About

foresight • design • strategy

our story

Dynamic Foresight began with a conviction that we could bring something new to the field of Futures thinking – with the combination of strategic foresight and design strategy. Strategic foresight excels at defining plausible scenarios based on trends and uncertainties. Design strategy is effective at defining preferred futures, and being able to visualize and communicate futures that do not yet exist. Our team’s expertise in both fields yields a new set of tools in Futures thinking that is capable of bringing more people into organizational transformation.

our team

john austin, PhD

Dr. John Austin is Dean of the newly formed Honors College at the University of New England. He teaches in executive programs at Duke CE, The Wharton School, Georgetown University, and Penn State University. He is an experienced facilitator and award-winning teacher who has worked with practicing executives on six continents. He has been on the faculty at Penn State University and The University of Washington. Dr. Austin also worked as a Principal at the noted strategy and scenario planning consultancy, Decision Strategies International (DSI). He has worked with numerous global Fortune 500 companies, government agencies and professional associations developing leaders and leading long-term projects in the areas of strategic foresight, change management, team performance, and strategy execution.

Dr. Austin holds a BA in economics from The Johns Hopkins University and a PhD in management from Boston College. He’s conducted research on team leadership, organizational change implementation, and strategic decision-making. His research on knowledge-based decision-making teams is widely cited in the academic literature, as is his work on the strategic actions of internal change agents. He is the author of Leading Effective Change: A Primer for the HR Professional published as part of the SHRM Foundation’s Effective Practice Guidelines Series and Unquestioned Brilliance: Navigating a Fundamental Leadership Trap.

justine bassett, MS

Justine Bassett is an experienced changemaker and design leader who has brought strategic and cultural change to businesses and non-profits. She has led innovative transformations in multiple organizations such as the University of New England (UNE) and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. At UNE she led creation of a new Office of Innovation and mentored faculty, staff, students and the wider community in design thinking and innovation as the university’s first Director of Innovation. As a consultant to the Smithsonian, she led a multi-year design engagement that significantly improved the visitor experience. In her early career she worked in international business in Europe and Asia for companies including MCI, Motorola and Bath Iron Works.

Ms. Bassett has also been a business leader at multiple technology start-ups, managing teams in operations and marketing. Ms. Bassett holds a BA from Wellesley College and a MSFS from Georgetown University. Her work has been profiled in the Boston Globe, Downeast Magazine and Maine Magazine. In 2022, she was honored as a Maine Magazine “2022 Mainer of the Year.”

mark jesty

Mark has dedicated his life to bettering the world of work. After leaving the corporate world in 1998 he became Chairman of the Institute for Management Studies in Canada where he worked to further the core leadership practices of today.

He was part of the creation of the micro-learning concept in the early 2000’s and recently was the co-founder of a software platform creating a marketplace for work….a concept quickly gaining ground. He discussed this concept in a TEDx talk entitled ‘Pack your own ship’ where he encourages people to create their own skills inventory and skills support group. Through his work in pioneering the concept of ‘micro-learning’ in the early 2000’s, Mark has remained focussed on the role of technology in learning, as well as HR writ large. After studying Artificial Intelligence at MIT while simultaneously implementing AI into AthenaOnline’s online coaching application, Mark has expanded his academic and practical expertise in the field.

Mark has remained on the front edge of development created a marketplace for work concept in 2016 after creating the talent future map. His interest in helping organizations embrace and manage uncertainty spans more than 2 decades.

Dr. Austin is one of the best at finding the right equilibrium among instruction, activities, and facilitated discussion. Professor Austin’s ratings, as provided by the participants at the conclusion of the three days of training, are consistently the highest of all the members of the five-person team.

Duane “Andy” Gustafson, Associate Professor of Leadership Communication , Penn State

Dr. Austin is not just an author and speaker; he is a high-energy force that challenges audiences to perceive opportunities in uncertainty. He is a dynamic and knowledgeable facilitator with a unique ability to communicate complex concepts in an accessible manner.

Misty Sprague, Vice President of Professional Services, Momentus Technologies

Justine inspired us to work harder, think bigger, and appreciate the value of good design in everything we do. She left her signature on some of the museum’s most successful activities and programs, and helped us communicate our work more clearly than we ever could have without her.

Colleen Popson, Manager, Experience Design, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

John is that rare partner who brings deep knowledge, extensive experience, and powerhouse credentials, all wrapped up in a persona that is personable, positive and present. I am giving John an A+ but only on the condition that he continues to devote some of his valuable time to working with us!

Helen Senos, Expert Network Manager, Udemy Business