Our Team

Dr. Janine Allen, EdD, is a CQ Consultant and Master Facilitator with extensive experience developing diverse work teams across the globe. Included in her experience is over 20 years in higher education leading multicultural teams and developing transnational partnerships in Indonesia, Peru, South Africa, China, Australia, Israel, South Korea, and New Zealand.

Raised in New Mexico in a multiethnic family and amongst multiple indigenous tribal groups has given Janine a passion for cultural engagement and equity. Always a learner and a connector, Janine’s relational approach is a key element in her facilitation and executive coaching with executive leaders, managers, and with practitioners.

On a personal note, Janine is an urban gardener and enjoys observing the green world around her despite her location of place!

Fenny is a Professional Certified Coach (PCCTM) with more than 20 years of management consulting and HR practitioner experiences in both the corporate and NGO sectors across Asia Pacific. As an executive coach and leadership trainer, Fenny works with senior executives to develop their personal and team leadership capabilities. She has expertise in helping leaders to successfully transition into senior leadership roles, build productive teams or navigate through challenging organization transitions (e.g.: M&A, restructuring and layoffs). Her recent projects focus on upskilling managers in leading and managing transformational change in their teams, and helping executives navigate successfully in cross-cultural terrains. She especially loves working with millennial leaders to increase their confidence in shaping their workforce, and understand their place in the world, beyond just their workspace.

Fenny obtained her PhD in International Business Management from the University of South Australia and received her M.A. in Educational Leadership (specializing in HR Development) from Western Michigan University. She has published articles in People & Strategy, Journal of Global Mobility, and Coaching World. Fenny is fluent in English and proficient in Mandarin, Bahasa Melayu, and Cantonese.

CJ Beckmann is an officer with over 10 years of military service in the United State Army with key leadership experience in diverse, multicultural, and dynamic organizations with specific focus in the domains of language, regional expertise, and culture.

CJ first began working with the Cultural Intelligence Center while managing the language and cultural training for a large military organization preparing its service members for overseas assignments.  In this role, he was able to coordinate the efforts of government, academic and private sector organizations to integrate CQ into existing training programs.  CJ is also the director of training and education on a committee charged with enhancing initiatives for diversity, equity and inclusion within his organization.

His academic credentials include an MBA and B.A. in Communications.  He is Gold Level certified in the Kirkpatrick Training Evaluation method and is a graduate of the University of Foreign Military and Cultural Studies Red Team Leader course.  Aside from his military service, CJ and his wife, Elizabeth, work as small business consultants specializing in organizational psychology and culture, strategic planning, and operational design. The two reside in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, William has always sought to immerse himself in the diversity of his hometown and the globe. He graduated in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in global and international studies. After working in various industries over the years, joining The Cultural Intelligence Center was the ideal career change. It has enabled William to live out and advance some of his most important values on a daily basis.

In his free time William enjoys studying other languages, making music, taking naps and spending time with his family.

Laurent oversees Talent Acquisition & Development at the Cultural Intelligence Center. He has over 30 years of experience in human capital development, strategy, and leadership. He was previously the Vice President of Talent Management at Steelcase.

Laurent is of French descent and was born in Germany. He has several years of experience doing business in various cultures and countries, including working and living abroad.

Laurent is passionate about culture transformation, diversity, and inclusion. Laurent earned his MBA at ESCP Business School in Paris. He is also certified in FLOW coaching and the Advanced Human Resource Executive Program at Michigan’s Ross School of Business. From Bob Dylan to Joy Division, Laurent loves rock music and crime novels.

Lucy Butters is a specialist in Cultural Intelligence and founded Elembee ltd in 2010 to support international ambition and inclusion, working primarily with universities in the UK. She is a Master Trainer with the Cultural Intelligence Center and Above Difference, a UK strategic partner of CQC that works to improve inclusive leadership across the public sector. Recent work includes training and coaching for leaders of companies participating in the Scottish Government’s international Scale-Up program. Previously she worked for the British Council in international cultural relations roles linked with developing and implementing strategy to support the international ambitions of universities in Scotland.

