TBR and TBR-VE® Certified Trainers
(Page updated December 2024)
TBR and TBR-VE® Certified Trainers
There are over 500 professional trainers from more than a dozen different countries who have been certified/licensed to teach the official 2-day in-person TBR Practitioner Class, based on the global best-selling book “Training from the BACK of the Room!”
Throughout the pandemic lockdowns of 2020, 12 TBR Certified Trainers worked hundreds of hours together to help create the official, 5-module, live-streaming “virtual edition” TBR-VE® Class. As of 2024, there are currently 45 TBR-VE® Certified Trainers.
There are also two global Trainer Certification Course (TCC) and TBR-VE® Certifiers (see below).
This page serves as an introduction to the most active TBR and TBR-VE® Certified Trainers (listed in alphabetical order). “Active” means that they have presented (or will be presenting) in-person TBR Practitioner Classes or TBR-VE® Classes for either public, private, or non-profit organizations.
All Certified Trainers function as independent consultants and, as such, they set their own pricing, venues, and registration information for TBR Practitioner Classes and TBR-VE® Classes.
TCC and TBR-VE® Certifiers
Nicole Fleming, Kentucky, USA
Trainer Certification Course (TCC) Certifier
TBR-VE® Certifier
I’m Nicole Fleming, co-founder of Fleming Services LLC. I’ve always been fascinated by how people learn and absorb information and now I’m combining two of my passions – teaching and professional development – in order to help people grow. Learner interest and engagement have always been major components of all the workshops and classes I facilitate. As a Certified Trainer for “Training from the BACK of the Room,” I take what I have learned from the experts in brain-based instruction and Agile Leadership and apply my own unique perspective and approach to all the training programs I facilitate. I am also a TCC Certifier and a TBR-VE® Certifier. For more information about how to become a TBR Certified Trainer, you can email me at [email protected].
Jean-Paul Bayley, England
Trainer Certification Course (TCC) Certifier
TBR-VE® Certifier
I’m Jean-Paul Bayley, partner of Actineo Consulting LLP – a Business Agility Consultancy. My mission is to share how to create fun, engaging and memorable learning experiences. Using the skills that I have honed during my career as a consultant, coach, and trainer, I now help individuals, teams, and organisations achieve their professional goals. I facilitate processes for organisations and teams that unleash what they know and how they can apply this to get to where they want to be. Be sure to read my blog posts on Sharon’s website: Blackout Bingo for Priming Learners, Small Trumps Large when Training Online and When Everything is Suddenly Virtual, as well as others: 3 Anti-Patterns of Training, Anti-Patterns of Training – Part Two andTBR, Psychological Safety, and C1-Connection Activities. You can follow me on Twitter @jpbayley. I am also a TCC Certifier and a TBR-VE® Certifier. For more information about how to become a TBR Certified Trainer, you can email me at [email protected].
Active TBR and TBR-VE® Certified Trainers
Angela Agresto, Minnesota, USA
TBR-VE® Certified Trainer
Greetings, I’m Angela Agresto, founder and CEO of Agresto Coaching & Training. I am passionate about helping motivated individuals, leaders, and organizations create empowering & engaging environments so that people feel safe to explore, learn, grow, and recognize their true potential. As a TBR Certified Trainer and Professional Coach, I created the new 4Cs Interactive Design Tool called Brain Building Blueprints to help facilitators easily and quickly build their own 4Cs Training Maps using the tips and techniques taught in the TBR Practitioner Class. Feel free to connect with me at https://angelaagresto.com.
Laurie Brown, Michigan, USA
TBR-VE® Certified Trainer
Hi, I’m Laurie Brown, founder and CEO of Laurie Brown Communications, based in Detroit, Michigan. I work with leaders and teams who want to communicate more effectively. I have over twenty years of experience training, coaching, speaking and consulting. I have an international clientele and I have worked on four continents and in numerous countries. My sessions are fun, effective and a safe place where people can learn and grow. You can learn more about me at www.lauriebrown.com – I look forward to connecting with you.
