor
Topic: Beyond the Buzz: How AI Is Already Rewriting the OD Playbook
Born and raised in Sierra Leone, Terrence is a graduate of Brown University and Harvard Business School. He has led learning and development efforts at global tech firms like Google and Meta for over 20 years.
Since 2004, he has also lectured at the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), focusing on Africa strategy and personal mastery. As Executive Chairman and investor of the African Academy of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI), he champions the integration of technology and education to drive progress across the continent.
At #IdeasFestival2024, Terrence highlighted AI’s potential to transform Africa, urging its adoption to boost productivity and reduce costs.
SESSION:
AI is no longer a distant concept—it is actively transforming how organizations hire, develop, retain, and relate. Drawing on experience at Google and Meta, Terrence will share how AI is reshaping everything from onboarding to leadership development at scale.
This keynote offers a reality check and roadmap for OD practitioners, highlighting how AI is quietly restructuring organizational architecture, the importance of maintaining human-first design in a machine-driven world, and the unique opportunity for the Global South to leapfrog outdated models.
The focus is not on hyping technology, but on equipping leaders with clarity, strategy, and a human-centered approach to thrive in this new era of OD.
CONCURRENT SESSIONs SPEAKERS
ISAAC SELVARAJ PETER
TOPIC 1: Creating A Balanced & Thriving World
Topic 2: Working Across Culture In The Digital Age
Isaac Peter is an OD practitioner practicing in Malaysia and Singapore since 2012. Prior to that he was an engineer working in the manufacturing industry. Besides culture, he specializes in leadership development.
Academically he possesses a MBA and an engineering degree. He is ACTA certified, HRDF certified trainer, a certified personality expert, a certified Motivational Maps administrator, a Master NLP Practitioner and a HOGAN certified consultant.
SESSIONS:
Isaac’s first session is based on United Nation’s sustainable development goal (SDG). This highly experiential simulation helps learners examine their impact to the world they are in, and helps them realize that every human being has their own unique purpose and life goals. As OD practitioners, being truly human-centered means creating systems and cultures where everyone is respected, recognized, and experiences a sense of belonging.
Isaac’s second session, co-facilitated with Alette Vonk, will explore how cultural misunderstandings can unintentionally impact workplace relationships—especially in today’s digital, globalized work environment. Drawing on Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and real-world experience, the facilitators will offer practical insights to help participants navigate cultural differences and foster more effective collaboration across borders. Aligned with the theme “OD in the Digital Age,” this session highlights the importance of cultural awareness in global OD projects, where digital communication can often amplify misunderstandings and sensitivities.
SUSHMA SHARMA
TOPIC: Appreciative Inquiry + Artificial intelligence = Appreciative Intelligence
Sushma Sharma is a renowned global OD practitioner, leadership coach and organization consultant with a passion for human centred design and transformative leadership practices. She is a professional Member of NTL Institute for Applied Behavioral Science and Indian Society for Applied Behavioral sciences.
Over the years Sushma has worked with top tier organizations guiding senior excecutives in developing authentic leadership and building a culture of collaboration. Her approach blends emotional rigour and
intuitive understanding of what makes leaders excel.
SESSION:
There is a lot of conversation and research around Artificial Intelligence (AI) today. For some, it evokes fear—especially those who have experienced its negative impacts. For others, it brings excitement and optimism due to its potential benefits.
Artificial Intelligence focuses on creating machines that can think, learn, and react like humans. On the other hand, Appreciative Inquiry is a co-evolutionary search for the best in people, their organizations, and the world around them.
Join an exploration of the exciting possibilities at the intersection of AI and AI—where the world of intuition, empathy, and creativity meets the precision of algorithms and data analysis.
PHIL McINNES
Topic: Leveraging the power of LMS technology to help organizations become future proof
Phil McInnes is an expert in organization and people development, with decades of experience in senior roles, global consulting, and board appointments. With a background in Psychology, Business Economics, and an MBA from Brunel, he is known for pioneering inclusive, future-ready OD and L&D practices—especially in digital and AI-driven environments.
He is the creator of the 5 Universal Capability Set Framework and 5C systems model, and a recognized innovator in using LMS technology to drive organizational effectiveness.
SESSION:
Understand the power of Learning Management System (LMS) technology and how to leverage it to ensure your organization stays relevant. Learn how to support your leaders and teams to make necessary changes quickly—from both Organization Development (OD) and People Development (PD) perspectives—in today’s fast-changing digital world.
