Noelle Pourrat’s journey from international affairs and conflict resolution to collaborative leadership through facilitation. Raised in a multicultural community and trained at Sciences Po & Columbia, Noelle honed bridge-building at Carnegie Corporation before discovering facilitation’s power. A 2020 misstep sparked a focus on presence over tools; Voltage Control’s certification, Practice Playgrounds, and community unlocked breakthroughs like the Diamond of Participation. She’s since led high-impact retreats, rolled out Crucial Conversations, and launched Facilitation Lab NYC—applying facilitation to strengthen teams, civic dialogue, and culture.

Alum Kristi James shares how her lifelong love of bringing people together evolved into a career in catalytic facilitation, now shaping global impact at the World Health Organization. From early days leading school events to marketing innovation at DHL and immersive brand experiences, Kristi discovered the power of storytelling and intentional design to spark engagement. Her journey deepened through Voltage Control’s Facilitation Certification, where she mastered Liberating Structures like 1-2-4-All and applied them to transform WHO workshops. Today, Kristi uses facilitation to move teams from passive meetings to active collaboration, proving that a well-placed “why” can turn any gathering into meaningful change.