Karen Bruns, California, USA
TBR-VE® Certified Trainer
I’m Karen Bruns, Founder and CEO of Monarch Coaching & Training, LLC. I serve organizations in both the public and private sectors as both a Professional Coach and an Agile Coach, Trainer, Mentor, and Facilitator. I have created many games and exercises that foster individual and team growth. I believe in raising people to their highest potential above anything else. My experience is greatly complemented by the embodiment of TBR and TBR-VE™. If you are ready for the next step in your personal or professional evolution, or that of your team, connect with at https://monarchcoachingllc.
José Casal, Europe & Latin America
TBR-VE® Certified Trainer
I’m José Casal, partner of Actineo Consulting LLP – a Business Agility Consultancy based in the United Kingdom. I have had a long career working as a developer, coach, trainer and facilitator. In a classroom setting, people say that I create “excellent learning environments where people can explore their ideas.” My courses manage to combine a balanced blend of scheduled content and unplanned “rabbit holes” led by the needs of the course participants. This makes every class different and this is consistently reflected in the course feedback. You can read my articles on the Actineo Blog, follow me on Twitter and connect on Linkedin.
David Crowe, England
I’m David Crowe, a full-time Agility coach and manager at Gallagher. I also lecture on operations and project management at Christ Church Business School, Canterbury, England. I am passionate about removing barriers to learning, whether that is in formal education settings or informal learning environments. I am also working on a PhD titled “Narratives in Organisational Agility.” You can connect with me on LinkedIn.
Deni Dayan, California, USA
I’m Deni Dayan, a licensed educational psychologist (LEP). I have a passion for creating learning environments that are engaging, effective, and fun for learners of all ages! My expertise is in providing professional learning for school staff and parents in the areas of stress resilience, trauma, informed practices, and positive discipline. I have also been coaching teachers/trainers who provide professional development for the past eight years. I love the process of helping others create powerful and effective experiences for their audiences.
Vanessa Delgado, PeruI’m Vane Delgado, a Spanish-speaking trainer and mentor with more than 19 years of experience in neurodiverse learning and human consciousness. I am the Founder and Global Director of Human Consciousness for Diversa® and a book club titled: TheBookLab®. I am also a postgraduate professor in leadership, executive mindfulness and mentoring. Now, you have a friend in Perú – let’s chat! You can reach me at [email protected] or on LinkedIn.
Christoph Dibbern, Germany
I am Christoph Dibbern, an accomplished professional who helps make training more interactive and helps organizations thrive in today’s fast-paced business environment. I foster brain-friendly training and business agility, and I bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to my training programs. I have a deep understanding of the latest approaches to step aside and let the participants learn with a lot of fun and focus on the learning outcomes.
Marco Dussin, Italy
I’m Marco Dussin, a strategic consultant, Agile trainer, and learning designer. I am the founder of Kitto at www.kitto.be. I help people and their organizations create more valuable products, services, and experiences, quickly and efficiently by intertwining Lean, Agile, and Design Thinking. I believe that our hands are the natural extension of our brain and “serious play” allows us to maximize the quality and quantity of learning. I am a great enthusiast of approaches based on experimentation. You can connect with me on LinkedIn.
Ali Ezzeddine, Dubai, UAE
Greetings, I’m Ali Ezzeddine from Lebanon, based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. I am an international trainer, consultant, and author in the education fields. I facilitate global workshops and training programs in French, Arabic and English. I’m a lifelong learner and so happy to be part of the professional TBR Certified Trainers community. You can find me on LinkedIn.
Simon Flossman, Germany
TBR-VE® Certified Trainer
I’m Simon Flossmann, a Trainer at Colenet, a Business Agility Consultancy based in Germany. I have had a long career working as a Scrum Master and Professional Scrum Trainer at Scrum.org. I am driven to create learning environments where participants of my class respond with: “Very entertaining, interactive and not boring at all. Very experienced trainer who knows how to bring the knowledge to the participants.“ If you like to read more about my work and get in touch with me, connect with me on LinkedIn.
