Audrey E. Kitagawa, J.D.

President and Founder

"In the seemingly ordinariness of daily living is the power of transformation. Individual transformation arises out of awareness, and a willingness to change to become a better person right where we are. We each have personal responsibility and collective responsibility to make positive changes here and now."

Background

‘Development’ of the individual and the collective is being redefined by her, to include the further reaches of the human and cultural capabilities, to discover a deeper engagement with our humanity and nature, our Being, intellect and emotion, our inner and outer worlds with its invisible norms and patterns; and to foster its expression consciously through many programmes world-wide in society as well as organizations.

Trained as a physician and epidemiologist, Dr. Monica Sharma worked for the United Nations from 1988 to 2010. As director of Leadership and Capacity Development at the United Nations and in other large-scale programs UNDP and UNICEF, she designed and directed programs for whole systems transformation and leadership development worldwide. Currently, as an international practitioner and expert on leadership development for equitable and sustainable change related to the Sustainable Development Goals, Dr. Monica Sharma works with United Nations, universities, management institutions, governments, non-governmental organisations, business, media, and other organizations.

Dr. Monica Sharma designed and directed large programmes globally and lived and worked extensively in both developing and developed countries - in Africa, Asia, Arab States, Eastern Europe, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America. She pioneered the strategy for “whole systems transformation” for effectively addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic globally and reducing maternal mortality in South Asia, addressing women’s rights and leadership at all levels. These strategies were applied to other Sustainable Development Goals, and generated results. She led teams for policy formulation, strategic direction and programme development in 60 countries, building multi-stakeholder partnerships with governments, media, civil society and business.

Dr. Monica Sharma created a unique response based on extensive application –a conscious full-spectrum model- which simultaneously in time solves problems, shifts systems and norms and creates new patterns sourced from individual inner capacity. This approach has generated equitable and sustainable results worldwide. Her expertise related to realizing Sustainable Development Goals and is vital in addressing current, complex problems.

Dr. Monica Sharma is the author of the award winning book “Radical Transformational Leadership”. Examples from different parts of the world show how we can source our inner capacities and wisdom to manifest change that embodies universal values of dignity, compassion and fairness, and simultaneously transforms unworkable systems and norms in order to solve problems.

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Background

Audrey E. Kitagawa, JD, is the President/Founder of the International Academy for Multicultural Cooperation, the President of the Light of Awareness International Spiritual Family, the former Advisor to the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict at the United Nations.

She is a United Nations Representative for the United Religions Initiative, and Chair Emerita of the NGO Committee on Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns, A Committee of the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations. She has been enstooled into the royal family as the Nekoso Hemaa, (i.e. Queen Mother of Development), of Ajiyamanti in Ghana, West Africa, and has a school which she helped to build named after her in her African name, the Nana Ode Anyankobea Junior Secondary School.

She wrote the chapter, Crossing World Views, The Power of Perspective in the Hawaii Japanese American Experience, which was published in a book about multiculturalism, communication and Asian women entitled, Learning In The Light. Her chapter, Globalization As The Fuel For Religious And Ethnic Conflict has been published in the book, Globalization And Identity, Cultural Diversity, Religion and Citizenship. Her article, The Role Of Identity In The Rise And Decline of Buddhism In Hawaii, The 50th State Of The United States Of America, has been published in Sambodhi, a Buddhist Journal. She published articles in World Affairs The Journal Of International Issues, entitled, The Power of Om: Transformation of Consciousness, and Practical Spirituality. She wrote the chapter, The US In Foreign Affairs: Source of Global Security, Or Source of Global Fear? in the book, America & The World The Double Bind. She is currently writing a chapter on Space Ethics for a legal, academic book on Space Law.

She has been listed in Who's Who Of American Law, Who's Who Of American Women, Who's Who In America, Who's Who In The World, and Prominent People of Hawaii. She is the recipient of the Medal “Pride of Eurasia” and a Diploma from the Republic of Kazakhstan Ministry of Education and Science L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University for her outstanding contribution to the development of spiritual culture and education in Eurasia. She is the recipient of the Spirit of the UN Award which is given to outstanding individuals who have demonstrated the vision and spirit of the United Nations as expressed through the UN Charter, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. She was conferred an Honorary Interfaith Minister degree by the New Seminary.