Alice Lombardo Maher, MD
Founder and President

Alice Lombardo Maher, MD, is a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst in private practice in New York City. She graduated from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the Psychoanalytic Association of New York affiliated with NYU Langone Health. She is the founder and president of Changing our Consciousness (COC), a non-profit organization dedicated to the emergence of a new language for communication across psychological divides. Alice founded COC and its educational arm, Emotional Imprint, to develop tools that can be shared with young people. She co-created two documentaries on mental health stigma, “How to Touch a Hot Stove,” and “Daniel, Debra, Leslie (and You?).” Her most recent project is Waging Dialogue, dedicated to the emergence of effective communication across interpersonal and intergroup divides. Her book, Catalysis: A Recipe to Slow Down or Abort Humankind’s Leap to War, was published in 2018. She was selected to give a presentation at the 2023 International Psychoanalytic Association Congress in Cartagena.

Matt Bogaty
Executive Director

Matt Bogaty joined Changing our Consciousness in 2016 and initiated the new Waging Dialogue project. He is responsible for crafting our message, developing our projects, and facilitating collaborations with other organizations. He is also a member of the advisory board of the Collaborative for Compassionate Civic Engagement and helps run its Civics Corps initiative and manage its online presence. Matt was also responsible for creating the divides.org E-Book for the Emotional Imprint Hunter College High School essay project. He is also an independent screenwriter.
June Klees

June Klees, PhD, is a generalist historian and educator at Bay College in Michigan, where she strives to help others see the value of civic mindedness, the humanities, and social-behavioral sciences in everyday life. With degrees from East Stroudsburg University (education, BS) and (history, MA) and Kent State University (history, PhD), she also has earned certifications in public history (KSU) and distance education (University of Wisconsin, Madison). In addition to teaching and professional responsibilities, locally she has assisted with two art center exhibits, been a guest speaker for service organizations and clubs, and has supported various community efforts and events over the years.
Susan Dansker

Susan Dansker has worked in the non-profit sector for over 30 years, providing writing, design, and marketing services to the education and healthcare communities. Susan volunteers as a CELTA ESL teacher, working with adult immigrants and new Americans in multi-level, multi-cultural settings. In her spare time she paints, makes ceramics, and enjoys hiking and long-distance walking. Susan has worked with Dr Alice Maher since 2009, managing the formation of our non-profit umbrella organization, Changing Our Consciousness, and our educational arm, Emotional Imprint. She designs the logos and marketing materials that communicate our mission to the public realm.
BERNICE ARRICALE is a special education teacher and literacy specialist whose work with primary-age children and their teachers keeps redefining notions of what it means to be a “special needs” learner. Says Alice Maher, “Bernice has been my ‘muse’ for the past half century, and everything I’ve ever done has been filtered through the mirror of her discerning eyes. I know what I look like in large part because of the way she’s reflected me back to myself. This project wouldn’t exist if not for her.”
JOHN FOY is a retired executive of a large insurance company where he spent his primary work years. He is a graduate of the National University of Ireland and holds a post-graduate degree in education from there, as well as an MBA from Pace University. He taught in Nigeria, Ireland, and New York before entering the world of emerging computers. In retirement, he spent several years consulting with small developing companies in Eastern Europe and has served on the CoC Board for many years.