VISIONS CONSULTANTS Cont'd.
, is an educator, artist and scholar with thirty years of experience as a facilitator of learning in a wide range of contexts, from universities to organizational and corporate settings. He is currently an Associate Professor at the California Institute of Integral Studies where he teaches about collaborative learning environments. As an educator, Alec uses participatory methods of inquiry to explore the ways in which pedagogical approaches can assist learners in examining and changing their assumptions about race and ethnicity. He has trained as a multicultural trainer at Equity Institute and Visions, Inc. As a member of the European-American Collaborative Challenging Whiteness, he has participated in an inquiry into white identity and ways in which white people can become more aware of their identity and its implications. The group has presented its work at gatherings such as The White Privilege Conference and the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity. Recently they authored the chapter, "Challenging Racism in Self and Others" in the anthology, Transformative Learning in Action. Alec received his undergraduate degree at Hampshire College where he studied philosophy and fine arts. He holds a Master of Fine Arts in sculpture from Stanford University (1983).
Ana Cecilia Pérez, is the Executive Director of the Central American Resource Center in San Francisco. Ms. Perez is also a multicultural and organizational change consultant with VISIONS Inc. Ms. Perez has long been involved in struggles for human and immigrant rights, as well as economic justice in Latin American and the US. Ms. Perez and her family fled the Salvadoran civil war in the early-1980s and she grew up in the Central American community in Los Angeles. Ms. Pérez has extensive experience working in Latin America and spent almost four years in Guatemala and elsewhere in Central America doing research with UNICEF and other organizations on the impacts of economic adjustment programs on women in the region. After returning to the U.S. and completing her graduate work at UC Berkeley, Ms. Pérez led the Cuba and Latin America Program at Global Exchange, where helped to build national grassroots efforts to shift U.S. policy toward the region. She is in the steering committee of National Alliance for Latin American and Caribbean Communities(NALACC) and the Salvadoran American National Network (SANN).
, Psy.D. has been practicing individual, group and family therapy for 23 years in the greater Boston community, with a strong background in adoption issues, particularly older adoptions, international and transracial adoptions. He has 13 years experience with hospitals, including Massachusetts Mental Health Center, Human Resource Institute, the Lindeman Center and Newton-Wellesley Hospital. He has been working multiculturally for many years, focusing on issues of racial identity, bi-racial identity, institutional racism and racial/cultural issues affecting clinical practice. Dr. Pinderhughes has applied his clinical training to the facilitation of groups in a variety of not for profit, educational and health care settings. Dr. Pinderhughes' grew up in an activist health care family, witnessing his parents bring cultural matters to psychiatry and social work practice in the Boston health care community. With VISIONS, Inc. Dr. Pinderhughes consults on a wide range of institutional and organizational change issues from a multicultural perspective.
, MSW, is a VISIONS consultant and Diversity Trainer certified by the Human Resources Division of Massachusetts and the National Multicultural Institute. In addition, she is Director of the Public Health Institute at the South Boston Community Health Center. Having emigrated from Puerto Rico, issues of racism and racial and ethnic disparities are of particular interest. Ms. Rodriguez-Howard did her graduate work at Boston College and has taught "Implications of Institutional Racism" at both Boston College and Boston University. Governor Jane Swift appointed her to the team that developed the Diversity Initiative in Massachusetts. Ms. Rodriguez-Howard has served on boards of directors of numerous nonprofit organizations.
, MEd, is a psychotherapist and trainer who cofounded a local women's mental health center. She, together with her colleagues, developed theory and practice that challenged existing paradigms by seeing mental health as a byproduct of economic, social, political, and cultural realities. Ms. Schatzow has a graduate degree in counselor education from Boston University. Currently, she is Clinical Supervisor at the Victims of Violence Program at Cambridge Health Alliance and is a lecturer in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. As a lead consultant for VISIONS, she has worked both nationally and internationally to create group models and interventions that facilitate individual and organizational change.
, Ph.D., has worked with VISIONS since 1987, serving as both Associate Director of Programs and as Lead Consultant. She emigrated from Canada in the early 1980s for her graduate study in counseling psychology at Ohio State University.
Dr. Schoenhals has provided training and consultation in the areas of diversity and multiculturalism to a wide range of groups and organizations. By helping others to see the nuances of difference from a North American, non-US perspective, she has been an invaluable resource throughout the VISIONS organization. She is drawn to exploring the intersection of the dynamics of oppression and internalized oppression with faith, spirituality, and healing--for the benefit of self, others, and organizations.
