Bio

I am an internationally renowned facilitator and educator known for my of Open Space Technology and other participant-driven dialogic and interactive methods for engaging deeper reflection, learning and interchange - whether facilitating 2500 people in a conference-wide dialogue, consulting on the use of Open Space for peace worker teams doing conflict resolution and community building in Northern Iraq and East Timor, engaging interdisciplinary thinking between housekeepers, hospitality managers and CEOs for the future of a luxury resort facility, teaching interactive learning methods to monitoring and evaluation specialists from developing and emerging nations, helping corporate sales representatives share knowledge and experience across divisions, products and regions, or facilitating dialogue between prison inmates. I have also taught and mentored facilitators and educators, hosted conversations amongst facilitators worldwide and consulted on interactive meeting and conference design.

I have facilitated and shared learning about facilitation in 21 countries. My experience is across cultures and industries for diverse meeting objectives, knowledge-sharing conferences, dialogue-based task work, planning and reflection.

See a list of my articles and publications in PAPERS

Consultant, Facilitator, Educator - 1974 - present

Facilitate and train facilitators internationally – specializing in participant-centered methods where participants frame their own experiences, and that scale up, require just one facilitator, and work across culture and country; facilitated processes for large and small group meetings, participatory conferences, planning sessions for organizational transition, product and services development, needs assessment, knowledge exchange and many other uses

Consult on interactive conference design

Design, develop, train trainers for and evaluate interactive (participant-centered, non-lecture) learning curriculum and materials; facilitate, train and evaluate presenters, trainers and programs in experiential learning methodology

Present and facilitate workshops at regional and international conferences, universities and community forums; workshop participants include educators, scientists, facilitators, young people, governmental agencies, faith communities, prison inmates, business leaders, social service organizations, public speakers, activists and others

Facilitate for strategic planning, Board retreats, reorganization, change in organizational culture, delicate issues discussions, organizational meetings, definition of services, product, mission, goals and objectives

Chief Curate, Culture and Learning Facilitator, Seventh Generation Labs (2016 - present)

Co-Founder, Open Space World Ning Community professional network (2009-2015)

Co-Founder, Trainers Network professional network (1995-1998)

Faculty, Creating Change conferences (2005, 2006)

Fellow Emerita, Columbia University Center for International Conflict Resolution (2007-2014)

Founder, Access Queen - international Open Space scholarship and awareness program (2001-2017)

Founder, Fabulous Facilitators professional network (2002-2017)

Ordained Clergy Member, Universal Life Church and Church of Spiritual Humanism

Poet Laureate, global Open Space facilitation learning and consultation network (2006 and 2014-15)

President Emerita, Open Space Institute US (2008-2012); Vice President (2003-2008)

Reiki Practitioner, Second Degree Usui / Holy Fire II