February 2019 – Thinking, Coaching, Leading – Larry Coburn

Featuring Larry Coburn, Leadership & Lean Thinking Coach; Program Director, Master’s in Leadership Program, Northwest Christian University
Leadership & Lean Thinking Coach
Program Director, Master’s in Leadership Program, Northwest Christian University

Larry Coburn is a thinker, coach, and leader. He adds value by coaching leaders and teams to think with more clarity and act with effectiveness.  And he extends that value to a range of experiences, opportunities, and communities.

Based in Eugene, Oregon, Larry’s academic and professional experiences have provided him a range of leadership roles.  He holds a BS in Accounting from the University of Oregon, and an MS in Ministry from Pepperdine University.  He has 37 years of international business experience in Finance, IT, Marketing, Training, Lean Manufacturing, and Leadership Coaching.  

Larry’s leadership experience includes 27 years in many roles for Nike.  From 2003-2008 Larry was a key Spokesman and Thought Leader for NOS (Nike’s Lean Manufacturing initiative) and the chief architect of Nike’s Lean Manufacturing “House” — which remains the basis for Lean Training, Implementation, and Assessment within Nike Manufacturing partner base. Larry also served as Director of Nike’s Lean Training Center in Vietnam for 5 years — responsible for training over 300 senseis from 40 factories spread across 6 countries and cultures, who are today driving the lean transformation of the Athletic Footwear Manufacturing Industry.

After retiring from Nike in 2008, Larry has focused on applying lean to non-manufacturing business environments, as well as continuing to work with factories – primarily in the footwear and apparel industries. He has developed and delivered training for lean coaches in the US, Europe, Americas, and Asia in the business areas of IT, Finance, Sales Operations, Human Resources, Administrative Services, Supply Chain Logistics, and Product Development.

Larry also conducts a consulting practice that centers on coaching leaders and providing inspirational leadership presentations.  He is a member of the John Maxwell Team member and licensed Live2Lead host.  Live2Lead is an annual leadership growth experience featuring John C. Maxwell and a selection of his friends and colleagues presenting fresh insights for leaders.  The live program happens in the Atlanta area each year in October.   

Larry now applies his extensive leadership experience to preparing and supporting both experienced and emerging leaders.  He serves as the Program Director for the newly launched Master’s in Leadership program at Northwest Christian University.  This fully online program is designed for seasoned leaders and aspiring leaders to engage with principles of best practice, to sharpen their own self-understanding as leaders, and to sharpen their skill set for more effective leadership in the groups and organizations where they serve. The program includes concentrations in Business Administration, Church Leadership, Higher Education Leadership, and Non-Profit Management.

Through his many leadership roles, Larry is helping shape current and future leaders into more effective thinkers and managers who will make a positive impact not only in business but also society.  

January 2019 - A Dedicated Advocate to Ending Human Trafficking and Violence Against Women - Dr. Melissa Farley

Featuring Dr. Melissa Farley, Founder of Prostitution Research and Education.

Dr. Melissa Farley is a dedicated voice and expert in ending human trafficking and violence against women through education and advocacy. Her background as a clinical psychologist has allowed her to use her expertise to educate and equip others on the harms of prostitution, pornography, and human trafficking.

Dr. Farley has served as a consultant with agencies, governments, and advocates for prostituted and trafficked women as well as serving as an expert witness in forensic evaluations. She is a well known legal expert on the effects of sexual violence against women and children, posttraumatic stress disorder, dissociation, prostitution and trafficking. In her work, she emphasizes the connections between prostitution, racism, poverty, and both domestic and international trafficking.

As a trusted expert, Dr. Farley has provided consultation as an expert on the harm of prostitution to the Medical Examining Board of the State of California and psychological evaluations of prostituted young women for Contra Costa County and for San Francisco County.

Dr. Farley is also the founder of Prostitution Research & Education, a nonprofit organization which provides information about trafficking and prostitution, including a list of agencies offering services to women who have been in prostitution. This website is a resource for advocates across the world who work on behalf of women and children in prostitution and is a resource for survivors of prostitution, students, teachers, government officials, criminal justice personnel, social workers, legal advocates and nongovernmental agencies that are developing services to women who have been prostituted or trafficked.

Dr. Farley has also collaborated with a team of researchers in northern California at Kaiser Permanente who are studying the long term effects of violence against women on their health and how that violence impacts preventive health care for women.

In addition to her consulting work and work at PRE, Dr. Farley is the senior author of Prostitution and Trafficking in 9 Countries: Update on Violence and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, an article distributed by the Trafficking in Persons Office of the U.S. State Dept. She also contributed to other advocacy resources including Dissociation among Women in Prostitution by Colin Ross, Melissa Farley, and Harvey Schwartz; and the chapter Prostitution and Trafficking of Women and Children from Mexico to the United States by Marisa B. Ugarte, Laura Zarate, and Melissa Farley. Dr. Farley has also conducted a two year research study in Nevada focused on the connections between legal brothels, legal and illegal prostitution, domestic and international trafficking, political corruption, and organized crime in Nevada.

With her expertise and passion for justice, Dr. Farley is making an impact assisting advocates and trafficking victims around the world.