Sondra Thiederman Sondra Thiederman is one of the nation's leading experts on workplace diversity and cross-cultural business. As President of Cross-Cultural Communications, a San Diego-based training firm, Sondra has over 20 years experience as a speaker, trainer, and author, helping organizations and professionals understand and successfully navigate our increasingly diverse global marketplace. Since receiving her doctorate with an emphasis on cross-cultural studies from UCLA, Sondra has helped hundreds of organizations develop practical, tangible solutions to their cross-cultural and diversity challenges. Sondra is a passionate speaker who knows that addressing audiences on diversity issues means a lot more than just making people "feel good." Her speaking philosophy is centered on the core values of honesty and practicality. Sondra's years of experience in the field of diversity have honed a professional philosophy guaranteed to bring real value to her clients including such leading firms as American Medical International, Marriott Corporation, Century 21 Real Estate, American Express, The Federal Reserve Bank, Motorola, and AT&T. Sondra has served as consultant to the University of California and the American Cancer Society and has been appointed by Elizabeth Dole to serve on the Diversity Cabinet of the American Red Cross. Sondra frequently appears as a leading expert on cross-cultural business and diversity in such national publications as The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Nation's Business, Entrepreneur, and U.S. News and World Report. She also is the author of three books on the topic of cultural diversity including Bridging Cultural Barriers for Corporate Success: How to Manage the Multicultural Work Force, Getting "Culture Smart"™: Ten Strategies for Making Diversity Work, and Profiting in America's Multicultural Marketplace: How to Do Business Across Cultural Lines -- which was named as one of the best business books of the year by the Library Journal. Featured in the diversity training videos, Bridging Cultural Barriers and Managing Workforce Diversity: Turning Differences Into Competitive Advantage, she is also the producer of the best-selling motivational videos, Getting Along: Words of Encouragement, and Words To Lead By.