Alumni Stories

Shannon Hart traces a 30-year journey from writing procedural binders to designing human-centered learning and facilitation experiences. After discovering accelerated learning, playful simulations, and the power of “the container,” she moved from teaching content to helping teams collaborate, decide, and connect—often virtually across time zones using tools like Mural, SessionLab, and ChatGPT. Voltage Control’s Facilitation Certification (Foundations and Master) became the jolt that helped her name her craft as “bridging structure and heart,” build a portfolio and website, strengthen boundaries, and bring ritual, equity, and courage into every room she leads.

Joe Randel never planned to become a facilitator—he was already doing the work, he just didn’t have the word for it. In this alumni story, Joe traces a winding career across arts, education, philanthropy, and music (especially jazz improvisation) to show how listening, shaping space, and helping people think together became his throughline. Discover how Voltage Control’s Facilitation Certification gave him language, frameworks, and tools to design more intentional sessions, trust the “groan zone,” and step into facilitation as a craft and professional identity.

From middle-school tower challenges to large-scale light installations and systems-change workshops, Voltage Control alum Chris Lunney shares how facilitation became the bridge between art, strategy, and collective action. He traces his path through product design, experiential art, and innovation consulting to founding Togethering, a facilitation practice that helps teams sense, decide, and act together. Discover how Voltage Control’s Facilitation Certification and Master Certification helped him turn lifelong curiosity into a grounded craft for guiding groups through ambiguity, conflict, and change.

Tech leader Brian Buck shares how he shifted from being “the smartest person in the room” to designing rooms that are smart together. In this Voltage Control Facilitation Certification alumni story, he explains how bridging tech and business, embracing professional facilitation, and learning to trust the room helped him lead enterprise-level transformation, build psychological safety, and amplify others—especially in an AI-enabled world.

Nonprofit strategy consultant Robin Neidorf shares how the chaos of early Zoom meetings pushed her to fully embrace facilitation as her craft and calling. Discover how finding Liberating Structures, attending Voltage Control’s Facilitation Lab, and completing both the Facilitation Certification and Master Certification programs transformed her practice—from 80% presenter to 80% participant engagement. Robin now designs purpose-driven, human-centered meetings that help nonprofits, foundations, and communities tackle intractable problems, build genuine connection, and unlock their collective wisdom.

From stage lights to safe spaces, facilitator and storyteller Rabilyn Abalo shares how growing up in a tight-knit Filipino community, working at Philz Coffee, and navigating ambiguity at Strava shaped her facilitation superpower. In this personal reflection, she traces her journey from shy emcee to confident leader, and how Voltage Control’s Facilitation Certification, diversity scholarship, and tools like 1-2-4-All and portfolio projects helped her build psychological safety, inclusion, and shared ownership. Discover how embracing beginner’s mind, cultural roots, and community-centered leadership can transform meetings, empower teams, and turn everyday moments into spaces of belonging.

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.

From stage to seminar, Christy Rotman shares how a career in professional dance evolved into purposeful facilitation and academic coaching at UVA. Mentoring interns, graduate study in counseling, and years supporting first-year students led her to Voltage Control’s Facilitation Certification, where a diverse cohort and tools grounded in purpose (inspired by Priya Parker) transformed her practice. Today she designs engaging workshops on growth mindset and the science of learning, leads accountability groups, and coaches one-on-one—confidently calling herself a facilitator who builds community, clarity, and student success.

Alum Nina Mancina traces a facilitation journey from “guerrilla dialogue” in LA free clinics to equity-centered Liberatory Design in schools. Drawing on grant writing, cross-cultural listening, and community storytelling, she builds trust with parents, educators, and youth—then turns insights into strategic, inclusive agendas. After joining Voltage Control’s Facilitation Lab and Certification, Nina sharpened her practice with Magical Meetings, SessionLab, and futures thinking. Today she guides districts through equity design, alternative education, and student-centered workshops—proving real change starts with listening, structure, and courageous care.

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.