Ilana Shapiro has a doctorate in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia and a doctorate in Social Psychology from Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. Her practice and research interests focus on ethnic conflict and intergroup relations as well as the role of civil society in social change and conflict transformation. She has conducted research on best practices and lessons learned from racial and ethnic conflict interventions in the U.S., Central and Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. She has also helped design and implement numerous programs in conflict assessment and resolution for youth, community leaders, and NGOs. Dr. Shapiro has taught graduate courses in conflict resolution at Johns Hopkins University's School for Advanced International Studies, George Mason University, University of Hawaii, and Charles University, Czech Republic. She recently authored a publication entitled, “Training for Racial Equity and Inclusion”, and has published several articles in Negotiation Journal and the Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science.

Dr. Shapiro's recent projects with ACT have included: conflict assessment and program design for Roma-Bulgarian relations in Bulgaria; advanced training-of-trainers for Israeli school counselors in intergroup mediation; training-of-trainers in community violence prevention and intervention in Central and Eastern Europe; research and publications about programs for racial equity and inclusion in U.S. communities; advanced dialogue facilitation trainings for graduate students in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area; curricula development for Georgia-Abkhazia youth development programs and Walsh Visa Irish training and cultural programs; and research and development of resource manuals on Human Rights and Ethnic Conflict, Refugee Resettlement, and Violence Prevention. Prior to her work with ACT, Dr. Shapiro worked with Partners for Democratic Change for six years as a regional coordinator for Central and Eastern Europe. Dr. Shapiro currently directs programs at ACT's Pacific office. Articles Written Training for Racial Equity and Inclusion: A Guide to Selected Programs (2002) published by the Aspen Institute. In this publication Dr. Ilana Shapiro conducted an in-depth review and comparison of ten training programs that are striving to improve race relations in the United States. Available for purchase or free download at the Aspen Institute Website.

Email Ilana at ishapiro(at)conflicttransformation.org