At the end of April, 2022 an esteemed group of master Executive Coaches from around the world gathered in person for three days and via zoom for one day to collaborate in the design of leadership and stewardship initiatives for the profession of executive coaching. Using an Open Space concept, we generated a number of conversations that reflected upon the past 25 years of coaching and generated possible directions for the next 25 years. We met on the coast of Maine at the historic Harpswell Inn.
So, are you wondering who was there? Here are the bios of the illustrious group that gathered in person and by zoom:
William Bergquist, Ph.D.
An international coach and consultant, professor in the fields of psychology, management and public administration, and author of more than 50 books. Dr. Bergquist consults on and writes about personal, group, organizational and societal transitions and transformations. His published work ranges from the personal transitions of men and women in their 50s and the struggles of men and women in recovering from strokes to the experiences of freedom among the men and women of Eastern Europe following the collapse of the Soviet Union. In recent years, Bergquist has focused on the processes of organizational coaching and societal justice. He is coauthor with Agnes Mura of coachbook and consultbook, co-founder of the on-line Library of Professional Coaching and founder of the on-line Library of Professional Psychology. The Professional School of Psychology, over which Bill Bergquist presides, offers workshops and certificate programs in clinical, organizational and health psychology to mature, accomplished adults.
Neeraj Bhagat, ACC, MBA, PMP
Neeraj Bhagat is an experienced leadership coach, trainer, and speaker. Throughout his twenty-five years of professional work, Neeraj has been drawn to the “human side of business,” playing the roles of coach, facilitator, and advisor while holding formal positions in management, consulting, teaching, strategy, marketing, and sales. He has experience working in organizations of all sizes – from startups to very large entities. He has coached and trained people across the enterprise from emerging leaders to Chief Executive Officers. Neeraj brings a wealth of real-world business experience which he combines with his “compassionately intense” style to help clients achieve breakthroughs that immensely impact their organizations and their lives. He is a fierce champion of what is possible and an empathetic holder of the proverbial mirror so clients experience deep learning and achieve progressive action towards major goals. Neeraj believes in the co-active leadership model where the client and coach work together to guide the coaching relationship.
Madeleine Homan Blanchard, MCC, MSc
Madeleine is on the Board of Directors of The Ken Blanchard Companies, is a co-founder of Blanchard Coaching Services and a co-creator of the first ever Coaching Management System, Blanchard’s proprietary software designed to help deliver coaching on a large scale in organizations. Madeleine was a Founding Advisory Board member and Master Trainer for CoachU, and a Founding Board member of the International Coach Federation where she served for six years. Madeleine has been in the coaching profession since 1989 and has deep understanding of working with organizations to leverage professional coaching, teach coaching skills to leaders and create a coaching culture. Her best coaching work is done with creative geniuses. A hopeless entrepreneur, Madeleine has started six coaching organizations. Books she has written include: Leverage Your Best: Ditch the Rest; the Coaching Secrets Executives Depend On, Coaching in Organizations, Leading at a Higher Level 3ed (contributor), Coaching for Leadership 3ed (contributor).
Towanna Burrous
Dr. Towanna Burrous, President, CoachDiversity Institute is a best-selling author, trainer, and ICF professional certified coach (PCC) based in Washington, DC. As a much sought-after executive coach, Towanna’s mission is to empower diverse communities through executive coaching. The CoachDiversity team delivers training and curriculum for to-be coaches and customized diversity and leadership programs for corporate and individual clients. Towanna spent 28 years in both the federal government and the private sector that has led to her serving a broad range of business executives, sales, and IT (information technology) professionals. She uses her expertise to help businesses shape corporate strategies that produce positive bottom-line benefits. Towanna has a Doctorate of Education from the University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Science in Education from the University of Pennsylvania, a Doctorate of Divinity from Elbon-Solutions College of Ministry, and a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Howard University.
Bill Carrier
Bill Carrier, President of Carrier Leadership Coaching Inc., specializes in coaching senior executives and senior teams in leadership, executive presence, and organizational impact. The Executive Director of the Marshall Goldsmith 100 Coaches community for the top leadership professionals in the world, Bill is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, former Army officer, and Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholar. Bill anchors his coaching in extensive practical leadership experience and a firm belief that we are all part of something bigger than ourselves. An executive coach and thought partner to CEOs and senior leaders, Bill leverages best-practice from neuroscience, ontology, movement psychology/somatics, and West Point leadership development. Executive coaching clients include CEOs, CTOs and SVPs of corporations from $100M to $70B in annual revenue; a winner of the Navy’s Zumwalt Award (annually given to the best captain of a ship in the US Navy); TED Fellows; and senior executives at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve. He is co-founder and co-editor of The Future of Coaching magazine.
