The right people for the problem.

Khaled El-Sawaf is a Co-Founder and Principal at Caravann where he leads complex, multi-stakeholder strategy and transformation initiatives for organizations navigating growth, disruption, or reinvention. A senior strategist and program leader with more than 15 years of experience, he has guided cross-functional teams across product management and organizational change. His portfolio spans Fortune 500 companies and mission-driven nonprofits, with clients including Intuit, Autodesk, and Visa.

Khaled is known for turning ambiguity into clarity. He co-creates strategic frameworks that leaders can actually use, including KPIs, OKRs, change and communications strategies, and executive-ready narratives that move decisions forward. Trained in Human-Centered Design and Inclusive Facilitation, he ensures strategies are grounded in real human needs and protected from bias, enabling teams to make decisions that stick.

He holds a degree in Politics from the University of Minnesota and completed most of his MBA coursework at the Carlson School of Management. Outside of client work, Khaled brings the same curiosity and discipline to life. He is a Michelin-trained food enthusiast and a dedicated archer.

Kia Afcari (he/him) is passionate about helping people and organizations succeed. He has over twenty years of experience helping leaders, teams, and organizations with collaborative change. He has worked with a wide variety of organizations, including universities of all sizes, tech companies, international NGOs, foundations, UN agencies, national laboratories, as well as US climate change foundations and nonprofits.

In his work supporting teams, Kia employs facilitative techniques, executive coaching, Appreciative Inquiry, Open Space, Theater of the Oppressed, Quantum Learning, graphic facilitation, and the latest in social science research to help organizations achieve gains by aligning their strategy, culture, leadership and DEI efforts. For his work supporting major culture change efforts at scale, Kia was awarded the Chief Learning Officer Magazine's Silver Award for Innovation for his accomplishments in helping to shift the organizational culture of UC Berkeley's 8,000 staff.

Kia has a Bachelor's Degree in Politics from UC Santa Cruz and a Master's Degree in Intercultural and International Management from the School for International Training with a focus on organizational development. He is a certified executive coach, and a certified Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator, Zenger Folkman 360 Extraordinary Leader Facilitator, and Core Strengths Facilitator.

Kia is an Iranian/Indian/American baba (a father) to three wild and ebullient children, husband to Naila, surfer, potter, soccer player, self-proclaimed amateur chef... oh and dance-party DJ. He's what you would call, in a cringy way, "a glass-half-full kinda guy".

Rama Atiya is a technology executive and advisor who helps organizations turn AI, digital strategy, and governance into measurable business results. As a Fractional CTO and AI readiness advisor, she works with executive teams to align technology investments with business goals, build practical governance frameworks, and create roadmaps for responsible AI adoption and modernization. She developed an AI Readiness Assessment platform that evaluates an organization's strategy, governance, data, technology, security, and workforce readiness.

Rama brings more than a decade of technology leadership across healthcare and higher education. At Mass General Brigham, as Program Director of Strategy and Governance, she designed MGB Digital's first enterprise-wide demand intake framework. It brought standardized governance to more than 400 active projects across six digital transformation portfolios. She also created a four-tier governance model for more than 40 technology suppliers. Before that, she led MGB's enterprise architecture and automation work, chaired its Cloud Steering Committee, and introduced Infrastructure as Code. At MIT Sloan School of Management, she co-chaired the IT governance board and was technical lead for the school's migration to Microsoft Azure. She has also completed two executive education certificates at MIT School of Management, in Technology Operations and Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare.

Rama is committed to developing the next generation of women leaders in technology. She serves on the Board of Advisors for the University of New Haven's Women in Leadership with AI Driven Engagement executive program, where she advises on curriculum and responsible AI practices. At Mass General Brigham, she founded and chaired the Women Employee Resource Group. Since 2017, she has mentored and spoken to Girls Who Code students in the Greater Boston area, where she is based.

Terrell Holmes, MS, is an organizational development specialist who believes that insight and communication are the key drivers of change. After working with tech companies for more than 15 years and observing patterns in problematic communication and relationship management, he set out to empower leaders through mindfulness and coaching, connect teams through facilitation and skill-building, and inspire systemic change through organizational transformation.

Terrell uses the most current evidence-based practices to create real-world impact. He has shared his expertise with clients such as Apple, eBay, Kaiser Permanente, Kongregate, and the State of California, among others. Terrell also works in peacebuilding with Pollack Peacebuilding Systems and volunteers with Contra Costa County Courts as a court mediator. Additionally, Terrell works as a facilitator for the Stanford Graduate School of Business Interpersonal Dynamics course and adjunct faculty with the University of San Francisco's MSOD program. As a strong advocate for mentorship, he serves on the junior board of New Door Ventures, where he proudly mentors underserved youth.

