Gabrielle Donnelly, Ph.D. is a writer, researcher, and practitioner of creativity, social change, and innovation. Co-founder of Brave Space, Gabrielle works with methods for meaningful public engagement, participatory leadership, and systems change such as The Art of Hosting, Deep Democracy, and Developmental Evaluation. Her passion for integrating theory and practice leads her to work with organizations like Coady International Institute, FoodARC, ALIA Institute, Government of Nova Scotia, Ecology Action Centre, Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission, and Now Lunenburg County.

A graduate of the University of Alberta and Dalhousie University, Gabrielle received her doctorate from the California Institute of Integral Studies. Her doctoral research centers on how to support practitioners of social innovation and change better integrate theory and practice. Gabrielle is an associate of the Taos Institute and publishes in the areas of creativity, social change, participatory leadership, and transdisciplinarity. Born in London, England and raised in Calgary, Alberta, Gabrielle lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She’s British to the bone, Irish at heart, Albertan to the soles of her (cowgirl) boots, a proud Nova Scotian, and an inspired global citizen.