Sharon Coleman, MBA, CPCC, PCC
Sharon Coleman has over 1,000 hours of experience coaching executives and middle managers in corporate and non-profit sectors. In her coaching, Sharon works with individual and team/group clients supporting a variety of industry segments. Her broad-based experience with IBM nets her with solid business expertise; providing a “general manager” foundation for her executive coaching. Sharon contributed significantly to the development of coaching within IBM. Additionally, her team is a three-time awardee of the coveted International Coaching Federation (ICF) PRISM award. The PRISM Award recognizes individuals and organizations that are committed to using coaching to enhance and improve their leadership and become more competitive in their industries. One of her most meaningful contributions to the coaching industry was her service as one of 10 distinguished coaches, responsible for the education content delivered during the annual ICF conference in Montreal, Canada. Sharon also served as Secretary and VP – Programs on the Board of Directors of the ICF-North Texas Chapter.
Norma Cortés
I have been part of the Adler International Learning team for 21 years. Throughout those years I been given the opportunity to “wear many hats” and learn the ins and outs of how the school operates. My learning path has taken me to complete the Adler Coaching Program and become a part-time life coach. My niche is life coaching for children and teens. I am passionate about this “niche” and even if the way is not paved yet I am committed to make coaching available to every person from any age. The possibilities are endless. Learning and growing is an integral part of my daily living, and I take advantage of that opportunity every day. I’m passionate about people and their astounding abilities to accomplish almost anything if they put their mind to it. Learning and growing is an integral part of my daily living, and I take advantage of that opportunity every day. Norma is a daughter, sister, aunt, wife, mother, grandmother, volunteer, coach friend and mentor. I am the 6th on a family of 10 brothers and sisters living in Puerto Rico and Florida. I have two grown children Rafael, Jonathan, and a bonus child Darryl from my second marriage. I have 4 grandchildren.
David Drake
Dr David Drake is CEO of The Moment Institute in Portland, Oregon. He is the founder of Narrative Coaching, and he has been a pioneer in the coaching space for 25 years. His new work, Integrative Development, is transforming how we help others learn and grow. The Institute is launching The Threshold Lab to revolutionize how practitioners are developed so they can better address the issues of our time. David is a Thought Leader for the Institute of Coaching at Harvard and a regular presenter for the WBECS Summits. He has worked with over 70 organizations, including Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Dropbox, Logitech, Nike, PwC, and government agencies in the US and Australia. He has over 60 publications, including as co-editor of SAGE Handbook of Coaching (2016) and as author of Narrative Coaching: The Definitive Guide to Bringing New Stories to Life (2018).
Pam Green
Voted one of DC’s top 20 coaches in 2021, Pam helps leaders identify new ways of practicing skills that allow their minds and wills to align with their emotions and make impactful decisions – a philosophy rooted in cognitive leadership theory. In addition, Pam’s approachable style as a facilitator and executive coach enables her to create a psychologically safe environment for her clients to make transformative and sustainable shifts in their conduct, attitude, and behavior. She is now pursuing a Ph.D. in Organizational Management to future-proof her brand while helping other leaders and executives future-proof theirs.
Ray Green
Ray is on a mission to leverage the true power of leadership. His training, facilitation, and coaching practice are focused on helping organizations and their teams connect with one another, communicate more effectively, and collaborate to achieve business outcomes. Prophet/Pastor Ray is a seasoned servant with a heart to train, develop and release God’s people into a world hungry for The Truth of God’s Word and Love.
John Heinritz
John Heinritz is a certified Executive Coach and SCORE Mentor. His career was marked by senior executive roles. He led the international divisions of Fortune 100 companies: Warner Bros. Consumer Products and Polaroid Corp. At Warner Bros. he was responsible for third party all international licensing of iconic WB brands such as Batman, Superman, and the Looney Tunes. He also led the Travel & Hospitality sector at JD Power and Associates, where he worked with leaders in the travel industry. John is a decorated combat veteran. In his fourteenth year as an Adler-trained Executive Coach, John works with senior executives across a range of large and medium sized businesses. John received a business degree from the College of Santa Fe and completed the Executive Program at the Kellogg School of Business. He has lived and worked in Santa Fe for the past ten years and volunteers as a coach worldwide. His family also own and operate a hundred-year-old specialty chocolate store, Stowaway Sweets®, in Marblehead, MA… to the delight of their two grandchildren.
