Our consultants and trainers deliver practical, results-oriented communication skills to corporate and agency clients.
Many vendors offer trainings in communication skills, but culture and group dynamics make communications more complex. We offer experiential workshops and trainings designed to help professionals to develop not only the skills to manage interpersonal communication and complex team dynamics, but also practice that develops emotional memory for high-stakes moments. Just as we want pilots to have muscle memory of how to fly, we want managers and executives to have the emotional memory that lets them use (and not lose) their skills when they need them most.

Picture of Dorothy M. Tucker, Ph.D.
Dorothy M. Tucker, Ph.D.
dorothy@effectiveinfluence.org

Dorothy M. Tucker, Ph.D. has been repeatedly honored for her work with LAPD by the City of Los Angeles. She is a past President of the California Psychological Association, the California Board of Psychology, the Foundation of the State Bar of California and of the National Conference of Bar Foundations. She is Consulting Faculty, Saybrook Graduate School and Research Center and an Organizational Psychologist for the LAPD, was founding director of a CBO providing mental health services to underserved populations, and consults on race, gender, police psychology, cross cultural psychotherapy/evaluation, workforce diversity, forensic psychology, custody, access/fairness in psychology, law and the judiciary.

A former Director at National Training Labs Institute (NTL), Dr. Tucker has been honored by the California state legislature for leadership and advocacy of the underserved and under-represented in psychology. Dr. Tucker holds doctorates from Ohio State University and the California School of Professional Psychology (Los Angeles).

Picture of Jay M. Seiff-Haron, Psy.D.
Jay M. Seiff-Haron, Psy.D.
jay@effectiveinfluence.org

Jay M. Seiff-Haron, Psy.D. is a licensed psychologist and couples therapist specializing in the personal or professional challenges facing bicultural individuals and families. As an executive coach, he trains colleagues and corporate executives in leadership and communications skill-building; as a psychologist, Jay works with professionals, he also works with young children who have experienced separations from loved ones or traumas in San Francisco.

A member of the National Training Labs Institute (NTL) with advanced standing in the Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB) Facilitator Network, Jay co-leads professional development groups at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, has coached MBA-track professionals at Management Leadership for Tomorrow as well as parents and children going through divorce at Kids Turn, and guest lectured at USF, Sonoma State University, WCAN (Women of Color Action Network), SEEDS Community Resolution Center, Argosy University, San Francisco TalkLine and the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology. Dr. Seiff-Haron holds a doctorate from the California School of Professional Psychology, an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a B.A. from Yale University. Jay is Executive Director of Cross-Cultural Communications, Inc. a 501c3 non-profit dedicated to enhancing possibilities for teamwork and value in multicultural settings.

Picture of Freeman Barnes
Freeman Barnes
freeman@effectiveinfluence.org

Freeman Barnes has worked as a senior consultant and facilitator of Diversity programs for over 25 years. He is co-founder and President of Financial & Management Systems LTD., a coaching, consulting and training organization. Mr. Barnes has developed, and facilitated skills training programs in more than 10 African countries and 3 Middle Eastern countries. One of his most successful training interventions was a training-of-trainers program for a West African nation, where he and a colleague trained 190 local women and men who then delivered that training to over 30,000 of their countrymen in a three year period.

Mr. Barnes received a B.A. from Kentucky State, is an adjunct faculty member at Alliant International University's Presidio World College, and has served as a guest facilitator/presenter at the Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB), Sonoma State University and the Wright Institute. Mr. Barnes a member of the Stanford Facilitator Network, a former Director at National Training Labs Institute (NTL) , and a Director of Cross-Cultural Communications, Inc.

Picture of Judith Noel, M.Ed.
Judith Noel, M.Ed.
judith@effectiveinfluence.org

Judith Noel, M.Ed. has degrees in Education, Counseling Psychology, and Organizational Behavior. She has expertise in organization culture change, leadership development, diversity, work redesign efforts, quality improvement processes and building high performance cross-functional teams.

Ms. Noel coaches senior executives in Fortune 100 companies in numerous industries. Her 24 year old consulting firm, the Seapoint Consulting Corporation, specializes in organizational change and executive development. She currently leads an international group of women in a five-year collaborative research project on women's leadership, is the founder of the LUNA Institute for Women's Leadership and Learning,and has held teaching positions at the Whithemore School of Business and Economics, the Universities of New Hampshire, Minnesota, Sonoma State and Georgetown.

