Merrill Csuri didn't set out to do this work specifically. She set out to understand how individual interests, shared interests, and collective interests could advance in harmony, and how to build conditions where that happens. That question took her from early experiences at National Geographic and the World Health Organization to the United Nations Global Compact, where she spent five years facilitating working groups that brought together senior leaders from higher education, business, government, and civil society from around the world.

Those rooms confirmed something she's carried ever since. The most meaningful change happens when we reach toward a more capable version of ourselves, as individuals and as organizations. Her job is to create the conditions where that vision becomes clear and that reaching becomes real.

She spent nearly a decade in tech startups as Chief of Staff and People Operations Director, building organizational development, HR, and operations functions from scratch and coaching founders through the demands of venture-backed growth. She began working with clients independently in 2016 and launched Meandering Ventures as the formal home for that work in 2024.

Two frameworks form the foundation of her practice. Intentional Change Theory holds that lasting change begins with a compelling vision of who we want to become, not anxiety about what's broken. Appreciative Inquiry starts from what's already working and builds toward what's possible. Together they orient the work toward possibility and emergence rather than scarcity or deficit.

From that foundation, her approach draws on a wide and still-growing body of work, including positive psychology, cognitive neuroscience, trust research, behavioral economics, and adult learning theory, shaped as much by what she's learned in rooms as by ongoing study and inquiry. Merrill uses behavioral assessments, including DISC, to help surface how people and teams are naturally wired. Executive function research informs how she helps individuals and organizations understand what's actually getting in the way of progress. And from there, Intentional Change Theory and Appreciative Inquiry come back into the work as the planning framework, orienting action toward what will actually move things forward most, not just what feels most urgent.

She worked directly with Appreciative Inquiry pioneer David Cooperrider during her time at the UN and has completed coursework through Case Western Reserve University's Weatherhead School of Management in intentional change theory, leadership, emotional intelligence, and appreciative inquiry. Through The Alternative Board, she holds certifications in business coaching, peer advisory facilitation, strategic planning, and management program delivery. She also completed Reboot.io's Facilitator Training. She holds a BA in International Relations from the University of Pennsylvania and an MA in International Policy from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies.

Beyond the boardroom, Merrill happily shares life's adventures with her husband and two young boys in Bergen County. She's an enthusiastic runner who has completed two marathons and twelve half marathons. Her passion for growth extends to hiking, snorkeling, SCUBA diving, and crafting. A true global citizen, she has visited 24 countries and 33 states and attended four Olympic Games. You can follow her personal adventures on Instagram @meanderingadventures.