World-Class Instruction

Ellen Burts-Cooper, PhD, is the senior managing partner of Improve Consulting and Training Group, a firm that provides personal and professional development training, coaching and consultation. Improve has been featured in Time Magazine, Black Voices, Smart Business Magazine, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Cleveland Jewish News, Cleveland.com and Crain’s Cleveland Business. Burts-Cooper works across numerous industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, education, retail, utilities, governmental agencies, not-for-profit and small businesses.

Burts-Cooper is on faculty at Case Western Reserve University in the Weatherhead Executive Education Program and The Institute for Management Studies (IMS). She currently serves on the board of directors of First Federal of Lakewood and Sea-Land Chemical Company. She is the author of the books: aMAZEing Organizational Teams: Navigating 7 Critical Attributes for Cohesion, Productivity and Resilience and Canine Instinct: A Guide to Survival and Advancement in Corporate America.

Previously, Burts-Cooper served as a senior vice president and senior director of operational excellence, IT performance management and governance for PNC Financial Services. Prior to the financial services industry, Burts-Cooper worked in the electronics industry where she led global teams in several functions at 3M Company in St. Paul, Minnesota.

She earned a BS in chemistry from Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, her PhD in organic/polymer chemistry from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, her MBA from the University of Minnesota, Carlson School of Business, her Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt certification from 3M Company, her Multicultural Competency in Wellness and her Resilience and Thriving Facilitator Certificates from the National Wellness Institute.

Burts-Cooper is also an active volunteer and supporter for a host of community-related organizations across the U.S. and provides college scholarships through her fund at The Cleveland Foundation. She is a member of the Private Directors Association and the National Wellness Institute.

Vanessa Druskat is a Weatherhead Affiliate Instructor and an internationally recognized expert on work team effectiveness, team leadership, and emotional intelligence. When she isn’t teaching, she spends her time researching and consulting on topics of work team effectiveness and team leadership in organizations that range from Fortune 100 Companies (e.g., Johnson & Johnson, Kodak, and Whirlpool), to nonprofit organizations such as the Houston Public School System and the Boston Aids Action Committee. She is passionate about identifying the behaviors and strategies that differentiate the highest performing leaders and teams from those that perform at average levels.

Druskat is an award winning researcher and instructor and has published her work in the most prestigious journals in her field including the Harvard Business Review and M.I.T.’s Sloan Management Review. She has been invited to present her ideas and research at dozens of universities in locations as varied as the Harvard Business School; the Stanford University Business School; ESADE Business School in Barcelona, Spain; Ege University in Izmir, Turkey; Corvinus University in Budapest, Hungary; and The PSG Institute of Management in Coimbatore, India.

Professor Druskat joined the Whittemore School faculty as an Associate Professor in 2003 after spending eight years on the faculty of the Department of Organizational Behavior at Case Western Reserve University. She lives in Durham, New Hampshire with her husband and two children.

Molly is a seasoned organization development consultant and strategic planning expert with a deep commitment to helping organizations thrive through inclusive, strengths-based approaches. She holds an MBA from The Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University, equipping her with a robust blend of theoretical knowledge and practical insights. With over 25 years of experience guiding teams and leaders across sectors, Molly is known for her thoughtful, collaborative leadership in complex change efforts and long-term visioning.

Grounded in the principles of Appreciative Inquiry (AI), Molly specializes in facilitating transformative conversations that uncover what gives life to organizations at their best. Her approach fosters alignment, innovation, and engagement—empowering individuals and teams to build on their core strengths while navigating change with clarity and purpose. After two decades working alongside the thought leaders of AI, she now teaches and coaches others how to apply its principles in strategic planning, leadership development, and culture change.

Whether designing large-scale strategic planning processes or strengthening leadership capacity, Molly creates environments where people feel seen, heard, and energized to act. Her work blends practical tools with a deep understanding of systems and culture, enabling organizations to move forward with confidence and cohesion. In this capacity, Molly's talents have been tapped by a variety of organizations, some of which include: The Cleveland Clinic, Case Western Reserve University, Ben & Jerry's, Dealer Tire, Parkland Management Company, Sauder Village and The Cleveland Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Molly also co-authored the best-selling book Ditch the Ditty: Doing What Matters Instead of Doing It All, a bold, refreshing guide aimed at helping women break free from the endless cycle of over-commitment and people-pleasing. The book offers strategies to reclaim time and energy, emphasizing intentional decisions over busyness.

Dr. Lindsey Godwin is recognized as one of the leading global voices in positive organizational change and a distinguished scholar-practitioner advancing the research and practice of Appreciative Inquiry and strengths-based change. Her work integrates rigorous scholarship with system-level application, shaping how leaders and institutions design transformation in complex environments. She has partnered with organizations across six continents, including the United Nations, Ben & Jerry's, and Fortune 500 companies, leading high-impact change initiatives worldwide.

An award-winning scholar and teacher, she is the Robert P. Stiller Endowed Chair of Management and Academic Director of the David L. Cooperrider Center for Appreciative Inquiry at Champlain College, where she has designed graduate programs in Leadership and Organization Development. She has published widely in journals such as the Journal of Business Ethics and The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, serves as Managing Editor of the AI Practitioner Journal, and co-authored with David Cooperrider "Earthshot OD," named one of the most impactful contributions to the field of Organization Development. Her contributions have earned Champlain College's highest faculty honor, the Distinguished Alumni Award from Ohio Wesleyan University, and national recognition for teaching and scholarship.

A thought leader committed to making Appreciative Inquiry accessible to diverse audiences, she is the author of Ditch the Ditty: Doing What Matters Instead of Doing It All (a #1 Amazon New Release), children's books How Do You Love a Question? and What Can you Spark with a Question Mark? invite learners of all ages to embrace their curious spirit, a regular contributor to Psychology Today, and host of the global podcast Inspiring Impacts. A PhD graduate of Weatherhead's top-ranked Organizational Behavior program, where she trained with the founding architects of Appreciative Inquiry, Emotional Intelligence, and Experiential Learning, Lindsey continues to create spaces where people and organizations boldly imagine and confidently build a better future.

With over 18 years of experience in operations and leadership, I am passionate about creating positive change in organizations and society. As the founder of a new venture, I apply my skills and knowledge in Executive Coaching, Emotional Intelligence, and Organizational Development to design and deliver workshops, coaching, and experiential learning programs that empower individuals and teams to achieve their goals and potential. Previously, I was the Executive Director of Mosaic Learning Center, an organization that provides educational and therapeutic services to children and families with autism and other developmental disabilities. There, I led the strategic planning, financial management, program development, and staff supervision, while ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations and accreditation standards. I also initiated and facilitated several collaborations and partnerships with other organizations and stakeholders to enhance the quality and impact of our services. I hold a Master's Degree in Positive Organization Development and Change from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University, where I received the Dean's Academic Achievement Award. I also have certifications in Appreciative Inquiry and Societal Change, Emotional Intelligence and Executive Coaching. I am committed to lifelong learning and continuous improvement, and I seek to inspire and support others to do the same.