PROFESSIONAL PROFILE

Elise Collins Shields, Ph.D.

CommonWell Institute International, Inc.
An Institute for Research and Advocacy for Global Women, Children and Culture
Founder and Executive Director

and

CommonWell Associates Ltd.
Founder, President and CEO
A Consultancy on Leadership, Personal and Professional Development
International Issues and Cross Cultural Communication
including topics of leadership training, corporate facilitation, workshops,
executive and personal coaching

4228 N. Placita de Sandra
Tucson, Arizona 85718
(520) 577-5221
(520) 577-5264 fax

www.commonwell.org

EDUCATION

• Ph.D. Cultural Mythology with emphasis in Depth Psychology
  Pacifica Graduate Institute, Santa Barbara, Ca.
  
• M.A. Cultural Mythology/Depth Psychology
  Pacifica Graduate Institute, Santa Barbara, Ca.
  
• M.A. Counseling Psychology
  Pacifica Graduate Institute, Santa Barbara, Ca.
  
• B.A. Psychology
  University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Co.

Clinical Certifications

• Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) -- All Levels
• Thought Field Therapy/Emotional Release (TFT) - All Levels
• Therapeutic Dream Tending/Aizenstat Method - All Levels

RECENT/CURRENT PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

CommonWell Institute International, Inc.

A Non Governmental Organization with emphasis on ensuring the well being of all global citizens; Special emphasis on creating, designing and implementing programs that support the physical, economic, educational and emotional well being of women, and children in the Middle East, Asia, Africa - and Arizona! Mission includes conducting scholarly research on women's roles as leaders in the 21st century global environment.

&

CommonWell Associates, Ltd.

Integrating organizational development and clinical background with extensive cross cultural understanding to prepare international organizations for the sustainable leadership skills, entrepreneurial sustenance, and human capacity requirements for both current and emerging global environment

Cross Cultural Training and Consulting - Specializing in the Middle East and Asia
Customized to the needs of the client/organization, depth of cultural
understanding integrates respect and knowledge of both individual and collective to create cross cultural understanding and productive interaction

Ongoing Executive Renewal and Executive Consulting Practice including facilitation, private consultation, retreats, and monthly gatherings of professional women - "Return to The Well: Feeding the Thirsty Solitude of the Soul" Offerings continue based on need and are customized to the client culture

Thunderbird International School of Management --Developing Afghanistan's Women Entrepreneurs "Artemis" Project On-site mentor for visiting professional women during entrepreneurial training, professional coaching, and off site development visits including ongoing internet dialogue for an extended two year period. Facilitating equipment and training supplies for extension of entrepreneurial ventures on the ground in several provinces of Afghanistan

Co-Direct, "ReGreening Afghanistan"
Responsible for U.S. marketing, fundraising, strategic executive direction for the U.S. support of on the ground economic sustainability of women and children including literacy training and revitalization of gardens in Afghanistan. On Site Project Director: Dr. Sultana Parvanta, Kabul, Afghanistan

Zayed University, United Arab Emirates
(former) Project Design/Project Manager, Annual Leadership Institute for Arab Women Students
Responsible for designing, creating and delivering leadership curriculum for fourth year Arab women students in intensive leadership retreat, identifying and developing personal and community leadership skills and strategies, including strategic planning for business and professional ventures following graduation. Utilize theoretical platforms of Greenleaf, Csikszentmihalyi, Wheatley, and other leading business and leadership theorists to augment classroom didactics.

Zayed University "Athena" Mentoring Project
(former) Project Design/Project Manager
Author of a cross cultural co-mentoring dialogue connecting fourth year honor students with high achieving business, entrepreneurial and professional women in the U.S. and Canada. Responsible for curriculum design and implementation, communication and evaluation phases. Students engage with women from their field of study for practical implementation exchange throughout the academic year and beyond. Approximately 320 students and mentors have participated through 2004

Designer and Director, "Global Women's Initiative for Peace"
Creating "Conversations of Consequence" between business and professional women in the Middle East and in U.S. and Canada utilizing the internet, with intended impact on the use of dialogue between women as a tool for sharing of best professional practices, initiating resources for conflict resolution and peace

Designer and Director, "Global Youth Leadership Initiative"
Utilizing the internet for guided conversations between university students in the Middle East and the U.S. on 21st Century Sustainable Leadership models and supporting dialogue, with cross cultural understanding as tools for collaborative global citizenship.

Numerous Client Trainings including strategic planning for entrepreneurial ventures, comprehensive on-going business plans, team coordination and communication, resiliency efforts and future visioning

Client listing available upon request

SELECTED RECENT KEYNOTES, PRESENTATIONS AND TOPICS

• 7th Global Leadership Forum, University of Bahcesehir, Istanbul, Turkey
  Topic: "Desert Voices: Women's Leadership Initiative and Economic contributions in the Arab world, specifically featuring the United Arab Emirates"

• "Full Engagement" Conference, Geneva Switzerland; Tempo International (invited)
  Topic: "Co-Mentoring between Women as an Act of Leadership and Advancement"

• 7th Woibex Women in Business Conference, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
  (invited) Topic: "Successful Leadership Roles and Practices for Middle East Women"

