The Mesh Strategist
Jen Kelchner
Jen Kelchner
Jen Kelchner is a disruptor and deconstructor who is passionate about building a better world. With a superpower of systems thinking, Jen is able to see the unseen and bring structure to chaos. She asks the right questions and challenges assumptions, reducing resistance to change and empowering people along the way.
As a curious and forward-thinking leader, Jen offers transformative experiences and is a dialogue partner who activates and initiates new ways forward. She uses both fact and intuition to transmute one thing into something entirely new, transforming creative energy into practical expression. Jen is one of the future-shaping leaders in her field, and her work has the power to truly make a difference.
Hello! I'm Jen
Why people choose Jen as a partner:
We input ~20 feedback quotes on our work into ChatGPT and asked for those to be summarized and put into bullet points.
Here are the results of why people choose to partner & collaborate with us.
- Quickly identifies the most effective approach to problems
- Ability to explain complex concepts in a clear and actionable way
- Unique ability to cut through complexity and identify areas for improvement
- Ability to have wide-ranging conversations that lead to solid outputs
- Expertise in applying principles of open source projects and movements to drive innovation
- Inspiring and transformative approach to organizational development
- Highly recommended for organizations looking to improve their culture and leadership practices
- Deep understanding of organizational culture and leadership development
- A pleasure to work with
- Highly recommended for organizations looking for a partner to help them think through complex challenges and drive positive change
"She has artful interpersonal skills and easily engages with all stakeholders to draw out answers."
If you're seeking someone who's working on the cutting edge of organizational culture and leadership development research, then you'll want Jen Kelchner to speak to your team. Jen helps audiences understand clearly how principles derived from open source projects and movements translate directly into actionable processes and practices your organization can tap to become more innovative.
They engage with people they have never met before and have great interpersonal skills. They can work with a difficult or guarded audience to tease things out of them and get a good outcome. This is a real art - how they engage people and get concepts across.
Thought Leadership
Authored:
Mesh: A human-centric organisational design for a decentralised world. Hamilton & Kelchner. Interchange Publications., 2022 | Online Book Retailers in US, Canada, UK, Europe, & Australia
The Open Organization Leaders Manual, 2nd Edition, Red Hat Inc., 2018 | Print Copy or PDF
The Open Organization Workbook, Red Hat Inc., 2017 | Print Copy or PDF
The Open Organization Maturity Model, The Open Organization, 2017 | Github
The Open Organization Definition, Red Hat Inc., 2017 | Print Copy
In The Open [Column], opensource.com, 2016- | View
Featured in:
HuffPost, ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, CMO.com, Enterprisers Project, Opensource.com, Linux Today, LXer, Red Hat News, Red Hat Open Innovation Lab blog, The Open Organization, Linux.com, All Things Open, Red Hat Summit, Open Health News, GovLab, GovLoop, FedScoop, Google Cloud, CTO Universe, ICA-IT.org, Digital Transformation People, Forbes, Forbes Coaches Councils & Forbes Council Education Channel, International Association of Women, Lausanne Global Workplace Forum
Key citations:
Government Leaders Guide to Culture Change (Latin America); Red Hat, 2022
The Heart of Transformation: Build the Human Capabilities that Change Organizations for Good, Michael Leckie, Kogan Page, 2021
Government Leaders Guide to Culture Change (Europe); Red Hat, 2020
Government Leaders Guide to Culture Change (North America); Red Hat, 2019
The Open Organization Leaders Manual, 2nd Edition, Red Hat Inc., 2018
Social transformation is a prerequisite for achieving digital transformation; Obaidly Al-Obaidly, Al-Alayam Publishing, February 2018
Value Creation through Executive Development; Solomon Akrofi, Routledge, 2018
Emerging Tenants of Change Management: The Six Secrets of Actual Organizational Change; Michael Leckie, 2018
The Open Organization Workbook, Red Hat Inc., 2017
Gender Equality at Work, Dr. Nitasha Ramparsad, 2019
Red Hat Summit, Open Culture, Boston, 2022
Red Hat, Open Leadership Community of Practice, 2022
Microsoft, CELA Europe, Open Collaboration, 2021
Red Hat, Future-Ready Government, LATAM Conference, Open Culture, 2021
Wyoming Governor’s Council Developmental Disabilities Conference, 2021
Red Hat Summit, Open Knowledge Roundtable, 2021
LearnTech UK, Open Futures Panel, 2020
GlobeGuides HR Summit, Wrangling the chaos of a paradigm shift, 2020
EdNC, Policing Free Speech Panel, Open Culture, 2020
53rd ICA-IT Conference, Seamless Government, Romania, 2019
Red Hat Government Symposium, Open Culture, Washington D.C., 2019
Lausanne Global Workplace Forum, Open Collaboration, Manila, 2019
OpenFirst DC, Open Culture, Washington D.C., 2019
Red Hat, Community-Powered Innovation Events, Open Organizations, 2019
Red Hat Summit, Open Culture, San Francisco, 2018
All Things Open, Open Culture, Raleigh, 2017
Redeemer University, Open Collaboration, Ontario, 2019, 2020
Fresno Pacific University, Open Collaboration, 2019
Duke University, Open Organizations, 2018
International Association of Women, Building Futures, 2017
Berry College, Leadership Event, 2017
Tennessee DECA, 2015, 2016
Georgia Agape, Executive Retreat, 2014, 2015
The Open Organization Ambassador (2017-2022)
The Open Org TV – Producer, Editor & Project Maintainer
The Open Organization Leaders Manual
The Open Organization Workbook
The Open Organization Maturity Model
The Open Organization Definition & Characteristics
Open Organization Ambassador & Community Architecture (August 2016 – March 2022)
Forbes Coaches Council, Member (August 2015 – October 2017)
Way of Hope Women’s Shelter, Chair (2012)
People’s Choice Award, OpenSource.com (2018)
Emerging Contributor Award, Opensource.com (2017)
Forbes Councils, Invited as Founding Member (2015)
Outstanding Performance Awards, Deloitte, (2006, 2007, 2008)
Jen Kelchner is an experienced speaker, coach, and thought leader in the fields of organizational culture, leadership development, and the future of work. With over 25 years of operations and organizational experience, Jen has a wealth of knowledge and expertise to offer audiences. She is a creative, collaborative, credible, and excellent speaker, known for her ability to bridge complex concepts and provide actionable insights.
Jen has been featured in Forbes over 55 times, is a contributor to Opensource.com and other publications, and is the author of several books on open culture and organizational models. She has spoken at multiple events for Red Hat, government symposiums, and global workplace forums, and is frequently invited to share her thought leadership on executive panels for virtual events.
Audiences appreciate Jen’s ability to set a new vision and bridge the language needed to understand complex issues and provide “straight talk and practical solutions with immediate impact” in ways that are “engaging, thought-provoking, inspiring, and empowering.”
Jen is often described as “creative, collaborative, credible and an excellent speaker with a wealth of knowledge and experience”, “working on the cutting edge of organizational culture and leadership development research” and “one of the most articulate people” with the ability to “think on her feet, which makes her a great speaker for panels or a facilitator for workshops”. She is an expert in open culture, leadership, digital transformation and the power of community, authentic and educated making her a great choice for your next event.
How do organizations navigate the landscape of a technology-driven decentralized world?
