This week on Conflict Managed we welcome Andre W. Thornton. Together we explore:

Conflict Managed is available wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube @3pconflictrestoration

Andre W. Thornton is the founder and CEO of Whitman Consulting, one of the top ten leadership-development firms in the US, which helps organizations grow their people faster than their challenges.

A former engineering director at Lockheed Martin, Andre spent sixteen years leading teams on advanced aircraft programs and capturing over $1 billion in new business before discovering his true calling: developing leaders.

His book, Disrupted, introduces the two stabilizers and seven accelerators that turn chaos into growth—a framework drawn from neuroscience, engineering, and two decades of coaching experience.

Andre helps executives and teams raise their baseline, shorten recovery, and lead with clarity in times of change. He lives in Maryland with his wife, Myesha, and their two children.

Conflict Managed is produced by Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services and hosted by Merry Brown.

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This week on Conflict Managed we welcome Michelle Hamilton. Together we explore:

Conflict Managed is available wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube @ 3pconflictrestoration

After three decades leading major transformations, Michelle Hamilton started two AI companies to close that adoption gap. That work led her to AnswerRocket, an enterprise AI firm, who recruited her to build a new global division focused on practical AI adoption and change management. Michelle’s stance is clear: measurable business outcomes only happen when leadership bridges the gulf between innovation and everyday execution.

Conflict Managed is produced by Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services and hosted by Merry Brown.

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This week on Conflict Managed we welcome Artem Koren. Together we explore:

Conflict Managed is available wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube @ 3pconflictrestoration.

Artem Koren is the Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of Sembly AI, where he is building a new category of meeting intelligence and enablement technology for professional services teams. With a background spanning systems engineering, enterprise consulting, and product leadership, Artem combines deep technical expertise with a strong understanding of how organizations operate—transforming everyday business conversations into structured insights that drive revenue, delivery, and decision-making.

Sembly, which Artem co-founded in 2019, leverages advanced natural language understanding to turn meetings into a source of operational intelligence—powering sales enablement, improving client delivery workflows, and helping teams capture and act on critical business information at scale.

Artem is passionate about using AI to augment human potential, enabling teams to work smarter, collaborate more effectively, and unlock value hidden within their day-to-day interactions. His work sits at the intersection of AI, enterprise productivity, and the future of knowledge work—pushing beyond simple automation toward systems that actively support how organizations sell, deliver, and grow.

Conflict Managed is produced by Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services and hosted by Merry Brown.

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This week on Conflict Managed we welcome Masha Rusanov. Together we explore:

Identifying your default conflict pattern

The conflict is the enemy, not the people: uniting against the issue

Conflict Managed is available wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube @ 3pconflictrestoration

Masha Rusanov is a conflict resolution expert, coach, and creator of the Exhale-Explore-Engage method. Drawing on Internal Family Systems, somatic psychology, and conflict theory, she helps people break free from legacy patterns to live with integrity.

Masha’s new book, Repatterned: How to Transform Your Conflict Defaults and Reclaim Your Life, introduces a practical three-step framework for interrupting automatic conflict reactions and responding with clarity instead of conditioning. Blending neuroscience, psychology, and real-life stories, Repatterned shows readers how to pause, recognize learned patterns, and choose responses aligned with their values.

Masha lives in California with her husband and their blended constellation of children.

Conflict Managed is produced by Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services and hosted by Merry Brown.

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This week on Conflict Managed we welcome Laura Kriska. Together we explore:

Conflict Managed is available wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube @3pconflictrestoration

Laura Kriska is a Harvard Business Review contributor, TEDx speaker, and the author of three books on trust, culture, and collaboration, including The Business of WE, The Accidental Office Lady, and her newest work, focused on practical trust-building in today’s organizations. Her article in Harvard Business Review, published in November 2024, was recently selected for a special edition to be released in May 2026.

Her career began at age 22 as the first American woman to work in Honda Motor Company’s Tokyo headquarters, an experience that launched a 30+ year career helping global teams, leaders, and organizations close the “us vs. them” gaps that quietly erode performance, culture, and results.

At a time when workplaces feel more divided than ever—across culture, politics, generations, functions, hybrid vs. in-office, and identity—Laura works with organizations worldwide on what actually creates change. Her approach goes beyond slogans, focusing instead on research-backed, practical actions that measurably build trust. Her work has been featured in Harvard Business Review and highlighted by platforms such as Seth Godin’s ChangeThis.

Laura’s life’s work centers on inspiring what she calls a “WE-building revolution,” moving people beyond awareness into meaningful action that narrows the gaps holding teams and communities back.

