PL&L company founders and trainers living their extraordinary lives . . . on the water, on the field of their dreams, in the air, climbing bridges, hiking mountain tops, visiting historical ruins, bike riding . . . all living with exhilaration and joy!

Lindon Crow is the Co-founder and President of Productive Learning & Leisure. He has written, designed, conducted and facilitated corporate and private sector workshop programs, courses and learning vacations. He brings over 20 years of experience in the seminar and training industry to his corporate program facilitation. He leads professional, executive and management level workshops covering topics such as strategic intent, vision/goal setting, creativity, communication skills, conflict resolution and more. With his unique facilitation style, participants learn through inquiry, exploration and discovery. Clients gain confidence and awareness in their thinking process. Lindon incorporates written processes, interactive tools and experiential activities in his workshops.

Lindon was a member of the U.S. National Volleyball team and also played college football. These experiences led Lindon into coaching where he demonstrated his unique communication and management skills. For over 12 years he served as a trainer for the Summit Organization, a nationally recognized personal development seminar firm. In 1992 Lindon co-founded PL&L--a private educational organization where he and the company's trainers combine education with recreation. Using his unique skills and talents, Lindon has helped to enhance the lives of thousands of people. He's adamant that people need to do more than copy or admire success in others. They need the tools to make it happen and developing the skill for making effective choices is an excellent beginning.

Rick Itzkowich is the Co-founder and Vice President of Productive Learning & Leisure. He brings over 20 years of experience in the seminar and training industry to his corporate program facilitation. Rick conducts executive and management workshops covering topics such as communication skills, conflict resolution, goal setting and the study of the mind in business. His style is one of inquiry and discovery for the participants in his training sessions. Individuals take away both constructive and usable information on their own thinking and communication habits. Rick interacts with participants as both individuals and as members of a team. He incorporates humor, interactive tools and experiential activities in his presentations. With Rick's casual, yet firm demeanor, he excels in bringing out the best in people. Attendees benefit from his mastery of group dynamics and his in-depth knowledge of the topic he is presenting.

Prior to launching the firm in 1992, Rick was a senior trainer for 12 years with the Summit Organization, a nationally respected seminar company. He received his BSBA in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix in 1990 and took courses in Communications and Psychology at the University of Southern California. He has trained thousands of individuals over his career. Born and raised in Mexico City, Rick played baseball, fast-pitch softball and golf on numerous championship teams. This combination of a sports and organizational training background makes him uniquely qualified to lead innovative and insightful trainings.

Phil completed his BS in Business Administration with a double major in Finance and Real Estate and a minor in Economics in 1989 from San Diego State University. In 1993 he went on to earn his Real Estate broker's license while working for a prestigious national real estate firm. After several years in the industry Phil was hired by Dow Jones of New York as their Western Regional Manager, controlling all sales in the 13 western states.

In 1997 Phil discovered he had a gift for teaching and public speaking and began working with various corporate groups to help them build effective teams through experiential training formats. At the same time he worked with several high schools instructing teens and teachers in leadership and team building. Phil is the owner of Victory Developments, a profitable investment real estate firm in San Diego as well as a founding member of an organization of men dedicated to providing support and guidance to abused children in Southern California.

Phil's mission in life is to assist others in creating extraordinary lives through self- awareness and has discovered that his true passion is in guiding others to their own success. His wide range of experience and knowledge along with his strong intuitive nature enables Phil to support people in several areas of personal growth including communications, relationships, business and goal setting.

Susan held the position as Senior Trainer and Executive Director for 16 years with a large training organization creating and delivering innovative professional and personal development trainings. Seven years of her career were spent as an Independent Organizational Trainer and Executive Consultant presenting trainings to facilitate organizational culture change and leadership development. Susan has worked with such companies as The Monsanto Company, Renessen, Seiko Instruments USA, First National Bancorp and more. The past ten years she has positioned herself as an Executive Coach working with corporate leadership to master the communication and relationship skills necessary for accelerated performance.

Jean graduated from Highland School of Nursing in Oakland in 1968 and worked as a registered nurse until 1976 when she moved into nursing administration. In 1982 she returned to school at Sonoma State University and got her BSN, and in 1985 she earned her Masters in Public Administration from Hayward State University. Most recently, Jean worked for Contra Costa County as the Director of Nurses for 11 health centers throughout the county.

