Home - Banyan Collaborative

Welcome to Banyan Collaborative, where effectiveness takes root.

We work alongside our clients to create cultures where new ideas and actions emerge, creating effective and lasting positive outcomes.

About Us

Katie Dively
Managing Partner

Katie Dively is a public health expert dedicated to fostering healthier communities and organizations. Katie leverages her Master’s degree in Health Promotion and Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES) certification to guide communities and organizations towards positive change.

With over two decades of experience developing and implementing innovative solutions to complex health challenges, Katie has also trained and mentored countless communities and organizations across the United States. Her expertise spans a wide range of health issues, from the misuse of substances and traffic safety culture to child maltreatment and problem gambling. Katie’s passion for evidence-based prevention strategies ensures that her guidance is grounded in research and best practices.

Katie works remotely from her home in North Carolina. When she’s not working, she enjoys exploring new places, and spending quality time with her husband, Tim, family, and friends.

Annmarie McMahill
Managing Partner

Annmarie McMahill brings over two decades of dedicated experience guiding organizations, coalitions, and communities through their most complex, adaptive challenges. With a focus on fostering environments where new ideas flourish and meaningful action takes root, she empowers clients to achieve effective and lasting positive outcomes for their organizations and the broader community.

Annmarie’s career has been deeply rooted in researching and understanding tough issues, particularly around areas like traffic safety, the misuse of substances, and health and wellbeing. At Banyan Collaborative, she now transitions that deep understanding into direct, practical application. She excels at guiding strategic visioning and systems thinking, cultivating capability and leadership through targeted technical assistance, and developing impactful multi-media campaigns and resources.

Annmarie works remotely from her home in Wyoming. When she’s not working, she enjoys traveling and exploring the outdoors.

Jay Otto
Managing Partner

Jay Otto, a former researcher and Co-Director at a research center, brings a unique blend of engineering expertise and a keen interest in human behavior to his work. With degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Jay has spent years exploring how mindsets and systems shape our actions, and how we can foster healthier, safer communities.

From roadways to substance misuse and violence prevention, Jay’s research has delved into a wide range of societal challenges. His passion for understanding the intricacies of human behavior has led him to develop innovative strategies for improving safety culture within organizations and communities.

When he’s not immersed in his research, you can find Jay in the rural countryside of Vermont, slowly honing his woodworking skills. This hands-on approach to creativity reflects his dedication to crafting solutions that are both practical and effective.

Services

Where growth takes root

We collaborate with clients to create innovative solutions to complex challenges like traffic safety, the misuse of substances, and health and wellbeing. We focus on what’s possible and generate positive outcomes for our clients and the broader community.

Presentations, Training,
and Workshops

We provide virtual and in-person presentations, training, and workshops in a variety of content areas to shift mindsets, develop shared understanding, and build skills.

Registration Open for the March 3-5, 2026 Virtual Improving Outcomes Framework Training

Technical Assistance
and Leadership Development

We offer technical assistance and leadership development to individuals, coalitions, and organizations to address complex challenges, troubleshoot issues, identify opportunities, and develop new skills. We provide virtual one-on-one or group sessions.

Organizational
Development

We facilitate strategic planning, goal setting, the development of theories of change, and implementation monitoring to achieve outcomes. We offer retreats, face-to-face workshops, and virtual sessions.

Campaigns, Tools, and Resources

We develop multi media campaigns, tools, and resources to grow beliefs, skills, and behaviors. We create social norms campaigns, websites, toolkits, booklets, and other supportive materials.

Insights

Where innovation takes root

Culture – A Working Definition

While we all recognize the power of culture in organizations and communities, how do we define culture? And can we grow it?

Process, Process, Process

Do you ever feel stuck? Like you just don’t know what the next best step is? Or like you are so focused on the task before you that you can’t think about how to improve outcomes? Consider focusing on process.

Engagement and Generativity

Engaging diverse stakeholders and fostering creativity and innovation are critical to improving outcomes on complex issues like growing organizational culture or traffic safety.

Complex Problems Require a Different Approach

Complex problems require a different approach than traditional problem solving. They require asking new questions, leaning into conflict, and constant learning and adapting.

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