Teri Frith, Bournemouth, England
TBR-VE® Certified Trainer
I’m Teri Frith, a Bournemouth-based (UK) TBR Certified Trainer. My career has taken me from teaching in mainstream schools to the world of software development where I work alongside technical specialists at all stages of their careers to grow and develop their technological and leadership skills. I have first-hand access to what participants really think about the various technical (and other) training courses they attend, and I apply this feedback in my own training practices alongside the brain science principles. Please visit my website at www.TFTraining.co.uk for information about the TBR classes I offer to private clients in Europe and the UK.
Alexander A. Giurca, Austria
I’m Alexander A. Giurca, a product owner at Hutchison Drei Austria and a former Agile Coach and trainer at a consulting firm. I am also a trainer, coach, and sparring partner for agility, product management, business model, and leadership topics, as well as Train-the-Trainer courses. I emphasize participant-centric learning and I teach this approach to others. As a former Digital Transformation Manager, I guided various corporations towards more innovation and new digital business models. You can get in touch with me on LinkedIn or at [email protected].
Natalia Gulchevskaya, Netherlands
TBR-VE® Certified Trainer
I am Natalia Gulchevskaya, CoFounder of OKR Academy. All my life I have been teaching adults and this is my mission. I’m a PhD in Pedagogical Psychology, professional coach PCC ICF, team coach, Agile and OKR coach, and business trainer. I help companies and teams grow, become more agile and reach the next level. “Training from the BACK of the Room” significantly improved all my training and workshop programs. For more information, you can message me by clicking HERE.
Rune Hansen, Denmark
TBR-VE® Certified Trainer
I am Rune Hansen, founder of Next Level Agile ApS – an Agile Consultancy. I am an experienced Agile coach, facilitator, and trainer with a passion for releasing human potential in creating awesome solutions. As a trainer, I am creative and interactive and I help others to design interactive and engaging learning experiences. I have helped 40+ teams start their Agile journey in technologies ranging from mainframe to mobile apps, across a wide range of industries and countries.
Shane Hastie, New Zealand
TBR-VE® Certified Trainer
I’m Shane Hastie, the Global Delivery Lead for SoftEd. I’m based in New Zealand and work all around the world. I’m an ardent Agilist and have been a professional trainer & coach for the last 20 years. Agile touches every aspect of people’s lives and I want to be a part of making sure that the industry is both ethical and sustainable. I am the author of two books on software product development and I am the Lead Editor for Culture & Methods on InfoQ.com and the host of the InfoQ Engineering Culture podcast.
Malene Jacobsen, South Africa
I’m Malene Jacobsen and I have extensive experience in using the principles from TBR in my work as an Agile Coach and Trainer. For me, TBR principles – such as including physical movement and dialogue – have become ingrained in the ways I design and structure workshops, talks, and training sessions. As someone with a truly Agile mindset, my mantra is: “Life is too short for boring sessions that do not add value!” You can find out more about me HERE.
Anil Jaising, New York, USA
TBR-VE® Certified Trainer
I am Anil Jaising and I lead Concepts & Beyond,an Agile, DevOps and organizational change training and consulting firm. My role is focused on Agile, product management, and organizational change. From the beginning of my career in 1993, I realized that if I wanted my audience to experience and learn new ideas, I had to deliver impactful presentations and facilitate them effectively. TBR has dramatically changed how I deliver my workshops and the impact it has made on my audiences, both in-person and now in the Virtual Edition.You can reach me HERE or on Twitter @aniljaising.
Kriti Jaising, New York, USA
TBR-VE® Certified Trainer
Hi, my name is Kriti Jaising Founder & CEO of Concepts & Beyond. I am a facilitative trainer and instructional designer. I believe in making learning fun and “Training from the BACK of the Room” gives me the ability and framework to transform any learning material into an interactive & engaging experience. I have over 25 years of experience in advertising, traditional & digital marketing, consumer research, events management and training. I’ve also implemented the values of TBR into sales, consumer research, and education. You can follow me on Twitter @Kriti Jaising and connect on LinkedIn HERE.
