The following list of individuals and organizations are some of Sharon's favorites for bringing creativity, integrity, and dedication to the work they do. Many of those on this list support individual personal growth, provide avenues for professional development, and/or work toward creating healthy, diverse, strong communities.

The people in the PNDC Consortium of Trainers bring a wide range of gifts to individual and organizational development and community-making.

I want to express my heartfelt thanks Sherry Mouser, Jesse Combs, and Nancy Cleary for their exceptional creativity and tenacity in all the phases of creating this web site. They have provided the tools to create a website that truly represents the heart of my work and each one has gone far beyond the call of duty in their effort.

For information about others on the networking lists, see:

Advocacy Institute: Leadership Training
Centre for Dispute Resolution: Dispute Resolution Training
Destiny Arts: Creative Development Center for Youth
Don Ross Productions: Audio Tapes and CD production
Judith Cope: Editing
Leadership for a Changing World: Supporting Community Leadership
MouserArt: Web Design
National Speakers Association: professional training for speakers
Patricia Fripp: Speech Coach
Caroline Pincus: Book Midwife
Playback Theater
The Family Centre, Therapy Model
The Peace Table: a model for a healthy diverse community
The Inspired Professional
UcanDancAfrican Healing Arts
Wings: Women's International News Gathering Service
World Trust: Producers of "The Way Home," Diversity Film
Work with Marty Nemko: Radio Program
Wyatt-Mackenzie Publishing Company

Advocacy Institute: a leadership organization for social justice
http://www.advocay.org

The advocacy institute works to create socially responsible leadership as a response to the most challenging public issues and social problems. They partner with the Ford Foundation and the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service to sponsor the Leadership for a Changing World awards. They offer workshops for those who want to use constructive means to solve local and global community problems.

Centre for Dispute Resolution: Dispute Resolution Training (ADR)
http://www.cedr.co.uk

The Centre for Dispute Resolution, located in London, England, is an international leader in providing training in alternative dispute resolution and conflict prevention. They have the support of London's court system magistrates and are doing much innovative work in preventing litigation through mediation. They also sponsor "The International Summer School," a week-long training program for mediators and managers from both public and private sectors. The focus is on understanding the increasing global practice of Alternative Dispute Resolution. Sharon Ellison was one of three international speakers invited to speak for CEDR's Tenth Anniversary year.

Destiny Art Center: Creative Development Center for Youth
http://www.destinyarts.org
Phone: (510) 597-1619

Destiny Arts Center is unique and creative center for youth who want to find creative expression as an alternative to destructive behavior and/or simply as a means of self-growth. Classes in art and dance, including hip-hop, martial arts and dramatic expression, are available to youth from the ages of 5 to 18. The emphasis is also on increasing the young people's consciousness about both personal and community issues.

Don Ross Productions: Audio Tapes and CD production
Email: drossprod@aol.com
Phone: (541) 343-2692 Fax: (541) 683-1943

Don is a master at producing audiotapes and CDs for professional speakers, poets, and musicians. Originally a musician himself, Don brings together the ear of an artist for perfecting sound and the discipline of attention to the most intricate detail. When he edits a recording, the end product is flawless. For example, he recorded the Grammy Award winning "Classical Gas" by Mason Williams.

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Judith Cope: Editing
Email: judithgc@mind.net
Phone: (541) 621-3778

Sharon's acknowledgement to Judith in her book says a great deal about Judith's work. "As my editor, you've been a consummate sculptor, shaping my words and thus always enhancing my message. In your art, you combine the gifts of the poet and the surgeon. I thank you, my friend, for your challenging questions, your unflagging commitment, your generous spirit." Blending the gifts of poet and surgeon is the key to Judith's work. Her knowledge of grammar and sentence structure is impeccable, and she can do a light edit or deep editing, a virtual re-write of the article or book. She can make major cuts when necessary (in some cases, more that 300 pages) while enhancing the author's message, style and essence. Judith works on nonfiction, including everything from technical writing to memoir and biography, and fiction. She is truly a marvel as an editor.

Leadership for a Changing World: Supporting Innovative Leadership
http://www.leadershipforchange.org

This is a program of the Ford Foundation [http://www.fordfound.org], in partnership with the Advocacy Institute and New York University. Its function is to identify leaders whose work is not yet well known, but is cutting-edge in solving a range of community problems. They select 20 outstanding leaders every year and provide them with substantial grant money. Sharon Ellison was nominated for this award in 2000.

MouserArt: Web designer
http://www.mouserArt.com

Sherry Mouser is a web designer who personalizes each individual's or company's web-site with remarkable skill. She is very creative, putting a great deal of effort into developing sites that truly represent the spirit and values of each client. She not only takes the individual needs of her clients into account, her organization of the content of each web-site is highly effective, visually dynamic, and easy to navigate. Sherry has incredible patience for re-working the formatting and style until it is just right. Her own web-site contains wonderful examples of her work.

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National Speakers Association (NSA): for professional speakers
http://www.nsaspeaker.org

NSA is an international association of more than 3,500 members dedicated to advancing the art and value of experts who speak professionally. Members have to qualify to join. Dick Cavett, the founder of the NSA, was known for his generosity, and he established an organization where sharing professional information and enhancing everyone's skills was the standard. Cavett said,

If there is a spark of divinity,
a fragment of eternity,
a gamble of immortality on this earth,
it is found in making a difference
in other people's lives.

NSA members are always generous with information, upholding this standard even when they are "in competition" with each other. The information provided by NSA for anyone who is a speaker or consultant is equivalent to a short course resulting in a master's degree! The organization provides an absolute wealth of information about every aspect of the speaking/consulting profession. Sharon Ellison is a NSA member.