Ms. Noel qualifies practitioners in the MBTI through Otto Kroeger Associates, is a guest trainer at the Stanford Facilitator Network at the Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB), a former Director at National Training Labs Institute (NTL) and a Director of Cross-Cultural Communications, Inc.

Picture of Leslie Chin, MBA
Leslie Chin, MBA
leslie@effectiveinfluence.org

Leslie Chin, MBA founded & managed regional offices in California and London for the $100 million consulting firm WFD, and also worked for Citibank. Prior to that, Ms. Chin set up transit operations for Indochinese and Cuban refugees seeking entry to the United States for the Intergovernmental Committee for Migration. Currently, she is senior facilitator at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

A member of the National Training Labs Institute (NTL) with advanced standing in the Stanford Facilitator Network, she co-leads professional development groups at the Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB), groups for parents who are mourning children at Kara and large-scale trainings for the Posse Foundation. She holds an MBA and a BS in Applied Mathematics from Stanford University, and an MA in Psychology from the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology.


Picture of George Soto, M.Ed.
George Soto, M.Ed.
george@effectiveinfluence.org

George Soto, M.Ed. is an international Executive Coach to leaders needing to collaborate cross-culturally, utilizing technology and social systems in today's demanding global environment.

A Vietnam veteran, George is particularly adept in managing the shifts in cultures and boundaries as organizations engage in their day-to-day activities. A long-time member of National Training Labs Institute (NTL), George has deep experience in most aspects of M&A, leadership in start-ups, international culture integration, leadership and management development, and front line supervision.

Recently, he has trained NTL's foundational week-long Human Interaction Laboratory as well as Consultation Skills and Interpersonal Skills for Leadership Success. George holds an M.Ed, M.A. and B.A. from Columbia University.

Picture of Dikla Carmel-Hurwitz, MA
Dikla Carmel-Hurwitz, MA
dikla@effectiveinfluence.org

Dikla Carmel-Hurwitz is a Certified Co-Active Coach (CPCC), a Certified Professional Coach with the International Coaching Federation (ICF), A Focusing practitioner, and a facilitator with advanced standing at the Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB). She facilitates Women in Management groups in the GSB and is the co-founder of Dialogue Circle: Leadership Forum for Israeli Executive Women in the Bay Area. These groups focus on diversity and cross-cultural awareness.

Dikla has a masters degree in Editing and Publishing (Bar Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel), and BA in linguistics and comprehensive literature (form the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Israel). She had her own Editing business for more than 10 years, in her homeland, Israel. She is currently enrolled in Fielding Graduate School for MA in Organizational Development and Leadership, and is the owner and the founder of Ripple Effect: Consulting, Facilitation, Coaching.

Picture of Jana Basili
Jana Basili
jana@effectiveinfluence.org

Jana Basili is a professional development trainer, a member of the National Training Labs Institute (NTL) and holds advanced standing in the Stanford Facilitator Network at the Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB), where she has facilitated for over a decade in the Interpersonal Dynamics and Women in Management programs. She is Adjunct Faculty at the USF School of Law, and provides conflict resolution training and consulting to Bay Area schools, community groups and parent organizations, including a program for parents of twin and triplet infants and toddlers.

Ms. Basili has worked for many years with issues of diversity and inclusion, privilege and oppression. The coexistence of both oppressor and oppressed in her own family lineage has driven a passion to understand, explore and heal the impacts of social injustices and privilege in herself and in those she serves. Jana holds a BA in Foreign Languages from Trinity University and has received numerous awards during an extensive 25-year career in sales and marketing in medicine, architecture, design and construction, and university-based research.

Picture of Judith Cohen, MCC, CPCC
Judith Cohen, MCC, CPCC
judy@effectiveinfluence.org

Judith Cohen has almost 30 years of experience as a leadership coach, facilitator, psychotherapist and trainer. She is a trainer-of-trainers in the skills of listening, interpersonal communication and personal growth. Whether she is training graduate students at the Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB) or training coaches at CTI (The Coaches Training Institute), she is constantly listening to the messages that people wish to convey via their language, somatics and attitude in order to help them to achieve a more desired life.

A Master Coach via the International Coaching Federation, Judy is the founder and Principal of The Opportunity Game, an experiential model which promotes resilience, creativity and community. Born of out her own personal and professional experience of working with people who survived traumatic life events, The Opportunity Game trains people to see their challenging situations in new and powerful ways. Useful in both personal and professional settings The Opportunity Game model assists people to do the work of reframing their situations and transforms loss, and personal and professional obstacles into catapults to success.

