Dr. Rahul Sharma is a consultant, psychologist, musician, & keynote speaker passionate about creating engaging and innovative spaces to address challenging issues. He is founder of Strategic Inclusion Consulting, an agency that provides DEI, Leadership, Wellness, Conflict Resolution, and Emotional Intelligence consulting, coaching, and training.  He is former Associate Professor at the Illinois School of Professional Psychology, where he Chaired its Diversity Concentration for 13 years.  Prior to that, he was Executive Director of University of Chicago’s Resources for Sexual Violence Prevention.   Dr. Sharma is also founder and bassist/sitarist for the intercultural award-winning music group Funkadesi, a 10-member band that is comprised of diverse members (Indian-American, African-American, Jamaican, Latino, and European American) who are musicians, activists, educators, and healers. In 2017, Dr. Sharma was the recipient of the Joyce Foundation Award, where he was commissioned to co-compose a musical piece, “Quantum Englewood,” to provide arts opportunities for youth in high-risk environments. The piece was performed by hundreds of musicians in late 2018. Recently, Dr. Sharma led a healing guided visualization set to live improvised music for TEDx Chicago, followed by a performance by Funkadesi. Dr. Sharma maintains a small private practice. He resides with his family in Evanston, Illinois.

Rahul Sharma