“I don't just teach design thinking; I have lived it, applied it to my deepest personal challenges, and emerged transformed. My work offers a rare blend of academic rigour (PhD, EMBA), qualifications in coaching, emotional intelligence and conflict resolution, integrity and raw, authentic vulnerability, providing a framework that is both scientifically sound and profoundly relatable.
I see empathy and otherness as strategic asset that can be leveraged for impact, have a robust and integrated approach to professional and personal life cycles and 25 years cross‑sector experience and expertise in storytelling, design thinking, leadership, emotional intelligence and social cohesion.
As a tapestry is woven from countless threads, each distinct yet contributing to a beautiful whole, so too can our individual "otherness" be woven into a rich, strong collective. My work helps you find the unique empathy-led thread of your story and weave it powerfully into the fabric of your life, your team, and your community.”
Jackie has a PhD in public policy and EMBA in organisational leadership and strategy. She has had a long executive career dedicated to supporting for-purpose institutions in designing and implementing actionable strategies in leadership, governance, risk, compliance, ESG, CSR and DEI, and operations/service delivery. She is an accredited ADMRAS mediator who resolves boardroom and staff conflicts through value‑based design‑thinking and mediation. She provides strategic and advisory support through her consultancy JDK Research. More information on Jackie’s formal qualifications, certifications and experience can be found at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackiedking/
Jackie has experienced a number of iterations of her own identity through design thinking. The first was after her divorce, as articulated in her book “The Ultimate Other.” The next design iteration involved asking how she might find flow in her own career and has led to the establishment of these offerings.
Jackie’s working principles:
Human-Centered Approach: Every solution is designed around the real needs and experiences of people.
Empathy-Driven: Fosters deep understanding—starting with self-empathy, extending to others.
Collaborative Solutions: Empowers individuals and groups to co-create sustainable change.
Iterative & Adaptable: Embraces growth mindset, continuous learning, creativity and flexibility in complex systems.
Scalable Impact: Personal transformation informs and inspires collective progress, from individuals to entire organisations and communities.