Conflict Managed is produced by Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services and hosted by Merry Brown.

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This week on Conflict Managed we welcome Shalin Desai. Together we explore:

Conflict Managed is available wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube @3pconflictrestoration

Shalin Desai is the Director of Programs for the Art of Living Foundation, one of the world’s largest nonprofit organizations, whose initiatives have positively impacted over 500 million people across 180+ countries. With more than 25 years of experience teaching breathwork and meditation, Shalin is known for integrating ancient wisdom with modern leadership and well-being practices. He also serves as Chief Revenue Officer of Sri Sri Tattva, a global wellness brand offering natural and Ayurvedic products that promote holistic health through a blend of tradition and science.

For over 15 years, Shalin has designed and delivered corporate leadership and wellness programs for organizations including Microsoft, Dell, Boston Consulting Group, Accenture, Salesforce, Eli Lilly and Company, and Merck & Co. His work helps leaders and teams manage stress, build resilience, and cultivate mental clarity while reconnecting with a deeper sense of purpose.

Shalin is known for his Intuitive Life Scan, a breakthrough approach in which trained guides provide unbiased insights into an individual’s current situation. A highly engaging speaker known for his relatable storytelling and humor, Shalin inspires audiences with practical techniques they can apply immediately to improve focus, leadership, and overall well-being.

Shalin holds a degree in Supply Chain Management from the State University of New York and lives in Indianapolis with his wife and two children.

Conflict Managed is produced by Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services and hosted by Merry Brown.

This week on Conflict Managed we welcome Derek T. Smith. Together we explore:

Conflict Managed is available wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube @3pconflictrestoration

Derek Smith is a nationally recognized employment attorney and founder of the Derek Smith Law Group, with nearly 30 years of experience fighting for victims of workplace sexual harassment and discrimination. Since 1995, Derek and his firm have secured over $400 million in compensation for clients across offices in New York, Philadelphia, New Jersey, California, and Florida. He holds the record for the largest emotional distress jury verdict ever upheld on appeal in an employment discrimination case in the United States. Known for his compassionate yet tenacious approach, Derek has represented everyone from blue-collar workers to world-famous celebrities, making him one of the most formidable voices in workplace justice today.  

Conflict Managed is produced by Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services and hosted by Merry Brown.

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This week on Conflict Managed we welcome Lucy Standing. Together we explore:

Conflict Managed is available wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube @3pconflictrestoration

Lucy is co-author of Age Against the Machine, a book that argues the talent shortage gripping British business isn't a talent problem - it's a filtering problem. The most experienced, emotionally intelligent, highest-performing workers in the room are being screened out - by algorithms, by assumptions, and by hiring systems built for a workforce that no longer exists.

Conflict Managed is produced by Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services and hosted by Merry Brown.

#ConflictManagement #WorkplaceCulture #Communication #Connection #Podcast

This week on Conflict Managed we welcome Mauricio “Reese” Ramos. Together we explore:

Conflict Managed is available wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube @ 3pconflictrestoration

Mauricio “Reese” Ramos is a nationally recognized organizational ombuds and conflict management expert with more than 25 years of experience helping individuals and organizations navigate complex workplace challenges. He currently serves as the inaugural University Ombuds at Virginia Tech, where he designed and leads a university-wide office supporting faculty, staff, and students through confidential, impartial, and informal conflict resolution services. He is also the founder of Ombuds Academy, committed to training the next generation of Ombuds to confidently navigate complex workplace conflict and build healthier organizations.

Over the course of his Ombuds career, Reese has worked across academia, government, corporate, and nonprofit sectors—supporting more than 10,000 individuals and advising leadership on systemic workplace issues. He is a past President of the International Ombuds Association, a certified Organizational Ombuds Practitioner, and a frequent trainer and speaker on conflict management, communication, and leadership.

Conflict Managed is produced by Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services and hosted by Merry Brown.

#ConflictManagement #WorkplaceCulture #Communication #Podcast #Ombuds

This week on Conflict Managed we welcome Norman Wolfe. Together we explore:

Conflict Managed is available wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube @3pconflictrestoration

Norman Wolfe is the Founder and CEO of Quantum Leaders, and the creator of The Living Organization®, a framework CEOs use to solve execution breakdowns and lead teams in complexity. His work fundamentally reframes why dysfunction sticks around, translating deep systems thinking into tools that help leaders move beyond toxic cultures and into workplaces built on dignity and co-ownership.

With over 40 years of leadership experience—including executive roles at Hewlett-Packard and running a $1.2B business unit—the stories Norman brings are filled with tested wisdom.

Conflict Managed is produced by Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services and hosted by Merry Brown.