ABOUT ANDREA PRO I attended my first Compassionate Communication training in 2004 and immediately recognized this as a path of emotional and spiritual healing and transformation. I have participated in over 400 hours of work with NVC Certified Trainers in several areas of specialized focus. In 2006 I began to lead a Compassionate Communication practice group and also teamed up with others to start Hawaii Nonviolent Communication, an organization that supports NVC education throughout the islands. I continue to grow in my work with this state-wide group as we explore collaborating and sharing decision-making in empowering ways that are new to our culture.

I have started and operated my own businesses for the past 20 years, first designing restaurants in Sacramento, California, and for the past 14 years, a coffee farm and thriving cafe in Kona. My focus has been on establishing business cultures that contribute to society. I've supported personal development in the workplace with mentorship for young people and experimented with ways to share power with partners and others who worked with me. I've especially enjoyed creating teams based on a foundation of mutual understanding and support. One of my special talents is in designing efficient and effective business operations. One of the greatest gifts in my life has been parenting my son, who is now in his mid-twenties. There is a quality of openness and honesty in the way we relate that is deeply meaningful to me. He allows me to know who he is. I enjoy connecting with him as a friend, and in my role as a parent, exploring ways to share my life experience while respecting his need for self-discovery. I am very grateful for the way that my Compassionate Communication practice has contributed to our relationship. I am an artist specializing in woodcuts prints. My work is represented in Hawaii galleries and in private collections throughout the United States. Education and Training B.A. Anthropology, University of Alaska, 1981 Mediation Training, Mediation Center of the Pacific, Oahu, 2007 Select Trainings in NVC with Center for Nonviolent Communication Certified Trainers: NVC Teacher/Trainer Program 2008 - NVC Academy & Certified NVC Trainer Mary Mackenzie Mediation - John Kinyon Sociocratic Governance for Organizations - Jim and Jori Manske, Glenda Mattinson Spirituality and Living Compassion - Robert Gonzales Special thanks to: Cathy Hartman, my first NVC teacher, for her patient coaching, love, and belief in me as I took my first steps in learning the skills and tools of NVC.   Christa Morf whose deep presence to the beauty and innocence in all of us has touched my heart and moved me to a desire to discover this capacity in myself.