Meet Mitsue
Founder of The Fifth Turn. Champion of meaningful change.
Dr. Mitsue Shiokawa is a strategist, mediator, educator, and culture builder who has spent over two decades exploring how people and organizations move through discomfort, deepen emotional intelligence, and build cultures rooted in dignity, clarity, and care.
With a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration and a deep background in international education, organizational leadership, and DEI, Mitsue brings both a global perspective and a systems-level understanding of human behavior in organizations. Her early career in academia focused on expanding access and equity for international and underserved student populations. Over time, she became recognized for her ability to navigate complexity—with nuance, compassion, and precision.
As Founding Director of ODUOnline International and later as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Manager for Old Dominion University’s global learning division, Mitsue led efforts to bridge cultural and structural divides across teams and communities. When the university restructured its DEI efforts in response to shifting political climates, she was asked to lead the newly formed Employee Support & Culture Team within the Division of Digital Transformation & Technology. Rather than retreat from change, she redefined it—centering her work on psychological safety, cultural maturity, conflict resolution, and leadership development as pathways to sustainable transformation.
Across her career, Mitsue has been known for her capacity to hold space for difficult truths while helping people find clarity and courage in the process of change. She is a Certified Diversity Executive (CDE), a Nationally Certified Professional in Mediation (NCPM), and a Qualified Administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI).
Her approach draws from adult development theory, emotional intelligence, and intercultural humility—integrated with her lived experience as a mother, a third-culture individual, and a survivor of systems not designed with her in mind.
Mitsue is the founder of The Fifth Turn, a framework and consultancy grounded in the belief that transformation unfolds through five essential shifts in awareness and practice. Her work invites reflection and responsibility—challenging people and institutions to move beyond performance and into genuine change.
Because transformation isn’t a task to manage. It’s a way of becoming.
The Fifth Turn™
Framework
The Fifth Turn™ is a leadership and culture framework designed to guide people through a progressive journey of growth and transformation. It helps leaders turn inward for clarity, outward for connection, and forward toward systemic and sustainable change. The framework emphasizes balance between individual development, relational trust, and organizational impact—supporting leaders who want to align their actions with their values and leave a lasting legacy.
Rather than offering quick fixes, The Fifth Turn™ equips leaders and organizations with a structured path toward meaningful, embodied transformation. While the full framework is reserved for our clients and partners, its foundation is simple: each turn deepens awareness, strengthens connection, and brings people closer to leading with authenticity and impact.