Our company brings together a broad team of professionals from around the world to meet the special needs of each project. These individuals are not only experts in their fields, but they are also multicultural and have a solid understanding of how to convey the value of diversity, integration and global communications. We offer the appropriate expertise required to ensure your needs are met with excellence and efficiency. Our team covers a broad array of fields, including psychology, international development, journalism, public affairs, legal, health, education, business, and human resource management.

Raquel Brown - Diversity Training Coordinator

As Senior Trainer, Raquel creates, recommends and implements diversity training programs to satisfy the needs of our growing clientele. Her work includes coordination with our pool of consultants and direct communication with customers to ensure the best match between customers' needs and our team's expertise.

Brown received her BA degree in International Development from The Ohio State University. A native of Costa Rica and trilingual, she has lived and studied in France, Mauritania, and Cambodia and has a true passion for discovering and understanding different cultures. Mrs. Brown's experience includes work overseas teaching English and several short term assignments in Malaysia, Thailand, Azerbaijan and Costa Rica. Most recently, she served as a social worker for the National Youth Advocate Program.

Her extensive experience working with different ethnicities and socioeconomic groups allows her to authentically connect with diverse audiences and to clearly analyze training needs. Raquel's focus is to deliver the highest quality experience for the individuals who participate in our workshops, seminars and trainings.

John W. Cavanaugh, PhD - President and CEO

Dr. Cavanaugh manages the day to day operations of Cross Cultural Communications and directs our public affairs division. He previously served as Program Officer at the Charles F. Kettering Foundation, where he functioned as a liaison to National Issues Forums (NIF), a nationwide network of organizations committed to public policy deliberation.

His experience also includes time as a constituent services staff assistant in the Boston office of U.S. Senator John Kerry, as a budget analyst in the office of the Massachusetts state auditor, and as a research assistant professor in the Center for Citizenship at the University of South Carolina in Columbia.

Dr. Cavanaugh has a bachelor's degree in Political Science from Framingham State College, a master's degree in Public Affairs from the McCormack Graduate School at the University of Massachusetts at Boston, and a doctoral degree in Political Science from the University of South Carolina.

He is published in numerous periodicals regarding issues including multicultural public relations, government and nonprofit relations, civic engagement, and community outreach.

Our Associates

Tokz Awoshakin

Tokunbo Awoshakin is a policy researcher and public engagement expert. Tokz has worked in the United Nations and in Washington D.C as a journalist. He is deeply steeped in blending indigenous African methods with contemporary deliberative approaches for strategic planning, community organizing and collaborative problem solving. As the founding director of Civic Life International, Tokz has a proven track record of initiating and managing to completion projects and its dissemination to target audiences He has strong organizational and project management skills and understanding of conceptual and strategic thinking. Tokz has worked extensively with the Kettering Foundation as Democracy fellow, trainer and a consultant. Tokz brings to the field a range of tools, methodologies and civic engagement experience. Tokz holds B.A in English and Educational Psychology, M.A in International Development, Security & Conflict resolution and he is a PhD candidate in Antioch University’s distinctive doctoral program in organizational Leadership & Change.

Dr. Erendira Lopez-Garcia, Psy. D.

Dr. Erendira Lopez-Garcia is a licensed psychologist at University Psychological Services Association, Inc. She graduated from the School of Professional Psychology at Wright State University and completed her internship at the counseling center at the University of Michigan. She completed two years of postdoctoral fellowship in clinical psychology at Wright State University. As a general clinical practitioner, she has worked with a wide variety of populations in different service settings such as inpatient units, mental health centers, and university counseling services. Dr. Lopez-Garcia’s clinical expertise centers on assessing learning disabilities and attention deficit disorders. In addition, she has ample experience in working with domestic violence issues (perpetrators, victims, and/or survivors), anxiety and depression problems, treating individuals with eating problems, and multicultural issues. She is fluent in English and Spanish and provides services in both languages. She is a member of the Dayton Area Psychological Association, the Ohio Psychological Association, the American Psychological Association, and the National Latino Psychological Association.

Brandi Mercado

Brandi has served as a mediator between multiple ethnic communities within the public and private sector for over a decade. An avid promoter of international progress in the areas of education and civil rights, Brandi has partnered with fire fighters and police officers to form the Columbus Fire and Police Multicultural Emergency Taskforce to ensure that emergency and crisis response training courses are offered in languages that are predominantly spoken in Ohio.

Brandi has served as a community liaison for the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators, and a member of the Hispanic Professionals of Columbus and the Multi-ethnic Advocates for Cultural Competence. She is an active member of her church where she trains several types of classes that focus on empowering employers by educating their staff about community-based issues, such as diversity, generational challenges and leadership training for underprivileged youth.

Brandi is an alumnus of The Ohio State University where she graduated with a Bachelors of Art in Psychology. She is currently pursuing a Master's degree from Capella University.