Erin Bresnahan
Erin Bresnahan is a bilingual (English/French) strategic advisor and facilitator whose work bridges evidence, action, and human dynamics. Over 15+ years, she has partnered with foundations, multilateral institutions, civil society organizations,and companies in more than 90 countries. Today, as Co-Founder and COO of AvoMotion Advisory, Erin co-leads a firm serving nonprofits, foundations, multilateral organizations, and private sector clients of all sizes, facilitating strategic planning workshops, board retreats, and multistakeholder convenings. What sets her approach apart is the pairing of rigorous, data-grounded strategy work with genuine facilitation craft: she builds the KPI dashboards and measurement systems a room will need after the workshop ends. Erin holds an MA in International Affairs from Carleton University with a specialization in international development and conflict studies, and a Bachelor of Business Administration.
Harouna Saley Abdoulaye
Harouna Saley Abdoulaye. Dynamic, and committed leader and manager with 21+ year of experience in organizational management, strategic planning, and business development focusing on social cohesion and peace consolidation, on countering stigmatization and reducing the filling of marginalization of community at risk, on community mobilization and on countering violence extremism with community based resilience approach. Exceptional interpersonal talents, able to bring together community leaders, local organizations, and government agencies to consolidate strategies of dialogue, and stability. Excellent project management skills, capable of building effective and enthusiastic teams to complete projects on time, within budget, and with tangible impact. Harouna Abdoulaye participated as a panelist at the United Nations General Assembly on the Rehabilitation and Reintegration process of former violent extremists in September 2017. He is also a facilitator and leadership advisor and experienced in Art of Living and personal development. He is seeking opportunities to share his experiences and to learn and adapt from others experiences in order to foster his sense of creativity and innovation.
Tarek Maassarani
Tarek Maassarani is a mission-driven attorney, program strategist, university professor, and project director with 20+ years leading federally funded initiatives across justice, equity, and climate resilience. He has litigated human rights cases, managed multi-agency partnerships, developed countless programs, published books and articles, and trained civil society and government agencies. As CEO of Sustainable Construction Solutions, he applies his legal and programmatic expertise to sustainable infrastructure, advancing fireproof, non-toxic, and low-carbon materials and methods aligned with resilience and decarbonization goals. Under his leadership, the company has delivered successful pilot projects and expanded public-private partnerships. Maassarani began his career providing civil legal services law at the federally-funded Neighborhood Legal Services Program, where he served as a Covington & Burling Westwood Fellow and later as a senior staff attorney. At NLSP’s Nani Helen Burroughs office, he represented underserved residents across housing, employment, public benefits, consumer protection, and discrimination cases, while also managing law student interns and supporting D.C. Bar legal clinics and Spanish-speaking workers’ rights seminars. He then served for over a decade as a consultant and trainer for the U.S. Institute of Peace and director of the Salam Institute, in which capacities he managed five-to-six figure USAID and State Department-funded civic engagement and peacebuilding programs across Africa, Afghanistan, and domestic military bases. He facilitated training for educators, nonprofits, African peacekeeping forces, U.S. Army units, and foreign service officers, and co-authored curricula on religious peacebuilding, conflict resolution, trauma resilience, and nonviolent action. As co-founder and technical lead of Restorative DC, Maassarani designed and scaled a citywide restorative justice initiative across Washington, D.C., delivering technical assistance to over 40 schools, coordinating a diversion program for the Department of Human Services, and advising the Office of the Attorney General on the creation of a nationally recognized in-house restorative justice unit. He later co-directed Central Virginia Community Justice, where he launched a restorative diversion program in partnership with local prosecutors, expanded referral networks, and formalized regional implementation. More recently, he served as lead trainer for the U.S. State Department–funded #Influencers4Peace initiative, which engaged 150 social media leaders across Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, and Niger to promote social cohesion and counter violent extremism.
Darla Marburger
Darla Marburger is a seasoned facilitator, mediator, and impact strategist who has guided more than 300 hours of strategic planning, team building, and cross-functional alignment for nonprofits, government agencies, and commercial organizations. As President and Founder of Greater for Good, she helps mission-driven organizations sharpen their strategy, strengthen team cohesion, and work more effectively toward meaningful impact. With 12 years of nonprofit capacity-building, 12 years of analytics consulting, and a decade shaping state and federal education policy, Darla brings a rare blend of systems thinking, data-informed decision-making, and human-centered facilitation. She is a trained mediator and a valued practitioner of the Better Teams™ team building model, helping disjointed teams build trust, clarity, and connection for a work experience that is more productive and fulfilling. A former Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Education, she has led high-stakes initiatives, managed billion-dollar grant programs, and represented organizations through numerous speaking engagements—from Congressional hearings to national associations. Known for her calm presence, analytical insight, and ability to synthesize diverse viewpoints, Darla helps groups quickly feel understood and confidently move toward shared solutions. She is based in Austin, Texas, United States of America.
