This past fall, The George Washington University’s Graduate School of Education and Human Development (GSEHD) proudly hosted the Kotter Core Change Certification program—marking the first-ever partnership between GW and Kotter International. This landmark collaboration brought the gold standard of change management education directly to campus, offering students and alumni an unparalleled opportunity to build the skills today’s organizations need most.
The program was made possible through the leadership of Kotter’s Leslie Zemnick, a GSEHD alumna, who worked closely with Dr. Shaista E. Khilji, GW Professor of Human and Organizational Learning and International Affairs. Together, they brought Dr. John Kotter’s renowned methodology—rooted in decades of research on organizational change and adaptability—to GW in a format designed specifically for emerging leaders.
During this special offering, Kotter’s Leslie Zemnick, Laurin Parthemos, and Darian Haag led an immersive Kotter Core Change Certification for GW students, alumni, and the broader DC community. The experience underscored Kotter’s mission: to develop the next generation of adaptive, confident, and human-centered change leaders.
In an era defined by rapid transformation, growing complexity, and global uncertainty, adaptability is no longer optional—it is the defining skill of successful leaders. Research consistently reinforces that organizations thrive when individuals lean into change rather than resist it. This certification equipped participants with the mindset and tools to do exactly that: mobilize teams, accelerate innovation, and lead meaningful, sustainable change.
In addition to public sector professionals, attendees included GSEHD master’s and doctoral students, faculty, alumni, and even GW MBA graduates, reflecting the wide-ranging relevance of adaptive leadership in today’s workforce.
Thanks to overwhelming interest and positive feedback, GW and Kotter will partner again this coming spring 2026, March 9th through the 13th, with the shared aspiration of making the Kotter Core Change Certification an annual opportunity. Registration is open for the Kotter Advanced Change Certification via Kotter’s website. Together, GW and Kotter are shaping a powerful pipeline of future-ready leaders prepared to guide organizations—and communities—through whatever comes next.