On a personal level, Lucy is the mother of triplet boys who are a constant reminder of the need to adjust her thinking, actions, and expectations.

Polly Collingridge is Account Manager in our UK subsidiary, supporting our UK Chief Operating Officer to build the business in the UK.

Polly has many years’ experience selling international rights in book publishing, and has also worked in sales and service delivery roles within global mobility and employee wellbeing. Most recently she has been a freelance intercultural trainer and is a CQ Certified Facilitator. She has an MSc in Cross-Cultural Psychology and a degree in Italian and Spanish. Although she was born and (mostly) raised in London, she has also lived in Italy, Costa Rica, Mexico, and the USA.

Polly has always been fascinated by different languages and cultures – even teaching herself the basics of Esperanto at the age of 10! Polly is passionate about the role of CQ in helping us work towards a more equitable society in which we all understand each other a little better.

Emily manages our Certification and Train-the-Trainer programs worldwide, leading sales and marketing initiatives and working closely with the team to revise existing programs and develop new ones. She also leads the support of our growing community of around 3500 Certified Facilitators, ensuring excellent post-Certification support and engagement. Being located in the UK, she also supports the UK team with both sales and logistics.

Born and raised in the UK, Emily spent a few years studying and working in Spain before returning to England where she worked primarily in hospitality and events management. Most recently she has been a teacher and administrator. Passionate about languages, she speaks fluent Spanish and is learning British Sign Language. She is also studying her third degree, this time with the Open University, and relearning Latin and Classical Greek, both of which she studied at school.

Emily has two rescue dogs and around 80 tropical fish. In her free time she loves cycling, swimming and getting messy in her craft room.

Ellen Dyla is our Senior Business Consultant. She is responsible for client support and relations, as well as company marketing and communication initiatives. Before CQC, Ellen held Business Development and Account Management roles for startups and IT companies. She’s passionate about helping her clients while also growing productive and effective teams internally.

Ellen graduated from Michigan State University with a B.A. in Economics and a Specialization Chinese and Asian Studies. In her spare time, she loves to spend time with her daughter, stay active, enjoy the outdoors, and cook.

Joel Francis has 22 years of experience as a Law Enforcement professional. After 20 years of service with the New York Police Department, he served as the Chief of Education and Training for the Baltimore Police Department. He then served as an Assistant Director for Public Safety at Monroe College and Columbia University, respectively. Prior to joining the Cultural Intelligence team, Joel Francis was an Associate Facilitator/National Director for the Verbal Judo Institute, where he presented their tactical communications program to Health and Hospitals Associations, Law Enforcement Agencies, Educational Institutions, Social Services Agencies and other government and private institutions throughout North America.

Joel received his MS in Management from Johns Hopkins University, with an emphasis on Executive Leadership, and has found that his background, education, growth, and experiences in both the public and private sector have enabled him to relate to almost any industry and management level.

Jessica Franz, MSN, MA, RN, is a healthcare professional with extensive experience in social services, nursing, quality, faith-based, and higher education contexts. Her work with people from a wide range of backgrounds has helped to fuel her passion for equity. In her role as a Healthcare Quality Professional at a hospital system, Jessica uses this motivation for equity to drive for change and performance improvement to ensure patients have access to high quality care. This passion for equity is what brought her to the Cultural Intelligence Center. Jessica began her role as a Healthcare Facilitator in 2022. She is married with three daughters; having children has allowed her to see the world through a whole new perspective related to equity.

Education:

BA in Music in 2003 from Mount Vernon Nazarene University

MA in Christian Education in 2006 from Nazarene Theological Seminary

AD in Nursing in 2013 from Kansas City Kansas Community College

BS in Nursing in 2014 from MidAmerica Nazarene University

MS in Nursing Education in 2019 from MidAmerica Nazarene University

Brandon Gamble is our IT and Software Development Manager. He is in charge of leading the maintenance and development of our learning portal, website, and our internal IT infrastructure.

