Our Team
Experienced practitioners. Complementary expertise. Helping people work effectively across differences.
Interculturalist brings together experienced practitioners in intercultural development, leadership and management development, coaching, learning design, and organizational development. Our team combines deep subject-matter expertise with practical experience helping people and organizations strengthen communication, collaboration, adaptability, and effectiveness.
Intercultural Development · Leadership & Management Development · Executive Coaching · Communication & Team Effectiveness · Learning & Curriculum Design · Organizational Development
Leadership
Akiko maeker, PhD, PCC
CEO, Principal Partner & Coaching Director
Executive Coaching · Intercultural Development · Leadership Development
Akiko brings together expertise in intercultural development, executive coaching, emotional intelligence, and organizational leadership. For more than fifteen years, she has worked with leaders, teams, and organizations across public, education, nonprofit, and corporate settings to translate greater self-awareness and intercultural understanding into more effective leadership and workplace behavior. Akiko is an International Coaching Federation Professional Certified Coach (PCC) and has served on the faculty of the Intercultural Development Inventory® since 2013, preparing professionals to become IDI Qualified Administrators. She holds a PhD in Organizational Leadership Policy and Development from the University of Minnesota, where her doctoral research examined culture and intercultural competence in professional coaching.
Paul Maeker
Vice President & Chief Content Officer
Curriculum Design · Communication & Conflict · Emotional Intelligence
Paul is a learning designer and facilitator with more than 20 years of experience in intercultural development, communication, conflict, and curriculum design. He develops learning that translates complex concepts into practical tools people can use in everyday workplace interactions, with particular attention to communication across differences, conflict navigation, collaboration, and behavioral adaptation. Paul has been a Qualified Administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory® since 1998 and is a Certified Administrator of the Intercultural Conflict Style Inventory. He holds an MA in Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development from the University of Minnesota.
Our Practitioners
Interculturalist works with an experienced group of practitioners whose expertise spans intercultural development, coaching, organizational and leadership development, higher education, research, learning design, and facilitation. All are Intercultural Development Inventory® Qualified Administrators, and several have also helped prepare other professionals to become IDI Qualified Administrators.
AMY MORENO-SHERWOOD, M.ED.
Intercultural Development · Leadership · Higher Education
Amy is a strategist, consultant, coach, and learning professional with more than 20 years of experience in higher education. Her work focuses on intercultural competence, leadership, equity, and inclusion. She is an IDI Qualified Administrator and has served on IDI faculty preparing other professionals to administer the assessment. Amy holds a graduate degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies with an emphasis in Social Justice.
BLAIRE TINKER, EDD
Intercultural Coaching · Organizational Leadership · Learning & Development
Blaire brings more than 14 years of experience in intercultural coaching, training, and consulting across corporate, education, nonprofit, and healthcare settings. She has been an IDI Qualified Administrator since 2018 and an IDI Qualifying Seminar Moderator since 2020. Blaire holds a doctorate in Organizational Leadership with a focus on Equity Leadership from Oakland University.
MYLON KIRKSY, EDD
Organizational Development · Leadership · Intercultural Competence
Mylon brings more than 20 years of experience in higher education, with expertise in organizational leadership, change, staff development, communication, assessment, and intercultural competence. He has worked with the IDI since 2002, became an IDI Qualified Administrator in 2012, and joined IDI faculty as a Qualifying Seminar Facilitator in 2017. He holds an EdD in Higher Education Leadership and Administration.
TARA HARVEY, PHD
Intercultural Learning · Facilitation · Higher Education
Tara specializes in intercultural teaching and learning, helping educators and organizations strengthen both their own intercultural competence and their ability to facilitate the learning of others. She is the Founder and Chief Intercultural Educator of True North Intercultural, an IDI Qualified Administrator since 2008, and an IDI Qualifying Seminar Instructor. Tara holds a PhD in Comparative and International Development Education from the University of Minnesota.
TERRENCE HAREWOOD, PHD
Intercultural Development · Education · Research
Terrence is an educator, researcher, and intercultural development practitioner. He has been an IDI Qualified Administrator since 2006 and serves as an Instructor for the IDI Qualifying Seminar. An Associate Professor of Multicultural Education and Social Foundations at the University of Indianapolis, his work focuses on developing intercultural competence among educators and school leaders. Terrence received the 2018 IDI Intercultural Competence Award.