Danette Wilkins Marte
Danette Wilkins Marte (they/them, elle, elu) is an expansive strategist, intuitive facilitator, and liberatory changemaker with over 20 years of experience providing strategic, technical, programmatic, and operational support to diverse organizations and groups and implementing research, programming, and training across the globe (primarily Central America, North America, South America, and Southern Africa). Prior to consulting, Danette worked with U.S. government agencies (U.S Agency for International Development, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Peace Corps), consulting firms (Cultural Practice, Tetra Tech), international non-governmental organizations (Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs), and academic institutions (Emory University, Johns Hopkins University) addressing a wide range of health and development areas including agriculture and economic growth, democracy and governance, education, environment and natural resources, and health (e.g., animal disease preparedness and response, gender-based violence, mental health and psychosocial support, sexual and reproductive health). They also have demonstrated experience in gender mainstreaming and integration (e.g., men’s and boys’ engagement, women’s and girls’ empowerment), social and behavior change (e.g., entertainment education, gender transformative approaches, provider behavior change), and diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (e.g., gender equality, disability, and social inclusion, gender and sexuality diversity, and LGBTQI+ inclusion). Danette holds a bachelor of arts degree in Hispanic Studies and Government from the College of William and Mary, a graduate diploma in Gender and Development from the Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales (FLACSO) in Ecuador, and a master of public health degree in Behavioral Sciences and Health Education from Emory University. Outside of formal schooling and training, they pursue informal learning through popular education and self-directed learning. As an Afrodiasporic child of immigrants and working-class people, Danette’s approach to facilitation values the wisdom of lived experience and centers humility, curiosity, empathy, authenticity, and respect.
Marise Mackay
Marise Mackay is a global brand and learning leader turned identity and resilience coach who supports leaders navigating change. With over a decade of experience leading global brands and driving learning and development in the beauty industry, she now empowers purpose-driven leaders to reclaim their voice, clarify their identity, and lead with audacity. As a coach, speaker, and facilitator, Marise specialises in identity, resilience, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. She works at the intersection of personal transformation and leadership, helping individuals rise through transition, loss, burnout, or reinvention with clarity, conviction, and a deeper sense of self. Her work is rooted in the belief that when people anchor into who they truly are, they lead themselves and others differently, and in doing so, change the world, one imperfect and striving human at a time. As the founder of the DreamGirls Academy Mentoring Program, Marise brings together strategic insight, a heart for service, and hands dedicated to helping and healing in community. Her approach continues to have a lasting impact.
Nkiruka Stella Okonkwo
Nkiruka Stella Okonkwo is a seasoned development consultant, facilitator, and nonprofit leader with nearly two decades of experience across gender equity, policy development, and youth and women empowerment. She is the founder of Fresh & Young Brains Development Initiative and managing consultant at Alexijan Consults, where she leads strategic planning, policy reviews, and capacity-building initiatives for government agencies and civil society organizations. Recognized for her expertise in facilitation and stakeholder engagement, Nkiruka has moderated high-level dialogues for institutions such as the United Nations, the African Union, and various national policy platforms. Her facilitation work spans critical themes such as climate change, gender equality, SDGs, and governance—guiding multi-stakeholder conversations with clarity and inclusivity. She holds advanced qualifications in social work, law, development policy, and leadership, and is currently pursuing a doctorate in Humanitarian and Development Studies. Nkiruka brings deep contextual knowledge of African development systems, a strong cross-cultural sensibility, and a proven ability to foster alignment in complex policy environments.
Louise A. Traore Guindo
As a certified professional coach, trainer, and HR consultant, Louise A. Traore Guindo has 24 years of experience working for multinationals. Thanks to her varied background, she is able to help managers get to know their teams better, ensuring that everyone is focused on excellence. This helps align the company, drive sales growth, and encourage employee retention.
Aru Daswani
Aru Daswani is an ICF PCC accredited leadership coach and facilitator working one to one with leaders, teams and organizations in the deep inner transformation needed for a positive impact in society and the planet. She creates safe spaces to allow for the shift of consciousness and the inner development needed for the evolution of humanity, using the Inner Development Goals framework as a catalyser for transformative change.
Dr. Kerriann Peart
Known for her exuberance and critical thinking, Dr. Kerriann Peart champions work at the intersections or as she likes to say, “the junction of things.” With her Caribbean identity and culture, Dr. Peart has supported work across sectors both private and public, national, and international, always leaning into the efforts of equity and leveraging the insights of those she engages in her efforts, through a strengths-based approach. With her 20 years of professional experience, inclusive of organizational culture design, human capital, systems strengthening, change management, agile leadership, professional well-being and diversity, equity and inclusion practice; Dr. Peart founded Peart Consulting, LLC, in 2020. In this curated space she provides identity informed coaching, consulting, and speaking services, for start-ups, non-profits and small businesses; with a focus on building the capacity of managers within these spaces. Dr. Peart earned her doctorate in International Psychology with a focus on Organizations and Systems, from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. She also holds a Master of Public Health, Global Health Communications focus from The Milken Institute School of Public Health, at George Washington University and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Emory University.