San Diego Business Woman, Jessi LaCosta, Celebrates Completion of the Leading Edge, Internationally Recognized IPNB Certificate Program at Portland State

CARLSBAD, CA, April 10, 2011 (Press-News.org) Local executive coach and brand leadership consultant joined her classmates on April 1, 2011 in the inaugural group to finish Portland State's Certificate of Completion Program in Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB). Being one of the 12 in this group is an impressive feat, as it also makes LaCosta the first and possibly only person nationally to officially have been trained in IPNB for using it as the undercurrent through which she engages in branding and brand leadership - her method of organizational development. Her other classmates have also been pioneers in their own rights using IPNB to help police officers, prisoners, traumatic brain injury survivors, children in the foster care system just to name a few fields of practice. Students attended either in-person, online (or both) from areas including, Oregon, California, Canada, New Mexico, Washington and as far away as England.

Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) as defined by Portland State is: "A term coined by Dr. Dan Siegel, studies the way the brain grows and is influenced by personal relationships. Recent studies have discovered that brain growth occurs throughout the lifespan. IPNB explores the potential for healing trauma by using positive and secure influences on the brain. IPNB has broad applications that are useful for parenting, mental health, addictions, education, health care, business professionals, and more.

"What struck me was the stark realization that each one of these projects could spawn its own unique line of research and practice - taking IPNB, and these participants, into so many new territories. The richness, depth and personal passion that each person brought to their project was awe-inspiring. And the challenge that Debra Pearce-McCall, the faculty member who helped create the Interpersonal Neurobiology program, faced in guiding everyone through this process for the first time - she succeeded in ways that surpassed any imaginings." Marion Sharp, Program Manager, IPNB, Portland State.

Portland State currently has the only program - internationally - that offers a certificate of completion (at graduate level) in IPNB - and many of the classes offer CEUS for professionals in the healthcare and human performance fields. The value of the program is widespread and the knowledge can be applied in many practice areas. LaCosta has been incorporating this knowledge within the framework she uses to coach individuals as well as her methods to help create sustainable, responsible and effective organizations.

"No doubt this program has made profound changes for me personally and professionally and has quickly extended to my clients. In fact, I was able to connect much better with one of my clients, Impact Young Adults, to the extent that they have practically turned around their entire organization in a few months. They came to me for guidance in succession planning and left with a fresh perspective on brand leadership and sustainable organizational development. They have done phenomenal things with what they have learned and what I have shared with them." Jessi LaCosta
LaCosta's capstone project was based on evaluation and development of the IPNB program's brand communications. Some recommendations from this project have recently been implemented to LaCosta's delight. "While this is a collaborative and thought-provoking program, it also allows for and encourages real-life applications." LaCosta states.
In addition to using this knowledge with clients, LaCosta developed a marketing communication course for the IPNB program and delivered it for the first time this past term (Winter 2010).

She has been inspired by so many people, her classmates, the experts in the field of IPNB, the program manager, as well as the seminar instructor, Debra Pearce-McCall, who also shares Lacosta's passion for bringing IPNB into the workplace create and for creating more compassionate, sustainable communities. When asked Dr. Pearce-McCall's perspective on guiding this first group through to its final completion, she stated,

"These creative and outstanding final projects show the power and potential of integrating IPNB into your work, whether you are a healer, educator, leader, coach, or work in another relational arena. I am honored to be the professor who guided this first integrative capstone seminar¬¬. My passion is helping folks bring IPNB into mind and heart, into application and action-and I celebrate every one of our wonderful graduates. By delving deeply into the field of IPNB through our many courses, reflections, exercises, and discussions, and integrating it into their own lives, they created original, significant work they will each continue with, while engaging together to become a compassionate, collaborative, and inspiring learning community. Wellbeing, well done!" Debra Pearce-McCall, PhD, Psychologist and Consultant, Faculty, IPNB Graduate Certificate Program at PSU, Vice-President, Global Association for Interpersonal Neurobiology Studies (GAINS)

LaCosta is currently in her final phase of an organizational development assessment tool for Brand leadership, The Brand Leadership Inventory, and will be launching the product nationally in a few months. She aspires to create a "Brain-savvy" Brand leadership Institute including the principles of IPNB and sharing with others how to build sustainable platforms for success - effectively and responsibly impacting not just the single bottom line - but also the triple bottom line of profits, people and planet.

SAMPLE OF CAPSTONE PROJECTS for the 2010/2011 Seminar Class
• Elizabeth Bothwell, M.A. Workshop: "Neurons and the Nine Points of View: A User's Guide to the Brain and the
Enneagram" (Portland, OR)
• Lynn Fontana, LMFT, PhD, "Treating the Adolescent Brain with EMDR" - (Clinical Supervisor, Clinical Consultant,
(Portland/HoodRiver OR)
• Donna Harris, "Creating Buoyancy in Your Life Self-pace E-Learning Training Program" - (Portland, OR)
• Jessi LaCosta, MA, Certified Executive Coach, Mediator, Brand Leadership Consultant - "Brand Communications,
Resonance and Attunement - A Study of the PSU IPNB Certificate Program" (Carlsbad, CA)
• Carole Ockert, BSc, CHt. "Hypnosis, the Brain and the Mind" (Lake Oswego, OR)
• Raymond Peterson, LPC, PhD, NEURO-NARRATIVE TECHNIQUE,IPNB, EMDR: Trauma Treatment For Law
Enforcement And Military (Portland/HoodRiver, OR)
• Stephanie Usher, "Traumatic Brain Injury: For Families" -An Informative DVD - (Portland, OR)
• Teresa Waters: Waters "I Seek Safe Harbor: Navigating through the turbulent seas of trauma -Trauma recovery
support booklets" (Canada)
• Ron Wilgosh,R.M.N. - "Brain-Mind-Relationships: a 12 week course on Interpersonal Neurobiology for mental
health practitioners and service users''. - (Chelmsford, England)

Other topics included IPNB in the prison system, steps for creating your own community forum, supportive parenting books with a focus on helping the foster or adopted child, healthy workplace initiatives etc.

To learn more about the IPNB program at Portland State, visit: http://www.pdx.edu/ceed/ipnb or contact Marion L. Shape at sharpml@pdx.edu or 503-725-4876.

About LaCosta:
Jessi LaCosta is one of the United States only specialists to work at the nexus of branding, leadership, strategy, psychology and neuroscience, influenced by Interpersonal Neurobiology. This process of business and community building she calls Brand Leadership. Her purpose is to help others create healthy, effective and sustainable platforms for implementing their visions. She is the founder of BlueRio Strategies and uses coaching, assessments, training, and facilitation to help her clients achieve success. LaCosta is also the Vice President of Marketing and Membership for the San Diego Organization Development Network. She holds a B.S. degree in Corporate Media, an M.A. degree in Communication Design and a Leadership Certificate. She is also a certified trained mediator for the state of California and a Certified Mastermind Executive Coach as well as a certified Reboot facilitator.

BlueRio Strategies is a coaching, consulting and development firm. Its main focus is to help others develop and implement systems and strategies to that move visions forward. More on LaCosta and BlueRio Strategies can be found at http://www.bluerio.net/