UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The current economic and health crises have prompted organizations to examine how they adapt to challenges, how they operate, and how they evaluate performance. While significant events are not the only opportunities for innovation, they do test organizations and individuals as they confront a new normal. What does leadership need to do to evolve, and how can staff prepare to embrace change?

The next discussion in the School of Public Policy's professional development series, "Strategies for Career and Leadership Success," will help address the question of navigating organizational change. The virtual event will take place at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 21.

Kevin Richman, a 2007 Penn State alumnus in international politics and economics, is an innovator working with governments, nonprofit organizations, and start-up businesses throughout the world. Richman will discuss the challenges of change from the leadership, consultant, and employee perspectives. He has supported governments working to provide greater value for citizens by helping uncover what is next, providing trusted advice to foster innovation, and turning the new into the normal. 

In addition to his Penn State degree, Richman holds an MBA in strategy, change management and marketing from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland. As the current head of customer experience at Column, Richman supports newspapers, government, and the private sector to ensure the public receives essential and critical information it needs.

The School of Public Policy’s monthly series provides career and leadership skills for students, recent graduates, and current professionals. Viewers have the opportunity to improve interview skills, develop an effective professional presence, maximize the internship experience, learn to build organizational relationships, and more.  

Hosted by Whitney Chirdon, director of communications for the School of Public Policy, and Catherine Baumgardner, director of professional development and student engagement, the upcoming conversation will be held via Zoom and consist of a brief interview followed by questions from the audience. Participants will have the option to ask questions during the live discussion or by email in advance of the presentation to publicpolicy@psu.edu. 

"If change is a constant in the world around us, why is change so hard? What can we do to better lead and prepare ourselves to embrace change?" said Baumgardner. "I'm excited to give our students the opportunity to ask questions and to hear Kevin's perspective on navigating change in his work with governments, nonprofits, and start-ups. He has years of experience creating sustainable innovation through systems thinking and improving individual, leadership, and organizational capabilities, capacity and design."

For more information about the series and to RSVP for the discussion, visit publicpolicy.psu.edu/careerstrategies. A Zoom link will be sent to all registrants in advance of the event.