Dr. Elaine Shpungin is the founder and director of Conflict 180. Elaine wants to contribute to systems that address conflict more courageously, compassionately and restoratively.Her secret lifetime goal is “Circles in Congress.” After serving as the director of the University of Illinois’ Psychological Services Center for 12 years, Elaine founded Conflict 180 in 2016, with the mission of providing training, consulting, and coaching to organizations that want to create more positive climates, and address conflict more constructively. The Conflict 180 motto of “turning conflict into connection” describes the 180 degree turn that is possible when systems are willing to courageously tackle their “elephants” and create environments in which people thrive rather than survive. Elaine’s consulting is based on decades of hands-on experience, and the synthesis of research and best practices from the fields of psychology, communication, organizational change, leadership and diversity.