Anita Rowe, Ph.D., Founding Partner
Anita is a founding partner of Gardenswartz & Rowe and co-author of The Diversity Tool Kit, and the Managing Diversity Survival Guide. She co-conducts the Society for Human Resource Management Diversity Train the Trainer Certificate program and consults with clients such as Boeing, Shell Oil Company, Sempra Energy, IRS and Kaiser Permanente. Her focus is building environments of harmony, respect and inclusion.
Akiko Maeker, Ph.D., Partner
Akiko is an executive coach, trainer, and consultant with a gift for bringing out the best in her clients and translating it into stronger leadership and management performance. As a founding partner of Interculturalist LLC and a managing partner of the Emotional Intelligence and Diversity Institute, she takes an asset-based approach to coaching and facilitation, helping individuals, teams, and organizations maximize human potential and create positive workplace cultures. She works across corporate, educational, governmental, and nonprofit sectors and is valued by clients for her rare combination of emotional intelligence, interpersonal skill, and science-based knowledge. Akiko is an International Coaching Federation Professional Certified Coach (PCC), an Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) Qualified Administrator, and an instructor for the IDI Qualifying Seminar. She holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development from the University of Minnesota.
Paul Maeker, Partner
Paul is a trainer, consultant, and curriculum design specialist who helps individuals, teams, and organizations engage complex ideas and translate learning into meaningful action. As a founding partner of Interculturalist LLC and a managing partner of the Emotional Intelligence and Diversity Institute, he brings a distinctive combination of creative talent and analytical intelligence to his work and is known by clients for making the learning process both rigorous and genuinely enjoyable. He draws on a rich personal history, including years living and working in China and Japan and formative experiences navigating racial and cultural difference, to engage clients with authenticity and depth. Paul is an Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) Qualified Administrator with extensive expertise in intercultural competence development. He holds an M.A. in Educational Policy and Administration, with a focus on International and Intercultural Education, from the University of Minnesota.
Hiroko Furuya, Ph.D., Partner
Hiroko is an executive coach, trainer, and consultant who helps individuals, teams, and organizations identify their strengths, realize their potential, and translate it into stronger performance. She has led leadership, diversity, sales, employee engagement, and team-building programs across a range of settings. Her approach combines social science research with insights developed through extensive interviewing and coaching. Hiroko previously served as a senior consultant with Gallup and trained many of Japan’s certified strengths coaches through Gallup’s Strengths Coaching Certification program. She is an International Coaching Federation Professional Certified Coach (PCC), an Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) Qualified Administrator, and a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Tokyo and a master’s degree in political science from Keio University.
Lee Gardenswartz, Ph.D., Partner Emeritus
Lee is a founding partner of Gardenswartz & Rowe and a pioneering voice in training and consulting. She has helped organizations such as Cox Communications, Harvard University, and Starbucks build more inclusive and productive workplaces. She is co-author of several landmark works in the field, including Managing Diversity: A Complete Desk Reference and Planning Guide, Diverse Teams at Work, and the Global Diversity Desk Reference. We are grateful for her vision, leadership, and enduring contributions to this work.
Jorge Cherbosque, Ph.D., Partner Emeritus
Jorge brought a blend of clinical insight and organizational expertise to his work. As co-director of the UCLA Staff and Faculty Counseling Center, and as an international trainer, consultant, and coach, he worked with organizations such as the Young Presidents' Organization, Ford Motor Company, and Chase Manhattan Bank. His deep commitment to helping people rediscover joy and possibility left a lasting mark on every client he served. We are honored to have had him as part of this team.