Tessa is an interculturalist and Diversity and Inclusion strategist with a proven track record of facilitating inclusion as a culture-change process to build a connected culture: leading, engaging, and working together in the community for the common good.

As the Founder and President of the Intercultural Relations Institute and the National Thought Leadership Conference and a previous Assistant Superintendent of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and civil rights Title IX Coordinator, she has demonstrated and championed collaborative approaches to achieving positive societal impact.

Tessa is an organizational development (OD) professional with experience designing and delivering customized, actionable strategies for individual, administrative, and organizational strategic initiatives. Tessa leverages her unique blend of systems-change process, entrepreneurial innovation, leadership development, and intercultural relations to bridge the gap between business, education, and community sectors, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing across diverse groups.

Certified as a speaker, coach, inclusive practices expert, and interculturalist, Tessa integrates various methodologies to enact and build the capacity to lead effectively across dimensions of difference. She holds a Master of Science degree in education from Indiana University, a Master of Arts degree in Intercultural Relations from the University of the Pacific, in collaboration with the Intercultural Communications Institute, and a Ph.D. in educational leadership from Indiana State University. Tessa actively contributes to the community as a member of the Sister Cities Association Board and the International Leadership Association.

Tessa's guiding principles, "Increase your capacity to be effective with everyone" and "Do not pledge allegiance to the clique," underscore her dedication to fostering inclusive environments. Her favorite quote by Edward T. Hall encapsulates her belief in the transformative power of cultural understanding and perspective.

"Culture hides more than it reveals, especially from its participants. The real challenge is not to understand foreign culture but to understand one's own, to make what we take for granted stand out in perspective. This can be achieved mainly through exposing oneself to foreign ways, through the shock of contrast and difference." ~ Edward T. Hall (1959).

Learn more about the Intercultural Relations Institute: https://icrinstitute.org