Change is the most possible when all residents and local leaders become active agents of change who are empowered to create neighborhoods, schools, organizations, and communities. Dr. Pennie Foster-Fishman has over 30 years of experience partnering with communities to build places where all children and families can flourish. Her consulting and research efforts are grounded in the belief that change is most possible when all residents and local leaders become active agents of change who are empowered to create neighborhoods, schools, organizations, service delivery systems, and communities responsive to local needs and designed to promote connection and equitable opportunities. Dr. Foster-Fishman’s frameworks for promoting collaborative capacity, youth and adult engagement, and community systems change have been adopted by communities, state/national agencies, and funders around the world. Dr. Foster-Fishman recently retired from Michigan State University where she was a professor in the Department of Psychology for the past 25 years. She is currently the President of Transform Change, a company that partners with communities to create system solutions engineered for health, economic security, and educational success. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx