Our Associates
North Star Facilitators works with many other skilled facilitators. Each of these facilitators has been trained in Technology of Participation (ToP) methods. They include facilitators, mediators and coaches from around the world including USA, Canada, The Netherlands, UK and Singapore. Many are able to provide stellar online facilitation as well. Please feel free to get in touch with them directly, as our mission is to promote facilitators from all generations and races. I would highly recommend any of these associates as most of us have worked together over the last 10-20 years.
Rangineh Azimzadeh Tosang, California, USA
Rangineh Azimzadeh Tosang’s passion for conflict resolution, facilitation and mediation have positioned her to do work internationally (including Cyprus and the West Bank) as well as domestically in these key areas. She has focused the majority of her studies and practical experience crafting her specialization in working with groups in conflict.
She has created the company Solh Resolutions International, a consulting company aimed at creating systemic change that translates into peaceful processes, global resolutions to conflict, and meaningful international impact.
Mireille Beumer, The Netherlands, Europe
Mireille is a facilitator and a change consultant working in the field of business, processes and technology. It is her specialty to facilitate management & design meetings and the processes of the realization of online learning & facilitation academies. She also trains project leaders how to facilitate their (virtual) team meetings.
Mireille lives in The Netherlands (Europe) and graduated with her first Master of Science in 1995 from the Technical University Delft, in Civil Engineering. In 2005 she graduated with her second Master of Science from the Open University of the Netherlands, in Business Processes and IT.
During her career she worked at different consultancy agencies, for more than 50 clients, both profit and non-profit organizations. In these projects she mainly played the role of change consultant, process supervisor and facilitator. The projects were both national as well as international.
The last 20 years, Mireille followed several courses in coaching, (virtual) facilitation, advisory skills and leadership and management. Since February 2015, Mireille works as a business entrepreneur. Typical words that describe Mireille are: professional, enthusiastic, energetic, positive and quality-driven.
Marem Flores, Oregon, USA
Building and nurturing partnerships is what I love to do best! As a Partnership and Outreach Program Coordinator/Career and Organizational Development Facilitator for the state of Oregon, I work with a network of business specialists to listen and respond to our businesses, educational/training institutions, and community-based organizations. As part of WorkSource Oregon, a statewide network of public and private partners dedicated to stimulating job growth and community development, I promote connections between businesses and workers with the resources they need to succeed.
I come to Oregon by way of the Philippines and Australia. Before I moved to the USA, I connected people and businesses in Australia with development projects in the Philippines. I thrive in roles that get people and projects successfully collaborating and creating synergy together. I enjoy visually capturing ideas and can be counted on to conduct interviews, create presentations, and craft articles with enthusiasm and a facilitative spirit.
My facilitative spirit is honed by my commitment to lifelong personal and professional development and as part of a community that is intentional with inclusive and equitable practices in facilitation design, coordination, and implementation.
Erima Fobbs, Virgina, USA
Erima Fobbs, MPH, CPH is a Certified ToP® Facilitator, and is the President of Collective Health Impact, LLC. She has directed, managed, consulted, evaluated, and facilitated for dozens of successful cross sector initiatives and provides training and consultation on numerous focused public health topics, health disparities and health equity, and organizational capacity building. Erima brings over 30 years of strategic public health and community prevention expertise to her projects. She has applied ToP approaches since 2014 in facilitating focused conversations, collaborative environmental assessments, group and community participatory consensus decision-making, strategic and/or action planning for dozens of governmental, non-profit, community, and corporate boards, groups, organizations, and agencies - a sampling of these is available here.
Martin Gilbraith, United Kingdom, Europe
I am an independent facilitator, trainer and consultant based in London, UK. I am a Certified Professional Facilitator | Master (CPF|M) of the International Association of Facilitators, former IAF Chair and IAF Europe Director. I am an ICA Certified ToP Facilitator (CTF) and a licensed provider and experienced lead trainer of ICA:UK Technology of Participation (ToP) facilitation training courses. I am past President of the Institute of Cultural Affairs International (ICAI) and former Chief Executive of ICA:UK, the participation and development charity. I have been facilitating and training, specialising in ICA’s ToP facilitation methodology, since 1986.
As a Certified Professional Facilitator, my clients are assured that I uphold the IAF Code of Ethics and that I demonstrate the full range of core Facilitator Competencies. For more on me and my work, and what others have to say about it, please see about me, how I work, who I work with and recommendations & case studies.
Sandra Jackson, Oregon, USA
Sandra Jackson, Principal of Resolution Conversations specializes in mediation, facilitation, and training. Sandra has a passion for helping people to have open, honest, and productive conversations to gain clarity, create understanding, and generate forward thinking. Sandra’s facilitation experience consists of retreats, board meetings, community-input meetings, team building, and strategic planning for government, non-profit, and for-profit organizations. In addition, Sandra facilitates Foreclosure Avoidance conferences as well as DHS family decision meetings. She also mediates for Multnomah County Small Claims Court and has been a co-trainer for the program since 2014. Sandra has been a co-trainer for East Metro Mediation’s 48-hour basic mediation training since 2016. Sandra provides training for groups in the areas of communication, conflict management, and facilitation basics. Sandra was the recipient of the Shannon Steward Award of Excellence in 2014.
Dawn Newman, Minnesota, USA
Dawn Newman is a Certified ToP Facilitator and Trainer specializing in participatory strategic planning, consensus building, community building and leadership development.
She develops collaborative processes and curriculum to enable groups to transform input and conversation into shared decision, working agreements and focused action. She retired from University of Minnesota Extension as an American Indian Leadership and Civic Engagement Educator.
Dawn is a credible facilitator and leader trained to empower people and build trust through focused dialogue, honoring perspectives and ensuring respect. Her facilitation, training and consulting has focused on applications in community based Indian Country, non-profit, and public environments, recently extending to private sector organizations.
She is an enrolled member of Ho-Chuck Nation that has professionally worked with Indian Communities and Nations for 30 years. She has an MA in Education from Roosevelt University, Chicago, IL and BA in Business from Elmhurst College.
Visit her website: www.blackhawkfacilitation.com
Robin Parsons, Alberta, Canada
Robin Parsons, MBA, is a Certified Professional Facilitator (CPF) and Certified (ToPTM) Facilitator (CTF) who genuinely believes that the world is a better place when participative dialogue has happened. She has made it her mission to help groups to think clearly so that they can make the decisions they need to make through the design and facilitation of great dialogue.
Robin is a strategic thinker and an experienced leader with 25 years under her belt. She has an MBA, a B.Comm and is a Communications and Advertising Accredited Professional (CAAP). Robin has lead strategic planning & business intelligence teams at several Canadian organizations.
Robin has trained with Roger Schwarz, Sam Kaner PhD. and ICA Associates Inc., responsible for developing the Technology of Participation (ToPTM) methods used throughout the world. She is also certified to teach ToPTM participatory methods for ICA Associates Inc. Robin has also used Appreciative Inquiry, World Café and Open Spaces methods.
Robin established her own Consulting and Facilitation business in 2014 and is a ‘go to’ facilitator for Colliers Project Leaders and Lead2Perform and has delivered hundreds of facilitated events. Some recent clients include Alberta Innovates, The City of Lethbridge, Hull Services, GLJ Petroleum Consultants, Western Canada Water, Canadian Bar Association (Alberta branch) and Repsol.
Visit her website: www.rpfacilitates.com
Dora Perry, Oregon, USA
Dora Perry, a Nigerian-American is the founder and Principal of Cultural Coaching Solutions (CCS) LLC. CCS is a multi-generational, inter-cultural consulting team with 30+ years of expertise bringing social justice awareness and practical application tools to community groups, educational institutions, governmental entities, corporate and non-profit organizations. CCS team works with clients to ensure that cultural humility and historical context is incorporated into our workshops and every process that we lead or support. Our team always aims at centering those who have been historically and culturally marginalized without losing sight of the organizational and group needs.
Cultural Coaching Solutions Associates are very adept in supporting organizational leaders in their effort to infuse equitable principles into all processes, programs, and policies. We support leaders' efforts to build communities of trust and equip them with tools needed to create a place of belonging and inclusivity for their employees and stakeholders. Our team uses integrated and intersectional approaches to guide our client’s journey of systemic change and cultural understanding. Our team is highly effective in educating and creating awareness on issues of individual, institutional, and systemic racism.
Shelby Pierce, Iowa, USA
Shelby Pierce, owner of Pierce Porter Facilitation, is a Technology of Participation (ToP) Facilitator and Trainer. She helps groups and organizations that traditionally met in-person to create meaningful and productive online meetings. She has 10 years of experience in the financial services and healthcare sectors. Shelby has a rich background in community organizing and has served on the executive committee for several nonprofit boards. Taking her experience facilitating a variety of meetings across many different sectors, she now facilitates and produces virtual gatherings.
Eileen Pippins, California, USA
Eileen Pippins, M.A. is founder of Eileen Pippins Consulting Agency – focusing on facilitation, organizational development, and communication. A dynamic facilitator with over 15 years of learning and program development, implementation and training in higher learning and corporate settings, she has lent her talents to organizations and individuals in communications, strategic planning, conflict management, change management, community engagement, strategic planning and social justice. Based in the Oakland/San Francisco Bay Area, she has worked with organizations nationwide.
Some highlights of her work includes Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in higher education, served as a thought partner on education equity initiatives, and strategic planning for faith-based organizations, NGOs, and start-ups. Eileen brings a focused and exciting energy to work and learning environments. She uses Technology of Participation (ToP) methods for facilitation for maximum engagement. Passionate about supporting people in their communication, Eileen has effectively facilitated difficult conversations in groups, including social justice, education, across coalition, housing and displacement, health advocacy, civic engagement, and equity in criminal justice.
Shane Sasnow, Oregon, USA
Shane is a strategic change consultant. As the founder of Strategy Active his work focuses on facilitating individuals, teams, and organizations through collaborative processes that create value. He draws on years of experience in strategy, innovation, entrepreneurship, and creative problem solving combined with project & program management, transition & change management, communications, and training expertise.
Shane has worked with organizations ranging from Nike, AOL, Intel, and MillerCoors, to the State of Oregon, City of Portland, and the United Way to manage strategic change and transition projects in the areas of technology, finance, HR, and supply chain, as well as increase employee creativity, develop new products and packaging, design innovative new ways to deliver services, and plan strategic approaches to implementing change and growth.
Eunice Shankland, Colorado, USA
Eunice Shankland, owner of Shankland and Associates LLC, an independent consulting firm with thirty years of international and US experience based in Centennial, CO. Eunice is a professional trainer and facilitator and a founding member of the International Association of Facilitators. She is a Technology of Participation (ToP®) Mentor Trainer for the Institute of Cultural Affairs and has served as one of its Directors.
Eunice currently works with organizations, associations, agencies, businesses, and United Nations agencies in the U.S. and internationally. Eunice uses group facilitation methods to develop business models that make the organization responsive to the changing demands of their clients. She believes in the power of eliciting the group’s collective genius that enables them to adapt to the changing demands of their clients.
Rosanna von Sacken, British Columbia, Canada
Rosanna von Sacken, M.Sc., CPF, is the President and principal consultant and facilitator of Advanced Consulting and Facilitation Ltd. She has been working with groups, organizations and communities in strategic group process facilitation and emergency management in the public, private and non-profit sectors for 25+ years.
Rosanna is skilled and effective in facilitating groups of all sizes. She brings a practical, dynamic, interactive and people-centered approach to her facilitation work, whether it is leadership or team development, courageous conversations, strategic / action planning or multi-stakeholder engagement. Rosanna works in partnership with her clients to custom design processes to engage the participants, empowering them to cocreate innovative solutions, to share their collective wisdom, experiences and knowledge, and gain commitment and agreement for future actions. Rosanna offers both in-person and virtual facilitation training programs and coaching support.
Rosanna offers visual recording and visual facilitation services in a variety of settings and integrates her graphic skills in her work wherever possible, bringing life and colours to the spoken words through graphic representation of synthesized discussion points, presentations or meetings. These may be in the form of graphic charts, digital drawings, infographics, posters and brochures, and/or explainer videos.
Lilian Wang, Singapore
Born in Beijing, educated in Hong Kong and Germany, Lilian Wang is committed to life-long learning, individual and team transformation. She has been designing and delivering leadership and coaching programmes, facilitating executive team off-sites, multi-stakeholder dialogues, strategic planning process and large-scale innovation workshops since 2006.
Always on the lookout for development opportunities, Lilian works towards integrating studies of east and west, such as mindfulness, process facilitation, integral theory, somatic release exercises into her coaching and facilitation practice. She partners with clients to develop dialogue processes that engage both head and heart, opening up space for understanding, connection and reconciliation with self and others.
Lilian comes from a diverse background comprising experience in management consulting, staff development, research collaboration and marketing operations in both public and private sectors. Prior to becoming a facilitator/ coach, she was engaged in a start-up learning and development business, where she helped lay the business foundation and expanded its client base to over 2,000 executives/ managers in Asia in two years. Her current clients span a range of sectors, including energy, financial institutions, healthcare and pharmaceutical, technology, manufacturing, social enterprise and non-profit organisations.
Judy Weddle, Oregon, USA
Judy Weddle and I have been co-training the ToP Facilitation Methods and Strategic Planning courses for more than 15 years. Judy is a professional facilitator and trainer with the Technology of Participation (ToP) Network in Chicago, Illinois, which provides facilitation and training services with organizations and communities across the United States and around the world. She has extensive experience facilitating and training with government, not-for-profit, educational and business organizations. This experience also includes designing and delivering strategic planning events for government and training and facilitation events for educators, corporate groups, community planning events, and leadership programs.