Sometimes an opportunity presents itself to stand back and take a look at what we are doing and how well we are managing. Such a situation arose when our prison District # 11 Probation & Parole unit was invited to participate with the Department of Medical Assistance (DMAS) on a Support Act Planning Grant. The grant is designed to support DMAS’s work to increase substance use disorder (SUD) provider capacity in the State of Virginia and assist the efforts of the Virginia Depa

South Africa (SA) is a developing country with a population of 55.7 million, an unemployment rate of 34.4%, a poverty rate of 55.5% and a Gini index (a measure of income inequality) of 63 (100 = maximum inequality). The SA Government views socio-economic development (SED) as a key driver to address these dire social imbalances. As a result, SED is a key component of government initiatives. Communities often see it as a panacea to poverty and addressing immediate needs, includ

Hosted by Linda Ellinor and Nancy Dixon of the US Academy of Professional Dialogue.

Victoria J. Marsick is Professor of Adult Learning & Leadership at Columbia University, Teachers College where she directs academic programs in Adult Learning and Leadership. Before joining Teachers College, Victoria worked extensively in Asia and other countries with not-for-profit organizations, and directed staff development and training at UNICEF. While at Columbia, Victoria has worked with organizations to design, develop and implement informal learning and leadership in

Tom O’Connor brings an enviable and varied history to the practice of dialogue. He has degrees in law, philosophy, theology and counseling. He spent nine years as a wondering monk, a friar within the Catholic religious order of the Carmelites. He led of team of 24 chaplains and over 2,000 volunteers who co-created a model of humanistic, spiritual and religious prison chaplaincy within the Oregon Department of Corrections that reduced recidivism. All of this broad experience h