Viswa's journey

From as far back as his teenage years, and born from his clumsy but well-meaning efforts to resolve gang disputes within his inner-city high school, Viswa began what would eventually become a life-long study of both conflict resolution and group communication. 

Beginning in the mid 90’s, and for nearly a decade and a half, he facilitated conflict-resolution workshops (AVP) within maximum security correctional facilities. He worked almost exclusively with violent offenders and rival gang members, and his real-time mediation proved instrumental in the deescalation (and prevention) of numerous conflicts. 

It was in those closed workshops, amongst dozens of wary and resistant prisoners (no guards were allowed), where he honed the time-critical skills of engendering “begrudging, but mutual respect”. 

Yet once established, he found that nearly any group dynamic became possible, including creating camaraderie and trust amongst total strangers, and even bitter rivals. 

He credits his subsequent, years-long service as a Hospice Volunteer for providing him with an even deeper understanding of the power of listening: “When you work with the terminally ill, you learn to open your ears and shut your mouth.” Listening begets empathy. And empathy is the key to healthy communication. 

Finally, his work as the executive director of the Phoenix Association, a non-profit dedicated to criminal justice reform, expanded his understanding of story-sharing and generative listening. 

He coordinated the development of an experiential, ground-breaking program which paired the highest level of Department of Correction (DOC) executives, with formerly incarcerated men and women. 

Its purpose was to reintroduce a sense of humanity within the DOC, a characteristic which was pointedly absent in the opaque behemoth, by both culture and policy. The program allowed seasoned (and often jaded) executives to experience a paradigm shift. To see their charges through a different lens: as people and individuals, not just inmate numbers and potential liabilities. 

A critical component of the workshops was that it avoided finger-pointing, recriminations, and the assigning of blame. Instead, it developed trust though “truth-telling”, and the sharing of personal stories. While earning rave reviews, it proved that if carefully cultivated, commonalities can be used to forge bonds and empathy nearly instantly. 

Accordingly, Viswa’s proven ability to rapidly alter existing group dynamics and communication, particularly in high-stakes and emotionally-charged environments, leaves him uniquely qualified as a leader in the field.