Michelle James
CEO/Chief Emergence Officer

Michelle James is a pioneering creativity catalyst who has been using universal creative principles and the process of emergence as the basis for her work with thousands of people - individuals, corporations and communities - since starting her first business in 1994. Michelle’s passion is infusing creativity and imagination into current knowledge and information systems for individual, organizational and social transformation. Her commitment is to "mainstream" creativity, engaging the creative potential in organizations and other human systems.

Michelle has consulted on, designed and delivered creativity and innovation initiatives and programs for organizations of all sizes. She provides generative processes, a grounded framework, whole-brain integrated learnings, and novel experiences to allow organizations to naturally co-create what is essential for them to remain consistently vital and responsive in rapidly changing times and environments.

Believing that people will expand their capacities to engage their environment, Michelle expands the "playing field" by integrating multiple dimensions of creative experience into all of her work. She developed the Creative Emergence Process, Principles and Practices, which is both a framework and integrative approach for creatively unfolding what's next within an individual or system.

Known for her original and richly textured dynamic learning environments, Michelle presents at learning and creativity events internationally. Her original programs and techniques have been featured in newspapers, audios, books and on television. She is one of the pioneers in the fields of Applied Creativity, Applied Improvisation and Somatic (body-centered) Creativity.
 
Michelle founded the Center for Creative Emergence based on her experiences with the natural creative emergence process that unfolded over time and years of work with various facets of creative process and complex systems. For Michelle, the work of the Center is a calling many years in the making. The Creative Emergence Process, Principles and Practices are based on years of work with clients in which certain themes, patterns and self-organizing principles showed up in every emergent creative process. She later discovered a coherent fit with this process and what she learned studying the complexity sciences and improv theory.

Before founding the Center, Michelle owned and operated a creative services/marketing firm followed by an organizational development and training company. Prior to that, she spent several years spear-heading innovative projects while working in communications, sales, marketing, and the media, including co-establishing a newspaper. In these worlds, she learned first-hand how creative environments function and thrive. Also informing Michelle’s work is her experience and education in creative processes and techniques, brain research, organizational change, group dynamics, depth psychology, integral theory, accelerated learning, the arts, movement, bodywork, mythology, improv theater, systems thinking, consciousness studies, storytelling and the complexity sciences...and first hand transformational experiences from her own multi-faceted life journey. Her degrees are in English Literature and Communications Studies with years of diverse post graduate study.

Michelle performs full-length improvised plays with Precipice Improv, is an abstract painting artist and is a CoreSomatics Movement and Bodywork Master Practitioner. CS is an psycho-physical creative healing modality. She also founded and runs the Capitol Creativity Network. In 2008, Michelle was recognized for Visionary Leadership in Fast Company's blog, Leading Change. She recently created and produced the Creativity in Business Conferece in Washington, DC.

Creative Associates: Cocreators and Collaborators

The Creative Associates have expertise and years of experience in a variety of disciplines: creativity, innovation, organizational development, organizational change, management consulting, leadership development, integral theory, marketing, expressive arts, visual communications, brain research, and complexity sciences. All of the Creative Associates are well established, seasoned professionals. The group consists of entrepreneurs, consultants, leaders, visionaries and educators who own and operate successful businesses in their fields. Based on the scope and needs of your project, we assemble the team who can best serve you.

Win Wenger, Ph.D.

Win Wenger, PhD, founder and director of Project Renaissance, is a pioneer in the fields of creative method, accelerated learning, and brain and mind development. An educational psychologist and inventor, Dr. Wenger is renowned for his research and training programs around the world, and is the author of 48 published books. His most well known work on improving intelligence, The Einstein Factor, is co-authored with Richard Poe and his latest CD series release, The Genius Code, co-designed with Paul Scheele, is becoming equally as popular for helping to access and use the astounding brain potential we have waiting to be tapped. His work appears frequently in Success Magazine. Win founded a unique non-profit organization dedicated to increasing individuals' potential and accelerating the dawning of a new Renaissance. Through this organization, he is in the process of establishing Renaissance University with the same focus. Every year Win organizes the Accelerated Learning and Creativity DoubleFest conference which attracts people from around the world, followed by a week of certification training in his original Beyond Einstein techniques.