Specifically, this session will help you harness the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The reality is that context is the new “Q,” going beyond IQ and EQ.
Phil McInnes, a thought leader in this area, will guide you through the essential knowledge using a simple, practical approach.
MIchelle De Bruyn
TOPIC: Responsible Technology: Change & jump!
Michelle is a second generation IODA member. She has more than 20 years of experience as a consultant, facilitating multi-stakeholder processes, strategy and policy development across Africa.
SESSION:
Michelle will lead a plenary session together with Jen Freeman and Alette Vonk inviting us to reflect on how we use digital technology—and whether our choices align with OD values like human dignity, participation, and psychological safety. In a world where convenience often overshadows ethics, it’s vital to pause and ask: Are the tools we use truly human-centered? Who profits from them, how is privacy handled, and what values do these platforms represent?
After a brief background and discussion, we’ll take a collective step forward by launching a new IODA community group on Signal—a secure, nonprofit messaging app that reflects many of our shared values. This small but symbolic action is an invitation to engage more thoughtfully with digital tools and foster a culture of discernment in our community. Like flossing, digital hygiene might not be glamorous—but it’s essential. Let’s make the jump together.
Kelly King
TOPIC: moving dialogues
Kelly King is an embodied joy strategist, interdisciplinary artist, and educator working across performance, film, and non-fiction. As CEO of The Movement Movement and Artistic Director of BodyWise Dance, she fosters collaboration through leadership, facilitation, and inclusive dance. Kelly is a 2025 DC Arts and Humanities Fellowship recipient and author of Your Embodied Life – A Field Guide To Joy (fall 2025).
SESSION:
Moving Dialogues is an interactive workshop inviting participants to explore a central question—such as how AI intersects with their work—through movement, writing, and play. Designed for all experience levels, it fosters creativity, reflection, and connection, helping individuals gain clarity, generate ideas, set goals, and build community. Founded by Kelly King in 2015, this inclusive session supports teamwork, empathy, and authentic feedback within organizations and groups.
WILLIAM ZYBACH
TOPIC: Making the Hidden Visible; Success in Rebirthing a Global Network Through Self Management, The "Use-of-Self" & AI
Innovator in the field of Human and Group engagement, a midwife for the transformation from the predominate hierarchical ways of organizing – toward the other three types of organization emerging on the planet moving us from power- over to individual and collective sovereignty (author of Syngineering, Building Agility into Any Organization). Midwife for the rebirth of organizations so they can adapt to the exponential changes in the world. Facilitating transformational change across local, state, and federal levels of government, local, regional and global organizations. Specializing in design and grassroots engagement, mobilization, and real time strategic events.
SESSION:
This workshop shares a case study on how AI, paired with human insight, was used to revitalize the 80-member global “Archetypes At Work” Guild. Through six short Zoom sessions over six months, the community was restructured and re-energized using AI tools, DEI principles, Indigenous wisdom, and self-management practices.
Participants will explore how AI can accelerate change processes while staying grounded in classic OD principles like “Use of Self,” offering a model for purposeful and human-centered transformation.
Gloria Sarku Kumawu
TOPIC: Beyond Transformation: OD Consultants' Blueprint to Champion Data Privacy in a Digitised AI-Driven World
An OD Practitioner and member of IODA since 2006, Gloria has a rich public sector and multi-stakeholder process and strategy background with experience in start-ups and transformational change. Phenomenal with grassroots engagements, mobilization and organisation of real-time innovative events laced with creativity.
With a PhD in Business Administration, she brings to bear learning from the varied backgrounds of Conflict & Security, Organisation Development, Philology, Governance and Leadership, Ministry (Counselling), and Data Protection. A proud Fellow of the Ghana School on Internet Governance, a Chartered Administrator and Chartered Management Consultant.
SESSION:
This interactive workshop explores the intersection of Data Protection, Privacy, and Artificial Intelligence in OD practice. It highlights the importance of embedding Privacy by Design throughout the OD cycle—covering data collection, processing, sharing, and secure deletion—to build trust and ensure compliance with global standards such as the EU’s GDPR, the US framework, and Ghana’s Data Protection Act (2012).