Alan Jennings, England
Hi, I’m Alan Jennings, co-founder of Clear Star Group based in the UK. My purpose in life is to make work and learning enjoyable. My background is in software development and leading organisations through large complex changes where we need less computer debugging, but more human interaction debugging. I am passionate about games, fun and learning. TBR helped me reshape my teaching, and I love to be able to pass on this knowledge.
Thorsten Kalnin, Germany
I’m Thorsten Oliver Kalnin and I’m a business and executive coach (SoC), Co-Active Coach (CTI), professional facilitator, Communication Scout, StrategicPlay, and facilitator and Certified Trainer for “Training from the BACK of the Room!” I work with companies, teams, and eager individuals to unleash their full potential. I accompany and facilitate change initiation, coach individuals, and change the world a tiny little bit for the better every single day.
Julian Kea, GermanyTBR-VE® Certified Trainer
I’m Julian Kea, a serious games facilitator, consultant and coach based in Berlin. As an experiential learning enthusiast, I believe in the power of co-creation and highly interactive learning approaches. My background in business and education equip me with the skills to design and hold spaces, where participants can exchange ideas authentically, develop mutual understanding and strengthen collaboration. My mantra is “Rediscover Learning. Work Smarter.” You can find me on Twitter @kiLearning.
Vladimir Kelava, Serbia
Hi! I’m Vladimir Kelava, and I am passionate about encouraging people to grow and create a better work environments in healthy and thriving teams. I’m also passionate about reshaping the landscape of learning and development with a desire to revolutionize traditional training methods and create dynamic, brain-friendly learning experiences. Over the years, I’ve honed my expertise in various disciplines, blending theory with practical insights to deliver engaging and impactful sessions. For more information, you can message me by clicking HERE.
Patcharapan Khunwong (Pat), Thailand
I am Patcharapan Khunwong, the founder of Best Focus Company, and I provide training and consulting services to develop leaders and teams for corporate clients. With over 20 years of experience in human resources for multinational corporations, I bring a deep understanding of corporate dynamics and team development. I am passionate about facilitation skills for training and leading teams. My mission is to empower teams with the skills they need to succeed while creating a supportive and dynamic training environment. You can connect with me via LinkedIn.
Ben Maynard, England
I’m Ben Maynard, an Agile and team coach, consultant, and educator with over 8 years of experience in senior positions across some of the world’s most renowned banks. In these roles, I’ve led the adoption of Agile Mindsets and ways of working, sustaining change, and building relationships, trust, and respect at every level of the organisation. The driving force behind all my efforts has been an unwavering focus on coaching, mentoring, and educating people at all organizational levels. This approach ensures they are effective and successful in achieving both the organisation’s goals and their personal aspirations.
Hafedh Messaoudi, France
TBR-VE® Certified Trainer
Hi, I’m Hafedh Messaoudi, and I’m a “learnaholic” and a passionate coach. I help people, teams, and enterprises to improve their performance. I also facilitate trainings and workshops in French, Arabic and English. I have had a long career coaching worldwide teams and companies in their journeys towards business agility. I thrive in improving the trainings that I design to make them as much fun, interactive and exciting for learners as possible. If you wish to connect, please reach out to me on Linkedin.
Quang Nguyen, Singapore and Vietnam
I’m Quang Nguyen, a developer who practices TDD, pair programming, and I do not (or refuse to!) know how to use a debugger. I am an Agile coach and I currently focus on making SAFe environments more agile. I am also an educator and I’m dedicated to teaching and sharing my passions. My current challenge is to transform SAFe training courses through the lens of TBR. You can contact me at LinkedIn.
Jan B. Olsen, Denmark
I’m Jan B. Olsen, founder and owner of Jan B. Olsen Consulting and a Fellow Coach with Better Change Consulting. I have more than 20 years of experience as a trainer and have rooted my training approach in the TBR principles for the last seven years. I’ve facilitated train-the-trainer programs where 5,000 people had to adapt new skills and competencies within a week! If you want to create “stickiness” in your training programs, you are always welcome to reach out to me at [email protected] with questions or just to chat.
