Welcome! I'm Dr. Ora Setter

I'm a lecturer, consultant, writer, and artist who brings together decades of experience across multiple disciplines to help individuals and organizations thrive. With a Ph.D. in Management and studies for an M.A. in South Asian Studies from Tel Aviv University, plus an honorary doctorate from Rai University in India, I've dedicated my career to bridging Eastern wisdom with Western organizational practices.

My Professional Journey

As a senior management consultant, I work with leading companies and organizations both in Israel and internationally, focusing on organizational development, change management, power and politics, knowledge management, and designing comprehensive training programs. I serve as a personal advisor to CEOs and leaders of large systems, helping shape organizational identity, navigate change, and foster cultures of listening, meaning, and creativity.

My commitment to the field extends beyond consulting—I've served on 8 boards of directors of both business companies and NGOs, and on 6 executive committees of nonprofit organizations. I recently served as chairwoman of the Israel Association for Organizational Development (IAOD), where I continue to advance the profession across the country.

Academic Excellence and Innovation

For many years, I've been teaching at the Coller Business School at Tel Aviv University and other academic institutions in Israel, primarily focusing on organizational development and consulting. I also served as CEO and Academic Director of Lahav, the Executive Education Center at Tel Aviv University's Recanati Business School, and as an Adjunct Professor at MDI (Management Development Institute), one of India's premier business schools, where I worked with MBA and doctoral candidates.

As a mentor and supervisor to many organizational development consultants in Israel, I'm passionate about developing the next generation of practitioners in our field.

Pioneering Mindfulness in Business

For the past 20 years, I've been a pioneer in bringing mindfulness training and Buddhist wisdom to business executives in the Israeli academic milieu. I served as chairwoman of Psycho-Dharma, a school for the implementation of Buddhist psychology, where I developed and taught programs in Buddhism and management, and Buddhism in the workplace.

My latest field of research and teaching focuses on spirituality in business and management. I serve on the editorial board of the Journal of Management, Spirituality and Religion (JMSR) and co-edited "Caring Organizations" (2017). I'm also the founder of a digital knowledge-management startup, combining ancient wisdom with modern technology.

Thought Leadership and Publications

As a frequent speaker and writer, I explore topics such as mindful leadership, psychological contracts, and contemplative work cultures. My articles have been published in academic journals and books, and I regularly present at international conferences. I've developed numerous courses that reflect my interdisciplinary approach, integrating management theory with contemplative practices.

Artistic Expression

Beyond my professional work, I'm a visual artist whose creative practice explores the spaces where thought, feeling, and presence meet. I engage in painting, photography, and sculpture, and my work has been featured in solo exhibitions as well as numerous group exhibitions.

Working Together

I work with organizations and leadership teams around the world, helping them navigate complex challenges while cultivating meaningful, mindful approaches to business and life. Whether through consulting, teaching, mentoring, or artistic collaboration, I'm committed to supporting the development of more conscious, caring organizational cultures.

I invite you to explore how my unique integration of management expertise, contemplative wisdom, and creative expression can support your personal and organizational transformati

if interested, you can  view a list of Courses that I have developed over the last few years, and a number of Articles (in English) which have been published in academic journals and books or presented at conferences.

Short Bio

Ora Setter (Ph.D.) was the CEO and Academic Director of Lahav, the Executive Education Center in Tel Aviv University in Israel and a lecturer at the Coller Business School, Tel Aviv University, and in other academic institutes in Israel, teaching mainly organizational development and consulting. She was also an Adjunct Professor at MDI, one of the best business schools in India. She serves also as chairwomen of IAOD, the Israeli Association for Organizational Development.

A senior consultant, to many leading companies in Israel, focusing on Organizational Development,  Ora's areas of expertise are change management, power and politics, knowledge management, and building and organizing training programs for organizations.  She is also a well-known lecturer and writer, and serves as a mentor and supervisor to many OD consultants in Israel. Dr. Setter serves as a board member of several organizations, including business companies and NGO's.

Dr. Setter was the chairwoman of Psycho-Dharma, a school for the implementation of Buddhist psychology, where she also teaches programs in Buddhism and management and Buddhism at the workplace.  She is a pioneer in bringing mindfulness training and Buddhist wisdom to business executives in the Israeli academic milieu.  Her latest field of research and teaching is Spirituality in business and Management. She is on the editorial board of Jounal of Management, Spirituality and Religion (JMSR), and the co - editor of "Caring Organzations" Book (2017)

Dr. Setter works with organizations and leadership teams in Israel and abroad, helping

shape organizational identity, navigate change, and foster cultures of listening, meaning Dr. Setter works with organizations and leadership teams in Israel and abroad, helping and creativity. She is also the founder of a digital knowledge-management startup, and a frequent speaker and writer on topics such as mindful leadership, psychological contracts, and contemplative work cultures.

Holding a Ph.D. in Management and an M.A. in South Asian Studies from Tel Aviv University, she also received an honorary doctorate from Rai University in India. Beyond her consulting and teaching, Ora is a writer and visual artist, whose creative work explores the spaces where thought, feeling, and presence meet.

Articles and Presentations

Following are links to some of my academic articles and presentations:

Paper presented at the Academy of Management conference in Boston, 1997

Paper presented at the "Intranets and Knowledge Management" conferences in Amsterdam and San Francisco, 1999, about "What Stops Knowledge Sharing?"

Paper presented at the Facet Analysis conference in Ljubljana, Slovenia, 2003, about using facet theory for psychological contracts.

Paper presented at the 2nd ISOL conference, Pondicherri, and published in Journal on Spirituality and Organizational Leadership 1:1. (2009)

Paper presented at the 1st conference on Current Spiritualties, Haifa University, and in ISOL conference in Haridwar, 2011, on spirituality as mediating breach of psychological contracts and organizational misbehavior.

Article was also published in the Journal of Management, Spirituality and Religion (October 2012).

  • Ely Weitz, Yoav Vardi, Ora Setter. Spirituality and organizational misbehavior. Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion2012; 9: 255.

A follow up of this study was presented at the 1st IOBC conference in Tel Aviv University, Israel in 2011, by the name of: A skeptical look at the (un)expected positive effects of workplace spirituality: Some preliminary findings.

Paper presented at the ISOL 3rd conference, describing case study of teaching spirituality and management in an executive education program in Tel Aviv University during the years 2007-2008.

Paper presented at the 4th ISOL conference in Bubaneshwar, India.

Book review on  "Organizing Through Empathy" was published in JMSR 2015, 12:1, 78-83.