Appreciative Inquiry is a process of organizational development and change developed by a man named David Cooperider, a Professor at Case Western Reserve Business School in Cleveland, Ohio. The basic idea is that humans—and importantly the organizations and systems they create—respond more actively and forcefully to a well-articulated positive vision—identifying what works well and acting on it—than to crisis or criticism or analysis of what’s broken. How can this process help us here at UU Rockford during this time of transition.

Bio: Rev. Dr. Marlene Walker is a recently retired UU minister having served for 34 years in ministry, 17 of which were as an accredited interim minister. She has serve o n the board of the UU Minister’s Association and currently serves on the boards of Rockford Urban Ministry and the Mid American Region of the UUA. She lives in Rockton with her wife and their magnificent Shetland Sheepdog Parker.