About the Founder
Jewlya Lynn
Jewlya Lynn is a distinguished facilitator, advisor, and researcher dedicated to supporting global leaders as they address complex social and cultural challenges—commonly known as "wicked problems"—characterized by their intricate interconnections and persistence. Her career began more than twenty years ago with the management of a transformative project designed to enhance social services, juvenile justice, and education systems in response to the Columbine school shooting.
Over the subsequent decade, Ms. Lynn facilitated, managed, and contributed to a diverse array of system change initiatives at both local and state levels. She acquired extensive practical experience in reforming public- and private-sector systems that directly impact individuals and the environment. Her projects included developing systems of care for deaf and hard-of-hearing consumers within the mental health system; youth-led efforts to transform responses to homelessness in rural areas; and convening stakeholders across urban, agricultural, environmental, and recreational interests to address conflicting priorities in water policy, among others.
Ten years ago, Ms. Lynn shifted to working with philanthropy to tackle global problems. She is recognized for her innovative approaches, creating actionable tools and methodologies to help practitioners navigate complexity, envision multiple future scenarios, pose incisive questions, and identify solutions. Her publications and thought leadership have appeared in outlets such as the Stanford Social Innovation Review, Foundation Review, and the Center for Evaluation Innovation.
A few of her current areas of exploration include:
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How our systems change mental models show up in our work, and where they are conflicting
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How philanthropy can respond to disruptive moments by bouncing forward instead of protecting the past
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Making visible how change really happens in complex systems, including how, why, and under what conditions
A few of Jewlya’s notable roles and projects have included serving as the Co-Director of the Causal Pathways Initiative, a facilitator and developmental evaluator with the National Science Foundation’s EarthCube Initiative (building cyber infrastructure in the hard sciences for the 21st century), an advisor, facilitator, and trainer with N Square (the cross-roads for nuclear security innovation), leading the systems mapping and systems practice for Horizon 2045 (an audacious project to end the nuclear weapons century), systems learning and analysis practices for Humanity United and the Freedom Fund’s joint effort to end slavery in the seafood industry, and serving as the developmental evaluator during the nascent years of the Ford Foundation and Atlantic Philanthropies’ global Narrative Initiative (dedicated to building fairer, more inclusive societies), and helping Imaginable Futures to design and implement its innovative approach to emergent strategy.
Jewlya was also a faculty member for the Presidio Institute’s Cross Sector Fellowship Program, a program the Institute designed in partnership with BlackRock, McKinsey and Company, and the Obama White House Office of Social Innovation. She has a Ph.D. in public affairs from the University of Colorado and started her career at the Colorado and Nebraska legislatures.
Recent Publications
An exploration of 10 years of systemic change from global supply chains to local worker experiences, using causal mapping methodology to surface critical conditions for systemic change and processes by which it happened.
(New) Bouncing Forward, Not Back
In partnership with Clare Nolan, this Stanford Social Innovation Review article is an exploration of why philanthropy must see disruption not as a detour but as an opportunity to positively transform systems—and shares three strategies to lead the way.
In partnership with Julia Coffman, this article is an exploration of the mental models that are often unstated in our systems change work. When they align, we can have tremendous impact, but their conflicts can undermine our efforts to advance equity and address injustices.
Exploring Systems Change: An Accessible, Action-Oriented Framework
Drawing on decades of systems change practice, this newly documented framework from PolicySolve is designed to bridge complexity thinking with more traditional systems thinking models, making systems thinking more accessible and more actionable.
Lost Causal: Debunking Myths About Causal Analysis in Philanthropy
This article debunks the myths that keep philanthropy from exploring and questioning how change is really happening. Co-authored with Julia Coffman (Center for Evaluation Innovation) and Sarah Stachowiak (ORS Impact).
Strategy Resilience: Getting Wise About Philanthropic Strategy in a Post-Pandemic World
This article seeks to offer a new way of thinking about strategy resilience that centers people and organizations instead of the power of financial resources. At the core of this theory is the assumption that given today’s complexities, philanthropy must use its power differently — releasing control over organizations and their change strategies while using its unique position, reach, and voice to work in solidarity with community leaders.
Illuminating the Future through an Equity Lens
This 45 minute video included in MacMaster University's innovation series will introduce you to the decolonized foresight tools that can strengthen emergent strategies.
When Collective Impact Has an Impact
A rigorous study co-authored with Sarah Stachowiak to understand when and how collective impact contributes to systems and population change.
Strategy Design Amid Complexity: Tools for Designing and Implementing Adaptive Funding Strategies
A set of tools to help foundations design adaptive strategies and ideas for balancing accountability for achieving goals with adaptability throughout the course of an initiative, co-authored with Erica Snow and Tanya Beer.