Prior to becoming an instrument for peace, Terrell worked for 16 years in advertising and marketing technology, making him uniquely equipped to understand the organizational complexities of quickly-evolving companies. He earned his Master of Science in organization development from the University of San Francisco and his Bachelor of Arts in interdisciplinary studies from Virginia Tech. As a graduate research assistant, he co-authored the published paper The Dark Side of Software Development: Job Stress amongst Autistic Software Developers and is passionate about utilizing research as a tool for change. When he's not building stronger communities, he continues to pursue advanced certifications and continuing education.

A Berkeley born and bred researcher and Science Director of the Greater Good Science Center, Emiliana Simon-Thomas exudes the compassion, collaboration, and happiness research that she spreads all over the world.

Having led the world's largest Massively Open Online Course (MOOC) on the Science of Happiness, with over 800,000 participants worldwide, Emiliana is well-versed in what can help companies and organizations grow well-being and pro-social behaviors in the workplace. The future of work is pro-social, and it turns out that organizations that understand this achieve better results, more profits, or more impact.

Emiliana can provide fascinating and life-changing keynote presentations at your next leadership summit or company retreat. She is focused on reducing suffering and increasing joy to shape our future of work so that the place where we spend most of our waking life becomes a helluva lot more fulfilling. Emiliana also advises on structural changes to improve well-being in some of the biggest and most innovative companies on the planet, including Facebook and other big tech companies.

DB Bedford, also known as "The EI Guy," is a remarkable Emotional Intelligence (EI) Performance Coach who specializes in facilitating training workshops and leadership coaching. DB is set apart from his contemporaries by his unique blend of empirical knowledge and real-life experiences attained growing up in the ever-challenging streets of Oakland, California.

DB's ability to practice Emotional Intelligence transformed him from being an ex-felon to becoming gainfully employed by the same probation department where he was once incarcerated. After 17 years of service, he decided to change careers and become a full-time entrepreneur. There comes a time in life when you must realize that most, if not all, of your poor decisions or lack of judgment come from being in your feelings and not knowing how to manage your reactions. The leading solution to taking your power back is mastering the skill of Emotional Intelligence.

One of DB's groundbreaking literary contributions to the Emotional Intelligence field is the comprehensive EI Interactive Playbook. This trailblazing interactive playbook, coupled with DB's dynamic coaching and training techniques, transforms the dynamics and environments of the workplace, school, home and community by engaging people in interactive exercises and thought-provoking discussions encompassing the diversity of personality styles and the art of communication.

Throughout DB's career, he has successfully coached and trained professionals in a diverse range of sectors including healthcare, law enforcement, education, technology, and non-profit organizations. His expertise extends across both the private and public sectors which makes him a versatile and in demand expert in the field.

Fun facts: DB enjoys playing poker, day trading stocks, reading and traveling while enjoying the company of his wife and children.

Deep down, you know there is no limit to how great you can be as a leader. There are times when you feel depleted, and others where you feel at your best. As an executive coach with over 30, yes 30 years of experience, Brenda Goodwin brings out the best in the executives she coaches.

Originally trained as a scientist, but then finding her calling, Brenda has helped dozens of executives wade through the noise, find clarity, and take action in ways that help them and their teams achieve results, and do so while increasing their sense of fulfillment.

Words fail when describing her coaching style, but it's kind, and subtle, and deceptively effective. One minute you may ask yourself, "Is this working?" and the next you find that you've made big gains, you feel more aligned in your leadership, you shift your view of the situation and you see results with your team.

Drawing from brain-based neuro-leadership, the enneagram, and gold-standard coaching methodologies, Brenda helps leaders from myriad industries chart a path forward and take action. Brenda can be your thought partner.

Trudie Mitschang brings clear thinking and clear communication to all of her engagements.

Having served in communication and change roles across many different industries, Trudie helps organizations with change efforts of every size. Whether it be helping companies transform their culture or helping senior executives communicate with purpose and clarity, Trudie's wisdom always shines through.

She has helped organizations as varied as Visa, VMware, and UCSF with manager enablement, employee engagement, and change management. In all of these engagements, what shines through is Trudie's ability to listen deeply, wade through the noise to find what's most important, and to embark on a course of action that helps people and the organization succeed.

Beyond all these skills, Trudie also brings a keen lens on DEI issues and solutions that help organizations build a culture of equity and inclusion.

Crystal Fulwood is passionate about co-creating healthy workplaces. With over a decade of experience in workplace wellbeing, she has a strong background in change management, communications, strategic planning, employee experience, wellbeing, mental health, and trauma-informed practices. In her role she supports clients in crafting organizational strategies, leading culture transformation, up-leveling leadership skills with corporate training, and driving corporate DEI efforts.

