Brigitt Altwegg
Brigitt Altwegg facilitates strategic planning and teambuilding retreats for UN agencies, grant-making foundations and public services and she organises and delivers facilitation trainings in Switzerland. Believing in the power of bringing together different personalities, experiences and perspectives, she likes to create space for dialogue, learning and action.
Following her MAs in International Relations and in Peace and Conflict Studies from the Graduate Institute Geneva and the European Peace University, she worked with Swiss-based and internationally active NGOs for 10 years. Currently managing transversal projects at the sustainability and climate office of the Vaud Canton in Switzerland, she is also a professional rock climbing instructor.
Contact: brigitt.info@gmail.com
John Cornwell
John is a freelance facilitator and trainer based in Mombasa, Kenya. He has worked for more years in
the development sector and with a particular focus on Social Inclusion (Anti-Oppression) work in East
and Southern Africa. John has also trained a large number of Facilitators over many years and is an
active member of the Umoja na Usawa (Unity and Equality) Social Inclusion Facilitators Network, Pwani
Facilitators Network (in the Coastal Region of Kenya) and the International Association of Facilitators
(IAF).
John’s association with ICA stretches back to 1999 where he undertook the Volunteer Foundation
Course, which included training in ToP methods, and he has been a member of ICA:UK since then, having
undertaken a number of different assignments over the years, such as Strategic Planning and Group
Facilitation Methods, and recently completing the Lead Trainer’s journey. He also co-founded and
worked with Itereleng:ICA in South Africa for 6 years, engaging in innovative programmes such as Youth
as Facilitators Leaders and Vukani Mawethu (meaning “Wake up People”) consistently using community
organising and participatory approaches at their core. John also runs a blog with other colleagues on Social Social Inclusion issues, which is called Embrace Everyone.
More information is available from https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-kingsley-cornwell-7781569a/ and John can also be reached through john.k.cornwell@gmail.com
Órla Cronin
Órla is a facilitator, trainer and consultant to NGOs and other civil society organisations. As a research psychologist and ex-academic, with private sector and overseas experience, she loves training and facilitating a wide variety of people and groups. She aims to bring her whole self to training, and receives consistently positive feedback: ‘a brilliant and resourceful trainer’.
Her CV is available at http://www.framework.org.uk/who-we-are/orla-cronin/ and her company website is www.orlacronin.com. She tweets occasionally at @croninorla and @frameworkorg. Órla has used ToP methods in a wide variety of settings, with participants as varied as senior scientists, academics, engineers, young people with learning disabilities, young female footballers, and Welsh Assembly members.
She works globally, via her virtual training and facilitation activities. She trains in English, but can also work in French and Spanish, and is also experienced and comfortable working through interpreters. Órla trains Group Facilitation Methods, Action Planning and Virtual Facilitation Online for ICA:UK and ICA:USA, and also enjoys developing and delivering bespoke training, particularly in the area of virtual facilitation.
Jonathan Dudding
Jonathan has been employed by different members of the ICA network in Africa and Europe since 1992, developing skills in consultancy, facilitation and training. In addition to continuing to practice and develop these skills, he acted as the Director of ICA:UK until April 2021.
He has extensive experience in working with a wide range of local, national and international clients, including governments, bilateral and multilateral agencies, international NGOs, and national organisations.
Jonathan has worked in around 40 countries, primarily in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, bringing a human-centred, participatory approach to tasks such as strategic planning, organisational development, partnership working and programme/event design. He puts particular emphasis on seeking to enable others to “shine”, supporting the development of their skills as facilitators, as trainers and as champions of the human factor in development.
He can be contacted at jdudding40@gmail.com
Megan Evans
Megan is a trainer, facilitator and consultant focusing on supporting charities, NGO’s and communities to develop their skills, systems and knowledge to help them meet new challenges. Using a solution focus and consensus building approach her methods and style help bring people together to achieve successful group outcomes.
A qualified teacher and trainer, Megan uses a flexible and participative approach and is comfortable training in both virtual and face to face environments. As an independent consultant she has designed and facilitated numerous large and small workshops and events using a range of methods such as the Technology of Participation, Open Space, Liberating Structures and World Café.
Before becoming an independent consultant, Megan project managed a number of Welsh community development initiatives aimed at supporting and upskilling groups, public sector organisations and communities in a range of facilitative and participative methods. In 2003, whilst looking for examples of engaging and beneficial facilitative methods she came across ICA:UK and ToP methodologies and have been using the methods ever since!
For more information please visit: www.meganevansconsultancy.co.uk
Violeta Frimu
Violeta Frimu is a facilitator, consultant and trainer with a particular specialisation and passion
in dialogic, participatory methods and paradigms for group work, social learning and
collaboration. She holds an MA in Participation, Power and Social Change from Institute of
Development Studies at Sussex University in UK.
Violeta has 20 years of experience, having worked with youth and adults from Moldova, Ukraine, Armenia, UK, Switzerland, India, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand. Violeta has an extensive knowledge of civil society landscape in Central Eastern Europe, and speaks English, Romanian and Russian.
Martin Gilbraith
I am an independent facilitator, trainer and consultant, based in London. I am a Certified Professional Facilitator | Master (CPF|M) of the International Association of Facilitators, former IAF Chair and IAF England & Wales Chair. 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 am an author contributor to the Power of Facilitation. 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, including my commitment to a feminist and anti-racist approach to my work and to limit and reduce my own personal & professional carbon footprint, please see my about me, how I work, who I work with and recommendations & case studies.
Alan Heckman
Alan is a group facilitator with more than 18 years of experience in designing participatory processes and events in the public and and charitable sectors.