Picture of Yifat Sharabi Levine, MA
Yifat Sharabi Levine, MA
yifat@effectiveinfluence.org

Yifat Sharabi Levine, MA, is an Organizational Consultant and a founder of Catalyst Circles LLP. She specializes in designing experiential based programs to enhance personal and professional growth in the areas of interpersonal dynamics, team and leadership development. Currently Yifat is a Leadership Coach at the Center for Leadership Development at the Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB), where she coaches students and supports the Paths to Power, High Performance Leadership, Interpersonal Dynamics, and Coaching-Mentoring faculties. Yifat is a lecturer of the Interpersonal Dynamics Course at Stanford Continuing Studies.

An NTL member, she facilitates NTL Authentic Influencing labs. She is a co- founder of various Women Circles in the bay area to support and empower women. Prior to that, Yifat worked in Human Resource Development in the High Tech industry and coached managers and executives on various subjects such as: team development, organizational restructuring, downsizing and more. Yifat has worked as an Organizational Consultant in the Israeli military and managed organizational effectiveness for a full time staff of 450 people and 900 trainees. Yifat holds a Masters degree in Industrial Psychology from Bar Ilan University, and a BA with honors in Behavioral Science from Ben Gurion University in Israel.

Picture of Nirit Hazan, MS
Nirit Hazan, MS
nirit@effectiveinfluence.org

Nirit Hazan, MS, is a senior facilitator for several courses and programs taught at the Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB), notably High Performance Leadership, Women in Management and Interpersonal Dynamics. As a cross-cultural coach at O Partners, Nirit designs experiential trainings and leadership development courses. Ms. Hazan co-founded Dialogue Circles, a series of group-based personal growth platforms for Israeli women in California.

Ms. Hazan has over 20 years of experience as a teacher and coach of communication skills in both community and corporate environments, and as a clinical social worker with Palestinian and Jewish families, teens and children facing extreme life challenges in Israel. Ms. Hazan holds an MS in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from San Jose State University, and a BA in Social Work from Tel Aviv University.


Picture of Daisy Rios, Ph.D.
Daisy Rios, Ph.D.
daisy@effectiveinfluence.org

Daisy Rios, Ph.D. is an Organizational Development (OD) consultant and coach to organizations and individuals interested in stimulating creativity and higher levels of personal and professional excellence. Dr. Rios served as Vice President and Senior Strategist at Elsie Y. Cross and Associates, Inc., where previously she held the position of Director of Professional Development. In collaboration with three colleagues, she designed and delivered a 5-year women's leadership program, focused on the art and practice of collaborative leadership and the exercise of personal power.

Dr. Rios holds a Ph.D. in Education with an emphasis on Organization Development; her Master's was in Psychological Services in Education. Dr. Rios is a long-standing member of the National Training Labs Institute (NTL), has authored numerous articles and book chapters, holds certificates in Emotional Intelligence Competence and Gestalt Clinical Practice, and is fluent in English and Spanish.


Picture of Brenda B. Jones, MS
Brenda B. Jones, MS
brenda@effectiveinfluence.org

Brenda B. Jones, MS, is an organizational consultant based in Columbia, MD, with over 20 years' experience. Her national and international consulting work focuses on organization strategic and culture change, leadership development, individual and group effectiveness, the development of consultants, and managing culturally diverse organizations. She directs her energy towards integrating both the human and business sides of an organization, with applications at all levels of system.

She is a past Board of Trustees member of the OD Network, a member of the Stanford Facilitator Network, the National Training Labs Institute (NTL) and IODA. She is on the faculty of the American University/NTL Graduate Program for Organization Development and Adjunct Faculty at the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland.


Picture of Paula S. Jones, JD
Paula S. Jones, JD
paula@effectiveinfluence.org

Paula S. Jones, JD, specializes in leadership and management development. As a Director at Genentech and President of Paula S. Jones and Associate., she designs and implements leadership assessment and coaching, team development, leading change and leadership communications programs for Fortune 500 companies.

She has also been involved in leadership development for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender workplace leaders and is a past National Advisory Board member for Out and Equal Workplace Advocates. An employment attorney for 24 years, she has also counseled clients, done diversity coaching and conducted training to prevent or remedy workplace discrimination and harassment.

