Cultural competency is a core facilitator skill. Despite well-meaning intentions, our own biases limit the effectiveness of our practice and profession. From whom we chose to work with as clients to our ability to remain neutral in a facilitated session, early experiences of institutional oppression left its residue on each of us. This program focuses on where blind spots hinder our capacity to excel in using our best thinking and valuing every perspective. In this 2-day deeply interactive workshop we will learn a framework for social change and emotional healing as well as tools to create trust and safety in groups—starting with the authentic facilitator.

Barbara MacKay, MS, CPF©, IAF assessor, principal of North Star Facilitators and Associate with Luna Jiménez Seminars, specializes in facilitation processes, facilitation training and coaching facilitators. Barbara has worked with 100’s of clients from all sectors since 1995. Her passion is to work with groups on social justice issues. She has 25 years work experience as a business owner, religious educator, socio-economic consultant, federal government program manager, and adult educator. Barbara is an Adjunct Professor with Portland State University. She just completed four years as the IAF Board member responsible for professional development and the worldwide certification (CPF©) program. Barbara works extensively with Nanci Luna Jiménez in co-teaching Cross Cultural Communication and Alliance Building.

Shoshanna Cogan is an international facilitator, trainer, and consultant with 23 years of experience serving over 20,000 participants. Her diverse global clients include the U.S., Puerto Rico, and New Zealand governments, The Corporation for National and Community Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Service Leadership Institute, NWREL, Interaction Institute for Social Change, New Zealand and Australian Wellness Centers, Aguirre International, CHP International.