Additionally, Dr. Schoenhals is project Director for ACCESS: A Multicultural Approach to End of Life Care, offering workshops and consultation to providers on end of life care from a multicultural perspective.
, Ph.D., is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in private practice in Richmond, VA. She has also been a consultant with VISIONS for many years and has worked in educational, corporate, government, and clinical settings. Her background also includes teaching and faculty development work. In addition to her analytical and clinical skills; she brings a strong communications perspective, along with a keen interest in problem solving at the interpersonal and organizational levels.
, Ph.D., is a Counseling Psychology Resident, born in Capetown, South Africa. Julian was educated as a teacher there. His early training specialized in teaching children within the context of an oppressed society. He brings this perspective to his consultation and training with those who work on issues facing adolescents.
, is a VISIONS consultant specializing in providing concrete, organizational development strategies for working in a multicultural society. In 2005 she also was the Program Coordinator for ACCESS to End of Life Care, providing cultural competency training to providers of EOL care.
As a multicultural consultant, trainer , and cross-cultural mediator, Ms. Spaulding-Keller brings over 15 years of administrative management experience at the University of California, Berkeley. She has an extensive background in human resource and financial management career she has demonstrated proven skills for effectively supporting positive change in organizations as they address issues of diversity.
Ms. Spaulding-Keller has a wide range of experiences in developing and facilitating trainings for community-based organizations in the areas of multicultural awareness, organizational team-building, culturally competent service delivery, cross-cultural communication and conflict resolution. She is dedicated to improving the effectiveness and long-term sustainability of organizations by addressing issues of difference, awareness and skills around diversity, cross-cultural conflict resolution, and alliance building.
, PhD., is a licensed clinical psychologist and Senior Consultant with VISIONS. She has led trainings and workshops with diverse participant groups-schools, religious groups, nonprofits, and corporations. Dr. Stearns has been a practicing psychotherapist, faculty member, and organizational consultant for the past 25 years. Currently, she focuses on gender theory, family structures, and the integration of cultural analysis into our understanding of changing human systems.
Raised in rural New England, she spent 23 years in the San Francisco Bay Area, and now resides in New Jersey with her partner and two stepchildren. Dr. Stearns uses the social context of her life as a white, middle-class woman to compassionately challenge the unexamined elements of power and privilege. She believes in multiculturalism as a way of developing all our capacities to create healthy and sustainable relationships and communities.
, M.B.A., consults to international corporations on managing their changing needs in developing a diverse workforce in today's global economy. He designs and facilitates workshops for management and non-management dealing with the challenges of communicating and interacting as diverse individuals in the workplace. His programs are offered to both U.S. and international staff. He also does executive coaching for senior and middle management focusing on leadership, career development, and performance. For organizational development purposes, Joe conducts climate surveys of the work environment. He advises senior management and diversity councils about how to make systemic changes to better leverage the opportunities arising fro the diverse strengths of the changing workforce and customer base. Joe also offers diversity workshops to teachers and students, in both public and private schools. The primary objectives are to build more trusting multicultural relationships by strengthening self-confidence, nurturing interpersonal skills, and shaping effective effort to foster personal and community development.
, BS, is a multicultural training consultant and program coordinator for VISIONS. She holds a degree in Health, K-12 Physical Education, and Exercise Physiology from Howard University. Her commitment is to building bridges between cultures and to developing awareness about the traditional and nontraditional options in health care. As a black, transracially adopted woman, who is the parent of a black son, she enjoys working with youth on cross-cultural issues in independent schools. Ms. Stickles is the founder and chair of FOCUS (Families of Color United for Success) at the Fessenden School, serves on the school's Executive Diversity Steering Committee, and sits on the YSFJ (Young Sisters for Justice) Program Committee of the Boston Women's Fund.
, MS, is a lead consultant for VISIONS, who consults, organizes, and writes about sexism, homophobia, and racism. He did his graduate work at Minnesota State University in experiential education. He has worked with hundreds of corporate, educational, spiritual, community-based, and social justice organizations across the country. Mr. Thompson helped found The Campaign to End Homophobia. In addition, he coauthored White Men Challenging Racism: 35 Personal Stories and has written articles for The Diversity Factor and Cultural Diversity at Work. Finding Our Way is an unique video on men and sexuality, coproduced by Mr. Thompson. Cooper is currently based in Germany and consults internationally. You can visit Cooper's website at: www.cooper-thompson.com
, Ph.D., is an African-American man who consults locally and nationally on multicultural and cultural competence challenges in groups and organizations. He is a professor of Psychology at John F. Kennedy University in Pleasant Hill, CA, a specialist in chemical dependency and addictions, and a member of the American Psychological Association. He also serves on the Ethics Committee of VISIONS, Inc.
