Who We Are
The Intercultural Relations Institute is a non-profit leadership and learning organization that strengthens human relations across business, education, and community sectors.
We strengthen leadership, facilitate intercultural conversations, advance youth collaboratives, and create opportunities for people and organizations to connect and thrive.
Our Vision
For ICRI, social innovation begins with people. We create spaces where leaders and communities can strengthen relationships, exchange perspectives, develop practical skills, and collaborate on shared challenges.
Our Mission
The Intercultural Relations Institute empowers leaders to relate, interact, and grow to drive personal, team, and collective impact. We provide training and support that create essential foundations for success in a world that values understanding and connection.
Leadership
Tessa R. Sutton, Ph.D.
Tessa is an interculturalist, connective leader, facilitator, and organizational development strategist with a proven record of helping leaders relate, interact, and grow through intercultural, collaborative, and systems-based frameworks that drive personal, team, and collective impact. Guided by and in partnership with the Board of Directors and Advisory Council, she advances the mission of Relate. Interact. Grow.
Our History and Our Why
Complex community challenges cannot be solved by one sector working alone
The Thought Leadership Conference began in 2016 with a simple belief: stronger communities grow when people and organizations have meaningful opportunities to connect, learn, and work together.
That belief led to the founding of the Intercultural Relations Institute in 2023.
Today, ICRI brings together leaders from business, education, nonprofit, and community settings to strengthen communication, expand intercultural capacity, develop leadership, and create collaborative responses to shared challenges.
We believe meaningful change happens when organizations move beyond silos and combine their knowledge, relationships, and resources for the greater good.
Working together in the community for the common good.
Everyone wins when business, education, and community organizations take on social challenges as a shared responsibility.