Wendy Swart Grossman, Transforming Business through Creativity, Innovation, and Social Impact

At the Questrom School of Business, we pride ourselves on shaping leaders who drive impact beyond traditional business boundaries. Wendy Swart Grossman, a faculty member in the Strategy and Innovation Department and co-founder of Creative Re/Frame, epitomizes this vision. Through her work, she has become a beacon of inspiration for students, faculty, and the broader community, demonstrating how creativity, empathy, and collaboration can transform individuals and society alike.

Wendy’s career is marked by transformative contributions across history, creativity, and social impact. She served as the National Campaign Manager for the Fund for Democratic Elections in South Africa, raising $1 million to support Nelson Mandela’s historic 1994 presidential election. Through innovative initiatives, including a fundraising tour with Danny Glover and Harry Belafonte, she played a pivotal role in ensuring voter turnout during South Africa’s first free and fair election.

Photos below depict Wendy leading a Creative Workshop IDEACON 2024 (left), speaking at an event on the Clinton Administration (middle), and giving a TedX Talk with Jen Guillemin right).

Wendy also worked under the Clinton Administration in the White House Office for Scheduling and Advance, where she gained invaluable experience as a part of the Presidential Advance Team coordinating events across the United States and internationally. At the Harvard Museum of Natural History, she led a new outreach department, increasing attendance by 50% through programs that made the museum’s resources accessible to all communities, showcasing her dedication to create welcoming spaces that uplift all communities.

A storyteller at heart, Wendy is the author of Behind the Wheel: A Mother’s Journal of a Year on the Road, chronicling her family’s 28,000-mile RV journey, where she homeschooled her children in public libraries and national parks. In addition, her TEDxBU talk, “Bringing Meaning to the Marketplace”, explored how artists, through their creative mindsets, can bring financial sustainability and value to the marketplace, highlighting the intersection of arts and business.

At Questrom, Wendy brings her wealth of experience into her teaching, transforming her SI250 course, “Ideas to Impact”, into a launchpad for innovation. Through her MCSI (Make Care Strategize Implement) framework, she empowers students to embrace creativity, community-building, and entrepreneurial strategies. Her classroom becomes a trusted, collaborative space where students tackle real-world challenges, such as partnering with nonprofits like Beat the Odds Boston to support BIPOC youth.

“Innovation doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It happens when diverse ideas and perspectives collide.”

Wendy Swart Grossman

By fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration, where a neuroscience major might work alongside an artist, Wendy ensures her students develop the empathy and curiosity needed to lead meaningful change.

Beyond Questrom, Wendy’s impact extends globally. As co-founder of Creative Re/Frame, she collaborates with organizations such as Innovate@BU, the Social Innovation Forum, and the US State Department. Through creative bootcamps, storytelling workshops, and leadership programs, she equips individuals and organizations with the tools to amplify their voices and scale their ideas.

Her work includes transforming programs like IdeaCon, BU’s premier innovation conference, into thriving platforms that inspire collaboration and bold thinking. Wendy’s global initiatives, spanning Italy, Portugal, and beyond, exemplify her belief in the universal power of creativity and entrepreneurship.

In 2023, Wendy received Boston University’s prestigious Henry Morgan Award, recognizing her contributions to advancing innovation and impact. But for Wendy, the true reward lies in empowering others.

Photos below depict Wendy on the right teaching at Innovate@BU with Jen Guillemin (left) and receiving Henry Morgan Award in 2023 (right).

“I’m an organizer at heart,” she says. “My role is to give people the skills they need to succeed and then step back so they can carry the work forward.”

Her students describe her as a connector and catalyst, someone who not only inspires but equips them to take meaningful action. Wendy often emphasizes the trifecta of curiosity, generosity, and reciprocity, encouraging students to lead with authenticity and build connections that drive lasting change.

Wendy’s work reflects Questrom’s ethos: business is not just about profit—it’s about people and community. Her classes empower students to explore their passions, bridge diverse perspectives, and create ventures that drive positive change.

“Questrom is a home for everyone,” she says. “It’s a place where we can come together, respect each other’s unique journeys, and help each other grow into the best versions of ourselves in service to society.”

Through her teaching, collaborations, and global impact, Wendy Swart Grossman exemplifies what it means to be a leader at Questrom, Boston University, and in society. Her story is a call to action for every Questrom student to think boldly, act purposefully, and leave the world better than they found it.

Interview by Jyotirmaya Patro’25

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