• 5th Annual Conference on Women, University of Havana, Cuba
  Topic: "Gender, Equity and Human Development in the Arab World"

• 5th Annual Tempo International Conference, Washington, D.C.
  Topic: "Women, Economics and International Security"

• University of Arizona Women's Leadership Initiative, Tucson, Arizona
  (multiple invitations and topics)

• Southwest Women in Public Service/Politics, New Orleans, Louisiana
  (invited) Topic: Leadership World Café

• Facilitator: "World Youth Peace Forum" for H.H. Dalai Lama's Kalachakra
  for World Peace, Bloomington, Indiana

• Leadership Texas Alumni Association, Dallas, Texas
  (invited) Topic: "Women's World Café"
  

PUBLICATION HIGHLIGHTS

• Collins Shields, E. "Desert Voices: Contemporary Arab Women Defining Leadership in the 21st Century" in Leadership and Democratic Governance, University Press: Istanbul, Turkey, to be published Fall 2005

• Collins Shields, E. "Crude, Cotton, and Killin" in Politics and Religion issue:
  Mississippi Review, University of Southern Mississippi, Fall 2004

• Collins Shields, E. "Sexes, Gods, and Southern Christians"
  Santa Barbara, Ca: Pacifica Press, 1999

• Collins Shields, E. "From the Blade to the Chalice: Modern Women's Search for Feminine Roots"

• Santa Barbara, Ca: Pacifica Press, 1995

In Process/Research and Public Proposals

The Mary's: Contemporary Effects of Dogma on Today's Economy
Sexes, Gods, and Southern Christians: A Study in Fundamentalism and its Effects on Women and Children
Desert Voices: Women Entrepreneurs in Afghanistan Speak Out
(interview stage)

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

- World Association of Non Governmental Organizations (WANGO)
- National Council of Women's Organizations (NCWO)
- Middle East Studies Association (MESA)
- International Federation of Executive Coaches (ICF)
- American Association of University Women (AAUW)
- National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO)
- American Society of Training Directors (ASTD)
- Tempo International, Inc.
- Americans for U. N. Family Planning (UNFPA) - Arizona Friends
- Southern Arizona U.N. Association
- Feminist Majority Council
- National/Arizona Women's Political Caucus

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Vice President, International, Zapphire Corporate Solutions
Executive Placement specializing in women's placement in high level positions\Executive Coaching, personal strategic planning and cross cultural training (contract with CommonWell Associates Ltd.

Founder/President/CEO, The Shields Corporation and RELOCATION NETWORK, Inc.
Founded in 1986, grew real estate brokerage firm with 70 employees/agents and annual sales in excess of $ 180 million, with the highest production per agent in So. Colorado. Profitably sold in 1996.

Relocation Network coordinated large group moves including 4,200 employees of MCI, 1,700 employees of Apple Corporation, and other clients including Oracle, Hewlett Packard, Digital Corporation, as well as others

Business and Investment Manager - Ken Johns Enterprises
Responsible for active line management for numerous business enterprises, ncluding a series of automobile dealerships, franchises, entrepreneurial ventures, real estate properties; managed, acquired and liquidated active and passive investments

Business and Investment Manager - Grant Brumlow Associates, Ltd.
Responsible for daily monitoring and financial/investment management of numerous enterprises including oil drilling enterprise, life insurance company, two banks, quarter horse breeding and racing facility, and numerous real estate investments and joint ventures.

Summarized: 32 years of successful entrepreneurial, business and financial management experience, while maintaining extensive community leadership involvement.

International/Civic Involvement

• Boards of Directors/ ? Board of Directors - Quantum Leaps, Inc.
  Leadership Positions In partnership with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development - Middle East/North Africa (MENA) Region; fostering the development of women entrepreneurs in developing and reconstruction areas

• Board of Trustees - Center for the Study of Depth Psychology/Mythology, Pacifica Graduate Institute, Santa Barbara, California
  
  Tempo International, Inc. Chair of Committee to acquire UN consultative status - www.tempointernational.org

• Advisory Capacity - Datamatix International Women's Day "Women
  in Business" conference March 2006; Dubai, United Arab Emirates

• Aurora Foundation - Economic and Leadership Projects for Disadvantaged and Disabled Women and Girls - www.planetaurora.org

• Student's in Free Enterprise, University of Arizona, Business Advisory Board
  

• Southern Arizona Center Against Sexual Assault - Board Chair and Chair of $ 1,600,000 Capital Campaign - successfully completed

• Magellan Circle of Leadership , Center for Middle Eastern Studies, University of Arizona

• 2004 China-US Conference on Women's Issues and Leadership steering committee
  

• 2005 Geneva "Conversations of Consequence" Conference steering committee
  

• Women's Foundation of Southern Arizona Public Policy Task Force
  Arizona Special Task Force on Women's Economic Issues

  Honors and Awards

• Honorary Chair, Newborn Hope - honored by 1900 attendees
  for continued service to non-profit organizations

• "ATHENA Award" - Business Woman of the Year

• "Woman of Spirit and Note" - one of five women honored at the
  Women's Life Festival of Colorado

• Named one of "50 Most Influential Women" in Southern Colorado