Alan is able to work with your team, group, or organisation to get real engagement, so that everyone is able to contribute their skills and expertise to getting the best decision, and everyone leaves with a strong commitment to real action. Alan’s event design is deeply rooted in ICA methods and values, but is always fresh and completely focused on meeting the aims of the group in a genuine, realistic and engaging way.
Learn more at www.alanheckman.co.uk
Anna Krebs
Anna Krebs is a Finnish-Swiss facilitator, trainer, coach, and project manager based in Zürich. Her goal as a facilitator is to enable participation, dialogue, and collaboration across sectors and worldviews. Anna has worked with Swiss and international NGOs on organizational development, gender, and inclusion. She has actively participated in designing and co-facilitating social innovation labs for change-makers in Switzerland with Collaboratio helvetica, and is currently leading the Franxini Project, a think tank initiative aiming to build more trust and cooperation between science and politics in Switzerland.
Anna holds a Master’s Degree in Intercultural Communication and a coaching certificate. As a strong advocate for continuous learning, she has completed numerous further training programs in methods such as the Technology of Participation, Theory U, Art of Hosting, and Design Thinking.
Contact: annakatariinakrebs@gmail.com. LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/krebsanna
Ann Lukens
Ann Lukens is a mediator, facilitator, trainer, and leadership consultant. She has a strong practice in team and group conflicts, supporting teams (and the individuals that form them) through organisational change, when changes to work patterns, roles and culture are in place, using Strategic Planning, Coaching, and Mediation.
She combines training with these interventions to support sustainable working practices. She is a community and workplace mediator and worked with the Kumi project in the international arena. As a trainer, Ann has trained 100s in Having Difficult Conversations, Managing Conflict and Mediation, and ICA’s ToP facilitation methods. She is currently developing her Elder Mediation practice and her work as an Action Learning Set facilitator for Mediators and Facilitators wanting supervision and support. Ann received her MSc in Conflict Resolution and Mediation from Birkbeck in 2007. She resides in Wales.
See a recent case study of Ann’s work with Natural England here.
Learn more at annlukens.co.uk and contact her at ann.lukens@gmail.com
Miriam O Donoghue
Miriam is an independent facilitator, trainer and consultant based in Dublin, Ireland. Miriam comes with a strong background and experience of working in the Education and Training sector both nationally and internationally and has held senior management roles in Curriculum Development and Education Support Services.
Miriam enjoys designing and facilitating memorable and engaging programmes, processes and professional development activities for groups and networks.
Miriam is a lead trainer for ICA UK and the ToP Group Facilitation Methods; Focused Conversation Method and Consensus Workshop Method. Miriam is an experienced LEGO® Serious Play® Facilitator and is a Trainer of creative LEGO® based methods and approaches. She is also a Tony Buzan licensed Mind Mapping instructor and a Trainer of ZOOMERGISERS, an online energiser programme.
Miriam holds an M.Ed in leadership and management and Post Graduate qualifications in learning and teaching, educational administration and public relations.
Email: miriamodonoghue@gmail.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miriam-odonoghue-2286b6102/ Twitter: @modonoghue11
Bhavesh S. Patel
Bhav designs and facilitates learning and development for people, organisations, and networks. He believes that in an increasingly uncertain world, there are no off-the-shelf ideal pre-defined solutions. Instead, organisations can find their evolutionary capacity through engaging the hearts and minds of their own people. This leads to work that could be about anything from strategic development, improving organisational processes, to community groups discovering their shared vision. He also works as a trainer delivering workshops that explore skills in self-management, communication, coaching, designing and delivering training and facilitation.
His approach draws on an eclectic combination of complexity science, dialogic participatory practices, and cognitive science. He enjoys working with the natural and often messy ways that humans come together to experiment and innovate. He has a Masters in Management Psychology, and accreditations in Coaching, Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Technology of Participation, Human Systems Dynamics, and Cognitive Edge. His methods include Open Space Technology, World Café, Appreciative Inquiry, Theory U.
He has worked in Cambodia, South Africa, Australia, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, France, Switzerland, Vietnam, Thailand, Sweden, Holland, India, Norway, Germany, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, UK, and South Sudan. His clients are a mix of social and corporate and include Shell, Motorola, Deutsche Bank, Malaysia TV3, Monetary Authority of Singapore, Aberdeen Asset Management, Singapore Institute of Management, Lafarge, Fraser & Neave, Zuellig Pharma, Averis, Bangkok Bank, Prudential, Endava, World Wide Fund for Nature, World Health Organisation, Initiatives of Change, Initiative Mittel Und Osteuropa, EcoVisio, Peace Corps, Konrad Adenauer Foundation, UNICEF, Expert-Grup, Mobiasbanca, MitOst, Wikimedia, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.
He can be contacted at peoplejazzing@gmail.com
Dawn Williams
Dawn is a very experienced creative facilitator, evaluator and trainer and has a particular interest in Arts and Health. Dawn is passionate about the power of arts to transform lives and has been working for over 35 years in and with communities in the North East.
Dawn is a founding member of Riverside Associates and regularly collaborates with two other colleagues to design and facilitate regional and national learning programmes, company away days and workshops. Dawn is Strategy Lead at Blue Cabin https://wearebluecabin.
Dawn pays attention to setting up the workshop/meeting space. She creates an atmosphere where the focus is on participation, and where everyone is able to bring their own experience, and have their voices heard. ToP Methodology underpins all her work which is why she is delighted to be delivering ICA:UK Group Facilitation Methods Training!
Recent clients include: Great Exhibition of The North – N18 Digital Artist Learning Programme, Navigator North, Northern Stage, Voices Foundation, Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums, Skimstone Arts, Beacon Film Arts, Open Orchestra, Durham Miners Association
Contact: riversideops@gmail.com