Noumair, Debra (dn28)

Debra A. Noumair is Professor of Psychology and Education and Founder and Director of the Executive MA Program in Change Leadership (XMA), Department of Organization and Leadership at Teachers College,Columbia University. Professor Noumair is currently engaged in teaching, consulting, coaching, and research.

As an educator, Professor Noumair is committed to intentionally designing and co-creating innovative opportunities for learning for experienced professionals. She won the Teachers College, Columbia University first instituted Teaching Award in 2020 and was a second-time winner of the award in 2022.

A group relations scholar and practitioner, Professor Noumair is a Fellow of the A. K. Rice Institute for the Study of Social Systems. The focus of her work is on applying systems psychodynamics to organization change with individuals, teams, and organizations. She is animated by creating opportunities to develop the capacity to think systemically, link overt behavior to covert dynamics, and discuss the un-discussable as she views these competencies as central to surviving and thriving in social systems.

Through her research, Professor Noumair developed X-Ray Vision, a tool which provides a framework for developing a comprehensive understanding of group and organizational life. Professor Noumair is co-author of Organization Development: A Process of Learning & Changing, 3rd Edition, co-editor of the annual book series, Research in Organization Change and Development, and co-editor of Group Dynamics, Organizational Irrationality, and Social Complexity: Group Relations Reader 3. She serves on the Editorial Board of The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, on the International Advisory Board of the OPUS International Journal, Organisational and Social Dynamics, and on the Academic Board of Mind Gym, an international behavioral science firm that uses psychology-based solutions to transform individual, team, and organizational performance.

Professor Noumair partners with organizations in the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors to advance under-represented groups through examining systemic barriers, teaching group dynamics, and conducting assessment-anchored executive coaching with senior leaders.  She is core faculty for Leading Women Executives, a CEO-sponsored leadership development program for women.  She also directs executive education programs in global organizations in the Asia-Pacific region, in Europe, and in the United States and she regularly teaches in the Consulting & Coaching for Change Program (Oxford Said Business School & HEC-Paris).  For several years, she taught in the Leadership & Educational Change Program (Teachers College-National Institute of Education (Singapore).

Professor Noumair received her bachelor’s degree from Boston University and her master’s and doctoral degrees from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Member, American Psychological Association
Member, Academy of Management 
Member, Organization Development Network 

Noumair. D. A. & Jenkins, J. D. (2023). X-Ray Vision: A research tool for uncovering system psychodynamics to advance organization change. In Szabla, D. B., Coghlan, D., Pasmore, W. A., & Kim, J. Y.  Edward Elgar Handbook of Research Methods in Organizational Change, Edward Elgar Publishing.

Noumair, D. A., Shani, A. B. & Zandee, D. (Eds.), (2023). Research in Organization Change and Development, Volume 30, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Shani, A. B. & Noumair, D. A. (Eds.), (2021). Research in Organization Change and Development, Volume 29 UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Perry, L. E., Block, C. J., & Noumair, D. A. (2021). Leading In: Inclusive Leadership, Inclusive Climates and Sexual Harassment, Equality, diversity, and inclusion: An international journal.

Noumair, D. A. & Shani, A. B. (Eds.), (2020). Research in Organization Change and Development, Volume 28 UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Shani, A. B. & Noumair, D. A.(Eds.), (2019). Research in Organization Change and Development, Volume 27 UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Noumair, D. A.& Shani, A. B. (Eds.), (2018). Research in Organization Change and Development, Volume 26 UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Noumair, D. A.,Pfaff, D. A., St. John, C., Gipson, A., Brazaitis, S. J. X-ray vision at work: Seeing inside organizational life. In Shani, A. B. & Noumair, D. A. (Eds.), (2017). Research in Organization Change and Development, Volume 25 UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Shani, A. B. & Noumair, D. A.(Eds.), (2017). Research in Organization Change and Development, Volume 25 UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Block, C. J. and Noumair, D. A. (2017). Introduction: Understanding diversity dynamics in systems: Social equality as an organization change issue. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 51, 5–9.

Noumair, D. A.& Shani, A. B. (Eds.), (2016). Research in Organization Change and Development, Volume 24 UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Kolb, D. M. & Noumair, D. A. (June 17, 2016). How to negotiate for yourself when people don’t expect you to.Harvard Business Review.

Shani, A. B. & Noumair, D. A. ( Eds.), (2015). Research in Organization Change and Development, Volume 23 UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Block, C. J. & Noumair, D.A. (2015). Call for papers: Understanding diversity dynamics in systems: Social equality as an organization change issue. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 51, 5–9.

Burke, W. W. & Noumair, D. A. (2015). Organization Development: A Process of Learning and Changing, 3^rdEdition. New York: Pearson.

Shani, A. B. & Noumair, D. A. (Eds.), (2014). Research in Organization Change and Development, Volume 22. UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Golom, F. D. & Noumair, D. A. (2014). No add-ons necessary: Cultural and pedagogical implications of a competency-based approach to training I/O psychologists. Industrial and Organizational Psychology: Perspectives on Science and Practice, 7(1), 18–21.

Noumair, D. A. (2013). Cultural revelations: Shining a light on organizational dynamics. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy,63 (2), 153–176.

Shani, A. B., Pasmore, W. A., Woodman, R. W., & Noumair, D. A.(Eds.), (2013). Research in Organization Change and Development, Volume 21. UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Noumair, D. A.,Winderman, B. B., & Burke, W. W. (2010). Transforming the A. K. Rice Institute: From club to organization. (2010). The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 46 (4), 473–499.