, a teaching, training and consulting business whose primary focus for 35 years has been on creating adult education learning structures. A business partner for many years with John and Joyce Weir in WeirMerrillAssociates, they taught and trained individuals who wanted to learn the Weir’s Percept Orientation and the Self Differentiation model. Alexandra and Wendy Weir, along with John and Joyce Weir were the Faculty for the only certification program that was ever offered in the Percept Orientation and the Self Differentiation training models. Alexandra was also instrumental along with Marvin Weisbord, in producing the teaching film on the Weir’s work, A Day with John and Joyce Weir.
Along with work in this area, she has also developed many projects which focus on women’s individuation, women’s rights, women’s development, transnational women’s leadership development and on building sustainable grass-roots women’s coalitions in the USA and in India. She works in teams, as an ally, never alone, across the deepest differences, always in the service of social justice and in order to dismantle oppressive structures. Founder of WomensWay, a long retreat for women, with Joyce Weir, that retreat continues now in its 34th year, still lively and challenging.
Currently serving as board chairperson at Hope Springs Institute, she has been a co-founder and board member of several not-for-profit organizations, an international women’s leadership collaboration, co-founder of Avani, a national leadership development project in South India. She has built international learning organizations, written curriculum and supported independent structures in developing their own autonomy and sustainability and also worked in a private clinical practice as a counselor with individuals. In all these organizations,. Alexandra brings a balance between the principles of the Self- Differentiation theory, Percept Orientation and contemporary transnational feminism.
A long-term member of ISABS (Indian Society of Applied Behavioral Sciences) and the NTL Institute, she travels extensively in the USA and overseas to support the emergence of anti-racist and anti-imperialist learning structures for men and women. She is also involved in creating documentation of the Weirs’ work, supporting others who have done significant research on that work and training new practitioners in that tradition of teaching.
with specialties in Homeopathy, Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, Herbology, Environmental Illness and Food Allergy, Iridology and Nutrition. I have worked extensively with John and Joyce Weir and Alexandra Merrill co-staffing the Self-Differentiation Workshops and integrating aspects of nutritional education and concepts and principals of Homeopathy and Chinese Medicine into the Self-Diff epistemology. These were truly workshops in Self-Differentiation and Lifestyle Management.
After completing a masters degree in Psychology and Holistic Health in 1978 I went on to study Food Allergy and Environmental Illness at Zion International Hospital under the direction of Dr. Theron Randolph, the father of clinical ecology in this country. Further study of Iridology and nutritional healing with the influential naturopath Dr. Bernard Jensen, ND led to a deep understanding of the power of our nutritional and chemical environment in illness and in healing. Realizing the need for stronger tools in working to help patients regain physical and psychological health I began the study of Homeopathic Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture. In my current practice I integrate a blend of all of these world views and restrative approaches in both group and individual educational settings, and will bring this lifestyle management component to the Self-Differentiation workshops.
 , as both an internal and external consultant, working in partnership with individuals, groups, and whole systems to help them to develop their emotional intelligence; to embody leadership; to use the power of collaboration to increase work spirit and business success; and to create inclusive, culturally competent workplaces where diversity becomes a competitive advantage.
His internal experience has included roles as the head of organization development at Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Maryland, and as a human resources consultant at USF&G Insurance. As a Principal of GreenLeaf Associates, he also served a wide variety of customers, in corporate, government, and not-for-profit settings; from two-person partnerships to Fortune 100 companies; and in manufacturing, health care, education, retail, hospitality, legal, financial services, entertainment, and professional services sectors. These have included Public Broadcasting Service, Eastman Kodak, Pfizer, General Mills, Procter & Gamble, Annheuser-Busch, S.C. Johnson Wax, Clairol, The Louisiana State Office of Mental Health, The State of Vermont Agency for Human Services, AARP, and the U.S. Department of Education.
He has a M.S. from Johns Hopkins University in Organization Development, an M.A. and Ph.D. from Northwestern University in Communication Sciences, and his teaching experience includes faculty appointments at Vanderbilt University, Johns Hopkins University, and Georgetown University.
Based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, he is currently a Managing Consultant with EDS, Inc., a professional member of The NTL Institute, and the Associate Editor of the OD Practitioner.
in both the corporate and private sectors. The foci of her current consulting practice is leadership development, collaborative culture change efforts and the management of diversity as key strategies for creating organizational environments that are supportive of all employees. She has consulted to a wide range of organizations including The FBI, The International Monetary Fund, Ford Motor Company, Texaco, The US Postal Service, Fannie Mae and The Environmental Support Center.
Rita also provides personal coaching helping executives, managers and other professionals to clarify goals and improve communication to and achieve higher levels of performance. She works with leaders at all levels. As an African American, Rita also has expertise providing support and development to women of color in organizations.
A graduate of George Washington University, where she earned both a Bachelors degree in Journalism and a Masters degree in Social and Organizational Behavior, Rita has completed several post-graduate programs at the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland. And, she has been on the adjunct faculties of The Gestalt Institute, Johns Hopkins, Maryland and American Universities.
Rita is a member of the Women’s Leadership Collaborative (WLC), a group committed to research, knowledge and skills development for facilitating women’s groups. She is also a staff member of the Women’s Way Faculty. Having completed the WeirMerrill Associates Percept Orientation Training of Trainers, she uses Percept Orientation and Language in all her work. |
Alexandra Merrill, (B.A.Smith College, M.A. Yale University) is president of Merrill Associates
Wendy Robin Weir, M.A.: I have been practicing Natural Medicine for the past 35 years
Rita Andrews has devoted the past 30 years to organization effectiveness and leadership training