Brandon has a degree in graphic design, applied science, and two in computer information systems. His early career was focused on developing E-Learning courses for Raytheon Professional Services and AT&T, then he fell in love with web development and programming, both professionally and as a hobby. After making the transition into management, Brandon found he had a knack for servant-leadership: fulfilling his role as manager by empowering and enabling his teams to do their best work.

In his free time, Brandon enjoys playing board games, video games, and Dungeons and Dragons with his wife and kids, and putting up with his two dogs.

Samara Hakim, JD, is the Founder of CulturGrit, LLC. She is an international culture and inclusion thought leader, data strategist, speaker, writer, coach, and facilitator. For over a decade, Samara has equipped leaders with the cultural intelligence to work with those who are different, by mitigating bias and integrating culture into business practices and metrics. She has extensive experience in communication, conflict transformation, diversity, equity, inclusion, implicit bias mitigation, and culture transformation. Samara is a dynamic speaker who engages people to think beyond their comfort zone and to work across differences. She draws on a range of experiences including her work across cultures, acculturation in the U.S., her legal career, and her personal background. Samara grew up in Lebanon. She has traveled extensively and is fluent in French, Arabic, and English, and conversational in Spanish. Samara loves chocolate, biking, and dancing. She currently resides in San Diego, CA.

Iva is our General Manager for Europe. She is focused on setting up our new office in Amsterdam, from where she will be a direct point of contact for customers all around Europe. She is responsible for business development as well as marketing and communications.

Born and raised in Montenegro, Iva was always curious about different cultures – so she left Montenegro when she was 18. She lived in Italy, then in France, and now she is located in, the Netherlands. Iva obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in International Economics, Management, and Finance from Bocconi University and her Master’s Degree in International Marketing and Business Development from Skema Business School. Her previous career was focused on Business Development and Account Management in Lighting and SaaS industries.

On a personal note, Iva is an animal lover who loves puzzles, board games, and video games. What she loves the most is spending time with her husband and her adorable dog Kobi.

Andrej Juriga is the managing director of the training company Cultural Bridge in Slovakia. As a Certified Facilitator of EQ and CQ, Andrej delivers workshops and coaching to large corporations, medium-sized businesses, and start-ups across a variety of countries and industries. He has a background in corporate sales and HR at a national and global level. Andrej has lived in five different countries across Europe and Africa.

Benjamin Krzywicki is our Lead Generation specialist. Ben brings over six years of experience in digital marketing with a large focus on social media and community building. Ben has successfully managed campaigns in gaming and sports to finance and biotech. In his spare time, Ben is an avid sports fan and covers international hockey while also taking care of a variety of pets.

Luisa La Via is a Leadership Coach with an international background with more than 20 years of experience traveling the world and coordinating international teams in multicultural environments. Luisa grew up learning from the diversity of the people she met which allowed her to open her mind and see things from different perspectives.

Luisa has covered different positions in the Corporate HR Department in the Luxury field (Bulgari and LVMH) from Recruiting, Training & Development to Organization and Internal Communication. Recently, she added Corporate Social Responsibility to her curriculum.

Her certification in Cultural Intelligence (CQ) has only reinforced the multicultural approach which characterizes her professional expertise. Luisa is now contributing to the development of professionals and organizations both through individual and team coaching and managerial courses with the use of HR development tools such as the CQ assessment and feedback report, Assessment Center, workplace climate surveys, and personal motivation indicators.

Bria Marcelo, M.A., is a social justice educator and student affairs professional who focuses on educational opportunities, collaboration, and strategic engagement to create change. In her higher education career, Bria has held numerous roles centered on identity, equity, inclusion, diversity, and intercultural communication.