Donna Grego-Heintz
Donna Grego-Heintz is an Executive Leadership Coach and the Principal Coach for UpWords LLC. She also coaches for several professional training and coaching organizations including BetterUp and Pluma. Prior to UpWords, Donna had senior leadership roles in healthcare, business, start-ups, nonprofits and educational institutions. Most recently she served as the Director of Organizational Development specifically focused on leadership and culture development. Donna’s expertise is in all aspects of organizational and leadership development throughout start-up, growth and change. She has a passion for coaching and developing both established executives as well as aspiring leaders to achieve their personal, professional and organizational goals. Donna holds BS in Physical Therapy from the University of Delaware, an MA in Leadership from Denver Seminary and is credentialed as a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) from the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and a Board-Certified Coach (BCC) from the Center for Credentialing and Education (CCE). Additionally, she holds specialist certificates in Business and Career Development Coaching and is a trainer for VitalSmarts’ Crucial Conversations.
M. J. Jiaras
Dr. M.J. Jiaras is the president and founder of Integrated Coaching Solutions and is a consultant focusing on executive coaching, leadership development and strategic focus. Additionally, M.J. blends academic and practical experience with widely regarded expertise in group dynamics. Fortune Magazine recently voted two of M.J.’s coaching clients to their list of the nation’s “50 Most Powerful Executives.” With an expertise in leadership development, organizational change and performance enhancement M.J. tailors proven processes to the needs of his clients to create significant and sustainable positive results for his clients. The specific services offered by M.J. are one-on-one coaching, team-building, CORE Leadership retreats, selection assessments, strategic focus and change management. Clients include Allstate, The Chicago Community Trust, CNA, Draft/FCB, Discover, Exelon/ComEd, Harris Bank, Humana, Hyatt, The Joffrey Ballet, Office Max, Ravinia Festival, Takeda Pharmaceutical, United Airlines and Walgreens.
Tamara Keefe
I believe coaching is transformational. When people are fully aware of all they are capable of and clear about their why, anything is possible. By honoring what is and creating a vision for the future, we work together to use the timeless principles of leadership, service and communication to create a successful and fulfilling life. Over the past 25 years, I have had the privilege of coaching, training and facilitating at all levels of organizations. I work with leaders virtually and in person, across industries, cultures and geographic regions to choose actions that are in alignment with what they want to create. It’s through a leader’s desire to learn and grow with the added support and accountability of coaching that transformation happens. Tamara received her MA in Adult Education at the University of South Florida, worked with Sue Miller-Hurst & Associates and was trained as a Dialogue Practitioner (Coaches Training Institute). She has been awarded the ACC Credential by International Coach Federation.
Heather Kaye
Heather Kaye is a seasoned executive coach and facilitator who brings over thirty years of experience working with and for nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and corporations. Over ten years ago, Heather married her expertise in executive coaching, facilitation, and organizational development with her passion to support nonprofit organizations to create The Executive Sanctuary. Overwhelm, burnout and scarcity thinking were chronic issues for her clients and throughout the sector. The Sanctuary provides a forum for leaders from a mix of organization size, experience and issue areas to come together in small groups to build a practice of resiliency, share case studies and develop a trusting community to address these issues. She is an accomplished facilitator with an ear for hearing what’s not said, tackling unexpected challenges and galvanizing teams behind overarching goals. Heather is the founder and President of Invision LLC, The Executive Sanctuary, and holds a Masters degree in Organizational Development from American University. Heather is also a graduate of Leadership Greater Washington and the National Speakers Association, a member of the International Coaches Federation and the author of Awakening Vision and Purpose. She has been on the faculty of both Newfield Network Coaching and American University.