Dr. Turner has several years of experience in community consultation, focusing on the challenges of nonprofit organizations serving oppressed and undeserved communities. In fact, in 2000 he was voted one of the 50 most influential members of the Oakland/San Francisco Bay Area for his support of community projects.
In addition, Dr. Turner chairs the Annual Black Mystery Writers Contest, promoting literacy in adults and high school students. Dr. turner consulted to the Board of Psychology on the development of the Jurisprudence Examination for Licensure in California and was and oral examiner for more that ten years.
, Ph.D., is a senior consultant with VISIONS. She has provided multicultural consultation and training to a variety of nonprofit and educational institutions, as well as to public and private corporations and municipalities since 1986. She has an extensive background in higher education. Business and corporate leaders and managers, union representatives, community groups, legal professionals, educators, and healthcare providers are among those who have experienced her organizational development skills.
Dr. Walker's primary foci are empowerment, conflict resolution, team building, and interpersonal problem solving from a multicultural perspective. Her personal goal is to help organizations effectively create environments that recognize, understand, appreciate, and utilize cultural differences. Dr. Walker has a special interest in generational differences. Dr. walker has a special interest in genXers, and millennials in the workplace. Ways to Celebrate Multiculturalism and Racism and Heart Disease are her most recent articles.
, has 30 years of experience in Leadership and Management in major corporations. He is skilled as a Team Development and Change Management facilitator and has developed and conducted multicultural educational processes for over ten years. Gene is a military veteran and actively supports numerous community organizations. As a corporate manager, Gene was a key leader in corporate change and transition projects. He brings a wealth of first-hand organizational development and business management experience. Gene has an interest in understanding cultural world views and their influence on the relationships between people in organizations and teams. Gene's interest in African and African-American history and the African-centered world view has played a major role in his development of networks for his own cultural group within organizations; e.g., Black Employee Leadership Teams, and for other groups, e.g. Women's, Hispanic, and Asian Support Networks.
, Psy.D., is a Licensed Psychotherapist who began providing clinical services to a wide variety of populations in 1976. He has consulted to hospitals, clinics, and chemical dependency treatment centers, with a specialty in training and supervising mental health professionals. For several years, he has been conducting workshops on multicultural issues in the workplace.
, MEd, is a VISIONS consultant with 30 years’ prior experience in public schools as teacher and administrator. As a multicultural consultant, teacher, and trainer, he has worked in educational settings as well as with folks in corporate, non-profit, and social service organizations. His particular interest is in understanding and changing the historical impact and present-day manifestations of white, male, heterosexual, moneyed influences on institutions, groups, and individuals.
, Ph.D., is Executive Director of the Asian Community Center in Sacramento, CA., which includes the Asian Community Nursing Home, a 99 bed skilled nursing facility and a community center for lifelong learning, wellness, and information for older adults. She was previously Director for Policy and Research at the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging in Seattle, WA., where her projects produced and disseminated bilingual materials in seven Asian and Pacific Islander languages to address information and health care access issues. She also conducted health services research for almost 10 years at the Institute for Health Policy (Heller School, Brandeis University), and for 14 years was a health administrator and clinician in varied long-term care settings. Dr. Yee received her M.S.W. from the University of Washington and her Ph.D. in Social Policy at the Heller School, Brandeis University. She has been a resource consultant with VISIONS for more than ten years.
, Ph.D., is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist with a specialty in multiculturalism and Asian American issues. Since 1976, she has been engaged in clinical practice, community mental health and substance abuse administration and management, teaching and consulting on cultural competency, cross cultural psychology, and workplace diversity in community, government and corporate environments.
Back to TopVISIONS Consultants-in-Training
They are experienced professionals who are in the process of learning the style and approach to be modeled by consultants for VISIONS. As part of their consulting education, they participate in training opportunities with selected clients. Through these experiences, prospective consultants learn to work with organizations in a process- and results-oriented approach to multiculturalism on individual, interpersonal, institutional, and cultural levels.