Currently, she serves as the Director of Diversity Resources and Strategic Initiatives at the University of Iowa. Her unit helps drive the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts to shift campus culture to more inclusive, welcomes diversity, breaks down barriers to increase dialogue across difference, and is affirming and respectful of all identities. The primary methods employed include educational opportunities, consultation and coaching, events, resource development, and strategic planning support and engagement. Bria is a certified facilitator in Cultural Intelligence, Restorative Justice, and the National Coalition Building Institute. Bria completed her Master of Arts in Student Affairs Administration at Michigan State University and her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, Social and Economic Justice at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Kelli Maxwell, RN, is a healthcare professional with over 19 years of experience in healthcare and corporate settings. Throughout her nursing career, Kelli has worked as an ER/Trauma RN, Inpatient Trauma Charge RN, adult hospice, and ICU RN including units such as Burn, Neurology, and Pulmonary. During this time in Kelli’s nursing career, she began specializing in speech-to-text solutions in electronic medical records, in an effort to reduce physician burn-out while increasing the accuracy and efficiency of documentation, with the overall goal of improved patient outcomes. For the last 7 years, Kelli has and continues to amplify the ability to help others with the power of voice and has shifted her nursing focus to IV therapy helping individuals live their best days.

Kelli joined the CQ Team as a Healthcare Facilitator in 2022, prior to the launch of the Implicit Bias in Healthcare Workshop.

Kelli lives in Denver, CO with her daughter and rescue bunny named Lars. Kelli loves the great outdoors of Colorado, running half and full marathons anywhere in the United States, and strives to always find adventure to feed her soul.

Carolyn serves as the Vice President of Business Development with The Cultural Intelligence Center.  With a proven track record of driving growth and cultivating strategic partnerships, Carolyn has spent the past decade immersed in the ever-evolving landscape of business expansion. Carolyn is known for her ability to build and nurture relationships, both internally and externally, fostering collaboration and driving mutually beneficial outcomes.

Carolyn is also deeply committed to mentorship and empowering others in the field of Business Development. She actively participates in industry events and workshops, sharing her expertise and insights to inspire the next generation of professionals, particularly at her alma mater, The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

In her free time, Carolyn enjoys working in her yard, traveling, and spending quality time with her daughter Morgan and mini dachshund Blake. She believes in the power of continuous learning and strives to stay at the forefront of industry trends and best practices.

Based in Sydney, Australia, Des Ong is part of the community of Associate Facilitators with the Cultural Intelligence Center.

Des is an authentic, intuitive and future focused leader who has spent 20+years through research & leadership experience working with a variety of industries and organizations locally and internationally. These include top 20 ASX companies, governance boards, entertainment & hospitality, media, retail, education, finance, government and not for profit sectors. He is a sought after engaging speaker, a high performing team developer and leadership strategist that creates organizational environments for high employee engagement, shaping diversity/inclusion culture, and embeds healthy accountability that enhances team performance. Whether it be purposeful organizational design, transformational coaching or experiential leadership development programs; Des brings out the innate team strengths and dynamics; develops emotionally & culturally intelligent leaders, brings clarity to managing organizational change and assists articulating pathways for healthy and productive team culture. He has many years of experience in governance roles including Chairman and Board Director. He has completed his thesis on the role of Emotional (EQ) and Cultural Intelligence (CQ) in developing leaders.

Mikkel Hougaard Orlovski is a CQ Consultant and Associate Facilitator with 15 years of experience in developing leaders, teams, and organizations. Mikkel has spent his career as internal consultant in both private companies and public institutions, with a primary focus of harnessing the potential of diversity through developing the Cultural Intelligence of leaders and organizations. Mikkel is currently an independent consultant in Diversity HR Partner and has previously assisted the Cultural Intelligence Center develop its CQ Talent product.

Mikkel is originally from Denmark, has family from the Balkans and has lived and worked in France. His upbringing in the most ethnically diverse area of Copenhagen has given Mikkel a passion and instinct for how to navigate in culturally diverse settings and bring people together, who approach their interactions from very different starting points.

