About US!
Kristin Shannon - PSI Communications Chairman

Kristin Shannon chairs PSI Communications in Paris and San Francisco. An author, speaker, political and strategic planning consultant, she is expert in collaborative intelligence, cross-cultural communications and personal development. While most of her work is devoted to leading corporate and NGO consulting, she accepts some individual clients. For PSI, she designs and directs workshops and trainings.


"The mind is what the brain does, so why not become good friends with your brain? Neuroscience tells us that humor is the best path!"


In this era of turbulent social and political change, Kristin emphasizes consensus-building tools: “We need to make friends not only with our own brains, and respect that other brains work differently. The goal is to build bridges.” PSI trains people to build those bridges quickly and effectively in our trademark 7-minute interview.

With a background in economics and cognitive neuroscience, Kristin consults on both policy content and communications strategies, and advises on political campaigns, including the Obama campaign. She's engaged in a global research project on how we make decisions, writing a new book on EQ -- Emotional intelligence.  
 
Kristin directed two national research institutes (Washington D.C. & Montreal, Canada) providing economic forecasting and policy options for NGOs, foundations, banks, energy, media, telecommunications companies, and governments, including the Canadian Prime Minister’s office and the White House.

In addition to consulting with the US Federal Reserve, Federal and Provincial Ministers of Finance, Education, Health, The World Bank, etc., she has worked extensively with the private sector. Corporate clients include Roche, Alcan, AT&T, Bell Canada, Canyon Ranch, CBS, CBC, Public Broadcasting, Citicorp, Shell, TransCanada Pipelines, Imperial Oil, Safeway, Sears, IBM, Weyerhaeuser, General Foods, Royal Bank of Canada, SRI International, and Wellington Management, where she modeled and coached their top-ranked investment analysts.


Foundation and NGO consultancies include the Open Society Institute, EFG, EATG (HIV-AIDS), European Health Forum at Gastein, Ford, Rockefeller and Mott Foundations, Oxfam, The Aspen Institute, and the Lilly Endowment. She raised funds for social enterprise groups such as Delancy Street, and for wellness and biofeedback research at Langley Porter. She co-founded and developed $
20 million for Appropriate Technology International, an NGO dedicated to technology transfer and sustainable growth. She co-chaired a multi-community alliance to protect old growth forests and salmon spawning grounds.

Kristin grew up behind-the-scenes in film, with summers at Hollywood Professional School. A UCLA and Berkeley Regents scholar in pre-med and cognitive neuroscience, she also studied economics in Japan, in Japanese. She returned to Berkeley to update in neuroanatomy, facial recognition of emotion (Paul Ekman) and work with George Lakoff in psycholinguistics and metaphor.

A pioneer in profiling, she’s expert in segmenting populations and audiences to identify their needs and goals. She did groundbreaking studies in constituency/ stakeholder analysis and helped originate psychographics -- value based population segmentation studies.

In psychology, her background includes Jungian, Humanistic and Transpersonal, hypnosis and physiological psychology. Kristin trained directly with Alexander Lowen, Eric Berne, Stan Grof, Fritz Perls, and Moshe Feldenkrais. She also worked with Virginia Satir, on community building urban charrettes. Later, when NLP began to organize effective techniques from eclectic sources, she worked with Leslie Cameron Bandler, David Gordon, Tom Condon, Carol Erickson, Steve Gilligan, Time Line originator Tad James, Judith de Lozier, R. Bandler, Robert Dilts, Steve and Connierae Andreas. Kristin is member of the American Society of Training Directors (ASTD). Her focus is modeling and transferring excellence.

She co-authored the best-selling “Next Canadian Economy” and published in academic journals such as Princeton's Wilson Quarterly and the Journal of Technological Forecasting and Social Change. Her current book projects are “The New Biology of Genius,” which includes research on accelerated learning, brain plasticity and modeling, and EQ, Emotional Intelligence.  A lifelong meditator in several traditions, she is grateful to Green Gulch Zen Center and The Tibetan Center for Compassion and Wisdom (TCCW) founded by her teacher Arjia Rinpoche, former Abbot of Kumbum.

