The Authentic Communication Group is led by Anisha Pandya, Chief Executive Officer; Martha Lasley, Founder; and Kunal Kankhare, Operations Manager. Our team is excited about showcasing our work in our new book: Facilitating Groups: Inspiring Change through Authentic Relationships. You can pre-order the book in October so stay tuned for that!
Our purpose: We are catalysts for a more empathic, bold, and liberated world. We support groups to have gutsy conversations that spark healing and ignite social evolution.
Our vision: We are co-creating a world that’s unapologetically authentic, fiercely compassionate, and unwavering in our stand for social justice. We envision a future where transformative conversations disrupt injustice and heal old wounds.
Our Team
Anisha Pandya, Chief Executive Officer
Anisha Pandya is a psychotherapist, leadership coach and transformation facilitator from Mumbai, India. She specializes in many conceptual approaches such as Transactional Analysis, Appreciative Inquiry, Nonviolent Communication, Emotional Intelligence, NLP, and Process Work. Since 2006 her work has been about helping people lead more fulfilling authentic lives. Anisha Pandya offers individual as well as group psychotherapy and she has more than 4,000 hours of experience in coaching and psychotherapy with people across sectors. She particularly enjoys facilitating experiential labs and long-term groups for tangible transformation. Anisha Pandya has designed and facilitated multiple workshops on diversity and inclusion, parenting, intimacy, leadership development, conflicts, difficult conversations, gender, power and group dynamics. She is passionate about creating a culture of NVC in families.
Martha Lasley, Founder
Martha Lasley works with movers, shakers and changemakers to advocate for social justice. She works with small groups to explore power dynamics and transform the domination culture. She has authored three books: Coaching for Transformation; Facilitating with Heart; and Courageous Visions. She supports social justice activists to realize their visions and develop heart-centered authentic relationships. Martha is a certified trainer for the Center for Nonviolent Communication and serves on the board of directors. As a founding partner of Leadership that Works, Martha Lasley and her team developed the Coaching for Transformation program where thousands of coaches have been certified. She has presented several programs at the annual conference for the International Association of Facilitators, including “Facilitating Difficult Conversations,” and “Coaching for Personal & Organizational Transformation.” Martha lives in Ecovillage in Ithaca, New York where she likes to garden and cook with her neighbors.
Kanya Likanasudh, Facilitator
Kanya Likanasudh lives in Thailand where she is a pioneer in spreading Nonviolent Communication. She offers transformational programs in communication, conflict resolution, and coaching across all sectors and in prisons. As a board member for the Center for Nonviolent Communication, she challenges people with conflicting viewpoints to understand each other deeply which helps them discover creative solutions. Kanya Likanasudh’s joy in life is to create heart-connecting dialogue about power, privilege, and rank. Through humor and playfulness, she helps people use their privilege to create a more equitable world. Kanya combines meditation, body awareness, Nonviolent Communication, Internal Family Systems, the Integral Approach, and Process Work to deepen learning.
Kathy G. Brown, Facilitator
Kathy G. Brown has spearheaded many peer-led Interactive Communication Groups that continue to enrich her life on a personal and professional level. She is passionate about creating safe environments where people can learn to better understand all the complexities of who they are, as well as, who others are. A journalist, mediator, NVC & IFS facilitator, and parenting consultant, Kathy has more than 30 years experience as a reporter and editor, and more than 20 years as an NVC facilitator. She also spent 10 years as a certified Aware Parenting Consultant. In addition to participating in and facilitating groups, she mediates in several Judicial Circuit Courts in Florida. Kathy incorporates NVC and IFS into her mediation practice, called Relationship Conflict Resolution.
Kan Yan, Facilitator
Kan Yan is a first generation Chinese American living in Austin, TX and Berkeley, California. He works as a consultant and executive coach helping purpose-driven leaders and organizations realize their visions through cultivating wisdom and effectiveness. He has worked for the UN, US Federal Courts, and McKinsey & Company where he consulted Fortune 500 clients on leadership development with a focus on mindfulness. His recent work has focused on organizations advocating for psychedelic medicine including developing the strategic plan for the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). Kan has spent hundreds of days in silent meditation retreat and teaches about Buddhism. He has facilitated process groups focused on shared identities including groups for men, BIPOC, and Chinese heritage people. He teaches contemplative movement practices and loves to bring embodiment into his facilitation.
Brandon Wong, Facilitator
Brandon Wong is a happy student of Vipassana meditation, syntropic agroforestry, Somatic Experiencing, hunter-gatherer parenting, degrowth, and solopreneurship. He lives at a rural health clinic in the Peten region of Guatemala. He splits his time between accompanying the work of health promoters and serving clients as a coach and facilitator. He previously worked at a COVID bubble for college students, summer camps across the U.S., an early-stage tech startup, and nonprofits like Ashoka. He’s inspired by liberation theology and engaged Buddhism.
Neil Bond, Facilitator
Neil Bond is passionate about IFS, NVC and exploring what is happening in the present moment. He divides his time between group process work, personal IFS work and playing with his grandchildren. He has witnessed and experienced the transformational power of being truly seen and strives to create a safe space where all parts are welcome. For him, it is clear there are no bad parts and everyone is doing their best to connect and belong. He holds a master’s degree in counseling psychology that combines the Humanistic approach with his mindfulness practice.
Kunal Kankhare, Operations Manager
Kunal Kankhare is a tech enthusiast driven by his passion to contribute to a nonviolent world. In his multifaceted role, he oversees operations, ensures smooth workflows, and provides valuable guidance to the team, maintaining high standards while prioritizing well-being. His expertise in managing the company’s accounting is complemented by a proactive approach to streamlining processes and improving efficiency, all while staying ahead of technological advancements and customer needs.