Participants will examine the professional, technical, and ethical dimensions of AI adoption in OD consultancy, addressing challenges such as stakeholder engagement, change management, risk mitigation, and integration with legacy systems. The session combines presentation, discussion, and experiential learning to provide practical strategies for data protection–compliant, collaborative, and sustainable use of AI in OD interventions.
JIM MADDOX
Topic: Exploring cross cultural differences around the construct of resistance Using the Change Resistance Paradox Model as a Conceptual Framework
Jim is a Change Strategist and Teaching Assistant Professor at the University of Arkansas. He’s passionate about helping individuals and organizations experience life to the fullest, and engaging in positive, transformational change. He has a master’s degree in industrial and organizational psychology from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and a Ph.D. in Community and Human Resources from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Jim is a Certified Management Trainer with Zenger-Miller/Achieve Global and a Registered OD Consultant (RODC). His current research focus centers on facilitating transformational change in developing communities and organizations and exploring the construct of resistance to change.
SESSION:
This presentation will explore the construct of resistance cross culturally, using the Change Resistance Paradox Model. Outcomes from this research will help OD consultants adapt the Change Resistant Paradox Model to the unique aspects of change efforts across diverse cultures. Jim will share research findings from a qualitative research study, utilizing in-depth interviews with OD practitioners from a variety of diverse cultures and perspectives, thus sheding light on unique cultural experiences around resistance to change, potential universal characteristics around resistance to change, and ideas on how OD practitioners might adapt the model to be used cross-culturally.
Alex Amissah
Topic: AI IN ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT. TO WHAT EXTENT – BREADTH, DEPTH AND HEIGHT?
Alex is an experienced OD and Change Management Specialist with a strong HR background. He uses systems thinking to explore how organizational elements interact, helping drive strategy, cultural transformation, and team development. His expertise includes designing performance management systems and coaching senior leaders across all levels to boost effectiveness and align people with strategic goals.
He is the Founder of PushLimits Consult, an Organization Effectiveness consultancy based in Ghana. Alex holds an MS in Organization Development from Pepperdine University (USA) and an MBA from the University of Leicester (UK). He serves as the General Secretary of the Africa OD Network and is a member of the International Society for Organisation Development and Change (ISODC). He brings valuable experience from the electric power sector in Ghana and offers career coaching through 10Eighty UK.
SESSION:
This interactive session explores how AI is disrupting and reshaping organizational processes across sectors like healthcare, manufacturing, and social work. It raises timely questions about AI’s role in OD: should it serve as a supportive tool or play a central part, especially in team-based, collaborative work?
Drawing on case studies from high-performing organizations, participants will engage in reflective dialogue to examine how AI can enhance OD practice, improve organizational health, and support co-creation between consultants and clients.
Albert Attom
TOPIC: Digitalisation Across Africa: Cultivating Digital Cultures and Overcoming Resistance in OD
Dr. Albert Attom is a lecturer and impact specialist with a research and practice focus on digitalisation in Africa. Over the past decade, he has led a range of international impact initiatives in collaboration with governments, NGOs, and the private sector. To date, Albert has successfully implemented impact-driven projects with over 100 organisations, including high-profile partners such as USAID, the OECD, Amref Health Africa, Africa CDC, and Girl Effect, contributing to transformative outcomes across the continent.
SESSION:
This interactive research presentation explores the findings from five years of empirical research conducted across diverse African contexts, focusing on how digitalisation is perceived, interpreted, and enacted by professionals in various organisational settings. Through a multi-country lens, the study examines the socio-cultural, institutional, and organisational factors shaping responses to digital transformation.
Drawing on rich qualitative data, the presentation offers critical insights for OD practitioners on fostering inclusive, adaptive digital cultures, reducing resistance to innovation, and aligning digital initiatives with local values and professional identities. Attendees will gain evidence-based strategies to enhance digital readiness and support contextually responsive approaches to transformation.
JEN FREEMAN
TOPIC: Responsible Technology:
Change and jump!
Jen Freeman is a long-time practitioner of mind-body awareness and wisdom traditions from around the world,
including Qi Gong, Ayurveda and others. Jen works and presents internationally on the subject of aligning OD values.
SESSION:
Jen will lead a plenary session together with Michelle de Bruyn and Alette Vonk inviting us to reflect on how we use digital technology—and whether our choices align with OD values like human dignity, participation, and psychological safety. In a world where convenience often overshadows ethics, it’s vital to pause and ask: Are the tools we use truly human-centered? Who profits from them, how is privacy handled, and what values do these platforms represent?
