True Storytelling Institute®
Trainers
Karin Strzeletz Ivertsen

With academic experience from top business schools (including CBS in Copenhagen and McGill in Montreal) AND my industrial working experience (including telecommunication & healthcare) I am able to put my theoretical and empirical knowledge into use in various social contexts. As a lecturer in organization and innovation studies I am dedicated to creating an experiential and natural learning atmosphere. One of the places you find me teaching is at the Kaospilots in Bern.
Barbara Sullivan

Barbara Sullivan is Treasurer and Founding Senior Partner Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Group, LLC. Her clients are in the private and public sectors and include small and large employers. Her diverse experience is called upon to design strategy and implement programs in areas of supplier development, organizational planning; employee relations initiates; performance management systems; and staff development. She has designed and delivered staff development programs for C suite leadership and line staff. Ms. Sullivan has served as a Director on the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce Board , the Downtown Long Beach Associates Board; the Long Beach Transit System Board, where she served as Chairman. She is former Vice Chairperson of the Black Business Association of Los Angeles’ Board; and served as a Commissioner on the Long Beach Economic Development Commission.
Anne-Marie Hall

Anne-Marie Hall is an expert within international marketing and branding in the Healthcare Industry (Medical Device, HealthTech and Consumer Healthcare). She works as a consultant and executive coach within storytelling, marketing and branding – guiding companies (ranging from start-ups to midsize and global companies) telling their story to targeted stakeholders. She has more than 25 years of experience from strategic marketing positions and has worked at Cook Medical, GSK and Novartis and founded in 2017 Amazing Hall Healthcare Accelerator. Anne-Marie is based in Copenhagen, Denmark but works internationally.
Ken Long

Ken Long is a proud father of 3 great kids, retired Army lieutenant colonel (infantry, ordnance, force management). Associate Professor at the US Army Command and General Staff College; Doctor of Management in Organizational Development from Colorado Tech University; Adjunct Professor at Colorado Tech in the doctoral program for Org Development. Adjunct Professor City University, Seattle in the MBA program
Oscar Edwards

Oscar Edwards is a founding member of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Group, LLC. He serves as the President and managing member. He has proven executive experience
specializing in strategic planning, finance, succession/exit planing, organizational development and change management in various industries. He has led major organizational change initiatives associated with media properties, infrastructure and energy-efficiency firms. He is a leader in diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives that integrate and contribute significant intellectual capital to organizational performance. Oscar Edwards is a Managing Member : • California Association of Nonprofits (CAN) • Institute of Management Accountants (IMA)• International Council of Small Business (ICSB) • Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) • United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE).
Ben Wesson

A professional and successful leader with a focus on delivering high quality person-centred services.
Extensive experience in complaints management, information and data protection legislation and delivering change programmes.
I am passionate about motivating others to succeed. I ensure that skills, support and enablers to be the best they can be.
Ernest Dillihay

Proven experience in theater operations, cultural facilities management, and administration, along with expertise in theatre, dance, music, festival, special events, and video production. He is an award-winning cable television and theater producer. He thrives on the creative and innovative program and product development related to utilizing arts infrastructure as a tool for community economic development. As Performing Arts Director for the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs Ernest created the first-ever citywide marketing and promotions program for the arts, The Arts Card, and presented national and international programs such as the California State, County, and City August Wilson Day Celebration, the 6th World’s Shakespeare Congress and the California Pavilion at Midem in the Festival de Palais in Cannes, France. His work with the Inner City Cultural Center, the nation’s first multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, and multi-racial performing and visual arts institution the nation, the California State Department of Corrections Arts-in-Corrections Program, the Department of Cultural Affairs in Los Angeles California, and the National Endowment for the Arts in Washington, DC has informed his work in federal, state, county and municipal governments, as well as in the private sector.
Duncan Pelly

Utilizes perspectives from a humanities, social sciences, and management background to enhance interests in business management, operational strategy and entrepreneurship. Works hand-in-hand with practitioners to provide more holistic perspectives and is one of less than a dozen autoethnographers in the field of management worldwide, resulting in cutting-edge and boundary defining management strategies. Applies experience to bridge praxis and theory in business ethics, resulting in unrivaled pedagogical success. Incorporates lean six sigma expertise to develop corporate strategy, optimize operational efficiencies, and maximize corporate profit potential. Excellent communicator with exceptional leadership and diplomacy skills, and strong organizational and implementation skills. Multilingual with fluency in English, French, German, and Russian.
Rico L Smith Sr

Rico Smith Sr. is a retired Assistant City Manager and previous to that a Fire Chief with 37 yrs. of municipal government public service experience. Currently he is a founding member of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Group, LLC. He serves as the Vice President and is a Member Senior Partner. He has proven local government experience, specializing in fire service public safety strategic emergency and non-emergency planning, change management, finance, succession/exit planning, organizational development, and the SWOT analysis process. He has led organizational change within the fire service and local municipal government. He is a leader in diversity, equity and inclusion that supports and compliments organizational growth and sustainability.