R. James Little (Jim)
Currently, I served as President of the Adler Graduate Professional School (AGPS). Educationally, I earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from McMaster University, a Master of Education degree from the University of Western Ontario, and Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology from the former Alfred Adler Institute of Chicago (now Adler University). In recent years, I completed a Doctorate in Psychology from the Professional School of Psychology and have been awarded the status of NASAP Diplomate – Adlerian Psychology by the North American Society for Adlerian Psychology. Professionally, I am a registered Psychologist with the College of Psychologists of Ontario. My primary area of practice is school psychology and assessment. Outside of my role at ADLER, I am an avid photographer, scuba diver and Master Certified Barbecue Judge with the Kansas City Barbecue Society
Terrie Lupberger, MCC
Having worked in and with organizations for 25+ years, in various professional roles and across many industries and countries, I would sum up my work as a changemaker who cares deeply about eliminating suffering in organizations and creating healthier workplaces that can have a more significant, positive impact in the world. I do executive and team coaching and consulting and I currently teach leadership, coaching, and team coaching in several global programs in Europe, Asia, and the U.S., including at the University of Miami and the National University of Singapore, School of Medicine. My organizational experience combined with my varied studies in human potential and philosophy have resulted in a unique world view and approach to working with others and is the focus of my forthcoming book.
Linda Miller
Since 1995, Linda has been an executive coach, keynote speaker, trainer and facilitator. In 2000, Linda was recruited by The Ken Blanchard Companies to help launch their coaching business. As part of her work at The Ken Blanchard Companies, Linda co-authored Coaching Essentials, a coach training program that is used throughout the world and Blanchard Manager Essentials, based on the best-selling New One Minute Manager. In addition, Linda has co-authored two books along with chapters on coaching in Leading at a Higher Level from The Ken Blanchard Companies and Coaching for Leadership by Marshall Goldsmith. Active in the International Coach Federation (ICF), Linda is a founding recipient of the Master Certified Coach designation and a former board member. Linda holds two master’s degrees and received an honorary doctorate in 2009 for her contribution to the coaching profession. While living in Seattle, Linda helped to start the Seattle ICF chapter.
David Monro-Jones
Being an adaptive and data-driven coach, David is a master of utilising his wealth of knowledge and deep insights from his diverse experience to benefit everyone he works with. With his unapologetically direct and challenging approach, David believes that the key to improvement is getting to the root cause of any issue. As the owner of Perceptual Reality, Operations Director (COO) for IAPC&M, accredited coach and mentor certified in several world-class leadership methodologies, David has helped leaders and teams from around the globe improve their behaviours and organisational effectiveness. Being a naturally perceptive person with a warm personality, David can easily make everyone feel comfortable upon meeting him. With his thought-provoking and no-nonsense coaching style, he has a knack for raising awareness of the unseen — making way for a deeper, quality exploration to take place that allows individuals to recognise their weaknesses and work through them together with the coach and achieve their ultimate goals.
Agnes Mura, MA, MCC
Agnes Mura has been a thought leader and author in leadership development at a global level for over 20 years. She has coached, facilitated and consulted on organizational behavior issues in six languages, throughout the US, Europe and Latin America, while also helping build collegial professional coaching entities (PCMA, ICCO, ECS, IJCO) that have defined and furthered the profession. Her personal journey as a leader was forged in her escape from communist Romania, an academic career in Germany, helping break the Soviet boycott of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, followed by a ten-year senior career in international banking. Coachbook, a guide to organizational coaching strategies and practices, which she co-authored with Dr. William Bergquist, was released in 2011 (2nd edition forthcoming) and has been used in several academic programs. A hands-on business leader, Agnes served from 2013 on the Board of Directors of Aircastle LLC (a public NYSE listed company), until its premium-priced sale in 2020. She holds a Master’s degree in Philosophy and Linguistics from Cologne University, Germany; and a BA from Edinburgh University, UK. She consistently volunteers as a coach to support leaders in many challenged organizations and countries.
Susan Johnson O’Neil
Susan has worked in leadership roles in healthcare, nonprofits, government, and higher education, developing and implementing organizational strategy, leading change, and developing leaders and organizational design. Susan founded and ran an organizational strategy, effectiveness, and leader coaching consultancy for more than a decade, helping organizations develop strategic vision with operational excellence through executive and board leadership. Susan has worked extensively with legacy, private, and family organizations, coupling strategic advising with coaching to meet unique multi-stakeholder needs. Prior to joining Cambria in 2021, Susan was Founder & Principal of Points Ahead consulting; Director of the Center for Excellence for Bons Secours Mercy Health System; Chief Development Officer for United Way of Richmond & Petersburg; and Associate Dean of the School of Arts & Sciences at the University of Richmond. Susan holds a PhD in literature from the University of Maryland, a MA from Virginia Tech, a BA from Roanoke College. She currently serves on the European Mentoring & Coaching Council’s Global Research Committee.