Mikkel is specialized in HR processes and how to integrate CQ with the every-day activities and processes of a modern, global organization. His background is within Intercultural Psychology and Communication, which has been complemented with a range of HR tools, psychometric test capabilities, systemic consultancy training and educations within strategy & leadership development.

On a personal note, Mikkel is a sports-nut and musician, playing football (the soccer-version) and guitar as much as he can get away with.

Quinton is a compelling and thought-provoking facilitator and speaker who taps into his extensive experience in the corporate and NGO sectors, both locally and abroad, to engage with his audiences on issues of diversity, equity & inclusion, interpersonal communication and personal potential development.

He has developed a reputation as one of the best facilitators in the country and is known for speaking with genuine conviction, passion and an inimitable frankness that inspires and provokes individuals and organizations to expand the scope of their vision.

Through a facilitation style that is highly interactive and probing, he is able to help diverse audiences make the transition from a subjective worldview and interaction style to a broader state of appreciation for the real breadth and complexity of social interactions in multicultural environments. He is well-known for his use of immersive exercises, engaging storytelling, and a good measure of light-hearted humor as he weaves together lessons that leave lasting impressions on his audiences.

Ed Ramsami is passionate about using communication as a catalyst for change. He is a public speaker and facilitator who specializes in assisting individuals and teams move towards inclusivity in this diverse world. His skillset lies in his ability to engage clients and give them the necessary tools to bring about change by shifting their perspective.

Ed’s cultural sensitivity, honed from his extensive travel and consultancy with clients across five continents enables him to speak to, and find common ground with a diverse group of clients. By providing innovative and research-based solutions, Ed is able to assist clients in creating inclusive environments that add value, and are people-centric, engaged, innovative, profitable and connected. As a facilitator, he creates warm and
vibrant learning environments that engage the client by using relational, anecdotal and sometimes humorous experiences.

His optimistic outlook and approach to problem solving allows him to guide clients through the learning curve of the course and activate the potential that is within them. A firm believer in collaboration, he encourages clients to work together to unpack problems and find the tools and solutions that will work in each situation.

Victoria specializes in helping international leaders and teams to reach their performance and career goals by improving their communication confidence and developing cultural intelligence. Her work means that her clients can share their voice and expertise, increase visibility and impact, grow customer and team connection, plus fast-track business and career growth. Victoria is proud to be a CQ certified trainer and loves supporting individuals and teams all over the world with coaching, training, videos and weekly podcast, Cultural Communication Confidence. She lives with her family in London, the UK, one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world.

Rita Savoia, CNP, RYT, MIR, B.Com (Hons), was born in Italy and grew up in Toronto. She graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce from York University, and a Master of Industrial Relations from Queen’s University in Canada.

Rita has 16 years of progressive Human Resources, Personal Development & Career Coaching, Training and Management Consulting experience. In 2012, she embarked on a 7-year entrepreneurial journey, and founded an HR & Talent Management consultancy based in Dubai servicing corporate and individual clients across various industries in the Middle East. She has been a facilitator of Cultural Intelligence since 2015 and completed Unconscious Bias certification with the Cultural Intelligence Center in 2020. She is a heart-centered facilitator and holistic wellness practitioner passionate about corporate wellness and mental health advocacy.

Dr. Lynn Schmidt received her RN degree from Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan, a BSN and MSN from Ball State University, and a PhD from Indiana University. Following her initial clinical career in Medical/Surgical, and later in Outpatient Surgery, Otorhinolaryngology, and School Nursing, Dr. Schmidt has been a nurse educator for the past fifteen years, teaching didactic courses in the area of nursing research, nursing theory, and diversity in healthcare to pre-licensure and graduate students.

Her dissertation focused on an evaluation of the impact of an intercultural learning experience on the development of transcultural self-efficacy of senior level baccalaureate of science nursing students. She is certified as a nurse educator, as well as a facilitator of Cultural Intelligence and Unconscious Bias with the Cultural Intelligence Center.

