Mara is a certified Organization and Relationship Systems Coach (ORSCC)
Core Work
- Leadership and Team development
- Conscious and Intentional Relationships for Business Partners, Colleagues and Couples
- Couples Lab (Workshop in English and Norwegian)
- Creating shared vision for teams, departments and organizations
Background
Mara has a background as an educator and school administrator. She has a Master of Arts in Classical Language, Art and Archeology and taught classical studies at the high school level for 13 years. She was the head of the foreign language department at the high school level for 7 years and second in command of the evening division of an art college for 2 years.
She also has a degree in painting and sculpture from the Art Institute of Boston and studied at the Norwegian Academy of Art. She has exhibited, taken prizes and sold her work in the U.S. and Norway.
After coming to Norway in 1983, she completed a three-year training program in Expressive Art Therapy in Sweden (associated with Leslie College, Boston). This includes training in using painting, improvisational theatre, dance, music and writing for personal growth.
Mara ran open workshops in personal growth and painting for private individuals from 1983 – 1987. In 1987 she began seminars and training for organizations and businesses which she continues today.
She has a leadership certificate in Creative Problem Solving from the Creative Problem Solving Institute of Buffalo, N.Y. as well as advanced training in dialogue at the Action Design Institute with Chris Argyris in Boston, MA.
In 1995 she received a Norwegian yearly OD prize in recognition for her work with Creating Shared Visions for Norwegian companies.
Lectures (excerpts)
“Using The World Café for creative solutions.” Creativity Conference, Norwood University, Michigan, US, 2002
“Using Art Principles to Achieve your Goals.” Open Conference for Professional Growth, 2000.
“Creativity in Project Management.” Keynote Speaker, IBM Users Conference, 2000.
“Creating Energy, Enthusiasm and Engagement in Data Projects.” Yearly Conference for IBM Users, 1998.
“Maintaining Motivation in Systems Projects.” The Norwegian Information Technology Association. 1997
“Teamwork and Creativity.” Keynote Speaker, 100 Anniversary, SKULD Insurance Company, 1997.
“Freeing-up Creativity in Groups.” The Personnel Forum Yearly Conference, 1996.
“Managing the Cultural Environment of Projects for Better Results” 12th World Congress on Project Management. 1994.
“Dialog and Drawing: Creating Shared Meaning through Visual Expression.” The Fifth European Conference on Creativity and Innovation. Holland, 1995
“Quality Breakthroughs” Introductory Warm-up for The Third European Conference on Creativity and Innovation. Holland, 1991.
Publications
“Kompetanseutvikling gjennom teambygging in Norsk Hydro.” Magma: Tidsskrift for økonomi og ledelse. Årgang 5 Nr. 4 – 2002
“Verdenskafeen- aktiv involvering gjennom meningsfulle konversasjoner.” Forandring som praksis:_ Læring og utvikling i organisasjoner. Morten Levin og Roger Klev. Fagborkforlaget. 2002.
“The Power of “And”: Fostering Creative Teams at Hydro Aluminum.” The Systems Thinker. April 2002.