Other interests include improv comedy, art, aikido, memes, and dance. She divides her time between the San Francisco seaside, and the Ile St. Louis, an island in the heart of Paris.

 

 
Brian Parsons - PSI Communications Vice President

Brian is responsible for the PSI Communications publications, and the management of communications research projects. He brings to the circle three decades of experience as a senior policy analyst, author, speechwriter and editor. He has a rich background in private, public sector, community non-profits and NGOs; he works with communications strategies using multiple media platforms from print to e-learning systems.

Brian is expert in content analysis and forecasting cultural changes at the intersection of social, political, and economic trends. He has managed proprietary intelligence and forecasting services for governments and corporations.  His focus is on applying research to policy directions. He is committed to collaborative decision-making processes.

Brian has consulted on policy matters and communication strategies for political campaigns, and for federal and provincial governments. His government clients have included the Canadian Prime Minister’s Office, Privy Council, Cabinet ministers in Finance, Corporate and Consumer Affairs, Health, Justice, Environment and Education. He has also worked with Premiers offices in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec. He also served as Political attaché for the Québec Minister for Native Affairs.

His private sector clients have included media, energy, financial services,  health education, retail, transportation and telecommunications corporations such as CBC, Shell, Imperial Oil, Royal Bank of Canada, Imasco, CN, Bell Canada, Alcan; I.C. Axon, Spiegel Sohmer, Éditions du renouveau pédagogique inc., McGill University Centre for Teaching and Learning. Other NGO activities include: Canadian Parents for French–Québec, West Island Palliative Care Residence, and Québec Community Groups Network.

He served as Senior Editor managing publications and production teams for St. Remy Media. He has been a consultant in training program design and delivery, and training media development from publications to e-learning.

As Vice President for client services with Canadian Trend Report for nine years, Brian managed teams to gather intelligence and develop trend forecasting for private and public sector clients including three Canadian Prime Ministers.

He enjoys recognizing (and changing) patterns at both social and individual levels.
“At heart, content analysis is a wonderful way to analyze change patterns — then apply the  results to whole countries through new policies, or to individual people. What we call NLP tools are really content analysis applied at the personal level, to better understand our personal puzzles of perception. To this we add robust techniques for change drawn from multiple fields in psychology and systems theory.”

Whether it is at the personal or political level, the point is to gain perspective on how we can use our differences to grow better futures. Together.”

As an NLP master practitioner certified by Leslie Cameron-Bandler (who co-developed the original NLP training curriculum with David Gordon) his special interests include modelling excellence and transferring skills, and mentoring. He is currently writing a book on Memes and Metaphors, and how they influence personal and cultural choices.   

Brian graduated from McGill University with joint honors in Political Science and Economics; he is fluent in French and English. He is exploring organic gardening and duck metrics, as he lives by a lake outside of Montréal. He credits his family of three children for teaching him not only sensitive management skills but improving his resilience and sense of humor.

 

 
Antonio Meza - PSI Communications Director of Community Programs

 

Antonio Meza directs Community Programs for PSI Communications Paris. He organizes community outreach programs and workshops on advanced communications techniques. In these workshops, people from diverse cultures participate in a lively laboratory to test new tools as they create bridges in communications.


An artist, photographer, filmmaker, illustrator, and animator, he transforms complex ideas into friendly visuals for workshops, books and videos. As the media producer for PSI, he creates film, animated clips and interactive programs; stage directs conferences and presentations; coaches video feedback trainings; and designs publications.


Born in Mexico, he is fluent in Spanish, English, French, and Italian. He graduated in Communications Sciences from the Universidad de las Américas Puebla in Mexico. He worked in marketing research, advertising, branding, corporate image, film production, and scriptwriting. In 2004 he moved to Paris, receiving a Masters Degree in Cinema Studies from the Sorbonne.


