Below is a list of incredible organizations. All of these organizations are doing important work on the planet. I encourage you to check them out!

Challenge Day (http://www.challengeday.org)
This is one of the most incredible organizations around!  I am a proud member of the Challenge Day Board of Directors.  Challenge Day delivers transformational programs for middle school and high school students across the country. Their main program, Challenge Day, is a day-long program that allows students, teachers, parents, and others to “get real” with each other. Through this program, students make peace with themselves and each other. They get to express their emotions and support one another in a beautiful way. Challenge Day has created a worldwide initiative called the BE the CHANGE movement. Inspired by Gandhi’s famous quote, “We must be the change we wish to see in the world,” Challenge Day is committed to empowering people to “be the change” they want to see in their lives, families, schools, and communities. Michelle and I have been involved with Challenge Day for the past 7 years as volunteers and contractors and we gratefully donate money to the organization each year.

The Peace Alliance (http://www.thepeacealliance.org)
The Peace Alliance is a non-profit organization originally founded by spiritual teacher and author Marianne Williamson. I am also a proud member of the Board of Directors of the Peace Alliance.  The Peace Alliance is an organization focused on creating a culture of peace here in America and around the world.  And, the Peace Alliance is the guiding force behind a grassroots political campaign to create a cabinet level U.S. Department of Peace. Over the past 10 years the Peace Alliance (which was originally called the Global Renaissance or GRA) has focused on peace and on empowering people to bring spirituality and political activism together to create a sense of “conscious citizenship.” The Peace Alliance and the Peace Alliance Foundation were formed to take both polical action and education around peace to a new level.  Michelle and I have been actively involved in this organization for the past 5 years.

Landmark Education (http://www.landmarkeducation.com)
This incredible organization delivers transformational, personal development seminars all over the world. Their foundational course, a three-day workshop called the Landmark Forum, impacted my life as much as anything I have ever done. The Forum and all of Landmark’s courses are amazing. They offer courses on a variety of topics. Michelle and I met in a leadership-training program at Landmark. I am so grateful for the training I have received from Landmark and the personal transformations that have taken place in my life as a result of the workshops I have taken. I use the tools I have learned from my work at Landmark Education every day in my life and in my work!

The Coaches Training Institute (http://www.thecoaches.com)
CTI is one of the top coaching training schools in the world. I did my coaching training through CTI and I loved it. Based here in the Bay Area (San Rafael, CA), CTI offers its courses all over the US and throughout the world. Their model of coaching and of training is one that is very interactive, personal, experiential, and fun. I highly recommend CTI to anyone looking to get trained as a professional coach.

The National Speakers Association (http://www.nsaspeaker.org)
I have been a member of NSA since 2001. It is an organization made up of over 4000 professional speakers around the world. The focus of NSA is to give professional speakers an opportunity to learn, teach, network, and support one another. I have gotten so much from being a member of NSA. Not only have I learned an enormous about the business of professional speaking, I have met some incredibly talented, generous, and fun people. The members of NSA and the organization in general are so helpful and incredibly generous with their offers of support and guidance. I am member of both the national association and our local chapter here in Northern California (http://www.nsanc.org). I love being a member of NSA!

The Pachamama Alliance (http://www.pachamama.org)
This organization is incredible. The Pachamama Alliance’s mission is to preserve the Earth's tropical rainforests by empowering the indigenous people who are its natural custodians and to contribute to the creation of a new global vision of equity and sustainability for all. They do incredible work in the rainforests of Ecuador. Their founders, Bill and Lynne Twist, are two of the most amazing people on the planet.

Speaking Circles International (http://www.speakingcircles.com)
Founded by speaker, author, and coach Lee Glickstein, Speaking Circles International is an organization that supports, empowers, and trains people to be “authentic” public speakers. There are Speaking Circle groups all over the world. Based upon Lee’s work, the Speaking Circle process is simple, fun, and very powerful. In a small group setting (6 to 12 people), you are given an opportunity to get up and speak to the group, from your heart. There is no agenda, no topic outline, and no “structure” to your talk or this process, it is all about being real and being yourself. Through this Speaking Circle process, I was able to find my true voice and the confidence I needed to get out there and start my speaking business.

Dr. Clue (http://www.drclue.com)
Dr. Clue is a teambuilding, treasure hunt company based here in San Francisco. CA. Founded and operated by Dave Blum, Dr. Clue works with top organizations across the country, helping groups solve the puzzles of teamwork in a fun and educational way. Dr. Clue has created interactive, teambuilding treasure hunts in cities around America (San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Las Vegas, Orlando, New Orleans, and many others). The programs are designed to be fun and to teach people important aspects of team dynamics that allow them to be more successful, individually and collectively. I have been a Dr. Clue facilitator for the past few years. From time to time, Dave Blum will hire me to facilitate a Dr. Clue treasure hunt. The programs are always exciting and very rewarding for the groups with whom we work. It is fun, creative, and engaging way to teach people powerful, teambuilding principles.

The Center for Nonviolent Communication (http://www.cnvc.org)
This organization was founded by and is based upon the work of Dr. Marshall Rosenberg. Dr. Rosenberg created the Nonviolent Communication (NVC) process over 30 years ago and he has been training people all over the world since then. The Center for Nonviolent Communication is a global organization helping people connect compassionately with themselves and one another through Nonviolent Communication. The NVC work is incredible and this organization does amazing and essential work around the globe.

The Arete Center for Excellence (http://www.aretecenter.com)
The Arete Center is an organization that delivers amazing transformational workshops. Their main course is a weekend retreat called the Arete Experience. It is incredible and it had a deep impact on my life. Co-founded by Jerry Candelaria, the Arete Center for Excellence is committed to empowering people to express their true essence and to experience a deep level of connection and community with others. Jerry, me, and two other members of the Arete Center, Kathryn Williams and Brian Mendelsohn, have joined forces and created the Arete Consulting Group (ACG). ACG brings the work of the Arete Center into organizations.

The Positive Coaching Alliance (http://www.positivecoach.org)
PCA is a national organization that is focused on changing the culture of youth sports in America. Founded by Jim Thompson at Stanford University, PCA works with parents, coaches, and youth sports organizations across the country teaching adults how to coach and support their young athletes in a positive way. The work of PCA is so important and it is spreading across the country rapidly. As someone who has been involved with youth sports most of my life, I am so excited to see Jim and PCA doing what they are doing. PCA has the support and endorsement of amazing people like Phil Jackson, Nadia Comenici, Ronnie Lott, and many others.

Youth for Environmental Sanity - YES (http://www.yesworld.org)
YES is an incredible organization founded in 1990 by Ryan Eliason and Ocean Robbins, the son of best-selling author John Robbins (author of Diet for a New America). YES! connects, inspires and empowers young changemakers to join forces for a thriving, just and sustainable way of life for all. When the organization was founded, Ryan and Ocean will in their teens. Today YES! is directed by Ocean and his wife Michele Robbins who serve as Director and President respectively. They do amazing work with youth leaders all over the world.