Acknowledgements

This work was made possible through the care, insight, and commitment of many people who contributed their time, wisdom, and lived experience to exploring and advancing the practice of systems storytelling.

This body of work is also grounded in and inspired by a rich lineage of practice. Systems storytelling draws from longstanding traditions, including Indigenous narrative practices, oral histories, Freirean pedagogy, participatory action research, community-based arts, and feminist and relational methodologies. We honour these foundations and the communities who have carried this knowledge forward across generations.

We are deeply grateful to the members of the Advisory Council—Nat Kendall-Taylor, Joanne Cheung, Natalia Quinones and Nayantara Sen—whose guidance, reflection, and stewardship helped shape these initiatives. We also extend our appreciation to Community of Practice and Learning for Action, whose early thinking and collaboration were instrumental in bringing the vision of the systems storytelling initiatives to life.

Cynthia Rayner played an essential role in the early development of systems storytelling. From foundational conversations to convenings such as the Bellagio gathering, Cynthia helped shape the ideas, relationships, and vision that seeded this body of work.

Philippa Namutebi Kabali-Kagwa carried this work forward with deep expertise in storytelling practice, wisdom, and care. Her perspective from the global majority has continually reminded us that systems storytelling is not new but rather rooted in longstanding traditions and ways of knowing passed down across generations.

Mary Tangelder played a central role in transforming years of learning into the body of work shared through this microsite. As a key author and thought partner, her insights helped shape the evolution of systems storytelling practice. Through her leadership in developing the narrative and practice framework — including authoring the website's Tools and Lessons Learned Sections — she translated collective experience into practical resources for the field.

Collectively, the vision, stewardship, and leadership of Cynthia, Philippa, and Mary have been foundational to the evolution of systems storytelling. This work would not exist in its current form without their contributions.

We also thank the CCL staff: John Kania, Tad Khosa, Lian Zeitz, and Jules Myer—as well as the many contributors who supported this work behind the scenes. Most importantly, we acknowledge the Fellows and participants who generously shared their energy, insights, and practices. Their contributions are at the heart of the learnings, tools, and resources shared throughout this microsite.