As a filmmaker and producer, Antonio has won awards for his short-films. His professional photography work has been exhibited in Mexico, Brussels, and in Paris, at Musée Roy Asdak, and in invitational exhibitions for international artists.


He consults on communications issues and co-trains advanced workshops in cross cultural communications, creative thinking, collaboration and team building for private sector and NGO clients and business schools. He has worked with NGOs such as the European Aids Treatment Group (EATG), the European Health Forum Gastein, OXFAM, Open Society Institute, and The European HIV Funders Group.

 
Nina Wasilewska Bichot - PSI Communications Associate

Nina is a skilled facilitator, trainer and organizational development consultant working with multicultural teams in both the private sector and with NGOs. Her focus is on collaborative intelligence -- how to lead teams beyond cooperation, to innovation and shared leadership. "Leadership in a dynamic economy takes many forms -- we need to have flexible skills."
 
"What I love about modeling how people's FILTERS on reality differ, is how quickly they can be more effective for themselves, and with their colleagues. Using the PSI FILTERS system, we bypass the surface cultural differences and go straight to the heart of authentic connection. That’s when true collaboration takes off!"
 
A graduate of Yale Management School, with a Masters in Public and Private Management, she has consulted for global enterprises such as Kraft, Sanofi-Aventis, International Flavors & Fragrances, AXA, and for foundations including the Ford Foundation, and the Guggenheim Museum. She has lived in France since 2001, working on projects in Europe, the US and Asia.
 
Nina is a business consultant and trainer with PSI, and co-leads our Stage Flight classes on presentation skills, improvisation, creativity and humor. Trained in theater and dance, her background includes art, art history and literature.

"Whether its personal development or organizational or political change, we need to learn to tell one another NEW stories, not simply repeat yesterday's myths."
 
Balancing strong professional management skills with sensitivity to multicultural distinctions, Nina has a unique way of engaging people to widen and change their point of view, with the use of humor and story. Her clients say this:
 
"Our team was stuck -- we'd hit the wall. Nina came in with her special blend of professional standards and gentle humor -- and got us moving."
 
In her consulting and coaching work, Nina particularly enjoys accompanying her clients as they navigate through their organizations – simultaneously achieving both personal and professional goals.
 
Born in the United States, Nina lived and worked in Poland (1991-95) helping to develop the nascent non-profit sector. Well traveled, she is fluent in English, French and Polish. She lives in Paris with her family and children, Julia and James.

 
Steve James - PSI Communications Associate

Steve James is an Associate with PSI Communications. He co-trains our Paris Summer Institute NLP practitioner certification and co-delivers workshops and consults on projects. He is also working with Kristin Shannon on the development of new products and training tools for PSI.
 
Bilingual, Steve consults and conducts training in both English and French. Particular areas of interest include facilitating cross-cultural and virtual teams, motivational interventions and interpersonal communication.
 
With a unique background comprising communications, training, client management and a Masters in Work Psychology, Steve is able to blend rapid comprehension of issues, the rigor of scientific research and use of effective training techniques to meet client needs.
 
Prior to joining PSI, Steve worked in consulting, training & development. While a Senior Account Manager at one of the world’s leading communication consultancies he worked with a spectrum of Fortune 100 clients including IBM, Kraft, Motorola and with charities and NGOs such as WWF. He has also developed and delivered tailored professional training programs for senior executives at Société Générale, AGF, Natixis, SCOR and Chanel. As a coach he helped a bestselling French author to identify core objectives, action plans and future literary direction.
 
British by nationality, Steve has lived and worked in Paris since 2001. Passionate about cross-cultural relations and communication, he has also lived and worked in Australia and traveled extensively in South East Asia, Europe and Australasia.
 
Other interests include shiatsu massage, improvisational theatre and personal development.

 
Tamsin Rose - PSI Communications Associate in Brussels

 Tamsin Rose is a skilled facilitator of change, helping individuals and organizations to achieve their goals. She studied international relations, and has worked in Brussels, Paris and Moscow. Her experience includes communications policy, local government and civil society development. Tamsin specializes in public health, combining strategy and policy analysis with coaching and personal development skills.  


