Mover and shaker Margaret Mead changed my life. I was an undergraduate when the renowned anthropologist spoke at my university. I was riveted by her insatiable curiosity for how the world works. And on the spot, I made up my mind I wanted to be an anthropologist.  I wanted to be like Margaret Mead.

And that’s what I did. I went on to pursue a doctorate in anthropology. There are two big lessons I’ve taken from anthropology that have informed my work and life. First, I have learned the art of being a “professional stranger” or what is also called a “naïve participant-observer” of life. I learned how essential it is to deliberately let go of preconceived notions, challenge personal assumptions, and seek to understand from the insider’s point of view what is actually going on. 

And second, that patterns are powerful. I learned to pay attention to patterns in speech and action of both individuals and groups over time. As an ethnographer, I can use these patterns to make informed guesses about why people do what they do when immersed in a particular culture. And that is gold when it comes to leading change.

These two lessons became core to the career and body of work I’ve built.

Barbara Walker was another mover and shaker whose ideas influenced my own outlook early on. Barbara is a pioneer in the diversity work of the 1980s and, in fact, coined the term “diversity” for these efforts in organizations.  Her work with Affinity Groups at Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC ) led me to wholeheartedly dive into this work.  In the early '90s, I wrote and presented on topics ranging from "cultural collisions" to the "invisible rules of organizational culture."  I wrote two practical

 toolkit books for facilitators,  A Workshop for Managing Diversity in  the Workplace, Jossey-Bass, 1991 and in 1995, Our American Advantage: Tools and Strategies for A Diverse Workforce, McGraw-Hill with Anthony Carnavale.

A Powerful Foundation

In my business, Bridges in Organizations, I brought this early diversity work combined with my anthropology expertise to organizations. We address everything from culturally-sensitive customer service to navigating  messy conversations – conflict that can arise when operating from inaccurate assumptions or unconscious bias.

I went on to study organizational development at Case Western's Gestalt Institute,  bringing yet another perspective to understand organizational dynamics and power. After years of working as a mentor coach to other coaches for the Newfield Network, I was also grandfathered in as a Master Certified Coach (MCC) with the international Coaching Federation.

I’ve drawn on these disciplines of anthropology, diversity and inclusion, and organizational development to help people and teams become movers and shakers in their right and their own worlds.

My work includes the first national diversity program for the American Red Cross on culturally sensitive customer service.  For 9 years, I worked with NASA on our award-winning Leadership Alchemy program for scientists, engineers and business people.  I created the Culture Coach program at Merck Pharmaceuticals during their merger with Schering - Plough, 2 distinct organizational cultures merging  together 110,000 employees. For over 15 years, I have been providing executive  coaching of leaders and teams at the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation. I provided leadership development in Rwanda for women leaders seeking parliamentary election in Rwanda and for women in business in Kenya.  All these experiences grew and stretched me along with the people who were able to see and then act on, new possibilities for themselves.  

Another area of learning that has deeply influenced my work and life is a long-term practice of meditation and yoga. These practices acknowledge the pivotal presence of energy in life. By becoming more aware of how energy manifests – one’s own and others – you become more masterful at facilitating, creating, communicating, collaborating, and leading change. I am currently getting certified in Mindfulness Meditation with Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield.

So now that you have a taste of me and my work, will you share with me a bit about you?   Let's talk.  Book a consultation!