Dr. Linda Johnston
Dr. Linda M. Johnston is the Executive Director of the Siegel Institute for Leadership, Ethics, and Character and an Associate Professor of Conflict Management at Kennesaw State University in Atlanta, Georgia. Her research interests include racial and ethnic conflict, ethics, bullying, sports-related violence, health-related conflict, narrative and discourse theory, and world view theory. She is a trained mediator, negotiator, ombuds, and facilitator. She works both domestically and internationally. She has received a grant from the Southern Poverty Law Center to do workshops on Teaching Tolerance. She has had a Fellowship to begin a dialogue between Egyptians and Americans. She has also done conflict resolution work in Ukraine, Republic of Georgia, Barbados, Nigeria, Egypt, and in the U.S. Dr. Johnston is the President of the International Peace Research Association Foundation, is on the Board of Hands Along the Nile, and adjuncts for the UN School of Peace in Costa Rica.
Leigh Ann Rodgers
Leigh Ann Rodgers, Founder and Principal of Creative Business Development, LLC is a Facilitator, Coach, and Trainer specializing in team building, needs assessments, and management training. Leigh Ann has been facilitating training workshops for nearly 20 years, working with clients ranging from the government sector to small business owners to large corporations. She offers a wide array of programs and services including business coaching, team building, DISC assessment training, instructional design, conference hosting, and strategic direction.
Leigh Ann’s approach to facilitating is energetic and interactive. She creates a safe, personal, and relaxed environment in which all participants get involved, are challenged, and contribute to the success of the group. Leigh Ann is both collaborative and flexible, working to meet the unique needs and expectations of each client.
Prior to founding Creative Business Development, LLC, Leigh Ann was a Human Resources Training Officer and Manager for SunTrust Bank, during which time she consulted with managers, facilitated team building and training sessions, and performed needs analyses for a variety of business functions. One of her proudest accomplishments was designing and delivering a successful management training program for the company’s managers and supervisors. This highly sought after three-month program included a series of eight courses designed to train employees in the fundamentals of managing. Leigh Ann was responsible for the instructional design as well as actual training of the various modules for the program, which had a tremendous impact on the company.
Leigh Ann’s corporate background, combined with her adventures as a business owner, gives her a rich platform from which to pull when working with business leaders. In addition to owning her own business, Leigh Ann is a Core Consultant for Leadership Strategies, a nationwide leader in facilitation services. She has also served as a Career Management Consultant with Right Management, a talent and career management company. She has consulted and facilitated for organizations including Chick-fil-A, Center for Disease Control (CDC), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Transcend, SunTrust, Kellogg, College of Rheumatology, Georgia Leadership Institute for School Improvement (GLISI), Mississippi Power, and The Weather Channel.
Leigh Ann earned her Master’s degree in Education from the University of Georgia, and currently serves as the Vice President of Programming for the Southeast Association of Facilitators where she received the President’s Award for her service to the organization. She is also a member of the International Association of Facilitators and the Georgia Coach Association. She is an authorized distributor and facilitator for Team Coaching International Diagnostic.
Click here for more information about the SAEF Conference.
Click here for more information about America Speaks as referenced in the podcast.
