Scott to Lead Innovation and Program Development
Northwestern University’s Kimberly Scott was named associate dean for innovation and program development at the School of Education and Social Policy (SESP), Interim Dean Dan P. McAdams announced.
In her new role, Scott will facilitate new ventures and advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) initiatives in SESP. An assistant professor, she will continue to lead the School’s learning and organizational change programs, serving as executive director of the Master’s in Organizational Learning and Change (MSLOC) and the Executive Learning and Organizational Change (ELOC) programs.
Scott’s new role involves building collaborations and initiatives to develop lifelong learners, advancing new technologies to foster learning, and working towards a more just society.
“As a program director, faculty member, researcher, and organizational change agent, she has the depth and breadth of experience that the position demands,” McAdams said. “SESP and our partners will benefit from Kimberly’s academic experience and her demonstrated ability to collaboratively design and implement new programs.”
Prior to joining the School of Education and Social Policy in 2005, Scott worked in management consulting and global organizational development for private companies.
At Northwestern, her exceptional track record reflects considerable growth and strategic innovation, including the design of MSLOC’s hybrid course format in 2008 and three new graduate certificate programs.
Under Scott’s leadership, the MSLOC program recently:
- launched Northwestern Executive Learning and Organizational Change, a non-degree executive education program for experienced leaders who want to hone skills in coaching, change, design, and inclusive leadership development.
- created a graduate certificate in Leading Equity and Inclusion in Organizations. Now in its fourth cohort, the program works with those who want to lead DEIJ change in organizations
- transformed the department’s internal operations to improve data management, MSLOC community engagement, admissions, and enrollment management, and more.
- evolved program curricula and formats to respond to a rapidly changing world, including the social justice movement, the COVID-19 pandemic and rapidly shifting expectations about work and learning.
Scott has created and taught courses and published articles across a variety of workplace learning and development topics. Recent research with an interdisciplinary team of collaborators uses an anti-racist and anti-oppression lens to examine how organizational change is practiced and taught. Her work also incorporates advancements in digital learning, such as using enterprise social network systems and digital portfolios.
“As a leader of a program focused on change and learning, I have always prioritized MSLOC’s commitment to innovation,” Scott said. “By extending the scope of my leadership, I hope to apply both my administrative and practitioner experience and scholarly work to advance SESP’s strategic plans.”
Scott is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, where she completed her bachelor’s in psychology at the University of Cincinnati. She earned her MBA and PhD in organizational behavior at The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business.