Michelle Risinger

Founder Michelle Risinger is an award-winning, internationally recognized innovation strategist, design-thinker, facilitator and public speaker. Her career began overseas in conflict zones where she was exposed to the dynamics and limits of real-time problem-solving. She then transitioned to global development nonprofit Pact, where she served as Director of Innovation, responsible for institutionalizing and managing innovation across a portfolio of 40 countries.

Risinger is the recipient of the 2019 End-User Transformation award by Design Thinking USA and has a Master’s in International Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of St Andrews, Scotland. She has guest lectured at American University, Thunderbird School of Global Management and the Design for Social Innovation program in New York City.

Risinger launched Rising Solutions, an innovation strategy firm, in October of 2020. Since then, her client focus and company research has centered on the systematic and cultural failures that inhibit creativity and innovation in the modern workplace.