Natalia Ortiz-Mena Natalia Ortiz Mena, MA, PCC is founder of Coaching y Desarrollo, an executive coaching firm based in Mexico City since 2002, specialized in executive coaching for leadership, personal and professional development, as well as effective transitioning. Located in Mexico City, Natalia specializes in the leadership development and executive coaching. She holds an MA in Human and Organizational development and a BA in Psychology
Linda J. Page
Dr. Page earned a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from the Adler School of Professional Psychology (ASPP) in Chicago, Illinois after earning her Ph.D. at Princeton University. Most of her courses were delivered in Toronto at what was then called the Alfred Adler Institute of Ontario. After a three-year internship at the Rudolf Dreikurs Centre for Counselling and Education under the supervision of Larry Nisan, M.Ed., and Evelyn Wolff, M.D., she opened her own practice as a psychotherapist in 1981. She co-founded the Psychotherapy Institute of Toronto with Susan Rosenthal, M.D., in 1987 to train M.A. students and physicians in Adlerian psychotherapy. Because of her academic and graduate teaching background, she was invited to direct Chicago’s M.A. program in Toronto, which she did from 1989 to 2006. During part of that time, she commuted to Chicago to teach as a member of ASPP’s doctoral core faculty and to direct the Adler Centre for Gender and Cultural Studies. She founded Adler’s Professional Coaching Certificate Program in 1998, an initiative that now has representatives in the United States, Europe and Central Asia.
Suzi Pomerantz, MT, MCC
Suzi Pomerantz, CEO of Innovative Leadership International, LLC is an award-winning executive leadership coach with 30 years experience coaching leaders in 250+ organizations internationally. Suzi specializes in leadership strategy and leadership influence, helping executives, teams and organizations find clarity in chaos. She was one of the first executive coaches to receive the MCC (ICF Master credential) 24 years ago and is a thought leader in the coaching industry. In 2017 she was named in Corporate Vision magazine’s Coaching Top 50 as well as Six Figure Coach magazine’s Top 200 Coaches to Follow Online. Her company was selected Most Outstanding Executive Coaching Company of the year 2018 by Global Business Insight. She was awarded the Platinum Coach designation at the Association for Coaching Excellence, and in 2021was awarded Silver in the category of Best Americas Coach by CoachAwards. She serves on the advisory boards of Harvard Business Review as well as the international journal Philosophy of Coaching.
Michele Roden, MCC, CPCC, ORSCC
Michele is a sought-after Master Certified Coach for high-stakes conversations. Clients say she creates safe space for challenging conversations- particularly with teams who have to work together well. Michele’s advanced certification in Organization & Relationship Systems is enhanced by other certifications in the Leadership Circle 360 Profile, Team Culture Survey and Team Diagnostic Assessments. She is the principal designer of the LeadingAge Iowa Emerge Leadership Academy emphasizing experiential learning with real-life application. Michele has owned consulting and coaching firms for over 25 years, including being a principal and co-founder of BluOpal Consulting. In her free time, Michele enjoys cultivating her vegetable garden to preserve the summertime tastes for all-year long. She’s always planning an event or party and enjoys being with family and friends- appreciating the moments that matter with those she loves.
Alba Contreras Rodriguez, MBA, PCC
Alba Contreras Rodriguez is Owner and President of FonS (Focus on Solution), LLC. FonS provides executive coaching, team coaching, and consulting for leaders and organizations to excel and enable transitions and transformations, focused on human readiness. Alba has been recognized by Influence Digest as one of the Top 15 Coaches in Detroit in 2021. Alba spent her career in Ford Motor Company, General Motors Corporation, and KPMG management consulting; gaining international and global experience in operations, lean manufacturing, industrial engineering, vehicle launches, management consulting, information technology, and e-commerce. Demonstrated ability to improve organizational effectiveness and bottom- line performance. Alba previously served on the boards of Directors for the Cancer Support Community and Madrinas, a Latina Leaders Network. She was the Creator and Champion of the Women’s Network in Mexico, Co-Chair of Ford Women in Manufacturing and executive collaborator for the Ford Hispanic Network. Most recently, she Co-Founded the Ross Executive MBA Women’s Initiative University of Michigan and Co-Chair of Inforum’s Mosaic Affinity Group. Alba is fluent in Spanish and English, conversational in Portuguese.
