WDI Partners with Adaptive Change Advisors
Wednesday, August 13, 2025
Education
Above: Eric Martin, founder of Adaptive Change Advisors, leads a recent discussion.
WDI has formed a new strategic partnership with Adaptive Change Advisors (ACA), a global pioneer in democratizing leadership, to co-develop programs and platforms that empower leaders to innovate and drive transformation in emerging markets.
Through this partnership, WDI and ACA will develop professional and inclusive programming to bridge the persistent gaps in the innovation ecosystem, including global infrastructure and local leadership, and between short-term and long-term impact. ACA’s mission of empowering people and organizations to change from within dovetails with WDI’s mission of empowering entrepreneurs, enterprises and ecosystems with the business tools to succeed and scale impact.
ACA is a globally renowned development firm, founded on the belief that leadership should be accessible to all to create meaningful change from an individual to a systems level. It brings internationally recognized expertise in adaptive leadership and systems change, developed through decades of facilitating collaboration among businesses, governments, civil society, philanthropists and communities.
“Incorporating Adaptive Change Advisors’ adaptive leadership and coaching approach adds a powerful dimension to WDI’s educational offerings,” said Amy Gillett, WDI Vice President, Education. “The ACA framework is ideal for today’s volatile environment and allows us to bring new value to the markets we serve while expanding our reach. Together, we’re exploring a range of new programs that combine adaptive leadership with core business topics, such as strategy and marketing, to help leaders navigate complexity, embrace polarities, mobilize teams and drive lasting positive change.”
Incorporating Adaptive Change Advisors’ adaptive leadership and coaching approach adds a powerful dimension to WDI’s educational offerings.
Adaptive Leadership is a language, framework and set of tools and practices for leading change during times of transition, uncertainty and possibility. First developed at Harvard’s Kennedy School, Adaptive Leadership is a call to action, challenging the status quo, disrupting conventional thinking, and inspiring courageous and inclusive action.
“At ACA, we believe leadership is not the domain of the few, but the responsibility of the many. Our partnership with WDI gives us the chance to support leaders in emerging markets to take on the adaptive challenges that matter most to them, in ways that are locally grounded and systemically smart.” said Eric Martin, founder of Adaptive Change Advisors.
Since 1992, WDI’s educational offerings have continuously evolved and innovated to help more than 20,000 participants, entrepreneurs and professionals reach their full potential. WDI works with universities, corporations, governments, nonprofits and nongovernmental organizations to strengthen business acumen, develop robust management curricula and coach faculty, instructors and students in entrepreneurial thinking. The Institute’s relationship with the University of Michigan harnesses the latest thinking in both education and business.
About Adaptive Change Advisors (ACA)
ACA is a mission-driven firm equipping people to lead meaningful change in complex environments. Emerging from the Harvard Kennedy School and rooted in the principles of Adaptive Leadership, ACA supports leaders and teams to tackle challenges where technical expertise alone isn’t enough. We work across sectors—government, philanthropy, corporate and social enterprise—helping leaders at every level shift mindsets, engage stakeholders, and build the capacity to make sustained progress, especially when the path forward is unclear. At heart, ACA is about growing the leadership required to move systems, not just solve problems.
About WDI
WDI is a solutions-driven non-profit affiliated with the University of Michigan that operates at the intersection of education, entrepreneurship, and impact across emerging markets. We are dedicated to unlocking the power of business to tackle critical global challenges and drive inclusive economic growth. We mobilize entrepreneurs, investors, governments, and academia to drive pioneering solutions across sectors, with a special focus on health, climate-health, and energy.