Jana Hollá

An anthropologist turned cross-cultural professional with over 15 years of experience in the field.

BIO:
My intercultural story began with an exchange year in the US in my late teens. This first long-term immersion in a new culture gave me a new passion for learning to understand others and share that knowledge. Choosing Cultural Anthropology as my university major was thus an obvious next step. There, I discovered the field of cross-cultural communication. And while working on my doctorate, I decided for a slight shift in my profession.

I have been working as a cross-cultural consultant, facilitator and trainer since.  I specialize in cross-cultural competence building, diversity management, and relocation training & coaching. My interventions explore the nature of difference, knowledge and learning as a means of developing and transforming individuals, teams and their organisations who seek to build effective and meaningful working relations across cultures and differences.

I have designed and facilitated learning programs for diverse audiences, in terms of national, social, professional background and/or age, in some twenty countries in Europe, Africa, and Asia. My clients come from the corporate sector, NGOs, universities and cultural institutions.

In my designs, I draw heavily on the latest findings in Developmental and Organizational Psychology, Cognitive Science, Anthropology, Sociology and Business Studies. In an effort to stay up to date, I welcome collaboration with academic institutions. I have been a member of the training staff at the Summer Academy on Intercultural Experience at the Karlshochshule University in Germany and cooperate with the Palacký University in Olomouc, Czech Republic.

I endeavour to share my passion for cross-cultural awareness and competence building in the form of volunteering and pro bono work as well. I am a former president of the Young Society for Intercultural Education, Training and Research (Young SIETAR) and maintain an active membership. I also extensively collaborate with the AFS network as a volunteer member of their European Pool of Trainers.

A native of Slovakia, I reside in Cairo, Egypt, since 2004. My adapted city offers a lot of opportunities for living what I preach. Fourteen years on, I embrace the challenges and opportunities living abroad offers with full awareness and deep appreciation. It is this lived experience that adds value to what I do professionally. 

QUALIFICATIONS

• PhD in Ethnology (Cultural Anthropology)

• Leadership experience with Young Sietar

• fluent in English, Slovak and Czech

• intermediate Egyptian Colloquial Arabic

• passive knowledge of German and Polish

• in-field experience in cooperation with a wide variety of clients

SKILLS

• training

• facilitation and coaching

• empathy and interpersonal skills

• translating academic theory into practice

• project management and support

• event organization (cross-cultural conferences)

SERVICES

• individual training

• group training

• facilitation of group processes

• individual and group coaching

• culturally sensitivity training - local knowledge on Egypt and MENA region

• available around the world