Gabrielle Donnelly

Gabrielle Donnelly, Ph.D., is an Adjunct Lecturer in the Department of Transformative Inquiry at the School of Consciousness and Transformation, California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS). She also serves as Associate Professor of Leadership & Social Change at Acadia University and Lead Strategist at The Outside, a global consultancy. Her work bridges theory and practice to address complex societal challenges.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Transformative Studies (2017), CIIS
• MA in International Development Studies (2008), Dalhousie University
• Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Religion (2006), University of Alberta

Research Focus: Gabrielle explores transformative leadership, participatory approaches to social change, transdisciplinarity, and futures studies. Her work emphasizes creative methodologies for equitable systemic change, integrating academic rigor with real-world activism. She advocates for joy-centered radical stances in change work and designs frameworks for navigating complex societal issues.

Publications: Her recent works include the 2023 Handbook for Creative Futures (Routledge), articles on creative tensions in social movements, and a 2020 paper on integrative polarity work in leadership. These contributions highlight her commitment to actionable theory and participatory praxis.

Professional Roles: As a Consulting Editor for World Futures: The Journal of New Paradigm Research, she curates innovative futures-oriented scholarship. Her consultancy work at The Outside focuses on large-scale equitable change strategies for organizations.