The Team

CO-FOUNDER

Jennifer Freyd is an expert in trauma psychology and the creator of the concepts of institutional betrayal, institutional courage, and DARVO. She brings over 30 years of experience researching people and their relationships with organizations.

Jennifer is a widely published and award-winning author and researcher, having published two books & over 200 articles and op-eds. She has given keynotes for Wharton, Qualtrics, Stanford, Harvard, & the American Bar Association and many other groups. Jennifer has consulted for the White House, Lean In, members of the US Congress, and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam among others. She regularly serves as an expert witness and consultant in criminal and civil cases.

Jennifer holds a PhD in psychology from Stanford and is Professor Emerit at the University of Oregon.

CO-FOUNDER

Alec Smidt combines expertise from consulting, corporate technology, and academic research to enable companies and their leaders to build more effective and successful organizations.

Alec is an expert on how people relate and interact with organizations, particularly institutional betrayal and institutional courage. He regularly publishes popular articles and in scientific journals. Alec has given talks at Qualtrics, the National Academy of Sciences, and international conferences. He has consulted for members of the US Congress, Fortune 100 technology companies, and conflict resolution firms.

Alec holds a PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Oregon and completed his residency and fellowship at Yale.