Shakeel Ali - B.A. San Francisco State University, Social Science and Ethnic Studies; Master Teacher Permit for Child Development; CBEST certified. Shakeel has worked as a teacher, counselor, consultant and trainer throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles. He is the Help Increase The Peace Coordinator for the West Coast through the American Friends Service Committee and also teaches for USF's Upward Bound program.

Miguel Andrade - B.A. Notre Dame de Namur University , Human Services. Miguel has 15 years of experience and knowledge developing and managing programs for young people and adults affected by family violence, gangs, alcohol, drugs, teen pregnancy, and incarceration. He has worked with diverse populations by facilitating support groups, providing mediation/conflict resolution, organizing street outreach and school programs, and offering tutoring/mentoring services.

Russell Brunson - J.D., Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Alternative Dispute Resolution. Russell is an experienced mediator and expert on Conflict Resolution and Peacemaking for Youth. He has written several classroom curriculums and has worked extensively on issues of youth development, diversity, and effective communication in schools, youth groups, and juvenile justice systems around the country.

Sue Dinwiddie - M.A. Pacific Oaks College, Human Development. Sue trains staffs and teaches parent education throughout the Bay Area and New York City. In addition to publishing two books on helping children learn social problem-solving skills, she has taught classes through Stanford University, Pacific Oaks college and local community colleges and agencies. Sue is a former Head Teacher at Bing Nursery School, Stanford University.

Eva Forchini - B.A. Pacific Oaks College, Early Childhood Education/ Human Development; Stanford University, Service Learning Curriculum Certificate. Eva is the Prevention Services Provider for Cabrillo School District and was previously the Prevention Coordinator for the Redwood City School District. She has extensive experience with conflict resolution training and coordinating of peer programs.

Lauren Kucera - M.A. University of San Francisco, Multicultural Education. Lauren is a facilitator, an educator and a co-founder of coAction, a communication and diversity training group working with educational institutions throughout the U.S. One of her primary areas of focus is taking on the racial and achievement gaps in schools. Her trainings give schools, adults, and youth the awareness, skills and activities to face discrimination campus-wide, thus supporting the creation of emotionally and intellectually-safe learning communities for all students.

Maria Teresa Magaņa - B.S. Notre Dame de Namur University, Psychology; M.A. University of San Francisco, Multicultural Education; Multiple Subjects Bilingual Credential . Maria Teresa has been involved in Bay Area schools for almost twenty years as a teacher and outreach specialist. As a bilingual, bicultural Educational Consultant, she offers professional translation, facilitation, and conflict management services with a focus on family/school/community involvement.

Barbara Porro - M.Ed, M.A., Stanford University, Curriculum and Teacher Education; author of Talk It Out: Conflict Resolution in the Elementary Classroom and Teaching Conflict Resolution with the Rainbow Kids Program. During the past decade Barbara has conducted conflict resolution workshops for thousands of educators throughout the country. The Talk It Out model she developed is based on 14 years of elementary teaching experience. Her practical, teacher-friendly approach focuses on turning "tattled tales" into natural opportunities for children to practice problem solving.

Gail Sadalla - B.A. U C Berkeley; secondary teaching credential. Since 1984, Gail has trained thousands of educators, individuals and organizations across the world in negotiation and mediation. She is a recognized leader in the field of communication, conflict resolution and anger management, specializing in Intercultural Conflict Resolution.

Mindy Shelton - B.A. Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, Liberal Studies; Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from Notre Dame de Namur University (supplemental credential in English); CLAD certificate. Mindy has been an elementary classroom teacher for 10 years, and has served on various school and district committees and leadership teams. She is the School Climate Facilitator for Nesbit Elementary and has extensive experience in team building and facilitation for both staff and students. In addition, she has worked for many years in the areas of conflict resolution and character education for elementary school students.

Alejandro Vilchez - B.A. Bethany College, focus on Cross-Cultural Communication and Gang Prevention. As the Manager of the PCRC Strengthening Neighborhoods Program, Alejandro is a seasoned trainer and recognized leader in violence prevention within the Chicano/Latino community of San Mateo County. He is knowledgeable of gang factions operating the SF Bay Area and has over 10 years experience providing group facilitation, mediation, and trainings in conflict management. Alejandro has a special talent for using games and activities that keep trainings fun yet focused. He reaches all ages stressing the importance of communication, cultural identity, and community involvement.

Sharon Yoerg - M.A. Washington University; B.S. University of Wisconsin, Madison; Resource Specialist Credential, San Francisco State University. Teacher Leadership Program, Stanford University. Sharon is a consultant and trainer in parent and peer education, staff development, conflict mediation and other school safety programs such as bullying and internet safety.

Laura Ziegler - M.A. San Francisco State University, Education; B.A. University of California at Berkeley, English. Laura has been in the education field for over 20 years, first as a high and middle school teacher and most recently as an educational consultant and parent educator. She has worked with schools and families to tackle issues such as bullying, learning differences, self-esteem, and school success strategies. Her passion is to guide and support parents in raising challenging children and teens.