Sivakumar Padmanaban, India
TBR-VE® Certified Trainer
I am Sivakumar Padmanaban, Founder of Coach2Reach. I am an experienced mentor, trainer & professional coach. I was introduced to TBR a few years ago and now all my training programs through ICAgile and the International Coaching Federation are designed using TBR. I have over 21 years of career experience in Scrum/Kanban/Scaled Agile/Project Management. I have worked in multicultural environments in various countries, including India, the USA, Australia, and the UAE. For more information, you can message me on LinkedIn.
Ilona Pietrzak, Poland
I am Ilona Pietrzak – neurodidactician, founder of Heyra and Agile enthusiast working as a Scrum Master. When I’m not deeply involved in sprints, I dedicate myself to injecting high levels of energy into training programs. My background in medicine, combined with a profound interest in understanding brain functionality, enables me to create training programs that are not only informative but also highly engaging.
Kelly Pfeiffer, South Carolina, USA
TBR-VE® Certified Trainer
I’m Kelly Pfeiffer, owner of Go Interactive Training with expertise in active learning, social-emotional learning and experiential facilitation methods. As a trainer and training designer, I’ve been integrating TBR strategies into my training work since 2006. I love the challenge of taking a typically boring training topic and breathing life into it through the TBR learner-centered training design taught. Currently, I facilitate face-to-face training programs and I also work with companies to improve their training design. I regularly tweet at @GoInteractiveKP.
Evelien Roos, Netherlands
TBR-VE® Certified Trainer
I am Evelien Acun-Roos, and I work at Xebia Academy. I am a professional Scrum trainer for Scrum.org. Working in the Agile environment for 11 years has given me great insights, learnings and experiences in Agile and Scrum and I have been transferring that to Scrum Teams, their surrounding environments and their management. Since I have learned about TBR, my training courses are filled with brain-based learning activities. For more information about me you can visit www.evelienroos.nl , on Twitter @evelienroos2, Instagram @scrumboosters or Tiktok @scrumboosters.
Nagesh Sharma, India
TBR-VE® Certified Trainer
Hi there! I’m Nagesh. My journey in the realms of business agility and team dynamics has been both a learning experience and a passion. As a Flight Levels Guide, Scrum.org and ProKanban Trainer, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside individuals, teams, and organizations, helping them achieve business results. Co-founding Flowsphere has been a rewarding experience where our focus is on Transform Organizations into a Lean-Agile Digital Enterprise. I’m passionate about unlocking the inherent knowledge within teams, guiding them to apply this wisdom in achieving their objectives. I look forward to growing and evolving. You can email me at [email protected]
Praweena Sriprayoonsakul (Na), Thailand
Chompoonuch Tojaroen (Chompoo), Thailand
I am Chompoonuch Tojaroen, the founder of Inlight Consulting Company, and I am a dynamic, creative Associate Certified Coach (ACC). I have extensive experience in helping organizations and individuals thrive through innovative and enjoyable development methods. I am passionate about creating engaging and enlightening learning experiences and I specialize in designing and delivering programs that captivate and inspire. You can follow me on LinkedIn for more insights and updates.
Jan Van Der Burgt, BelgiumI’m Jan Van Der Burgt, a passionate instructor at Karel de Grote University in Antwerp. I have a long history of teaching, going back 15 years when I taught Scouting skills classes, and the last 6 years as an instructor at Karel de Grote University. Since becoming a TBR Certified Trainer, my courses have turned into active “get-togethers” where learners do the work of learning instead of the instructor. For more information about me you can visit: www.jansolo.be or my bento page: www.Bento.me/jan-solo.
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Authors of TBR Blogs, Podcasts, and Articles
Victor Bonacci, California, USA
I’m IT specialist and avid Agile Coach Vic Bonacci. In 2012, I created Agile Coffee for the purpose of bringing together the local Agile/Lean community around a focal point of conversations. As more trainer/coaches joined this online community, they exchanged many creative ideas – and consumed a lot of coffee! My use of the moniker “Agile Coffee” owes as much to the Lean Coffee (and What is Lean Coffee?) movement as to my own love for the roasted bean. You can find my podcast about TBR on Sharon’s blog HERE and on my blog HERE.
