Shakiyla Smith is a scholar-practitioner and action researcher whose primary question is how we develop the individual, relational, and collective capacity to meet the demands of the 21st century. She is currently the Director of Organizational Culture at the Fetzer Institute where she leads efforts to foster a spiritually-grounded, growth-oriented community of freedom. She has a master’s degree in public health and a doctorate in adult education with a focus on organization development. Prior to her current position, she worked in the areas of injury and violence prevention research, program development and evaluation, and research administration for more than 15 years both within academia and the federal government. She is also a proud tree hugger, trained yoga and meditation instructor, and energy medicine (reiki) practitioner.