Trainers
Play for Peace Certified Trainers are the heart of our on-the-ground impact, bringing expertise, empathy, and cultural awareness to each community they serve. These skilled facilitators empower local leaders and youth with hands-on training in conflict transformation, compassionate communication, and inclusive play. Beyond teaching techniques, Trainers nurture environments where leaders can grow, build connections, and inspire peace within their own communities. By modeling our core values of laughter, compassion, and resilience, Play for Peace Trainers create ripple effects, fostering safe, supportive spaces that continue long after each training ends.
Empowering communities, inspiring peace: trainers who can engage your community.
List of Certified Trainers
Our Certified Trainers are the driving force behind Play for Peace’s global impact. Each trainer brings a unique blend of expertise, cultural awareness, and a deep commitment to our mission of fostering laughter, compassion, and peace. These dedicated individuals work tirelessly to empower local leaders and youth, equipping them with the skills and tools needed to transform conflicts and build inclusive, thriving communities. If you’re looking to bring a Play for Peace Certified Trainer to your community or group, fill out the request form below and let’s start making an impact together.
Abha Jeurkar
Certified Trainer
RESIDENCE
UK
LANGUAGES
Marathi, Hindi, English
Personal Statement
Play for Peace provides precious opportunities for me to contribute to creating safe and non-judgmental learning spaces. I believe that it is only in such a sororal/fraternal atmosphere that we can have deep conversations around justice, liberty and equality, which form the pillars of any democracy. I really enjoy those moments when hierarchies and barriers organically melt in a group. Practicing playing for peace allows me to meet diverse groups of people, understand their mind-hearts, and deepen my own understanding of self.
Aditya Vaishampayan
Certified Trainer
RESIDENCE
Oulu, Finland
LANGUAGES
English, Marathi, Hindi, Pahadi, French
Personal Statement
Coming from Pune, India, Aditya has been a school-teacher for more than a decade. Even though he is trained in Montessori philosophy, he based his entire classroom philosophy on the value-pillars of Play for Peace and Experiential Education, all those years.
During school vacations, he has worked as a Play for Peace facilitator in various parts of India, working with youth and adults. He has practiced Play for Peace with students, teachers and even individuals from corporate backgrounds. His playfulness and his belief in the power of laughter has allowed him to take Play for Peace work to diverse contexts. Currently, he serves children and contributes to the peace of this world, by being a Parent-Mentor, Organizational Coach and a Life Coach.
Aditya moved to Finland in 2023 from India and he continues to do Play Sessions with the Play for Peace methodology wherever he gets an opportunity. The laughter and the deep joy he sees, especially in adults, constantly fuels his motivation to continue doing this work for a long time to come.
Craig Dobkin
Co-founder and Master Trainer
RESIDENCE
Denver, CO, USA
LANGUAGES
English, Spanish
Personal Statement
I have an abundance of luck to have found experiential education which has allowed me to be a lifetime learner. In 1973 I attended a teachers with Colorado Outward Bound School From here I was an instructor with COBS and Dartmouth OBS. I taught adventure education for 13 yrs at Towson State College. In 1979 I interviewed Mr Michael Gass, gave him his first position and believe his hire was the best thing I have accomplished in the EE field. I took students to Mexican Volcanoes, Ecuador, Mt Rainer, Denali and the Himalayas. I co founded West Pine Training Center, YouthBiz, Project Voyce and Play for Peace. I AM THE Father of Towson State Rugby, and we went on two tours playing in 6 countries and we learned a deep sense of humility. I was on tour with the USA select side and the first team to go to the USSR IN 1978. Taught 10 years at Colorado, Boulder in a Leadership class for the 21st Century. EE has been very good to me! Craig Dobkin, MS, has his world awakened when he participated in his first Outward Bound experience in Marble, Colorado, in 1973. His earlier education at West Chester State College and the University of Pittsburgh. He was given another life changing opportunity when he was hired by Towson State College to immerse himself and his students into the simple process of learning by doing. The challenge was to make education relevant through adventure and reflection which transfers to personal and professional growth. He has served on the Board of Directors of Association of Experiential Education, given the Kurt Hahn Address and received the Michael Stratton Award. Craig has authored three books, The Book of Metaphors, Cooking with Play for Peace and Peacecircles and co-founded YouthBiz and Play for Peace. Craig lives in Denver and makes his different abilities, opportunities.