Tamsin is also the founder and director of Tamarack; a provider of high-quality, professional consulting services for a wide range of non-governmental, philanthropic and institutional organizations.

 
Art Giser - PSI Communications Associate in California

Art Giser joins PSI to provide workshops, individual consultations, and co-train in our certification programs.  With a degree in Biology from UC Santa Cruz and ten years of experience managing a research lab at University of California San Francisco, Art is thoughtful when creating techniques. His scientific background provides a disciplined approach to validating robust new tools for growth.

 

"I have had the privilege of knowing Art for more than 20 years. In all my interactions with him, I have found Art to be a man of integrity, intelligence, skill and heart. I am frequently called upon to make referrals for variety of coaching and consulting request and Art is always at the very top of my list. I wholeheartedly recommend him as a trainer, coach, consultant and practitioner. Whatever the situation is, Art will be able to help!"

Robert Dilts

 

 Art Giser is one of the early developers of NLP, working with Leslie Cameron Bandler to create Imperative Self Analysis – a process to quickly identify core values and goals. Art has an unusual range of skills and experience, ranging from sophisticated corporate training and team building, to sensitive individual coaching, with a special interest in wellness.

 

"Art has tremendous versatility. He can address the delicate personal and emotional terrain of human emotions and at the same time stay focused on achieving practical outcomes."

says Robert Dilts, who heads NLP University in Santa Cruz and co-author of the NLP Encyclopedia.

 

Art consulted with Proctor & Gamble, Genentech, Sony Entertainment, Intel, Glaxo SmithKline, Parke-Davis, Pfizer, Hoffman La Roche, Merrill Lynch, Hewlett Packard, Hitachi Data Systems, Motorola, JP Morgan (Bear-Sterns), GreenPages, and University of California.  Skilled at modeling, Art has created expert profiles for financial traders – in both decisions-making and their emotional states -- and coached them to more effective results.

Art enjoys coaching cross-cultural teams, and strengthening the effectiveness of collaborative groups in different countries. He helps teams use technologies to create better ways to solve problems. His project on how e-mail affects collaboration at a major computer chip manufacturer led to identifying a potential $40 million yearly savings for the company. He was part of a team that changed the company's approach to building billion-dollar chip fabrication plants. Art has coached key communicators and created effective telephone sales systems. He is well versed in the arts of persuasion and negotiation, and an inspiring trainer.

 

"Art is a superb and gifted trainer, one of the best. He combines warmth and humor with exceptional clarity, and is absolutely committed to his participants achieving their goals."
Leslie Cameron-Bandler, co-developer of Neuro- Linguistic Programming (NLP)



"The best decisions come from a blend of both IQ and EQ"- Art Giser

 

Wisdom means using rational strategies while taking advantage of the wider array of information that comes from all parts of the brain – including "emotional" systems. These systems provide rapid surges of insight, but without the understanding and skills to manage and decode these surges, it's possible to be overwhelmed or to miss valuable information.

Recent advances in neuroscience teach us that it’s not a question of “rational” versus "emotional,” but rather that a balance of both is required to make good choices. EQ includes not only the ability to understand how to link with others, but how to shape our own states of mind to fit the task at hand.                                                    

"Art & I met at the dynamic start of NLP, with Leslie Cameron-Bandler. Now that the field is opening to add new research -- it's a pleasure to work with him again. Art's arc of growth is amazing."   
  Kristin Shannon

 

 "By identifying effective states and knowing how to enter them, it’s possible to choose the right state for the task, whether it is a meditative, creative, or collaborative state." - Art Giser


Art and Kristin are scheduling programs on how to select and enter appropriate states, and to strengthen "EQ" for teams and individuals.

