About CODI ~ The Canadian Organization Development Institute

About CODI

The Canadian Organization Development Institute (CODI) was formed in 2005 by Marilyn Laiken, Ingrid Richter, and Jeff Solway.

CODI is committed to providing the very best training in organization development and change available anywhere. All our programs are theory-based and highly pragmatic. They are designed for practitioners. Our programs reflect commitment to experiential and small group learning, and are taught by full time OD professionals.

Many of our participants have been working in the OD and change field, but without formal training. Others are exploring the field. Some are internal OD and change specialists, some are external consultants, and some are managers committed to a deeper approach to management. Most are mid-career professionals.

At present, we offer programs in five streams:

$10 Evening Series

1-2 Day Workshop Series

OD and Change Essentials

OD and Change Intensive

SEEC/CODI Masters Certificate in OD (MCOD)

Academic Directors:

Marilyn Laiken, PhD, is one of Canada’s leading experts on high performing work teams. Her reputation as a masterful workshop facilitator has been filling programs on team development and leadership across Canada for thirty-five years. She is Academic Co-Director of CODI.

Marilyn is Chair of the OISE/University of Toronto Department of Adult Education and Counselling Psychology; Professor of Adult Education in Workplace Learning and Change; and Director of OISE/UT Certificate Program in Adult Training and Development, and the OISE/Adler Certificate Program in Leadership Coaching for the Workplace.

She has been honoured with numerous awards for her teaching and research.

As a consultant in adult education and organization development, she has served clients across sectors since 1975.

Ingrid Richter, PhD has been facilitating learning strategy, leadership development, and organizational change, nationally and internationally, for twenty years.

She is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Toronto and an independent consultant. Her research interests focus on societal change. As a consultant, she often works in international projects involving multi-stakeholder engagement, organizational learning, and capacity-building through leadership development.

Managing Director:

Jeff Solway, MES: is an entrepreneur and communications professional.

As an independent consultant he has engaged in research, facilitation, and the preparation of public discussion papers for NGOs and for policy units at all levels of government. For many years he also operated a manufacturing business, producing high-end canoeing products.

The Faculty:

CODI’s faculty are all senior OD practitioners, adult educators and coaches.
They bring experience from the private, public and not-for-profit sectors, and have spoken and consulted internationally, published widely, and held senior positions within organizations.

Diane Abbey-Livingston, MEd: multi-stakeholder projects, strategic planning, organizational and community change, citizen engagement, leadership development, partnering processes; has held executive positions in non-profit and private organizations; adjunct faculty, OISE/UT.

Rod Brazier, BSc, MEd: leadership development, learning strategy, collaborative processes, citizen engagement, whole-system change interventions, Appreciative Inquiry; has held senior positions in, and consulted with, several prominent high tech companies.

Ray Gordezky, MPH: MPH

large scale collaborative change processes for organizations, communities and countries; organization transformation; leadership development; has held management roles in the telecommunications industry and non-government organizations.

David Kelleher, PhD: learning, strategy and organizational change, in Canada and internationally; various roles with Amnesty International; formerly, an internal OD consultant for the City of Toronto, and a professor of Applied Social Science.

Karon West, MES: strategy alignment, organizational change, leadership and team development; clients in Canada and internationally, often in cross-cultural settings, often in health and community-based organizations.