Ajat Shatru
Certified Trainer
RESIDENCE
India
LANGUAGES
English, Hindi
Personal Statement
I came across Play for Peace community In 2007 after leaving my Sales job. In this exploratory phase, I tried to understand human behaviour through many workshops and Play for Peace community gave me the opportunity to understand myself and others. Since then, the journey of learning and facilitation started. I helped open 3-4 PFP clubs in Delhi and shared the same in Nepal, Pakistan, Srilanka, and Bangladesh at times. I visited Athens with Abha in Skarmangas camp and connected with many youths through PFP. I see Play for Peace games as a great community-building tool. I travel a lot and use Play for Peace to bring people from diverse communities together.
Ajay Gupta
Certified Trainer
RESIDENCE
Bangalore
LANGUAGES
Hindi, English, Bengali, Marathi
Personal Statement
I am a storyteller, game designer, and group process facilitator.
Agyatmitra
Master Trainer
RESIDENCE
India
LANGUAGES
English
Personal Statement
Started my journey in 2000 in City called Hyderabad in Southern India. Since than been involved in sharing Play for Peace across India and beyond. Have been part of Play for Peace initiative in Srilanka, Nepal, Myanmar, Vietnam, Pakistan, South Sudan, Senegal, Greece, Italy. Working along with partner Swati Bhatt, also certified Play for Peace Trainer we have grown up learning and sharing Play for Peace as inclusive, safe and transformative process. Our vision is to travel and share Play for Peace across the world wherever possible.
Archana Magar
Certified Trainer
RESIDENCE
Scotland
LANGUAGES
English, Hindi, Marathi
Personal Statement
I have been associated and began my journey with Play for Peace in 2008 as a volunteer and continue to contribute through my passion in the global community. I am an educator and community leader with more than ten years of nonprofit experience, mostly worked with low-income and marginalized communities in both rural and urban India to promote and support inclusive education, non-violent communication and sustainable education programs. I am a creator and led programs for women in harsh settings such as prisons and government homes for rescued sex workers. I use multi skills like art-based and Narrative therapies as playful based approach to facilitate group discussions and learning for both adults and children -- methods I learned through extensive trainings with the international organizations.
Anilesh Khare
Certified Trainer
RESIDENCE
Hyderabad, India
LANGUAGES
English, Hindi, Punjabi
Personal Statement
Hey all! I am Anilesh Khare, a certified experiential educator, and I've been with Play for Peace since the year 2018. When I first encountered PFP, I fell in love with it right away. I feel these games & activities break barriers and prejudices of all types and bring people of different ages and backgrounds together to work together, share, experience, and, of course, have fun. For the initial years, I was actively involved in this amazing movement and conducted various workshops/game sessions, but then the global lockdown brought everything to a standstill. Now I have been relocated to a new city (Dehradun) and have started to run activities with a government school near my area. Currently, it starts with playing separate activities and bringing young boys and girls to cooperate together, share experiences, and talk about their cultures and traditions, all using fun games, enhancing compassion, and bringing joy to all. and later to formalize it as a community club and expand the vision and mission of Play for Peace in the city of Dehradun (India).
Deb Kulcsar
Certified Trainer
RESIDENCE
Denver, United States
LANGUAGES
English
Personal Statement
Deb and the ELA team have partnered in delivering challenge course, leadership and team development, environmental and outdoor education programs for over 30 years. Together they have succeeded in providing experiential programs for students from all walks of life including wilderness camps, urban outdoor classroom programs, teacher training and experiential sessions for people in addictions recovery. With a priority on self-care and equity, they have
served thousands of youth, adults and corporate groups weaving in a combination of community, challenge and passion – just the right blend of ingredients for an engaging and relevant learning adventure. You all come from all walks of life and as Daniels scholars, we want you to believe you are a part of a community of peers that are in this with you and available to support you. That is what Deb and her team is going to help us realize today.
