GCJ Leadership
All GCJ directors and staff volunteer their time. Our heartfelt thanks to all.
Susan Partnow, Founder & Executive Director
Susan has lived and worked abroad in Israel, Jordan, Turkey, France, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Vietnam, Switzerland and Mexico, and speaks Spanish, French and some German. She founded Partnow Communications in 1986 to provide organizational development and training services in the public and nonprofit sectors. She is a Sr. Organizational Development Consultant at Swedish-Providence Health Services. Susan teaches communication skills and works with clients to release and transform the energy locked in conflict to creative change, wise outcomes and enhanced relationships. She specializes in facilitating dialogue and large group processes, using such cutting-edge techniques as Open Space, World Cafe, Appreciative Inquiry and Sustained Dialogue. A former teacher and speech pathologist, Susan received her M.A. in Communication Disorders from Northwestern University where she was a Rearwin Fellow, and B.A. with honors from University of California at Berkeley. Susan has served as Board President of Kadima Community School and the Earthstewards Network, board member of Global Peoples Assembly, Earth Charter Community Summit-Seattle, the Compassionate Listening Project, Transpartisan Alliance, National Coalition on Dialogue and Deliberation, and African American Jewish Coalition for Justice. She is co-founder of Conversation Café, Compassionate Seattle, Compassion Games, and Let’s Talk America. She is Sr. Certified Trainer for The Compassionate Listening Project and is apprenticing to Dominick Barter in the practice of Restorative Circles.
Project Directors
- Joel Dimiyen Bisina, Nigeria Host Country Director. | Bio | email
- James Kainyiah (Nana Kaka Bulla II), Ghana Host Country Director, founder WHH. | Bio
- Barbara Gilday, Ghana Co-director. | Bio
- Richard & Maryanne Ward, Ghana Co-directors. | Bio | email
- Emmanuel G.V. Dolo, Liberia Host Country Director | Bio | email
- Prosper Ndabishuriye, Burundi Host Country Director | Bio | email
Board of Directors
- Susan Partnow, President
- Mary Ella Keblusek, Vice President
- Jeannine Florence, Secretary
- Jim Peckenpaugh, Treasurer
- Sebastian Helm, Director
- Ilene Stark, Director
