National Network of ToP Trainers

Certified ToP Facilitator (CTF), Assessor, and Mentor Trainer — Madison, WI

Mentor Trainer - Austin, TX

John D. Baker is the founder of Core Factors, an independent consulting firm that focuses on critical economic, workforce, education and social issues that affect the resiliency and economic vitality of communities and regions. John has provided organizational consulting for over 35 years primarily with government and the nonprofit sectors. His work has entailed a large spectrum of workforce and economic development agencies, community colleges, mayors’ and governors’ offices, enabling them to respond to changing needs within volatile environments. His international consulting clients include the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the UK Commission on Employment and Skills. Throughout his career, John has worked on a variety of initiatives involving regional economic development, career technical education, workforce diversity, reemployment strategies for laid off workers, youth employment schemes, welfare to work programs, coordinated community transportation, immigrant integration into the local workforce, as well as unique programs serving individuals with disabilities. John is a member of the International Association of Facilitators. He holds a Master’s Degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor of Arts from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.

Qualified Trainer - Sioux Falls, SD

John Beranek is an experienced facilitator, executive coach, and strategist with 30 years of expertise in leadership development, strategic planning, and professional growth. As the founder of Intersections Consulting, he specializes in hosting leadership and professional development cohorts that foster collaboration, engagement, and results. Trained in Integrity Selling, John brings a people-centered approach to communication, sales, and leadership. His work in strategy and systems change goes beyond consulting—he builds trust, motivates action, and equips clients with the tools to create lasting impact. ToP methods are foundational to his approach, ensuring every session leads to clear, actionable outcomes.

To schedule a conversation with John, www.intersections.group , email john@johnspeak.org or call 605-310-3226. 

Certified ToP Facilitator (CTF) and Mentor Trainer - Lincoln City, OR

Judy Weddle teaches both introductory and advanced facilitation courses; and she serves as part of a team of assessors of those desiring ToP certification. 
 Judy’s skill as a Mentor Trainer is grounded in her 30 years of practical experience as a professional facilitator, where she worked in public participation, international rural development as well as organizational development and strategic planning.

As a facilitator Judy creates a safe environment for individuals to share differences and to find common ground. As a trainer she seeks to demonstrate that facilitation skills are accessible and can be applied by those open to learning them. She has worked in the health, education, government, and non-profit sectors. Additionally, she has worked with foundations, international non-government groups and in public participation projects. 

Judy is a partner in Facilitation Services Chicago with Dennis Jennings.

Certified ToP Facilitator (CTF) and Mentor Trainer - Minneapolis, MN

Ms. Hill-Donisch has over 25 years of training design development and execution, strategic planning, and facilitation experience. Karla is an Inspirational Training and Development Professional with a Master’s Degree in Human Development and a reputation for designing and delivering trainings that energize, educate and motivate participants to put learning into action for the benefit of the organization. Karla is known for her ability to work interactively with clients to understand training needs, make accurate appraisals and design useful and effective programs. She has a reputation for creating safe, open and fun environments that serve as catalysts for experimentation and change.

Mentor Trainer - Asheville, NC

As President of Vital Clarity, Kathleen Osta designs and facilitates highly participatory meetings to help organizations fulfill their potential and purpose. She has mastery of consensus facilitation methods that articulate the alignment within groups, and trains leaders in their use. She specializes in corporate, nonprofit and personal strategic planning, public sector facilitative leadership training, and nonprofits through mergers. Her professional career began in the human services arena. Since 1989 her work has focused on leading groups to set and achieve measurable outcomes by eliciting commitment to jointly-developed team plans. Equipped to work within many professional arenas, Kathleen has depth of experience in the social services, health care, public sector, education, private sector industries, and early childhood programs. She is also certified to conduct the “Managing Change” program developed by ChangeWorks Global. Kathleen has a B.A. in Sociology from Nazareth College of Rochester, NY and more than 30 years of management and consulting experience. She designs meetings that entice individuals and groups to move beyond their previous limits.

Certified ToP Facilitator (CTF) and Mentor Trainer - Omaha, NE

Kim Howe is the founding principal at CoCreative Labs.  She brings over 15 years’ experience supporting strategic planning, innovation, community engagement, and multi-stakeholder collaboration in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.  Her clients range from multi-million dollar global firms, state and municipal governments, universities, and national non-profits to neighborhood associations, youth groups, faith communities, and small business startups.  She is skilled in a range of tools, models, and methods for merging inclusive participation with holistic organizational and community change.

Certified ToP Facilitator (CTF) and Mentor Trainer - Minneapolis, MN

Laura Johansson is an independent consultant based in the Twin Cities, specializing in organization development, training, coaching, and participatory facilitation. She began her training in Technology of Participation methods in 1996.  Laura integrates ToP facilitation methods into her work in community development and organization development. Since 2011, she has been working as an independent organization development consultant with clients from the private, nonprofit, and public sector. She has over twenty-five years experience in organization change work both domestically and internationally and continues to work internationally with US AID projects. Previously, she served as an executive director with two nonprofit organizations in Minneapolis and has served on the statewide Minnesota Council of Nonprofits. Laura has been a US Peace Corps trainer, is fluent in Spanish, and has trained ToP courses in Spanish both in Chile and in the US. She has enjoyed training the ToP Facilitation Methods, ToP Strategic Planning, Approaches to Environmental Scanning, Facilitation Graphics, and ToP year-long Mastery course. She has a master of science in organization development (MSOD) from American University. Ms. Johansson enjoys building clients’ capacity to generate strategic and creative, asset-based solutions.

Certified ToP Facilitator (CTF) and Qualified Trainer - Homestead, FL

Laurie Dougherty is a mentor and trainer who enables people to lead effective meetings, actionable plans and strategies in government and nonprofit associations. Through online and in person training and intensive support, she shares proven tools such as Technology of Participation (ToP) Facilitation Methods as well as best practices in conducting meetings. Building on her 26 years of experience as a nonprofit executive, she helps organizations craft strategies and design online learning and tools using current technologies such as AdobeConnect, Articulate 360 and Blackboard.

Certified ToP Facilitator (CTF) and Mentor Trainer - East Lansing, MI

Lindsay is an experienced meeting facilitator with over a decade of experienced working with multidisciplinary groups, assisting them with goal setting/action planning, and creating an engaging environment that allows for consensus building. She has worked with professionals from both the public and private sector to help them work towards gaining common vision and achieve their goals. Lindsay is known for working with challenging groups to conduct needs assessments, system’s analysis and work together to co-create actionable recommendations for improvement. Lindsay is also an experienced public speaker and trainer, presenting at national conferences on a variety of topics relating overall system change and how to engage with communities. Lindsay is a graduate of Michigan State University with both her bachelors and masters in Social Work. She is licensed by the State of Michigan in both clinical and macro level social work.