The Art of Conflict Communication
February 24, 2026 @ 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm CDT
Virtual Workshop – Live/Online
Fee: $50 for MCN members / $70 for nonmembers
This interactive session introduces participants to the Intercultural Conflict Style (ICS) framework, a tool that helps build awareness of how culture shapes the way we approach conflict. Participants will explore different styles (direct/indirect; expressive/restrained), reflect on their own tendencies, and practice one practical tool they can use to navigate tension with more care and clarity.
Learning Objectives:
- Define conflict.
- Identify the four Intercultural Conflict Styles (ICS) and begin to understand and identify your own.
- Learn and practice communication tools that support effective communication across difference.
- Analyze a hypothetical conflict, identifying its key dynamics and strategies for constructive response.
Event Details
This virtual event will take place on the Zoom platform. Your access link will be emailed to you the day before the event after 12 p.m.
This session will be recorded. The recording will be made available to registrants for 14 days after the live event.
Captioning is provided automatically through Zoom. For information on requesting CART, ASL, or another accommodation, please visit our Registration Policies page.
To learn more about events, registration, and payment, visit our Event & Registration FAQ page.
Speaker Information
Who do we Choose to Be? This is the question that drives Athena Adkins, president, Better World Partners, and her work. Throughout her 20+ year career in the nonprofit and philanthropic sector, her effort to leverage her experience and expertise and align her personal values with mission-driven organizations has led her to engage in deep, meaningful work at the intersection of organizational development and capacity building—where those ideas intersect with authentic leadership, intercultural organizational development, and emotional intelligence. Essentially, she champions the idea that it is not just “what we do” but also “how we do it.”
As president of a woman-owned, minority-owned business and an executive coach, she brings extensive leadership experience. From her days rowing at the University of Miami to her role as a True North Leadership Fellow, she excels in leading teams, coaching executives and diverse, high-performing teams.
Athena is a values-driven leader adept at utilizing co-creation, coaching, and mentorship tools. With almost two decades of experience, she and her team are the “secret sauce” for their clients, crafting processes to enhance organizational and individual capacity. They specialize in intercultural organizational development, authentic leadership and storytelling for public and private support. Athena’s strengths lie in asking tough questions, seeking clarity, and fostering understanding. Her favorite part of the work is the opportunity to co-conspire with smart, accomplished, fiercely principled people to create environments that let us all thrive.
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Julia Hobday is a seasoned intercultural coach and facilitator dedicated to promoting healthy communication across diverse cultures. With a background spanning various domestic and international settings, Julia believes community is at its best when its rich layers of difference are noticed, named and uplifted. Her work is a powerful form of “bridge-building,” connecting diverse perspectives to forge deeper relationships.
Committed to creating brave spaces for growth, Julia helps clients discover their cultural identities and embrace unique blends of self. Through her guidance, individuals build profound self- and other-awareness, leading to effective communication and meaningful connections. Clients feel supported, challenged, and empowered to navigate complexity with confidence and sensitivity.
Julia is a Certified Professional Diversity Coach, a Qualified Administrator for IDI and ICS, and a trained Racial Justice Facilitator. She also holds an Advanced Certificate in Equity and Diversity from the University of Minnesota and is proficient in Spanish.
Julia’s professional practice extends across the U.S. Her work is rooted in frameworks like Mitch Hammer’s Intercultural Development Continuum, Intercultural Conflict Styles, and Coach Diversity Institute, ensuring practical, transformative results. Julia also actively volunteers in numerous community organizations committed to racial justice and equity.
Ultimately, Julia’s work is driven by a lifelong aspiration to be a force for good in the world. Through her guidance, she empowers individuals and organizations to not only navigate but also embrace the complexities of our interconnected world, fostering a more just, empathetic, and truly collaborative society.