Salah Elleithy, Washington D.C., USA
TBR-VE™ Certified Trainer
I am Salah Elleithy, a passionate Agile Coach, Agile Project Manager, Business Analyst. and highly motivated Information Technology (IT) Project Leader. I am also the president and founder of Spark Agility, an Agile company that provides project management, business analysis, and Agile BI (performance metrics) with a focus on Organizational Agility. We help clients in the federal and commercial domains improve project delivery lifecycle through the use of a value driven approach. Please read my article in InfoQ: Applying the 4Cs Map to Enhancing Team Performance.
Angela Johnson, Minnesota, USA
I’m Angela Johnson, a TBR Certified Trainer and Certified Scrum Trainer (CST) with Collaborative Leadership Team and one of the first CSP Approved Educators. I founded CoLeadTeam in 2010 to provide education and consulting services to clients adopting Scrum and Agile. In 2019, we opened our very own training venue to share with others and West End Conference Center. I’m a lifelong learner focusing on work in my backyard of Minnesota. The best ways to follow me are LinkedIn and Twitter @AgileAngela. And please do read my blog post on Sharon’s blog titled: 4 Virtual Classroom Management Tips.
Torsten Werchmeister Hansen, Denmark
Bob Hartman, Colorado, USA
I’m known by friends as “Agile Bob” because I bring over 30 years of experience and broad industry knowledge and was a very early adopter of Agile processes and principles. I’ve served in almost every role in the software industry; consequently, I have deep expertise in training, coaching and mentoring across all areas of Agile development. The following article I wrote was before I become a Certified Trainer for TBR. I think you’ll find the article an informative and interesting “back-story” to TBR: Adventures in Accelerated Learning.
Luca Minudel, England
I am Agile Coach Luca Minudel and the founder and CEO of the company SmHarter. “SmHarter” is the fusion of two words: “Smart” (working and improving with intelligence and mastery), and “Heart” (using collaboration, purpose, passion, and creativity to delight customers and learners). I passionately believe that “smart” and “heart” are two key ingredients of any successful learning organization. I have combined my own “smart-heart” passion with TBR. Please see my slide presentation on Sharon’s blog: Draft Your Next Training Course with Ideas from TBR.
Amir Peled, Romania
I’m Amir Peled,an enthusiastic and energetic Agile Coach with over 7 years of practicing Agile and more than 18 years of project management experience. I have successfully aided organisations in their Agile journey to either adopt or improve their use of Scrum and other Agile frameworks both in troubled projects and new ones. Please read my blog post on Sharon’s website titled: A Different Approach to Teaching.
Miquel Rodriguez, Spain
I’m Miquel Rodriguez, an experienced Trainer and Consultant working at Netmind, a Spanish IT Training & Consulting company. I’ve dedicated my career to help organizations get the most out of their IT projects and teams. Currently I’m focused on working with large enterprises to lead organizational improvements and agile transformations. When I became a TBR Certified Trainer, I created a Course Design Canvas for the TBR Practitioner Class. I also write articles at Netmind’s Knowledge Center. You can follow me on Twitter @miquelrodriguez
Paul Tevis, California, USA
I’m Paul Tevis, founder and CEO of Vigemus Consulting(which is Latin for “Together We Thrive”). As a coach and facilitator, I have more than a dozen years experience in helping leaders foster effective change in their organizations, in both start-ups and Fortune 500 companies. I also present virtual workshops on remote facilitation and techniques for making the most with meetings in general. Recently, I was a guest on Vic Bonacci’s Agile Coffee Podcast. You can find me on Twitter @PTevis.
I’m Agile Coach and Consultant Emily Webber and the author of Building Successful Communities of Practice. I work with learning organizations and Agile development in the business world. As part of my TBR certification, I created a short, image-rich, informative slide presentation that brings together many of the TBR concepts. You can find my slide presentation 5 Tips for Trainers on Sharon’s blog.
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En Memoriam
We have lost three wonderful TBR Certified Trainers who have passed away: Ed Buhain, Nick Zingo, and Tamsen Mitchell. May they rest in peace and may their families and friends remember them with love.