Triangle Organization Development Network Presents!
Change SIG (Special Interest Group)
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Is Change Management really a "thing" in OD?
For decades, OD pioneer Dr. Warner Burke drew a sharp line: Change Management is not OD. Change Management, he argued, tackles transitions and checklists; OD aims for deep, systemic transformation. (For more details, see Burke's video.)
But in a world of nonstop disruption, does that distinction still hold?
Join TODN Board members Bob Stapleton and Tina Vasquez for a lively, good‑humored debate as they test Burke’s theory against the realities of today’s organizations.
Two Lenses, One Big Question
The Internal Anchor — Bob Stapleton With 30 years inside large institutions, Bob has watched waves of “change initiatives” rise and fall. He’ll explore whether OD can truly stand apart from the daily churn of organizational change.
The Mission‑Driven Catalyst — Tina Vasquez As an external consultant to nonprofits, Tina works where urgency, purpose, and people collide. She’ll share whether Burke’s scientific OD approach holds up in fast‑moving, resource‑tight environments.
Is Culture the Lag—or Are Our Tools Outdated?
Burke famously claimed that culture can’t keep pace with external change. We’ll examine whether culture is really the bottleneck—or whether OD itself needs to evolve.
A Generational Crossroads
How we see the OD/Change divide often depends on when we entered the field.
What can we learn from each other?
By the time we end the conversation, you will be able to answer questions like:
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Is culture truly the “lagging factor,” or are our OD tools behind the times?
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Has Change Management swallowed OD, or does OD still stand on its own?
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How do generational perspectives shape what we believe OD is and should be?
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What does OD leadership look like in a world that never stops changing?
Join the Conversation
This isn’t a lecture. It’s an open, energizing dialogue about the future of our field. Whether you stand with Burke or believe the lines have blurred, come add your voice. Change isn’t slowing down—so let’s explore how OD can lead the way.
Our Presenters
Bob Stapleton is President of Live Oak Leadership, a leadership development and coaching practice focused on helping leaders and teams perform at their best in complex, real-world environments.
Bob’s perspective is forged from more than 30 years inside organizations—as both a senior-operations executive and an organization development (OD) practitioner. He has led at the highest levels, including serving as Head of Human Resources for Food Lion, LLC, a major food retailer, where he had direct responsibility for the C-suite and officer group. Earlier in his career, he led Organization Development for Food Lion, with enterprise-wide responsibility for shaping culture and organizational effectiveness.
Bob also co-hosts Bob ’n Joyce Talk HR and OD, a highly rated podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other major platforms, where he explores leadership, organizational effectiveness, and the human side of work.
Known for making learning simple, practical, and durable, Bob is driven by one core belief: leaders don’t fail because they don’t care—they fail because they can’t see what’s getting in their way.
Tina Louise Vasquez is a strategist, institution builder, and advocate for equity integration with more than 18 years of experience helping organizations and individuals implement sustainable, equitable practices across sectors.
As Founder of Emerging Equity, Tina leads strategic change and capacity-building efforts, including a fellowship for Northeast food systems leaders with Community Food Funders and an initiative supporting children’s social-emotional health organizations with the John Rex Endowment. Additional current and past work include statewide and international equity initiatives, philanthropic partnerships, and co-founding the Arts-Education Exchange: Cuba. Tina holds a master’s degree in Organizational Behavior Systems and Analytics from NYU Polytechnic, a bachelor’s degree from NYU Gallatin, and additional training in Undoing Racism and Movement Analysis.
When not consulting, Tina enjoys spending time with her family and creating art projects.
About TODN’s Change SIG
Change SIG is a special interest group within the Triangle Organization Development Network (TODN), offering programs focused on supporting OD practitioners in leading and creating change.
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