Gabriela Melano, Ed.D., Principal
Nationally and internationally, Gabriela Melano over twenty years of professional experience in the fields of Education and Social Development. Trained as an Educational Psychologist and with extensive experience in community development, Dr. Melano as been serving as an organizational development consultant since 1996. She provides several types of services supporting collective decision making processes—including mediation, group facilitation, systemic planning, participatory action research, intercultural communication and team work. An avid systemic thinker, she is also fully proficient in English and Spanish and is a graphic recorder. Although most of her clients are from non-profit and public sectors, she is increasingly becoming more involved and interested in projects that build bridges between different market sectors, including small businesses and the corporate worlds.
Dr. Melano holds a Master’s Degree in International Education from Harvard University (1991) and a Doctorate in Organizational Development vis-à-vis Intercultural Matters from the University of San Francisco (2003).
Résumé
EDUCATION:
University of San Francisco, School of Education, 2003
Doctor in Education: Major in Organizational Development, and Minor in Intercultural Studies
Dissertation topic: Intercultural communication between Caucasian Unitedstatesians and Salvadorians: Implications for team development dynamics in the not-for-profit workplace.
Harvard University, Graduate School of Education, 1991
Master’s in International Education.
Universidad del CAECE, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1987
Bachelor’s Degree in Educational Psychology, with a concentration in Educational and Organizational Guidance.
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY:
Independent Organizational and Community Development Consultant, San Francisco Bay Area
1996 to the Present
Specializing in strategic planning, collaborative decision making, qualitative and participatory research processes, intercultural communication, conflict management, community outreach and diversity matters. Clients include:
- Engage Her, Organizational Development Director of a nation-wide Multicultural Women Initiative dedicated to increasing leadership opportunities for women of all cultural heritages.
- Building Healthy Communities, Facilitator of a neighborhood-driven collaborative funded by The California Endownment.
- Putnam Community Investment, Qualitative Researcher, Group Facilitator
- America Speaks. Area Facilitator and Assistant Producer in Twenty-first Century Town Meetings.
- Oakland Adult and Career Education; Lead Strategic Planning Consultant, lead a series of participatory working sessions involving staff, clients and community partners.
- California State University, Stanislaus, Research Associate, involved in community-focused and participatory evaluation processes in Stanislaus County.
- The National Community Development Institute; Kaiser Permanente; International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI), El Concilio, Latino Issues Forum, Consultant, offering services as group facilitator, graphics recorder , and trainer. Involved in a variety of community building and organizational development endeavors.
- The Grove Consultants International; Associate, offering consulting services to non-profit organizations in graphic facilitation.
- Institute of Labor and Mental Health, Oakland; Mediator, serving as conflict resolution and organizational development consultant.
- Turner Construction Company; Consultant, outreach to Latino community to ensure equitable distribution of subcontracts in the Oakland Airport Extension Project.
- Partners For Public Health; Consultant, facilitating strategic dialogues and conflict resolution processes for multi-agency collaboratives involved in public health and environmental matters.
- Mission Cultural Center; The Ritter Center; Interfaith Gospel Choir; Healthy House; Consultant, facilitating collaborative planning processes and Board development.
- University of California, San Francisco; Researcher, facilitating a series of focus groups regarding diversity matters among students of the Bio-medical School.
- Binational Center for the Development of Oaxacan Indigenous Communities, Rural Community Assistance Corporation, Local SEIU 790, Center for Collaborative Planning; Consultant, facilitated organizational retreats & provided group graphics services.
- John F. Kennedy University; Adjunct Professor, teaching “Conflict Resolution from Cross-cultural Perspectives” at the Graduate School of Professional Psychology.
- Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Manuscript Reviewer.
Clients in Central America: (1996- 1999)
The Central American Institute for Business Administrators (affiliated to Harvard Business School), Central America.
Workshop Leader. Developed and delivered workshops to business and union leaders on conflict management matters in the workplace.
The University for Peace, Costa Rica.
Lead Trainer. Created and implemented a training program in conflict resolution for Latin American environmental leaders.
The Arias Foundation for Peace, Central America.
Conflict Resolution Consultant and Facilitator. Developed and implemented a strategy to create a forum for civilian and military leaders to discuss and develop new roles for the armed forces of Central America.
The Salvadorian Business Administrators and Union Leaders Foundation, El Salvador.
Conflict Resolution Trainer. Designed and carried out a training program for workplace mediators.
National Commission on Improvement of the Administration of Justice, Costa Rica.
Conflict Resolution Consultant. Designed and taught workshops in alternative conflict resolution for social service providers as well as inmates and prison personnel.
1995- Supreme Court of Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
Educational Advisor and Trainer. Created and delivered training program for one hundred family mediators. Played a key logistical role in the development of a national mediation awareness program. Developed all educational materials, trained mediation trainers, and lectured to the Costa Rican Bar Association and Children’s Welfare Organization on alternative dispute resolution.
1992- 1994 Youth For Service, San Francisco, CA
Executive Director
Directed an alternative educational program serving disadvantaged youth. Organization provided vocational training in skills such as automobile and computer repair. Managed a culturally diverse staff and an annual budget of $250,000.
1990- 1992 Sommerville Public Schools, Boston, MA
Spanish Bilingual Teacher
Developed and implemented bilingual curriculum. Incorporated cross-cultural conflict resolution into the core curriculum of elementary school classes. Served as liaison between the Latino parents and the administration.
MEMBERSHIP ASSOCIATIONS
1999- 2004 Witness For Peace, Washington, Board Member.
1997- 2004 Mission Housing Development Corporation, San Francisco, Board Member
1993- 1994 Commission on National Service, San Francisco, Commissioner, appointed by
Honorable Carole Migden
Additional Training in Alternative Conflict Resolution and Other Related Issues:
2008 Process Work: Advanced Training for Group Facilitators, Arnold and Amy Mindell, Yachats, OR
2001 Professional Development for Consultants, National Community Development Institute,
Oakland, CA
2000 Non-violent Communication, Marshall Rosemberg’s Consulting, United States of America
2000 Beyond Diversity, Pacific Educational Group, San Francisco, CA
2000 Facilitative Leadership, Interaction Associates, San Francisco, CA
1999 Organizational Strategic Visioning, The Grove Consulting International, San Francisco, CA
1999 Fundamentals in Group Graphics, The Grove Consulting International, San Francisco, CA
1998 Group Facilitation, Community at Work, San Francisco, CA
1997 Theory and Tools of the Harvard Negotiation Project, Harvard Negotiation Project, Cambridge, MA
1997 International Peace Building, Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, VA
1994 Conflict Resolution (Community and School Mediation), San Francisco Community Boards.
Local and international references available upon request