Ash is the Project Planner and Coordinator at the Cultural Intelligence Center and a member of the Learning & Development Team. Chief among their responsibilities are driving the product management process to deliver quality products according to strategic planning, working closely with the CQ Center Master Facilitator to administer Associate Facilitator Program processes, and providing special project support to the Senior Manager of Digital Learning.

They have over 9 years in operational support and management roles with an emphasis on quality control, creative problem solving, change management, process improvement, and development of new systems.

Ash is a queer, non-binary professional and student, a passionate advocate of intersectional equity and inclusion work, and identifies as a life-long learner. In their spare time, they enjoy spending quality time with family and friends, adventure motorcycling, camping, cooking, gaming, and trying new foods.

Robin Shabazz, Principal and Founder of the Eastledge Group, LLC, is a business and human capital consultant with expertise in guiding organizations in developing internal capabilities to become more efficient working in diverse environments. She also uses the Cultural Intelligence model to assist leaders in transforming their cultural awareness into appropriate action.

Robin is a licensed attorney and a trained civil mediator in the State of Ohio, whose career has spanned over 30 years with proven results in cultural transformation, diversity and inclusion, human resource management, and employee relations. As a certified Unconscious Bias, Racial Justice, and Cultural Intelligence professional, Robin capitalizes on her diverse background to deliver simple yet practical tactics, to help organizations understand their “cultural lens” and build the knowledge, strategies, and action plans that enable them to manage and relate to people of all backgrounds and thus foster a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace for employees, customers, and other stakeholders.

Prior to forming The Eastledge Group, Robin held several leadership roles within global retail companies. She served as Senior Vice President of Human Resources for Signet Jewelers, Inc. where she was responsible for developing and executing the human capital strategy. While at Luxottica Retail, she built a nationally recognized Human Capital analytics infrastructure, which linked employee behaviors and traits to business outcomes.

Her work was published in Talent Management Magazine and the book Calculating Success: How the New Workplace Analytics Will Revitalize Your Organization. Robin was recognized as a “2nd Act Honoree” in 2019 by the Cincinnati Business Courier in recognition of the success of her start-up, The Eastledge Group. She was also awarded the 2020 Volunteer Leadership Award by the Ohio Society for Human Resource Management Council in recognition of her dedication to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion.

She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration and a Juris Doctor.

Cheri was born and raised in Michigan’s beautiful Upper Peninsula, where she currently still resides. She has almost 20 years of experience in various positions and coordination roles. Her most recent experience comes from her work in the nonprofit field, where she assisted veterans. She holds an Associate Degree from Lake Superior State University.

In her free time, she loves to relax on the water with her husband Scott and their family.

Renee Slagter, BSN, RN, MCTE, joined the CQ Center Healthcare Facilitator team in 2022 following the launch of its public Implicit Bias in Healthcare programs. She has been an educator and trainer teaching current and future healthcare professionals since 2003. Over the course of her career, she has gained extensive experience working with diverse groups of students. From 2003-2008 she was the Clinical Trainer for a large (55) office group, and has been teaching high school seniors since 2008.

In addition to her full-time teaching roles, Renee is also a workforce instructor teaching Clinical Medical Assisting, CNA, and Phlebotomy Certification classes at Grand Rapids Community College. Each of these programs were delivered with detailed curriculum to meet the standards for each certifying body.

Renee has been a BSN since graduating from Grand Valley State University in 1991. She is a certified facilitator of Cultural Intelligence, OSHA Train-the-Trainer, BLS and First Aid (American Heart) certified, CNA (State of Michigan), and participated in implicit bias training with Equity Literacy Institute.

Max Steininger is a project management and training professional with a decade of experience in healthcare technology program management and implementation with a focus on process improvement and patient advocacy. Prior to working in healthcare technology, he served as a legislative advocate on behalf of people diagnosed with aggressive forms of cancer and physicians, training patients and medical providers to speak to their elected officials about the importance of medical research funding.

