Holly Woods

Holly Woods PhD is a multifaceted professional who serves as the Founder and CEO of Emergence Institute. She is a purpose activator, entrepreneur, scientist, bestselling author, speaker, and consultant focused on guiding leaders and visionaries to navigate uncertainty and activate their ambitious goals.2

Professional Background

Holly holds a PhD in Human and Organizational Development, which she pursued to better understand human dilemmas and behavior.1 Her extensive experience includes:

• Founder and CEO of Emergence Institute
• Former Vice President of Transformational Learning at The Shift Network
• Adjunct Faculty in Leadership and Organizational Development at the University of Denver
• Chief Operations Officer at Evolutionary Collective
• CEO and Change Management Consultant at Safe2Speak2

Expertise and Approach

Holly specializes in:

• Purpose activation and alignment
• Leadership development
• Change management
• Conflict resolution and mediation
• Product and business strategy

Her approach combines personal development, purpose discovery, and business strategy to foster inspired innovation and impact.2 She describes her method as "Hogwarts meets Harvard," blending transformational personal growth with practical business acumen.2

Accomplishments

• Author of the bestselling book "The Golden Thread: Where to Find Purpose in the Stages of Your Life"
• Developer of the Purpose LaunchLab Incubator
• Experienced in guiding hundreds of leaders, visionaries, and change agents3

Holly's work focuses on helping individuals and organizations become aligned, agile, and amplify their purpose in the world. She emphasizes the importance of navigating uncertainty and activating audacious visions while reclaiming personal power and purpose.2