Invited Delegates
Patrick Hoverstadt
Patrick Hoverstadt has been a systems consultant for 30 years and has carried out around 300 systems projects in the private, public, and third sectors, and in 24 countries. He works particularly in the areas of strategy, organization and transformation, typically in complex, multi-agency systems up to and including whole sectors at a national level. He has developed several systems methodologies for tackling complex problems. Patrick has lectured at 12 universities and has taught systems to over 5,500 students. He is the author of two books—"Fractal Organization" and "The Grammar of Systems"—co-authored 9 others, and has written more than 30 papers on the application of systems thinking to real-world problems. He chairs SCiO, the professional body for systems practitioners.
Sheri Marlin
Sheri Marlin, M.Ed. writes, speaks, and collaborates with others to apply systems thinking in real-world contexts. Sheri facilitates teams of people as they develop shared vision and achieve desired results. By providing resources and sparking curiosity, Sheri keeps learning at the center of everything she does. She believes that when people understand and apply the tools and habits of systems thinking, they are more likely to engage in meaningful, life-long learning and innovation. Sheri is co-author of the “Habit-forming Guide to Becoming a Systems Thinker.”
Lynn Rasmussen
Lynn Rasmussen, author of "Seeing: A Field Guide to the Patterns and Processes of Nature, Culture, and Consciousness," has applied systems science to founding and chairing nonprofits, to coaching entrepreneurs and professionals, and to marriage and adult development. As a 25-year member of the International Society for the Systems Sciences, she organized workshops out of Len Troncale’s Institute for Advanced Systems Studies and for 10 years contributed to INCOSE’s Systems Science Working Group. She recently co-founded the Maui Institute to apply systems science to observations, ideas, and actions in the perfect laboratory—her island home.
Semida Silveira
Semida Silveira is a Professor of Practice in the Systems Engineering Program at Cornell University. She is a member and speaker of the CEET Council of Engineers for the EnergyTransition. She sees energy systems transformation as an entry point for achieving multiple goals including climate change mitigation, improved air quality and health, industrial innovation, and sustainable development. She has developed and managed projects in collaboration with academics, multi-lateral organizations, government, and the private sector in Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Africa. Before coming to Cornell, she was a full professor in energy systems planning at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden.
Gary Smith
Gary Smith is a Senior Expert Systems Engineer at Airbus U.S. Space & Defense. He is their overall architect for engineering processes and provides technical leadership in the digital transformation of the division. He is the President of the International Society for the Systems Sciences, an INCOSE certified Expert Systems Engineering Professional and a senior editor of the Systems Engineering Body Of Knowledge. Gary is a systems junkie: his passion extends beyond his professional work and into areas of personal interest to understand the nature of things, to appreciate complexity and to address the big "why" questions.
Linda Booth Sweeney
Dr. Linda Booth Sweeney is a globally recognized systems educator, writer, and strategist. She makes systems thinking accessible and actionable through innovative visuals, games, animations, art installations, and educational curricula, including the systems literacy pilot for PBS Learning Media. As a faculty member for The Obama Foundation, Linda leads Systems Leadership labs, supporting social entrepreneurs to navigate complexity with advanced visualization, problem-solving, and facilitative leadership techniques. Author of “The Systems Thinking Playbook” and an award-winning children’s book writer, Linda’s recent picture books, including “Apart Together” and “The Noisy Puddle” encourage young readers to explore the interconnectedness of their world. A former MIT researcher, Linda holds a doctorate in education from Harvard and enjoys swimming and tinkering with her 1973 Volkswagen, Thing.
Zoe Szajnfarber
Zoe Szajnfarber is a Professor of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering and of International Affairs at George Washington University. She also serves as the Chief Scientist for the Systems Engineering Research Center, is the Chair of the Council of Engineering Systems Scholars and Universities, and is the Faculty Lead for the George Washington Trustworthy AI Initiative. Her research focuses on the design of complex socio-technical systems, with an emphasis on the role of expertise in that process. She holds a Ph.D. in Engineering Systems, dual Masters in Aeronautics & Astronautics and Technology & Policy from MIT, and a bachelors in Engineering Science (Aerospace focus) from the University of Toronto.
Jon Wade
Jon Wade is a professor of practice at the Jacobs School of Engineering at the University of California at San Diego where he is currently designing transdisciplinary education and research programs oriented around the fundamental principles of contemporary closed-loop systems engineering design. Previously, Dr. Wade was a research professor in the School of Systems and Enterprises at the Stevens Institute of Technology where he also served as the chief technology officer of the Systems Engineering Research Center (SERC) UARC. His industrial experience includes serving as executive vice president of Engineering at International Game Technology (IGT), senior director of Enterprise Server Development at Sun Microsystems and director of Advanced System Development at Thinking Machines Corporation. Wade received his S.B., S.M., E.E. and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering and computer science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.