Max holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. He lives near Boston, MA with his wife and two cats and enjoys running, hiking and spending time in the garden.

Ling Ling is a social and cultural psychologist, seasoned learning and development professional, and a former electronics engineer. Originally from Malaysia, she has lived in 8 countries and currently resides in Portugal.

Since 2005, she has designed, developed and facilitated various corporate programmes across four continents for technology, travel and humanitarian organisations. Since 2017, Ling Ling has facilitated Cultural Intelligence workshops in Singapore and Malaysia, as well as virtually for audiences around the world.

Ling Ling comes alive when discovering diverse perspectives and illuminating insights within others. She cares deeply about connecting people from diverse backgrounds, exploring the richness of life, and creating compassionate societies.

Ling Ling is a member of the International Council of Psychologists (ICP), the British Psychology Society (BPS) and the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology (IACCP). In her spare time, she regularly practices Vipassana meditation and Ashtanga yoga.

Ben Terova is a software engineer from Brighton, Michigan. Growing up with a passion for understanding the ins-and-outs of all things technological, he has been helping clients with their hardware and software needs since he was a teenager. He now works on our specialized CQC learning software, as well as our digital presence around the globe.

Bernadette is a strategic and progressive HR professional with in-depth knowledge, insight, and expertise in Diversity and Inclusion culture and practice. She has a proven track record of leveraging substantial leadership capability and business acumen to shape and embed innovative strategies that promote accountability and engagement in diversifying talent pipelines and driving cultural transformation. She provides training, facilitates organizational discussions, and delivers keynotes on Diversity, inclusion, organization cultural change, leadership, employee engagement, wellbeing, and various other aspects of how to create a thriving workforce.

Bernadette is an Associate Facilitator of Cultural Intelligence and is responsible for Barts Health Trust’s extensive Cultural Intelligence rollout program.

Combining her passion for cultures and communications, Ysabel Viau founded ACCULTURA to provide organizations with sustainable diversity, equity and inclusion solutions. Her mission: contribute to creating a more inclusive world where difference is wealth.

Holding an MBA from the Université de Sherbrooke and a member of a select group of some 800 professionals around the globe with a CQ certification, Ysabel has over 30 years of experience as an entrepreneur, GM, CMO, writer and cultural awareness trainer.

She has provided communications and training services to local and international organizations in various industries, including technology, design, lifestyle/fashion, publishing and culture, as well as worked in cross-cultural capacities with renowned multinational brands such as Intel, Aldo, Jeff de Bruges and ELLE (Hachette Filipacchi/Lagardère). Also engaged with academia, Ysabel developed a pioneering course incorporating communications and cultural intelligence, which she teaches within the master’s program in International Arts Management at the Université de Montréal’s HEC business school.

The Montreal native reflects the Canadian metropolis’s bicultural and fluently bilingual profile, as well as its global mind. Ysabel’s passion for learning about different cultures has led her to explore over 38 countries in North America, Europe, Australasia, Africa, and Asia, giving her a unique perspective on multiple cultures and global market development.

Equally passionate about writing, Ysabel published Chroniques du Timor, a socio-economic and cultural analysis of East Timor under Un supervision, in 2006. Her debut novel NOMADE: La pour suite d’AméliaKhan (2016)—which she also published in its English version, NOMAD: The Pursuit of Amélia Khan (2017)—was inspired by her many travels.

Llexxi was born in Ann Arbor and raised in Ypsilanti, attending an IB high school that has allowed her to engage in DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) initiatives at an early age. There she got into different forms of activism and social justice movements. This continued until she moved to Chicago for college at Columbia College Chicago. While studying Filmmaking she also participated and led in groups such as Anti-Racist Transformative Team, Black Student Union, Gay/Straight Alliance, and much more. Now back home in Michigan she continues both her love for filmmaking and her passion for social justice reform.

In her free time, she spends it reading, writing, making video essays, watching films, being on sets, and hanging out with her dog Macchiato.