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Start leading positive change from wherever you are.

Alex teaches students at all levels: undergraduate, graduate, Public Health, MBA, and executive exeducation how to become the kind of leaders our world needs: changemakers. 

What you’ll Learn

Changemaker Mindset

To begin, you’ll will learn how to develop the mindset of a changemaker. You’ll explore resilience, smart risk-taking, and empathy. You’ll also challenge the status quo and discover how a growth mindset can help you lead positive change, no matter your role.

Changemaker Leadership

Next, we will focus on leadership skills that don’t require a formal title. You’ll learn how to lead with empathy, build trust, and inspire others to join you in creating change. You’ll become the leader you’ve always wanted to follow.

Changemaker Action

Finally, you will take action. Using tools like the Changemaker Canvas, you’ll turn your ideas into reality. You will learn how to spark change, overcome obstacles, and sustain your impact over time, whether working on big or small challenges.

Oh, and we’ll also have some amazing guest speakers, experiential exercises, individual reflections, small group discussions, full-class case studies, and a lot of fun along the way!

Psst…Can’t take a class? Buy the book which was inspired by and developed directly from the classroom!

Courses

Please get in touch with any questions or to introduce yourself; I love hearing from students (past, present and future)!

  • Course Info: Becoming a Changemaker (UGBA 159)

    2 units / 15 weeks

    This is the original course that was the inspiration for the creation of the Berkeley Changemaker campus-wide program, now featuring 30+ classes.

    In a world that is rapidly changing before our eyes, learn to navigate, shape and lead positive change for yourself and others and gain leadership skills to thrive amidst uncertainty.

    Anchored in change leadership and bringing together the fields of entrepreneurship, innovation, leadership, and social impact, the courses focus on helping you move from ideas to action. Grounded in research and case studies of what makes change happen, “Becoming a Changemaker” teaches you how to identify opportunities for and create positive change at an individual, organizational, and societal level. It teaches you to become a changemaker: able and ready to lead change, not just be led by it.

    UC Berkeley students can enroll in “Becoming a Changemaker” offered as UGBA 159.

    Read this article about the course and our unique failure exercise!

  • Course Info: Becoming a Changemaker (FTMBA/EWMBA 259)

    2 Units / 10 weeks

    Designed similarly to the Undergraduate course, this course is useful for anyone whose success depends on thriving in a highly-dynamic environment and who would benefit from learning fresh leadership skills and how to make change work for you and your team. Alumni of the course have commented that it’s especially helpful for new managers, intrapreneurs, those leading (or seeking to lead) agile teams, product owners, and leaders who work cross-functionally.

    UC Berkeley students can enroll in “Becoming a Changemaker” offered as FTMBA & EWMBA 259.

    Read the Course Overview

  • Course Info: Leadership for Public Health Changemakers

    1 unit / 7 weeks

    This is the core leadership class for all Berkeley Master of Public Health (MPH) students!

    Leadership is not a title.  Leadership is an act.  It’s a conscious choice to step up, serve others, and make a difference in our organizations, communities, and our world.

    This course helps you find your unique leadership voice and step into your own leadership potential in the field of Public Health by exploring three fundamental questions, no matter your background, experience level, or familiarity to date with leadership:

    • WHY am I choosing to lead?  Leadership is personal.  How will you apply your values, your strengths, your qualities, your motivation, and your lived experiences towards your choice to lead?

    • HOW am I choosing to lead? Leadership is not one-size-fits-all.  What approaches, tactics, and mindsets will you bring into defining your own leadership style?

    • WHAT am I choosing to lead? Leadership is a lens for creating positive change, whether within your career, community, team, or organization.  What impact will your leadership make possible? 

    This course will include a combination of lectures, group discussions, individual reflection, case studies, and experiential learning activities.  

    Leadership is multidisciplinary, so our course will draw from fields ranging from engineering to economics to psychology to art, and we’ll apply a changemaker lens throughout the semester to help you become a leader ready and able to lead positive change from wherever you are. 

    Our goal: that you leave this class as a Public Health Changemaker, equipped with the leadership skills you need to go make an impact in the field.

    Students can join by enrolling in Public Health 291 (PBHLTH 291)

  • 60, 90 & 180 minute workshops and talks, plus custom full-day and multi-day programs

    In a fast-changing world, how can we learn to navigate, shape, and lead change in our organizations? These executive-level courses are for emerging leaders and executives and teach you and your team how to transform yourself, your career, and your organization.

    I’m honored to be a member of Berkeley Executive Education’s faculty team as a lecturer and faculty director and would love to work with you. I customize every session for clients to meet your specific needs, goals, and opportunities. Virtual and on-campus options are available.

    Contact me for more information and to discuss how we can customize a changemaker program for you and your team!

  • I’m honored to be the Faculty Director for our Executive Education Changemaker Program. It’s 3 days long, held in-person on our beautiful Berkeley Haas campus, with offerings every May and December.

    Learn more and enroll here!

    Topics include:

    • The science of happiness,

    • Finding your purpose

    • Navigating Conflict While Leading Change

    • Leading and Thinking Inclusively

    • Storytelling for Change

    • Changemaker Mindset, Leadership and Action

    • Fireside chats with some of my favorite changemakers!

    With this program, you will receive:

    • Sessions taught by hand-selected faculty at UC Berkeley that I believe offer you the strongest and most applicable perspectives on leading change.

    • Dynamic mix of lectures, case studies, guest speakers & panels, and coaching

    • Exclusive networking opportunities

    • Online access to the program's alumni community

    • Berkeley Changemaker Certificate of Completion

Guest Speakers

One of the greatest joys of teaching Becoming a Changemaker is the opportunity to invite changemakers of all kinds who inspire me to speak with and meet students. I am fortunate to have this changemaking platform and I intend to use it to lift up the stories of a diverse array of changemakers doing all kinds of incredible, impactful work. I absolutely love when students can see a bit of themselves in one of our amazing guests and they realize that they, too, can become a changemaker.

We’re all in the pursuit of positive change together. I am exceedingly grateful to these friends who have joined us as guests:

Class Guest Speaker Videos

Muhammad Yunus

Nobel Laureate, Founder of Grameen Bank, and Interim Prime Minister, Bangladesh

Dr. Nadine Burke Harris

Pediatrician and California’s first ever Surgeon General

Becoming a Changemaker Book Launch

Changemaker alumni panel featuring 3 outstanding students doing inspiring changemaker work:

  • Alicia Wilson / Olympic Swimmer

  • Angelica Song / YouTube

  • Shannon Eliot / Teladoc Health

What Students are Saying

Changemaking is a team sport, and Becoming a Changemaker is all about community.

What’s it like being in class? Read about students’ experiences below and check out recent official student feedback here.

In the News.

Forbes logo

Finding the Changemakers of Tomorrow

Berkeley Haas logo

Empowering undergrads to be changemakers

Superpowers for Good logo

How this UC Berkeley Professor Teaches People to Become Changemakers