This spring, the George Washington University’s Graduate School of Education and Human Development (GSEHD) once again partnered with Kotter International to deliver a second, highly anticipated Kotter program, further strengthening a collaboration that is quickly becoming a cornerstone for leadership development in the DC community.
Following the success of the inaugural Kotter Core Change Certification in fall of 2025, this latest offering in March of 2026 expanded into the Kotter Advanced Change Certification, providing returning and new participants with an even deeper, more applied experience in leading transformation.
The program was sponsored by GSEHD's Dr. Shaista E. Khilji and led by Kotter facilitators Brittainy Hall, Kevin Waits, and Briauna Perryman with guest appearances from additional Kotter experts Laurin Parthemos, Gaurav Gupta, and Leslie Zemnick (GW Master's in Organizational Leadership & Learning ‘24). Their collective expertise brought Dr. John P. Kotter’s research to life, bridging theory and practice through real-world application, peer dialogue, and immersive exercises.
Participants represented a diverse and highly engaged cohort, including GW alumni, current master’s students, and doctoral candidates, alongside professionals from across industries and around the globe. Participants included energy sector, nonprofit, and public sector experts from the US, pharma executives from Italy, and change management leaders from the Netherlands and Iraq. This blend of perspectives enriched the experience, reinforcing a core belief at the heart of Kotter’s work, that meaningful change is driven by “more leadership from more people.”
Throughout the certification, attendees deepened their ability to:
- Navigate complexity and uncertainty with confidence
- Mobilize networks beyond traditional hierarchies
- Translate strategy into sustained action
- Lead change in a way that is both human-centered and results-driven
In today’s environment, where disruption is constant and the pace of change continues to accelerate, these capabilities are not just valuable- they are essential. The Advanced Change Certification challenged participants to move beyond understanding change to actively shaping it within their organizations and communities.
This continued partnership between GW and Kotter reflects a shared commitment to developing leaders who are not only equipped to respond to change, but to create it with intention.
The next Kotter program at GW is already on the horizon, with another certification experience scheduled for July 2026. Together, GW and Kotter are building a pipeline of adaptive leaders prepared to navigate complexity, inspire others, and drive meaningful, lasting change.
Register for the July 2026 Kotter Core Change Certification Program
*Special discount code available for GW Alumni - contact info
kotterinc [dot] com (info[at]kotterinc[dot]com) for more info.