 
Penny Perry - PSI Communications Associate in London

Penny Perry is a skilled and compassionate coach who enables people to identify and strengthen their best abilities. With a background in both the arts and technical systems, Penny appreciates and works closely with people who have diverse personal and professional backgrounds. She lives in the UK with her husband and three children. Those who have worked with her say:
 
"Penny is excellent at removing blocks, and she really got me un-stuck-- and moving forward with new confidence" (Computer programmer)
 
"She is gifted -- she not only heard what I said, but she understood what I meant! My relationships have changed dramatically after working with her" (Accountant and working mother)
 
"I hesitated at first to discuss my personal issues with someone. I'd never tried coaching before. But Penny's amazing blend of compassion and practical tools got me moving again. I found a new job and purpose." (business career transition)
 
Penny Perry is certified as a modeler by PSI Communications, Paris. She has trained with Kristin Shannon and Art Giser.
 
"What I most value about learning to model how people perceive, is how quickly and easily they can change. Research shows that 70% of our issues come from the way we view the world - - if we change what we can see, we change our options immediately. Suddenly we have better choices and the path opens up in front of us. Science shows that changing a viewpoint or attitude generates physical changes in the body -- you LITERALLY can appreciate more options. And take more useful steps.
 
Penny knows how to invite you to OPEN up your frame of reference, look at the bigger picture, and then take practical steps. And she uses gentle humor to help you do this.
 
"It's a collaboration built on trust, and solid practical progress. When you call me, be sure to bring your sense of humor. I know that your issues are serious, but being TOO serious can block your access to solutions. Humour and confidence go hand and hand."
 

 
Martine Safars - PSI Communications Associate

Martine Safars is an Associate with PSI Communications. She is a professional and personal coach for individual and corporate clients. She coaches in French, English and Spanish.
 
After obtaining her degree as an engineer in Biology at the Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers (CNAM) in Paris, she conducted numerous research projects into the Biology of Aging. She worked at the Pasteur Institute, the French research centers CNRS and INSERM, and at the Weizmann Institute in Israel. She was then recruited by an international pharmaceutical company to manage their packaging computer design department. She was also responsible for the development and maintenance of relationships with the pharmaceutical authorities of a number of key countries.
 
Martine has always been passionately curious about psychology and insight into human functioning. She explored her "Freudian side" and decided to change career for coaching. She studied coaching at one of the leading coaching schools in Paris; International Mozaik, and psychology at the CNAM - the “grande école” she has always been faithful to. She graduated in NLP at PSI Paris Summer Institute, and is now a certified NLP Master Practitioner with a specialization in Modeling human behavior.  
 
Martine is an example of the French melting pot: Half Argentinean, half Belgian, she lived in the States when she was a child, and was raised in an international scientific environment. She loves social science, ping-pong, playing the guitar and singing American folksongs.

 

 

 
Matilda Taut - PSI Communications Associate
Matilda co-hosts our Stage Flight and Transition Tools programs
 
Matilda loves connecting people with their full warm potential as a coach, community leader, and job placement specialist. She can identify and encourage talents. Passionately curious about psychology, she is always seeking new insights into the ways people grow and connect. She studied communication and management at the Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers (CNAM) in Paris.
 
Her focus is on giving people practical skills for linking with one another in a warm, authentic and effective way. She is skilled in creating an environment where you can discover your next step forward. She particularly enjoys the challenge of helping people who are in transition.
 
She is a veteran go-between and community developer, working to create better community understandings. She and her family created a community-based association for promoting sustainable development in the environment. She has a special love of working with young children.
 
Part of our French cultural meld, Matilda was born in Serbia and moved at an early age to France for her education.  She graduated with a degree in Arts, majoring in English. She then worked for Disney as a supervisor in building their theme park for 6 years. When that part of the theme project was completed, she helped shape the outplacement program, enabling 900 people in transition to find new work. She enjoys counseling and encouraging people to have more satisfying their lives.
 
She loves laughing, spontaneous jokes, gardening and cooking. She makes the best apricot jam in all of Paris. She dances, works with children, and is an inventive and inspiring improv acting partner in Stage Flight, where she keeps us all laughing over her open eyed innocent play.