Training Event Speaker BIO and Request Submission, Guno Ritfeld, J.D

Speaker's Biography

Guno is a fervent trainer and presenter on diversity inclusion in the workplace and tolerance. He has devoted many years to understanding interactions and perceptions of diverse cultures. Guno's own perceptions as a foreign born and naturalized citizen allows him to convey his message to cultivate awareness on various interpretations of verbal and nonverbal communications across different cultures.

Guno was born in one of the few, or perhaps only country in the world where you can find a Jewish Synagogue and an Islam Mosque side by side and sharing a common parking lot. Guno asked himself the question - if respect and diversity tolerance in a small country is possible, why can't be done in our great Nation? - and setting his mission to contribute to creating a more diversity tolerant United States through training. Guno is a retired Department of Defense Human Resource Commissioned Officer. He has served the United States honorably at home and abroad. Guno's unique background has allowed him to understand and work side by side with U.S allies and host nations during the time when he served abroad in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Kosovo, Korea, Bulgaria, Romania, Germany, Greece and many other countries.

In 2012, Guno was summoned to serve as the Special Operations Joint Task Force-Afghanistan (SOJTF-A)/ NATO Special Operations Component Command - Afghanistan (NSOCC-A) as the Deputy Director, J1. This Task Force was comprised of more than twenty-five NATO nations and allies who provided military forces, as well as the partnership with the host nation forces. This distinctive position provided him with the opportunity and experience to brief the Commanding General on unique issues and perspective of U.S.'s allies and host nation personnel and Human Resource support matters.

Guno served over twenty years in the Armed Forces and he was awarded several achievement and meritorious awards to include the Bronze Star Service Medal, The Army Meritorious Service Medal and the Meritorious Joint Service Medal. Guno served as the Operation Officer for the Brooklyn, New York - United States Military Entrance Processing Station, the second largest in the U.S. Guno had trained, mentored and resolved various disputes arising out of the various perspectives of employees, recruits and visitors with different interpretation of both verbal and nonverbal communication, while accomplishing the Nation's mission.

He is the founder of Resolute Mediation & Arbitration (RM&A) Inc, established in 2005. RM&A is a leading Dispute Resolution Forum serving Central Florida community and surrounding areas. He is also the founder of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Academy (ADRA), an online academy that makes training in diversity inclusion and conflict resolution matters accessible to everyone. ADRA was established in 2011 and provides online Continuing Education for Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediators, Florida and Washington Bar licensed lawyers, as well as mental health and human resources professionals. ADRA is accredited by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and an Approved Provider by the Florida Bar, The Florida Department Financial Services and The Florida Department of Family and Children. Guno is the author of numerous courses on topics related to conflict resolution and diversity consideration, which include. Some of the courses are: Diversity Consideration in Workplace Dispute Mediation, The Race and Ethnicity Argument in Tort Litigation, Serving Customers of Diverse Ethnicities, Professional Conduct Consideration in the Workplace, Essentials for Creating Subject Matter Experts, The Confidentiality and Privilege Consideration in Mediation.

Since 2011, Guno has been one of the lead instructors of ADRA and presented some of his courses at the Florida Supreme Court Mediators Annual Conference, the Broward County Court Annual Conference, the Taiwanese-American Professionals Seattle Chapter Conference, the United States Military Entrance Processing Station Quarterly Training Conference, and the Florida Small Business Social. Guno's studies in Psychology and Education, his Jurist Doctorate accomplishment, his Organization Development training, Advanced Human Resource Officer training and Operations training and his unique military leadership style makes him a valuable assets as a trainer and presenter. Additionally, as a Florida Supreme Court Certified, County and Family Mediator and approved Arbitrator, he is a Subject Matter Expert (SME) on diversity tolerance and conflict resolution training.