David Gershon, founder and CEO of Empowerment Institute, is considered a leading authority on behavior change and large-scale community and organizational transformation. Over the past two decades, he has developed a highly effective and robust transformational technology considered by many to be the state-of-the-art.
He has applied this methodology to a number of initiatives. Included among these was a global transformative event created at the height of the cold war, the First Earth Run. In partnership with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and ABC Television, he organized the historic passing of a torch of peace around the world. This simple and profound act of global unity offered at a moment of great fear engaged the participation of 25 million people in 62 countries, the world's political leadership and through the media an estimated 20 percent of the population on earth. It was an extraordinary confirmation of the efficacy of the empowerment tools.
David applies his empowerment and large system transformation expertise to personal, community, organizational, and societal transformation issues. His clients include cities, countries, and large organizations wishing to create behavior change amongst their constituencies. The versatility of the empowerment tools enable them to address issues ranging from organizational culture change to low-income neighborhood revitalization; from environmental behavior change to emergency preparedness. Longitudinal research studies indicate the adopted behavior changes are sustained over time.
His best-selling book, cowritten with Gail Straub, Empowerment: The Art of Creating Your Life As You Want It, has become a classic on the subject. Considered a master personal growth trainer and transformational architect, he coleads the Empowerment Institute Certification Program, a school for practitioners wishing to gain mastery in the empowerment transformational tools. He has served on committees appointed by the White House, the United Nations, and various international advisory committees addressing empowerment and large system transformation issues. His work has received considerable media attention and many honors.