, MPA, has worked for over 30 years as a community organizer and trainer for many neighborhood, tenant, labor, religious, health and other groups. He has a BA from Columbia University and an MPA from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, where he won the Joel Leff Fellowship in Political Economy and was elected Class Marshall. He is the author of Building Powerful Community Organizations: A Personal Guide to Creating Groups that Can Solve Problems and Change the World, which is used widely in college classes teaching community organizing. He is the founder and former director of the Jewish Organizing Initiative. He is married, has two children, and lives in Arlington, MA.
, Ph.D., provides coaching assistance to several key Asian managers within the R&D division of Procter and Gamble. Dr. Bhalotra is an Assistant Professor at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management. She received her medical degree from Lady Hardinge Medical College, Delhi University and is certified by the US Educational Council for Foreign Medical Graduates. She has a Masters in health administration from Clark University and earned her doctorate in Social Welfare Policy at the Heller School, Brandeis University. Dr. Bhalotra is an experienced health services researcher, policy analyst, and educator.
, M.A., serves as the Director of Human Resources at the Episcopal Church Center, the headquarters of the Episcopal Church in the United States. John is a former adjunct instructor at the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations and New York University’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies where he taught courses in talent acquisition and retention and team-taught Managing a Diverse Workforce. He is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management. John holds a B. A. from Colgate University and M. A. from Binghamton University. His continuing education includes studies in group relations, human interaction and appreciative inquiry with the A. K. Rice Institute, NTL Institute for Applied Behavioral Science, The Edge Associates, and NYU.
, M.A., serves as the Director of Mental Health Education and Special Projects for the Area L. Health Education Center in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. She provides consultation and technical assistance and serves as a liaison with the North Carolina Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services. Barbara is a Licensed Professional Counselor by the North Carolina Board for Licensed Professional Counselors and holds national certification from the National Association of Certified Counselors. She is an Adjunct Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry. In addition, she has several years of mental health experience, including both clinical and administrative positions.
, B.A., has worked as a VISIONS youth consultant since 2003. She also worked as an intern and fellow at The Food Project from 2003-2006 facilitating workshops and adapting VISIONS materials into a curriculum for The Food Project. She continued her multicultural work by working with white anti-racist groups at Occidental College in Los Angeles, community garden projects in both New Orleans and Los Angeles, as well as co-coordinating the VISIONS Legacy Project. She lives in Boston and works for X-CEL Adult Education, an organization that provides basic education, GED, and college preparation services to adults throughout Boston. Emma has a B. A. in Diplomacy and World Affairs from Occidental College in Los Angeles, California.
, M.S., is a trained educator and social worker who has devoted her professional life to eliminating discriminatory practices and promoting inclusion in the education and employment sectors. She has experience teaching all ages of learners. Melissa has been a counselor, school teacher, teacher trainer, corporate employee trainer, consultant and job coach. She identifies as a Jewish woman of color and drawing from her mixed race experience, has developed a keen understanding of the range of feelings individuals may experience when discussing bias and difference. Her knowledge of individual and group dynamics has gained her recognition as a trainer and administrator who is skilled at building group trust and facilitating conflict resolution. Melissa earned her M.S. in Social Work from Columbia University’s School of Social Work. She earned her BA degree in Urban Affairs from the University of Rhode Island. Melissa lives in Natick, Massachusetts with her three children.
, D.T. Psy., is a Transpersonal/Spiritual Psychologist and Art Therapist who integrates art, spirituality and psychology to counsel, educate, and empower children, adults, couples and families of various cultural, social and religious backgrounds. She is recognized by successful former students as an empowering and supportive educator.
, LCSW, is a licensed clinical Social Worker in private practice with Clarity Counseling, LLC in Bogart, Georgia. She provides psychotherapy, coaching, and clinical supervision to individuals, couples, families and groups. Minou is also an adjunct professor with the School of Social Work at the University of Georgia in Athens. She teaches Cultural Diversity to masters level students and is a faculty field liaison to students pursuing their degrees in Social Work. She is an active member of the Baha'i Faith and serves on the Local Spiritual Assembly. Minou has experience working on an inpatient psychiatric unit at Athens Regional Medical Center and at the Eating Disorder Recovery Center in Athens, GA. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, GA and Masters of Social Work from the University of Georgia in Athens. She is passionate about the multicultural training and facilitating she does with Visions, Inc. as a prospective consultant. Minou lives in Athens, GA with her husband and son.
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