Nicole Bedera, Ph.D. is a sociologist and author of the book On the Wrong Side: How Universities Protect Perpetrators and Betray Survivors of Sexual Violence. She has studied campus sexual violence for over a decade, focused on why institutions tasked with protecting survivors more commonly betray them instead. Nicole puts her research into practice as an Affiliated Educator with the Center for Institutional Courage and as a co-founder of Beyond Compliance Consulting.

Jackie

Steven Pedersen, MPH is a problem-solver, people-builder, and relentless optimist who is drawn to systemic problems — the kind that matter most and resist easy answers. He works across disciplines to find innovative solutions, weaving together insights from public health, organizational design, human-centered thinking, and leadership development into approaches that are as practical as they are imaginative. Optimistic by nature and hopeful by practice, Steve believes the most powerful driver of change is people — and he has spent his career building teams, processes, and organizations where people genuinely thrive. Drawing on his own experience as a cancer survivor, he also coaches individuals and families navigating cancer — helping them find joy, meaning, and agency in the life they are living now. He is co-founder of the Ponopono Peace Initiative and BravingU.

Naomi Pedersen is a peacebuilder, facilitator, and curriculum designer whose work sits at the intersection of personal transformation and systemic change. She has spent over a decade developing trauma-informed, courage-based frameworks that help individuals and communities move from harm toward healing. Naomi puts her research and practice into action as co-founder of the Ponopono Peace Initiative, a nonprofit dedicated to building peace at every level of human experience, and BravingU, a leadership development organization focused on helping people grow into leaders who shape individuals, relationships, communities, and systems toward flourishing. She is completing a Master's degree in Coaching and Positive Psychology.

Noor