Have you ever been to a meeting that was efficient, productive, and fun? How can facilitation better serve your organization, business, or community and revitalize your group process?  Our trainings help all group members learn good meeting skills, and we help aspiring facilitators develop skills that lead groups to better results while deepening their sense of purpose and connection.

2021-2023: Maria and Joe designed a Zoom-based version of the two-year training in Integrative Facilitation with Laird Schaub. The training takes place virtually and engages with host communities all over the United States. Students can attend a training weekend at any time during the course. For more information and registration for this and other upcoming trainings, contact Laird Schaub, laird@ic.org

2019-2021: Maria is the Co-Teacher for the upcoming two-year training in Integrative Facilitation with Laird Schaub.   The training takes place at host communities in North Carolina starting in December of 2019.  Students can attend a training weekend at any time during the course.  For more information and registration, contact Laird Schaub, laird@ic.org

photo by Silvia Pini

photo by Silvia Pini

Maria and Joe Cole work as facilitators, trainers, and consultants with non-profit organizations, consensus-based groups, and intentional communities.

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Training Topics

  • Making Better Meetings

  • Cooperation and Consensus

  • Facilitator Roles and Responsibilities

  • Planning and Prepping for a meeting

  • Working a Complex topic

  • Facilitator’s Toolbox: Managing the Meeting

  • Working with Emotional Energy and Conflict

  • Addressing Power, Rank, and Privilege

  • Evaluations: Working with Feedback

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Maria Pini was raised in Argentina, and immigrated to the United States in 1994. For the last 15 years she has worked as an interpreter in LA and NC, where she’s currently the head court interpreter for her District.  Maria was a member of Blue Heron Farm community in Pittsboro NC from 2003-2013.  She was the community’s main facilitator for several years, leading the group into a phase of deep healing and learning about how skilled and conscious facilitation can make a profound difference in the strength of groups. Maria completed the two-year training in Integrative Facilitation with Laird Schaub in 2010, and she is the Co-Teacher for the upcoming two-year Integrative Facilitation training program in North Carolina from 2019-2021

Joe Cole was one of the original residents of Pacifica Cohousing Community, and was a Lead Facilitator there for several years.  At Pacifica he crafted policies and practices to improve decision-making and develop a stronger culture of consensus.  Joe completed the two-year training in Integrative Facilitation with Laird Schaub and Mayana Ludwig, and has also trained in World Work/Process Work with Arnold and Amy Mindell.  He has a Certificate in Design for Sustainability from GAIA Education. Joe has a Ph.D. in Philosophy, and is an Academic Professional Assistant Professor in the Peace and Conflict Studies Department at UNC-Greensboro.

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Site photography by Joe Cole