After a brief background and discussion, we’ll take a collective step forward by launching a new IODA community group on Signal—a secure, nonprofit messaging app that reflects many of our shared values. This small but symbolic action is an invitation to engage more thoughtfully with digital tools and foster a culture of discernment in our community. Like flossing, digital hygiene might not be glamorous—but it’s essential. Let’s make the jump together.
ALETTE VONK
TOPIC 1: Working Across Culture In The Digital Age
TOPIC 2: Responsible Technology:
Change and jump!
Alette has facilitated change processes for over 30 years and she has a vast international experience. She is a member of the Cooperative Cultural Insights and she’s one of the Friends of Hofstede. She lectures Intercultural Management at the
University of Leiden. She has Practitioner’s certificates in Organisational Culture (OC); Intercultural Management (ICM); Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP); Culture at the Workplace Questionnaire (CWQ) and OD.
SESSIONS:
Alette will lead a first session with Isaac Selveraj Peter, during which participants will explore how cultural misunderstandings can unintentionally impact workplace relationships—especially in today’s digital, globalized work environment. Drawing on Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and real-world experience, the session will offer practical insights to help participants navigate cultural differences and foster more effective collaboration across borders. Aligned with the theme “OD in the Digital Age,” this session highlights the importance of cultural awareness in global OD projects, where digital communication can often amplify misunderstandings and sensitivities.
Alette’s second session will be led with Michelle de Bruyn and Jen Freeman inviting us to reflect on how we use digital technology—and whether our choices align with OD values like human dignity, participation, and psychological safety. In a world where convenience often overshadows ethics, it’s vital to pause and ask: Are the tools we use truly human-centered? Who profits from them, how is privacy handled, and what values do these platforms represent?
PETER WALLMAN
TOPIC: Cultural Unity from Diversity
Peter brings decades of experience in IT and in uplifting the human condition. He has developed world-leading OD techniques for generating deep collective identity, genuine passion, and cultural unity from diversity.
Peter is the author of the bestselling The Wisdom of Passion and the inventor of Passion Mapping™.
He has been involved in IT for over 50 years, having graduated with honors in Computer Science from Sydney University. Peter has developed innovative IT applications for bond trading, knowledge management, and business strategy. He now focuses on AI as a key capability for his company.
SESSION:
This session invites you to explore the passions that arise from your own cultural identity and to experience the profound impact of sharing and visualizing those aspects with others. Through guided dialogue and reflective practices, you’ll uncover how cultural expressions—when honored and made visible—can dissolve perceived boundaries and build a deeper sense of belonging.
Rather than viewing ourselves as a collection of separate cultures, you’ll begin to sense the emergence of one inclusive human culture that holds and celebrates all others. As the session unfolds, long-held stereotypes give way to curiosity, trust, and mutual respect. In this shared space, diversity becomes not a challenge to navigate but a source of unity and strength.
PLENARY SESSION DESCRIPTIONS
PLENARY 1: Responsible Technology: Change and jump!
ALETTE VONK, MICHELLE DE BRUYN, JEN FREEMAN
This 45-minute plenary session invites the IODA community to reflect on how we use digital technology—and whether our choices align with OD values like human dignity, participation, and psychological safety. In a world where convenience often overshadows ethics, it’s vital to pause and ask: Are the tools we use truly human-centered? Who profits from them, how is privacy handled, and what values do these platforms represent?
After a brief background and discussion, we’ll take a collective step forward by launching a new IODA community group on Signal—a secure, nonprofit messaging app that reflects many of our shared values. This small but symbolic action is an invitation to engage more thoughtfully with digital tools and foster a culture of discernment in our community. Like flossing, digital hygiene might not be glamorous—but it’s essential. Let’s make the jump together.
PRESENTER PROFILES
Michelle De Bruyn is a second-generation IODA member with more than 20 years of experience as a consultant, facilitating multi-stakeholder processes and strategy and policy development across Africa.
Jen Freeman is a long-time practitioner of mind-body awareness and wisdom traditions from around the world, including Qi Gong, Ayurveda, and others. She works and presents internationally on the subject of aligning OD values.
Alette Vonk has facilitated change processes for over 30 years and has extensive international experience. Through the Cooperative Cultural Insights, she provides intercultural training, is one of the Friends of Hofstede, and lectures on Intercultural Management at the University of Leiden.