Garry Schleifer
Garry Schleifer is a seasoned businessman bringing many years of experience to his coaching. His walk the top credentials dropped from experience as a visionary behind several multimillion-dollar corporations. Applying an approach of ruthless compassion when helping his business owner clients he challenges clients with transformative coaching, rigorous goals, innate sensitivity, good humor, and non-judgment. He earned coach credentials at the Coaches Training Institute and his certified Mentor Coach Certificate from inviteCHANGE. He’s a PCC in the International Coach Federation and he’s the Owner and Publisher of choice, the magazine of professional coaching. He’s the past President of the Toronto ICF Chapter, Vice President of the ICF Global Board and he served on several community–based boards. His project Freedom Bootcamp for Entrepreneurs, creating more free time so you can have more me time is a labor of love combining his years of training and experience to bring freedom back to business owners.
Adria Trowhill MA, PhD courses (ABD), CPCC, MCC
Adria is one of the first Canadian ICF Master Certified Coaches (MCC). She is a past president of the GTA chapter of the International Coach Federation and has played an integral role in the Canadian coaching community (Sourcebook of Coaching History, Brock, 2014). She was responsible for the creation of the Prism Award, and designated Canadian Coach of the Year in 2008. Adria is a founding faculty member of Adler Graduate School’s certified coach training program and led the program as Dean of Coaching for 8 years, receiving the award of Dean Emerita in 2015. Adria is also one of the first internationally known team coaches whose team coaching methodology has been successfully used with hundreds of teams since 1994. Her work has long foreshadowed the ICF’s new focus on the importance of working with clients within their systemic context. Her ‘Living Systems Approach™” sees all teams as living systems that must learn how to adapt to changing contexts in order to survive and thrive.
Begum Verjee
Begum Verjee (she/her) has a doctorate in Educational Leadership and a master’s in Counselling Psychology and is an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with the International Coach Federation (ICF). Begum started her coach certification training with the Faculty of Coaching at the Adler Graduate Professional School Inc. (ADLER) in 2016. Begum is a trauma-informed mental fitness coach, and integrates Adlerian Psychology and Positive Intelligence, Mindfulness and Neuroscience approaches in working with her clients. As a professional life and leadership coach, Begum works primarily with women entrepreneurs, academics, administrators, emerging leaders, and senior executives, particularly from under-representative, minoritized, and equity deserving groups. Begum is the Provost and a faculty member at the Adler Graduate Professional School in Toronto, faculty with the International Committee of Adlerian Summer Schools & Institutes (ICASSI), and with the Inclusion Coach Certification program. She is a member of the International Coach Federation (ICF), a member of the Graduate School Alliance for Education in Coaching (GSAEC) and sits on the Council of Ambassadors with the ICF Foundation.
Kevin Weitz
Kevin is an organizational psychologist, leadership coach and business consultant. He specializes in working with leaders to shape their organization’s culture to directly align with new strategic direction or when a merger integration is taking place. His rigorous approach focuses first on the capabilities of senior leaders to ensure that their behaviors drive strategic and cultural change. For over 25 years Kevin has consulted with organizations like Intel Corp, Chevron, Levi Strauss & Co, Wells Fargo Bank, Pacific Gas & Electric, British Columbia Hydro and Standard Bank of South Africa on large scale transformational projects. Kevin’s transformation work focuses on engaging leaders, employees and stakeholders to help them become more adaptable and resilient to constant and disruptive change. Kevin holds a Psy.D. in organizational psychology from the Professional School of Psychology in Sacramento California where he is also a member of the Board of Trustees. He lives in Marin County in the San Francisco Bay area. He is a competitive mountain biker and loves riding in the magnificent mountains of Northern California. He is married with four adult children and enjoys spending time with family.
Beverley Wright
As Founder and CEO of the Wright Choice Group (WCG), LLC, her 30+ years of experience working for IBM in leadership roles in administration, sales, marketing, and operations provides a rich repertoire of experiences to draw upon. Her company offers executive leadership coaching and consulting, and Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) services to clients in multiple industries. Bev led her team in creating an award-winning internal coaching business at IBM, which was recognized with the International Coach Federation (ICF) Prism Award twice. She wrote a bi-monthly coaching column for Eclipse Magazine for five years and had an article published more recently in Choice Magazine, where she serves as a member of the editorial board. Her article was the first for their new recurring column, Kaleidoscope, on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging. Ms. Wright is an International Coach Federation (ICF) Professional Certified Coach (PCC), a Co-Active Professional Certified Coach (CPCC), and a graduate of Corporate Coach University. She is a past President of the ICF North Texas Chapter, a past board member of the ICF Foundation and a recipient of the ICF Circle of Distinction Award. A member of Marshall Goldsmith’s 100 coaches and the 2021 Thinkers50 Coaching and Mentoring Award nominee.