In 1987 Jean discovered her love of personal development and began taking seminars in the areas of communication, personal presentation, business, productivity and relationships. As a person clearly focused on helping others, Jean was drawn to the founders of Productive Learning & Leisure and the work she saw them doing with individuals as well as companies. She began working for the company part-time when it was formed in 1993 while still holding a full-time position as Director of Nurses.

Now that Jean has formally retired from the nursing profession she has dedicated her “second career” to her involvement in the training and seminar programs of Productive Learning & Leisure. Her acute sense of what people need in order to be their best makes her an excellent facilitator of our seminars. Those who work with her attest to her ability to assist people in discovering their unproductive thinking. Jean then makes sure each client has the tools to develop new thoughts that will propel them toward their dreams.

Victoria Stevens, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist, psychoanalyst, seminar leader, professor, researcher, and speaker. She holds a BA in philosophy from the University of Kansas, an MA and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from California Graduate Institute. Her psychoanalytic certification is from the Psychoanalytic Center of California. She has integrated her experience as a professional cellist, singer, actress and dancer with her expertise in psychology and pedagogical theory to develop innovative art education curricula and teacher training programs.

She is on the faculty at California Institute of the Arts in the School of Critical Studies, the Psychoanalytic Center of California, Pacifica Graduate Institute, Santa Barbara Graduate Institute for Infant and Child Development. She also is on the Board of Directors of the California Alliance for Art Education. She delivers seminars, lectures and in-services in both private and public schools across the country and in Europe, including lectures given at the Tavistock Clinic in London and at Cambridge University. She conducts seminars as part of the Los Angeles Unified School District Intern Program for K-12 teachers and recently was a featured presenter at the International Conference on the Voice and Emotions at PIXAR Animation Studios. 

She has been a seminar leader, writer and trainer for trainers for the past 25 years at the Summit Organization and Productive Learning and Leisure, teaching classes based upon experiential learning with corporations and individuals to help facilitate creative thinking and problem-solving in both personal and business settings.

Currently she is working as a teacher and curriculum consultant for the International Center for Education Youth Development, creating and teaching programs focused on the development of creative thinking, empathy, leadership and character programs for Nigerian teenagers; a program researching the effect of training in visual art on creative thinking in students from third through fifth grade with the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles; and a program researching the effects of training in instrumental music on emotional regulation and social skills in elementary students with the Young Musicians Foundation..

She has numerous publications in professional journals and has contributed chapters to two upcoming books, in addition to co-editing and book on neurobiology, emotional regulation and psychotherapy to be published in 2007.

Since 1979 Joe Thigpen has consulted with business and industry in the areas of executive assessment, coaching and development.  He focuses on key areas of organizational development: selecting, assessing and developing executive talent; executive coaching and consultation; developing teamwork and team effectiveness; customized executive training; and development to enhance leadership, interpersonal effectiveness and performance management.
           
Joe received his Master’s degree from George Washington University, and his Ph.D. and undergraduate degrees from the University of Florida.  He served in The Peace Corps in Brazil.  While in the U.S. Army, he was assigned to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  He was the Executive Director of the Alachua County Crisis Center for eight years.  He received the Edwin Shneidman Award for outstanding scientific contributions to the field of life-threatening behavior.  He was the Regional Vice-President with Gehlhausen/Ruda and Associates.  In 1988 Joe formed his own consulting firm and has worked with many successful growing enterprises.  

Betty Jo completed her BA in Economics at UCLA in 1976.  Her interest in education motivated her to go on to Vanderbilt University where she earned her MA in Art History.  While pursuing a career in business, Betty Jo discovered she had a gift for teaching and public speaking.  She turned this into a career path she has followed since 1981.

Betty Jo met the founders of Productive Learning & Leisure while teaching Personal Development seminars for The Summit Organization, a nationally respected seminar company.  She has extensive experience leading courses on various subjects, including communication, personal presentation, team building, relationships, motivation, problem solving and self-esteem.  She has received numerous awards for her teaching excellence and participants in her courses attest to the effectiveness of her trainings.

At Productive Learning & Leisure, Betty Jo is a course instructor with over 24 years of experience leading seminars.  She also trains instructors and presenters for the company.  Her passion and love of her work is evident in her trainings where her style of working with people makes it safe for them to discover and learn.  Betty Jo is dedicated to providing high value to the participants in her courses and making a difference in the lives of those she trains.   In her spare time, she enjoys family life with her husband and two children.