Body Calls: An Exploration of Embodied Activism and Its Relevance to the Field of Organizational Development
Why this session matters:
In the pursuit of operational excellence, we often overlook one of the most powerful instruments of change: the body. Marissa Mosunich's professional journey began in the structured world of operations—until she realized something essential was missing. Inspired by the practice of Relational Whole Body Focusing and the writing of embodied activists and organizers, Marissa began weaving body awareness and social justice into her professional path. She returned to school for Organizational Development and now works at the intersection of systems, people, and purpose.
Through this personal transformation, she recognized that when she slowed down and truly listened to her body, she became more attuned to her own needs—and more empowered to make meaningful changes in her work, organizations, and communities. These insights now shape her belief that embodiment is an essential tool for Organizational Development practitioners promoting equity, connection, and socially aware transformation.
What to expect in this session:
In "The Body Calls: An Exploration of Embodied Activism and Its Relevance for the Practice of Organizational Development," participants will:
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Explore how embodiment can support employee-led and justice-focused organizational change
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Discover the overlapping values, principles, and possibilities shared by embodied activism and Organizational Development
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Discuss practical applications and future directions for bringing embodied approaches into OD work
Session structure:
This interactive workshop will unfold in three parts:
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A presentation that introduces foundational concepts of embodiment and embodied activism
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Breakout session for small-group discussion and reflection on embodied activism and Organizational Development
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A guided whole-group brainstorming session on OD values and practices, inspired by embodied activism
Come ready to dive in. You’ll leave with new ideas, frameworks, and embodied perspectives to deepen your Organizational Development practice and support transformative systems change.
Learning outcomes:
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Familiarize oneself with the presence of embodiment in contemporary activism and social change movements.
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Begin to discover how embodiment coupled with employee agency can inform and inspire organizational shifts.
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Identify practical applications and directions for bringing embodied approaches into OD work.
About Your Facilitator
Marissa Mosunich is an operations professional, former industrial engineer, and organizational development consultant.
Through her company, Operate Well Consulting, Marissa helps teams bring clarity, flow, and alignment to their operations. She brings a unique blend of systems thinking and human-centered organizational design, shaped by both real-world experience and academic training. She seeks to ignite change through her writing, community involvement, and organizational development practice.
Marissa lives on the Central Coast of California with her family. She loves people, music, poetry, and nature—and is always up for a good walk or deep conversation. She holds a master’s in Organizational Development and Leadership from Fielding Graduate University, a master’s in Industrial Engineering from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and a bachelor’s in Music and Mathematics from Northwestern University.
AGENDA:
5:45 - 6:00 pm Join Zoom Meeting
6:00- 7:30 pm Presentation
7:30-8:00 pm Discussion
Please be aware that our trainings could be recorded or photographed.
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