About difference matters
My background
Alison Cummings, Principal, Diversity Coach and Trainer
difference matters
I had my first "job" at 8 (OK I was dipping ice cream bars in the back of the shop while my older sister had the real job out front). So I've spent a lot of years building skills, increasing my self-awareness, and making some sense of the world, all its complexities, and how we as people interact. Until recently, I was always an employee. Now I am the employer, and and I have hired myself!
I graduated from university with a degree in Latin and Greek (ancient), and like many amazing arts graduates, whimsy was my career coach - I have sold Belgian chocolates, worked the accounts payable desk, and the squash club counter, and honed my barista skills on a darned busy espresso bar. For the past 20+ years, I have worked in post-secondary education. About half way through this last phase, I became hooked on intercultural interactions, and returned to my abandoned MA thesis - I finally had something to say! It turns out we can actually use modern intercultural theory (Milton Bennett's Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity, or DMIS, more specifically) to measure the intercultural competence of 5th century BCE Athenians, to a degree. I quite happily earned my MA 25 years to the term after starting it.
I am passionate about diversity, culture, communication, leadership, and learning. I am a wife, sister, aunt/great aunt, pets' human, friend and so much more. Want to know about the more? Be in touch.
My philosophy
We are all part of the diversity, wherever we land, whether for a short time, a long time, or something in between. If we want to get the most out of this life, we owe it to ourselves to be aware of our own diversity and learn to work effectively with that of others.
My services
I am energized most when I am helping folks learn, first about themselves, then about others. Visit my pages on training and coaching to see how I can help you and/or your group start learning.