Tom Goddard, Ph.D.

Thomas G. Goddard, JD, PhD, is President and CEO of The Integral Company, helping people and organizations make sense of a complex and dynamic world. Dr. Goddard is a founding member of the Integral Institute for Medicine and the Director of Integral University's Center for Integral Healthcare Management. Both Integral Institute and Integral University were founded and are led by the chief proponent of Integral Theory, Ken Wilber. In his consulting practice, Dr. Goddard has worked with leaders of major corporations, not-for-profit associations, and government agencies to use Integral Theory for system-wide organizational transformation and modernization. His work has taken him not only throughout the United States, but also to Latin America and the Middle East. A sought-after presenter and facilitator, Dr. Goddard has designed and facilitated a diverse array of integrally-informed programs for leaders. His writings on Integral Theory appear in such peer-reviewed journals as the Integral Institute’s AQAL Journal. Dr. Goddard also is one of the pioneers in the emerging field of integral coaching, an approach to helping individuals translate the wisdom of Integral Theory into real-world applications in their professional and personal lives.

Moe Benesch

Moe Benesch co-founded a pioneering creative technologies firm, V! Studios, in 1993 with the vision of weaving technology, information, and the arts into innovative and effective products and services. He is President, CEO and Chief Visionary of this thriving company. Their extensive multimedia experience and diverse skill sets have helped them develop award-winning solutions for numerous forms of electronic media ranging from the Internet, CD-ROM, DVD, 3D animation, interactive kiosks, to television. Their work garnered recognition by the New York Times, Washington Post, Forbes ASAP magazine, and Apple Computers among others. Moe has created and developed Internet and/or Intranet solutions for clients such as CBS, Exxon Mobil Corporation, New Century Network, The Washington Post, National Wildlife Federation, Hughes Networks, American Floral Services and Bell Atlantic, among others. Online commerce solutions have also been provided for clients such as Lillian Vernon, American Medical Services, Georgetown Publishing House, Rasslin Records to name a few. Moe also has a strong understanding of the consumer software market, having produced and distributed CD-ROM products directly to retail chains such as Electronics Boutique, Software Etc., and Best Buy. Moe has also led interactive international television trials and developed in-flight entertintment systems providing content, interface design and programming.

Michael J. Margolis

Michael is the CEO and founder of THIRSTY-FISH Story Marketing. Specializing in the marketing of both social and business innovation, Michael translates new, different, and complex ideas into stories that can travel across culture. In practical terms, these stories help organizations to raise more money, boost recognition, build brand presence, improve stakeholder relations, and shepherd new ideas into cultural acceptance. Michael has consulted to over thirty organizations including AARP, Ernst & Young LLP, The Nature Conservancy, NASA, National Governors Association and countless emerging enterprises. His unique story perspective draws upon varied adventures as a pop-anthropologist, social marketer, and successful entrepreneur. A frequent conference speaker and workshop leader, Michael presents a fresh approach to meaningful marketing and cultural renewal. He is also the contributing author to forthcoming book Wake Me Up When the Data is Over: How Organizations Use Stories to Drive Results (Jossey-Bass 2006).

Dan Moshavi, PhD, is an associate professor of management in the College of Business at Montana State University and has an active consulting practice that focuses on assessing and measuring a variety of organizational outcomes, including the impact of training efforts. He has worked with both private and public sector firms in areas as diverse as creativity and innovation, high performance teams, leadership and customer service. Drawing from academic and industry research, Dan uses quantitative and qualitative methodologies to meet client assessment needs. He received his Ph.D. in management and organizational studies from the University of Oregon and has an MBA from George Washington University.

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