John G. Oetzel (Ph.D., University of Iowa, 1995) is an Associate Professor and Chair in the Department of Communication and Journalism at the University of New Mexico. In 2004, he was named Regents’ Lecturer by the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of New Mexico. He teaches courses in intercultural, health, and organizational communication, as well as research methods. His research interests focus on culture and conflict communication in work groups, organizations, and health settings. His work has appeared in journals such as Human Communication Research, Communication Monographs, Communication Research, Management Communication Quarterly, Small Group Research, Communication Quarterly, Communication Reports, and the International Journal of Intercultural Relations. He is co-author (with Stella Ting-Toomey) of Managing Intercultural Communication Effectively (Sage, 2001). He serves on several editorial boards including Communication Education, International and Intercultural Communication Annual, and Western Journal of Communication.

Stella Ting-Toomey (Ph.D., University of Washington) is a Professor of Human Communication Studies at California State University, Fullerton. Her research interests focus on fine-tuning the conflict face-negotiation theory and testing the impact of situational and ethnic identity factors on conflict styles. She also holds a strong interest in linking intercultural communication theories with training practice. Stella has published more than 70 journal articles and book chapters in various academic journals. Her publications have appeared in the International Journal of Intercultural Relations, Human Communication Research, Communication Monographs, and Communication Research, among others. She is also the author and editor of 15 books, most recently Understanding Intercultural Communication (with Leeva Chung; Roxbury), Managing Intercultural Conflict Effectively (with John Oetzel; Sage), Communicating Effectively with the Chinese (with Ge Gao; Sage), and Communicating Across Cultures (Guilford). Stella has lectured widely throughout the U.S., Asia, and Europe on the theme of mindful intercultural conflict competence. During her spare time, she enjoys playing the piano and improvising new tunes for fun and relaxation.