Lisa Marie Main learned the importance of life skills from her father. As an engineering professor at Penn State University, he saw the direct connection between life skills education and the employability of his graduates. Lisa learned to appreciate the value of life skills, first in her own life and later, as essential ingredients of her training, consulting and coaching work with students and corporate managers.

Lisa believes that good relationship skills are important keys to students' college and professional success. Whether talking to a "significant other", working on a class project, helping organize a social event, or negotiating with parents or professors, college students need good interpersonal and community building skills.

Lisa not only talks her talk but walks her talk. She uses interactive, experiential activities to demonstrate the kind of communicating, leadership, decision-making, problem-solving and conflict management skills that can help students reach their goals. She bases her practical skill-building trainings on the theoretical models of Stephen Covey's Seven Habits, the listening approaches of Core Communication and Non-Violent Communication, the positive processes of Appreciative Inquiry, and the empowering principles of Jim Collins' Fifth Level Leadership.

Lisa is co-founder of Appreciative Inquiry consulting and continuum consulting Services, teaches Authentic Leadership and communication at Duke University in North Carolina and facilitates strategic planning sessions, retreats and workshops for individuals, families and organizations throughout the U.S. and as far away as Azerbaijan. She earned her Master's Degree in Applied Behavioral Science: Leadership in Human Systems, and her Bachelor's in Administration of Justice and Public Safety. Lisa enjoys skiing, snowboarding, hiking, climbing and camping with her husband and daughter.

Lisa gives trainings at Learning for Living^® in Excellence in Leadership, Achieve Your Goals, Team Building, Strategic Planning, Managing Meetings, Effective Communication, Managing Conflict, Community Building, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Developing Trusting Relationships, and Diversity.