Margaux Richet
Certified Trainer
RESIDENCE
Berlin, Germany
LANGUAGES
French, German, English
Personal Statement
Since relocating to Berlin in 2004, I have built a career as an intercultural trainer, facilitator, and moderator, working across Germany, Europe, and globally in countries like Algeria, Ghana, and Armenia. My diverse upbringing, spanning Lagos, Nigeria, and Seoul, South Korea, ignited my passion for exploring cultures. Trained in international trade, politics, and social management in Paris and art history at the Ecole du Louvre, I also enhanced my English in San Francisco while working with Amnesty International. I am a trainer for the EU Salto-Youth Network and a former member of the AFNB Academy in Cologne. Employing non-formal education methods, I draw creative inspiration from theatre, circus, music, and dance, and have performed as a storyteller at various events since 2010.
Sa'eed Diabat
Certified Trainer
RESIDENCE
Israel
LANGUAGES
Arabic, Hebrew, English
Personal Statement
I am Sa’eed Diabat, a dedicated community project leader with extensive experience in workforce development, training, knowledge management, and community strategy. My passion lies in empowering underprivileged communities, helping individuals unlock their potential, and driving social change.
With a strong academic foundation, I hold:
A B.A. in Behavioral Sciences from Ben Gurion University of the Negev.
An M. Teach focusing on Youth-at-Risk Education from Oranim College of Education.
A second Master's in Organizational Behavior & Development from Reichman University, where my thesis explored the impact of personality traits on distance learning satisfaction.
My professional journey includes impactful contributions to the JDC work on promoting the Arab community's social mobility, where I help design and implement programs addressing social and economic challenges to foster community resilience and sustainable development.
I am also actively involved in Play for Peace, a global initiative using experiential learning and play to inspire youth and communities to promote inclusion, cooperation, and peacebuilding. Through this work, I support programs that connect diverse populations and empower young leaders to drive positive change.
In 2013, I founded Youth for Change Galilee, a program empowering disadvantaged youth through education on rights, leadership, and personal growth in the Galilee region. Since 2019, these efforts have been scaled through Averroes Community Building NGO, which I lead as Founder and CEO.
My commitment to youth leadership and social innovation earned me a spot in the prestigious Community Solutions Program (CSP) by the U.S. Department of State. During my 2018 fellowship at Milwaukee's Journey House, I gained invaluable insights into community leadership and innovation, further solidifying my vision for change.
I believe in the transformative power of community-driven solutions and strive to inspire others to build inclusive, empowered societies. Let’s connect and explore opportunities to collaborate on impactful initiatives!
Sarah Gough
Master Trainer
RESIDENCE
Canada
LANGUAGES
English, Spanish
Personal Statement
Sarah Gough celebrates over 20 years of facilitation and speaking experience, spreading experiential education across the globe as Executive Director of Play for Peace, an organization that brings together youth, adults, and organizations from communities in conflict through cooperative play to create laughter, compassion, and peace. Grounded by an MSW in interpersonal relations from the University of Michigan, her passion for mentoring change-makers and training future generations of f2ND COLUMNSarah GoughMaster TrainerRESIDENCECanadaLANGUAGESEnglish, Spanish, FrenchPersonal Statementacilitators is evidenced by her founding of a Trainers Certification course for experiential educators and leading ongoing workshops and panels with young people in Latin and North America, Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. She has published the direct impact of her work with research articles in JEE, other publications, and conferences as well as with the book co-authored PeaceCircles. In 2020, she spearheaded "Playscapes" facilitating online 2D experiential workshops with State Department and university programs for students and teachers in Iraq, Poland, Germany and more. Sarah is also an advisor to Kikori, a mobile app & community-driven platform of experiential education activities for educators, facilitators, and trainers. She is the recipient of the 2021 Michael Stratton Practitioner's Award from the Association of Experiential Education.