Patricia Fripp: Speech Coach
http://www.fripp.com

Patricia is an NSA member. Meetings and Conventions magazine calls Patricia Fripp, CSK, CPAE, ". . . one of the most electrifying speakers in North America." Patricia coaches other speakers and any professional who wants to improve his or her speaking ability. Sharon Ellison says, "Patricia Fripp is an absolute master at crafting speeches. She understands the essential structure of a speech at a cellular level. She can give a mesmerizing speech while being spontaneously responsive to her audience. Her ability to teach others these skills quickly is just as remarkable. Watching her work, I don't have words to express the awe and respect I feel for her brilliance."

Caroline Pincus: Book Midwife
Email: cpincus100@aol.com
Phone: (415) 665-3200

It is an apt name for Caroline's work. Previously a senior editor at Harper Collins, she has a wealth of experience and astute judgement, not only in her skill as an editor, but also in the wisdom she shares with regard to how to craft words that will market the essence of a work, without losing integrity. Working with her is truly like being gifted with a "wordsmith."

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The Living Arts Theater Lab and Healing the Wounds of History
http://www.livingartscenter.org

Armand Volkas is the director of this innovative improvisational theatre company. The public performances are entirely devoted to acting out stories told by audience members. When one person comes up to the stage and tells a story that has special meaning or involves an unresolved issue, the actors instantly, without discussion, jointly "play back" the story. The results are often profound, healing, funny, and poignant. The troupe also takes on projects of great social significance. They work with children and youth in schools, violent prisoners, and also bring together the descendants of Holocaust survivors with those of German Nazi supporters in a workshop and performance called "Acts of Reconciliation." To witness any of their performances is memorable and powerful. Call for more information.

The Family Centre, Therapy Model

The Family Centre is located in Wellington, New Zealand and has developed an outstanding model for bringing together individual therapy and social change as essential counterparts. They have developed methods for dealing with issues of individual and family therapy that include a respect for the differing needs of people based on a deep respect for differences in race, class, culture and gender instead of applying the same therapeutic model to everyone. Their own methods of working together model these principles. The Family Centre staff have been influential in gaining legislative changes that support needed social changes. They offer workshops periodically in the U.S. and have articles available about their work. Their ideas are inspiring and practical for any of us who want to create healthy organizations.

The Peace Table: A model for a Strong, Diverse Community

The Peace Table in Napa, CA, is a grassroots organization dedicated to promoting peace and diversity. They are working to create a model for community involvement in collaborative problem solving where "all voices are heard." They sponsor innovative programs with school children, youth in detention centers, professional organizations, student and community leaders and all interested members of the community. The quality and type of programs they have developed create a web that includes the whole community. The programs are quite inspiring and bring hope for the possibility of creating healthy communities.

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The Inspired Professional
http://www.inspiredpro.com

Founded by Isabell Parlett, The Inspired Professional helps people past roadblocks in their careers. TIP workshops, telecourses, and one-on-one coaching focus on helping people create a personal blueprint for becoming energized, fulfilled, and confident in your work. One interesting part is that it is based on the idea that while you may change jobs or careers, there is also much you can do to create a personal blueprint for achieving goals even in a job that isn't perfect.

UcanDancAfrican Healing Arts
http://www.ucandanc.org

Masankho Kamsisi Banda is a recent recipient of the Dalai Lama's "Unsung Heroes of Compassion" Award. He works with children and adults internationally. Using theater, music, drumming and storytelling, Masankho inspires people of all ages to work together to bring about peace, social justice and cultural understanding.

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Wings: Women's International News Gathering Service
http://www.wings.org

Women's International News Gathering Service (WINGS) is an all-woman independent radio production company that produces and distributes news and current affairs programs by and about women around the world. WINGS programs are used by non-commercial radio stations, women's studies programs at universities, and individuals. Programs can be heard on local radio stations, on short-wave, on the internet, and on cassettes. Sharon has been interviewed on WINGS.

World Trust: Producers of "The Way Home," Diversity Film
http://www.world-trust.org

Shakti Butler has produced a revolutionary film that includes clips of conversations about various aspects of racism (and other oppressive structures) among women from eight "Ethnic Councils." A unique quality of this film is that the conversations among the women all take place within each of the eight separate groups, rather than bringing women from different races into a single group for the discussion. The audience has a rare opportunity to witness African American women, as well as Asian women, bi-racial women, Jewish women, Middle Eastern women, Native American women, and Euro-American women talking alone together. In each group you will see an open expression of the pain of racism from women speaking in a safe environment and also how internalized oppression is expressed in each woman's own culture. The film is incredibly thought-provoking and has much to teach us all.

Work with Marty Nemko: Radio Program
http://www.martynemko.com

Marty is a best-selling author and has hosted his radio talk show for 13 years. He provides people with skills they need to enhance their lives. His two primary areas of expertise are career and education. He has a wealth of information about how parents can enhance the quality of education their children get in public schools and how students can get an Ivy League education at state universities. Marty is dedicated to making the media a tool for education rather than manipulation.

Wyatt Mackenzie Publishing Company
http://www.wymacpublishing.com

Nancy Cleary, owner of the publishing company, is a dynamic graphic designer and publisher who also does product development, design, packaging, and promotion. She is incredibly proactive, creative, and fast. One of her projects is Box-Is.com, a personalized gift box for women or men which, of course, includes at least one book! You can give a special gift to someone you care about or you can work with Nancy to publish your own book or design packaging and marketing materials for your own product or services.

The Institute for Powerful Non-Defensive Communication
Phone: 800-714-7334 or 510-655-8086 • Email: info@pndc.com
Powerful Non-Defensive Communication is a trademarked name. © 1994-2009 Sharon Strand Ellison