Ms. Jones has been adjunct faculty at the University of San Francisco Law School and UC Berkeley Haas School of Business and is certified in MBTI and Spherical Dynamics. She is also a member of National Training Labs (NTL) and the Stanford Facilitator Network and a member of the California State Bar. Ms. Jones holds a JD from Golden Gate University School of Law and a BA in Political Science from UC Davis.

Picture of Thoraya Halhoul, MA
Thoraya Halhoul, MA
thoraya@effectiveinfluence.org

Thoraya Halhoul, MA, is an organizational development consultant who specializes in training, leadership development, team building, project management, strategic planning, and facilitation of meetings and problem-solving sessions. Her background includes 15 years in management positions in both the public, private, and not-for-profit organizations.

Ms. Halhoul is an adjunct faculty member at the University of San Francisco School of Law and is involved in the design and implementation of a three year collaborative on women's leadership. Ms. Halhoul is President of the Board of Directors of the Bay Area Organization Development Network, a member of National Training Labs (NTL) and the Stanford Facilitator Network. Ms. Halhoul holds a Masters degree in Human Resources and Organization Development from the University of San Francisco and a BA in Psychology from Southern Illinois University.


Picture of Collins Dobbs, MBA
Collins Dobbs, MBA
collins@effectiveinfluence.org

Collins Dobbs, MBA, specializes in Leadership & Organizational Development, including leadership assessment and leadership development programs, diversity management, strategic culture change, cross-functional and intact team building, leadership coaching, succession planning and strategic planning for Fortune 25 and non-profit clients. Currently, Collins is a Leadership Coach at the Center for Leadership Development at the Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB).

A member of National Training Labs (NTL) and the Stanford Facilitator Network, Mr. Dobbs has served on the Board of Directors for INROADS-Washington DC and has experience in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Mexico and Germany. He holds certificates in the Myers Briggs MBTI, Mastery for Re-Engineering, the Business Excellence Model (European Foundation for Quality Management) and Change Management Leadership (NTL Institute). Mr. Dobbs holds an MBA and a B.S. in Human Resources and International Business from Duquesne University.

Picture of Mai Vu, MA
Mai Vu, MA
mai@effectiveinfluence.org

Mai Vu, MA, has her roots in Vietnam. She came to the United States as a Boat Person, and that experience clearly defined her and how she sees the world. It instilled courage, commitment to a meaningful life, and the importance of building community as core values for her at a young age.

Ms. Vu is CEO and Co-founder of Innerworks solutions, a Board Member of the International Coaches Federation (ICF) and a member of National Training Labs Institute (NTL) and holds advanced standing in the Facilitator Network at the Currently Yifat is a Leadership Coach at the Center for Leadership Development at the Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB) . Ms. Vu is also proud to number among her teachers a loving husband and her two-year old daughter.

She received a B.A. in Mechanical Engineering from California State Polytechnic University at San Luis Obispo, an M.A. in Organizational Development from John F. Kennedy University, and a coaching certificate from the Coaches Training Institute.

Picture of Kathleen Brown, Ph.D.
Kathleen Brown, Ph.D.
kathleen@effectiveinfluence.org

Dr. Brown is an Organizational Development Specialist at the University of California at San Francisco. She has received the UCSF Chancellor's Award for the Advancement of Women, founding programs such as the Women's Leadership Program and Strategies for Success for Women of Color.

A member of National Training Labs (NTL) and a member with advanced standing in the Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB) Facilitator Network, she is an adjunct faculty member at Alliant International University's Presidio World College in San Francisco and has taught at Saint Mary's College of Moraga. Dr. Brown's Ph.D. in Transformative Learning and Change from the California Institute of Integral Studies, a B.S. in Physical Therapy from the University of California at San Francisco, and a B.A. in Social Work from the University of California, Berkeley.

Picture of Mary Ann Huckabay, Ph.D., MFT
Mary Ann Huckabay, Ph.D., MFT
maryann@effectiveinfluence.org

Mary Ann Huckabay, Ph.D., MFT, is a lecturer in Organizational Behavior at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business and Adjunct Faculty at the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland. A member of National Training Labs (NTL), she is the Director of the Stanford Group Facilitation Training Program and the Women in Management Program at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. She maintains a private practice in clinical and organizational consultation to individuals, couples, groups, and organizations, specializing in issues of interpersonal power and effectiveness.

In the past, she has held Adjunct Faculty positions at the California School of Professional Psychology, John F. Kennedy University and the American University/National Training Labs Institute. Dr. Huckabay has a Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve, an M.S. from San Francisco State University and a B.A. from Stanford University.