SHARON KNISS Facilitating Change and Transformation
Sharon (she/her/hers) is committed to building healthy and resilient communities of action and healing. Creatively using traditional processes of dialogue, mediation, participant-centered learning, restorative justice, and strategic planning, Sharon works to facilitate opportunities for healthier systems and relationships promoting strategic growth and effectively transforming conflict.
Sharon has worked since 2006 with organizations, leaders, and religious groups in situations of transition and conflict. In addition to offering tailored process design and facilitation, Sharon also offers training for leaders and organizations in healthy group processes including dialogue, mediation, and facilitation. Sharon has spent significant time in diverse international and local contexts, embraces an anti-oppression framework, and welcomes opportunities to work with groups regardless of cultural and economic identifiers.
A sample of her past work includes:
Strategic planning for non-profit organizations
Supporting congregations through systemic change and healing in high-conflict and post-conflict
Convening and supporting statewide coalitions for mediation and restorative justice
Training and implementation leadership for K-12 restorative justice in education at school, district, and state levels
Facilitating dialogues on race and justice concerns
Conflict coaching and facilitation of interpersonal and group conflicts
Organizational retreat leadership and teambuilding workshops
College professor and public speaker
Course design for trainings and classes on peace studies, conflict resolution, restorative justice, organizational conflict, facilitation and more
Sharon’s educational background includes a terminal practitioners degree (MA) in International Peace Studies (Kroc Institute; University of Notre Dame) and BA in Justice, Peace, and Conflict Studies (Eastern Mennonite University). She has additionally received training in restorative justice processes, anti-racism, community development, and non-profit management. Sharon is a member of the Cooperative by Design consulting group and is based in the Washington DC metro area.
