Steven Theobald loves exploring culture through international travel and experiences with diverse cultures within the US. His purpose is to serve as a bridge between cultures, be it through intercultural training, diversity work, or adventure travel excursions. He believes in creating awareness of self and other in order to facilitate alliances between members of different cultural and racial groups.
Steve works as an intercultural and diversity trainer, serving a variety of clients, including corporate, academic, non-profit, and healthcare. He has conducted intercultural expatriate trainings as well as training international expatriates who have relocated to the Minneapolis area. His more recent work has focused on creating safe spaces for exploration and discussion of privilege and creation of alliances between Caucasians and people of color. “It is my belief that to achieve change we need to facilitate honest and open discussions regarding bias in order to engage white people as full diversity partners.”
Steve is an M.A. graduate of the Comparative International Development Education program at the University of Minnesota. His graduate work centered on the subjects of intercultural communication and international exchange, focusing specifically on training design and facilitation. It culminated with an intercultural training program he designed and facilitated for a University of Minnesota adventure travel excursion also led by him.
He is a member of the Twin Cities Chapter of the American Society for Training and Development, holding the position of Chair for the Intercultural Communication Special Interest Group. He is also a member of the SIETAR-USA, the Society for International Education Training and Research, and twice presented at their national conference in October 2001.
Steve has conducted and led several outdoor experiential learning excursions, including an adventure travel trip to Belize. His experience also includes multiple years as an intern for the Summer Institute for Intercultural Communication near Portland, OR, assisting faculty in workshops concerning diversity, cross-cultural conflict resolution, training design, identity, and leadership.
Finally, he has significant extended travel experience in over 35 countries in Europe, Asia, and Central America including ESL work in Turkey and various employment positions in Austria and Greece.
Email Steve: steve@oneummahconsulting.com
