Judith H. Katz

Fueled by her passion for addressing systemic barriers, known for her boundless energy and sharp analytical mind, Judith Katz has distinguished herself as a thought leader, practitioner, educator, and strategist for more than 40 years. She has created new paradigms in organization development and pioneered cutting-edge approaches to white awareness, inclusion, the leveraging of differences, covert processes, and strategic change.

Throughout her career, Judith’s thought leadership has brought critical ideas and issues to light. Few people, for instance, have connected the ability of all individuals to do their best work with the future of organizations as eloquently or persuasively. Colleagues and clients speak highly of her generosity, her humility, her approachability, her sense of humor—and her resolute commitment to partnering with all people so they can step fully into their own personal power.

Judith began her career by earning a doctorate in education from the University of Massachusetts in 1976. After continuing in academia, Judith joined The Kaleel Jamison Consulting Group, Inc. (KJCG), in 1985 and served as Executive Vice President until her semi-retirement in 2020. During her extensive career, she has led many transformational change initiatives in the United States and around the globe, partnering with such organizations as Allstate, Ecolab Inc., EILEEN FISHER, INC., Merck, the City of San Diego, Telecoms of Singapore, and United Airlines. Judith has also consulted to colleges and universities including Stanford School of Business, Harvard Library, and the University of Connecticut Law School and has served as a guest lecturer at Benedictine University’s Organization Development Masters and Doctoral programs. In addition, she is the co-creator of the Covert Process Concept and Lab with Bob Marshak.

Judith’s writing has broken new ground in OD and other fields. Her landmark book, White Awareness: Handbook for Anti-Racism Training (1978), was the first systematic training program to address racism from a white perspective. Her courageous autobiographical work, No Fairy Godmothers, No Magic Wands: The Healing Process After Rape (1984), was among the first to assist rape survivors in the recovery process. In the field of inclusion, she and Frederick A. Miller of KJCG use their foundational framework, Inclusion as the HOW®, to enable each client to achieve higher performance and accelerate results. An accomplished speaker with more than 100 presentations to her credit, she has co-authored six books with Fred Miller, including:

  • The Power of Agency: cultivating autonomy, authority, and leadership in every role (forthcoming 2024)

  • Change Champions: A Dialogic Approach to Creating an Inclusive Culture

  • Safe Enough to Soar: Accelerating Trust, Inclusion & Collaboration in the Workplace

  • Opening Doors to Teamwork and Collaboration: 4 Keys that Change EVERYTHING

  • Be BIG: Step Up, Step Out, Be Bold

  • The Inclusion Breakthrough: Unleashing the Real Power of Diversity

Judith has been widely recognized for her extensive contributions. She was named a Pioneer of Diversity by Profiles in Diversity Journal in 2007 and a Legend of Diversity by the International Society of Diversity and Inclusion Professionals in 2012. In 2014, Judith received the Organizational Development Network’s Lifetime Achievement Award. She has also received ODN’s Larry Porter Award (2009) and the Outstanding Achievement in Global Work Award (2012). She received the DTUI Cultural Competency Professional Award in 2004 and the American College Personnel Association Voice of Inclusion Medallion the same year. Judith serves as an Expert Panelist for The Diversity Collegium Global Diversity and Inclusion Benchmarks.

Over the years, Judith has devoted her time and energy to many socially responsible initiatives. She has been a board member of the NTL Institute for Applied Behavioral Sciences, served as Vice Chair of the Social Venture Network. She currently sits on the Board of Trustees of Fielding Graduate University.