1. Do you work only with arts organizations? No, I work across all industries. While I have specialized expertise with arts organizations (SF Ballet, Sisters in Crime, Kenneth Rainin Foundation), I’ve partnered with tech companies, nonprofits, educational institutions, and more. The principles of creating healthy, inclusive cultures apply everywhere—I understand and specialize in the unique challenges arts organizations face.

2. What’s included in CA SB 1343 harassment prevention training? California requires all employers with 5+ employees to provide harassment prevention training. My approach meets all legal requirements while going beyond compliance—offering interactive practice, real-world applications, and tools people can actually use. This isn’t a check-the-box video; it’s training that builds the foundation for genuine culture change.

3. How do you work with arts organizations specifically? I understand the unique tensions in creative environments: navigating artistic tradition alongside modern workplace expectations, international workforces with different cultural norms, hierarchical structures, generational divides, and the “paying your dues” culture. I help organizations honor their artistic mission while creating healthy, equitable workplaces.

4. What’s the difference between your approach and typical diversity training? Most unconscious bias training makes people aware of bias but fails to change hearts, minds, behaviors, or beliefs. I focus on culture transformation through systemic change that actually shifts how people work together, not just how they think about bias for an hour.

5. How is this different from one-off team-building workshops? I enjoy a fun one-off workshop as a chance to introduce 2-3 concepts to the room. However, real culture transformation requires integrated approaches that address systems, people, and processes over time. If we could solve decades of inequity with a 2-hour workshop, the world would be a much healthier place and I’d be out of a job. I create customized ecosystems of programming that drive lasting impact.

6. What makes your employee retention strategies effective? I focus on root causes – toxic workplace culture, systemic barriers, and leadership gaps – rather than surface-level fixes. Let’s get into the messy problems and find solutions that are actionable, sustainable and can grow over time. Companies with strong culture policies see 50% reduction in turnover because we address what actually makes people leave and create company cultures they want to continue to be part of.

7. Do you provide company culture assessment services? Yes, I start with organizational development audits (DEI surveys, SWOT analysis, recommendations) to identify what’s really happening, then create data-driven solutions. You can’t fix what you don’t measure and understand. Often what leaders believe are the problem are not what is actually impacting morale and folks on the front line – maybe there are different issues at different levels, maybe there is a disconnect in the flow of information – let’s find out and address it.

8. How do you handle difficult people during training? As an experienced mediator with decades of experience, I can often address challenging personalities and workplace conflict resolution in real-time, modeling the very skills I’m teaching while maintaining psychological safety for all participants. If there is more in-depth intervention or coaching needed, I can do that, too. Being an outsider not only offers a less biased take on an organization, but provides the distance needed to avoid being impacted by internal conflict, politics, or retaliation.

9. What services do you offer for remote teams? Remote team management requires different skills than in-person leadership. I provide cultural competency training and psychological safety training specifically designed for hybrid workforces, plus virtual team building that actually creates lasting change. For one client, I built an entire 11-hour asynchronous DEIJB learning platform that includes how to build effective teams, meetings, and programming both online and hybrid – turning remote work into a feature, not a bug.

10. How long does culture transformation take? Sustainable change takes 12-18 months minimum. Anyone promising quick fixes is selling you false hope. Real transformation requires addressing systems, training leaders, shifting policies, and ensuring changes stick over time.