Crystal is also a top-rated Mental Health First Aid Instructor and National Mental Health First Aid Train-the-Trainer, where she leads mental health at work training for senior-level teams with several Fortune 500 companies and nonprofits across various industries, and trains and prepares community instructors across the country.

Crystal holds a B.A. in Sociology from Lehman CUNY and various certifications, including Mental Health First Aid, restorative practices, and trauma-informed care.

Debra Samuel, affectionately known as Deb, is an Industrial and Organizational Psychology practitioner with over a decade of versatile leadership experience. Her fervor lies in partnering with leaders and those on the leadership journey to cultivate workplaces that enrich our quality of life and facilitate the realization of human potential. Debra is deeply committed to helping leaders grasp the intersectionality of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in the context of combating burnout.

Debra's unwavering passion for DEI is the cornerstone of her career. She brings a purpose-driven, empathetic, and dedicated approach to every endeavor, infusing sensitivity and levity into the most meaningful conversations.

With a substantial background working with both external clients and internal stakeholders, Debra has guided the creation of organizations and cultures where people and business flourish in harmony. Her expertise extends to the application of positive organizational psychology principles to counteract workplace burnout, a subject she has exhaustively researched and applied with the clients she's served. Additionally, she holds a deep-seated interest in assisting leaders and teams in cultivating environments that foster a profound sense of belonging, equity, and empowerment.

Debra is guided by the belief that our purpose is to share our potential with the world, serving others in the process. She thrives on continuous learning, growth, and collaboration with like-minded individuals who share her vision. Throughout her career, she has successfully managed and delivered intricate and high-value projects spanning various domains, from talent development and change management to human resources and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

Rahul Khatod is an executive coach and leadership facilitator who partners with senior leaders and teams to build cultures of collective ownership. He helps leaders move from being the constant problem-solver to building teams that take shared responsibility for outcomes.

Rahul is known for creating space for honest dialogue while maintaining a strong focus on results. Drawing on more than two decades of cross-sector experience across Fortune 100 companies, professional services, startups, nonprofits, and the public sector, he supports leaders in making the internal shifts that enable sustained organizational performance. His work spans 1-on-1 executive coaching, leadership team facilitation, and multi-session offsites designed to strengthen trust, clarify roles, and embed accountability.

His approach integrates practical tools with behavioral insight. Rahul frequently works with frameworks such as the Leadership Circle Profile, the Enneagram (IEQ9), and creative vs reactive leadership models to help leaders recognize the patterns shaping their impact. He is also the creator of The Ownership Paradigm™, a leadership approach centered on aligning individual accountability with shared outcomes.

Rahul has coached and facilitated leaders across scientific, commercial, legal, finance, and technology functions, including work with Genentech and other Bay Area organizations. In his earlier career, he worked in business strategy, product management, digital transformation, and brand marketing at a global scale, integrating Lean Startup and Design Thinking methodologies. He holds an MBA from the Haas School of Business and an MS in Industrial Engineering from UC Berkeley, and is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) through the International Coaching Federation (ICF).

Outside of client work, Rahul mentors early-stage founders on resilience and self-leadership, and spends time with his wife and two daughters exploring new places and practicing meditation and yoga.

Sarah Lightfoot, M.A., partners with leaders of business, government, and social enterprise to elevate organizational performance. She specializes in strategic planning, team development and training, and nonprofit board of director governance design.

Her design, facilitation and coaching approach combines participatory values with nonprofit expertise. She first trained in collaborative strategies and values as a community and tenant organizer in Washington State and California.

Her executive experience includes a five-year tenure as founding Development Director at KIPP Bay Area Schools. As Development Director with Reading Partners, she helped to design strategy and business systems as the organization scaled nationally after a $7M Social Innovation Fund award, while coaching regional executive directors and board members to exceed fundraising goals. As Associate Director of Prospera, she co-led a process to create a new core program and brand.

Since 2016, Sarah has brought her organization development expertise to diverse clients, including Richmond Main Street Initiative, San Francisco Zen Center, Prospera Cooperatives, National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network, Innovate Public Schools, STAND! For Families Free of Violence, Child Abuse Prevention Council of Contra Costa County, Asylum Access, SF Department of Public Health, Community Well, The Big Lift, and TransFaith.

Trent Wakenight is an IAF Certified Professional Facilitator. He blends traditional facilitation with proven visual methods to engage audiences to reach desired outcomes. He has been doing this work since 2002.

His work as a graphic recorder at meetings around the world captures themes, key messages, and the content of presentations and discussions in real time on poster paper to give a lasting artifact of what took place. He also produces hand-drawn videos to help communicate concepts. What he enjoys most is helping groups find solutions in more efficient and memorable ways, and is based in San Francisco, CA.