Marjorie R. Schiller, Ph.D., currently writes and consults on intergenerational learning and leading, with a specific focus on schools and youth as agents of community and world benefit. Dr. Schiller’s first career was as a feminist/political staffer, civil rights advocate, and anti-war activist. She was deeply involved in political campaigns, lobbying efforts, caucus building, and promoting women’s rights.

From a career in government and politics, she moved to the private sector as a university lecturer and founder of a management consulting company that specialized in helping make people and organizations more productive. During that time, she was an early adopter and thought leader in Appreciative Inquiry (AI) -- the study of what works in life and in organizations -- serving as a practitioner, consultant, collaborator, speaker, and writer for over 30 years, working with international clients in both the public and private sectors. In the 2000’s her focus turned to applications of AI in schools and communities.

She has authored and co-authored over 100 articles, monographs and book chapters, and co-authored Appreciative Leaders: In the Eye of the Beholder (Taos Institute Focus book). She recently collaborated with her two grandchildren and a school psychologist to write the first AI book for children, Stan and the Four Fantastic Powers, which has been named one of the top 10 books on Appreciative Inquiry by Positive Psychology.com.

Dr. Schiller has taught and lectured extensively, including at the School of Education at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, the Radcliffe Institute, Yale University, Duquesne University’s executive education program, Boston University executive education, the Kennedy Institute at Harvard University, San Francisco State University, the Federal Executive Institute, and California State University at Irvine. She served on the faculty of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst Campus, and has been a dissertation advisor for Taos Institute Doctoral candidates at Tilburg and Twente Universities in the Netherlands. She also served Girl Scout University, teaching on-line leadership courses.

In her third career, she is pursuing her passion for intergenerational learning -- connecting wise eyes with fresh eyes -- through partnerships in the public and private sectors, as well as promoting the significance of knowing and telling our own stories during this time of multiple pandemics.

She holds an M.Ed. from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education and a Ph.D. in Learning Environments for Management and Public Policy from Union Graduate School.

Marge is married to Simon Schiller. They have two sons and two grandchildren. Marge lives in Massachusetts and Florida.

MILESTONES
 • Founder, Girls About Political Participation (GAPP), connecting political women with the next generation.
 • Founding partner, Appreciative Inquiry Consulting, a foundational resource for Appreciative Inquiry thought leaders and practitioners using Appreciative Inquiry in business, government, non-profit organizations and education
 • Founder, Positive Change Core, a virtual international organization serving schools and youth with strengths-focused approaches

1960s
• Citizen activist against the Viet Nam War, for civil rights, and for women’s rights
• Managed South Shore Congressional Campaign for Mayor Edward Harrington, New Bedford
• Organized 12th Congressional Caucus resulting in election of Congressman Gerry Studds
• Filed citizen legislation “by request” bill advocating that more political party convention delegates be chosen from Congressional districts rather than at large.
• Staff member, Eugene McCarthy Presidential Campaign shared job with Marilyn Russell

1970s:
• Director, Legislative Education Services, Massachusetts Senate
• Founder, National Women’s Political Caucus
• Founder, Hingham Women’s Political Caucus
• Convener, Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus
• Founded Citizen’s Legislative Seminars in 1976
• Lobbied for the funding of the Governor’s Commission on the Status of Women
• Organizing committee member for YES WE CAN, a day of programming for women (including Patty LaBelle and the Bluebirds) co-sponsored by the Governor’s Commission on the Status of Women
• Vice Chair, Governor’s Commission on the Status of Women
• Hired as Special Assistant to Senator Harrington, who became Senate President
• Director, Massachusetts Senate Office of Education, Diane Modica Deputy director
• Speaking for the ERA with Isabel Shain (my mom)
• Organizer and Speaker, First International Feminist Conference, Lesley University, Cambridge, MA, with Rona Kiley, Doris Kerns Goodwin, Xandra Kayden, Gerry Pleshaw, Betty Friedan, John Lennon, Yoko Ono
• Consultant, Women’s Economic and Development Organization, Bella Abzug, Chair
• Staff, Women for George McGovern, with Rona, Doris, Xandra Shirley MacLaine (1972)

1980s to 1990s:
President, Schiller & Associates, a 20-associates consulting firm. Client list included US government agencies, the financial and telecommunications industry, international direct sales organizations, family-owned businesses, and not-for-profit organizations, including the national staff of Girl Scouts USA.

TEACHING
1980s through 2000s: Appreciative Inquiry seminars for universities, organizations, business, and the public

1990s: Boston University Urban College, Focus on Excellence: A four-day seminar for Management Women; Schiller & Associates

1980s: Adjunct faculty, University of Massachusetts Graduate School of Education and Director, Master’s Program in Management Training

1970s: Kennedy Institute of Politics, Harvard University: Taught weekly seminars on Women and Politics and organized weekly seminars on Massachusetts state legislature

1970’s: Radcliffe Institute : Taught weekly seminar on Women and Politics with Ellen Feingold. Class included Nancy Ellis Bush and Helen Sargent

1970s: Faculty for the Washington Congressional seminars for Senior Executive Service members, Federal Executive Institute, Charlottesville, VA

MEDIA
1970s: Host, “In Her Own Right”, PBS Channel 2 weekly show on women’s issues, produced by Kathy Schlessinger

1970s: Weekly Commentator, Channel 7, Paul Benzaquin Show (Friday was “Women’s Day”)

1970s: Organizing Committee, “Yes We Can,” Channel 4 and Massachusetts Status of Women Commission’s daylong television programing in cooperation with WBZTV

COMMUNITY
2008-present: Board member Hingham Farmers Market

1970s:
• Vice Chair, Governor’s Commission on the Status of Women, Margaret Merry, Chair
• Co-Founder, The Boston Club, with Dean Laycock
• Co-Founder, Boston Women’s Bank, with Danielle deBenedictis

AWARDS
2012: Abigail Adams Lifetime Achievement Award, Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus

1950s: Curved Bar Girl Scout (renamed the gold award)