Joan Wright
As President of O’Sullivan Wright, Inc. since 2000, Joan is adept at helping Fortune 500 companies and entrepreneurial businesses effectively develop and retain the leadership strength and talent required to achieve their strategic initiatives. In conjunction with helping client organizations achieve their desired goals, she helps leaders reach their own personal aspirations and significance. As a published author of two books and expert on leadership and organizational development, her background includes 25 years with Philip Morris, Citicorp, GE Capital and Wachovia, where she was head of executive leadership development. Both books UP: Pursuing Significance in Leadership and Life and SOULinks: Pursuing Multi- Generational Significance were featured by Maria Shriver’s Architects of Change and shared with more than 2.1 million Shriver followers. She successfully summited Mt. Kilimanjaro’s Uhuru Peak to raise funds and awareness for Africa’s most impoverished communities. Fortunate to be doing leadership development work in East Africa and Yancey County, North Carolina since 2010. Additionally, she serves on The Ivey: A Memory Wellness Center’s board and facilitates a caregiver’s group for those caring for Dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Marc Pitman, CSP
Concord Leadership Group founder Marc A. Pitman, CSP® helps leaders lead their teams with more effectiveness and less stress. His latest book is The Surprising Gift of Doubt: Use Uncertainty to Become the Exceptional Leader You Are Meant to Be. He’s also the author of Ask Without Fear!® – which has been translated into Dutch, Polish, Spanish, and Mandarin. Marc’s expertise and enthusiasm engages audiences around the world both in person and with online presentations. And has caught the attention of media organizations as diverse as The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Al Jazeera, Fox News, SUCCESS magazine, and Real Simple. Marc tweets regularly at @marcapitman and can be reached by email at marc@concordleadershipgroup.com. He is the husband to his best friend and the father of three amazing kids. And if you drive by him on the road, he’ll be singing 80’s tunes loud enough to embarrass his family!
Jeannine Sandstrom
Dr. Jeannine Sandstrom is considered a pioneer in the executive coaching industry and has been instrumental in its development as a profession. A highly experienced executive coach with years of experience across industries, Jeannine has a proven record in leadership development and supporting clients in creating solutions to the top issues concerning executives today. Dr. Sandstrom is the founder and CEO of CoachWorks® International, Inc. a leader in the arena of executive development and leadership coaching. Prior to starting her own coaching business, Jeannine founded and led three national consulting companies focusing on leadership development, leaders in crisis, strategic planning and implementation for mergers and acquisitions, and team development. She co-convened an Executive Coach Summit for the International Coach Federation to distinguish the profession of Executive Coaching. Dr. Sandstrom is a founding board member of Corporate Coach U (CCU), an international executive coach training firm. She co-authored extensive training courses for CCU and co-authored the book “Legacy Leadership: The Leader’s Guide to Lasting Greatness” and the “Legacy Leadership Application Workbook” both of which have been republished as 2nd Editions in 2017. She has also participated in Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) presentations and had featured articles in the Professional Mentor and Coach Journal, as well as The Wall Street Journal and Fortune Magazine.
Phillippe Rosinski
Prof. Philippe Rosinski, MCC, is the author of two seminal books, Coaching Across Cultures and Global Coaching. For 30 years and across continents, Philippe has helped people, teams, and organizations thrive and make a positive difference in the world. He is the first European to have been designated Master Certified Coach by the International Coach Federation. He has also developed an integrative coaching supervision approach. A Master of Science from Stanford University, Philippe has received numerous awards including the Thinkers50 Marshall Goldsmith Leading Global Coaches Award (2019) and he is listed among the Global Gurus Coaching Top 30 (#9 in 2022).
Thomas (Thom) J. Wright, MA, ACPC, PCC
Thom is an ICF-certified Executive Coach and Facilitator with a passion for stimulating thought, growth, and transformation in his clients. With his ability to see through complexity and a talent for challenging people to explore different perspectives, Thom creates open, engaging, learning environments in which people become more effective leaders. His thoughtful, collaborative approach encourages clients to leverage their strengths to enact meaningful change for themselves and their teams – to become “greater than the sum of their parts”. Thom loves working with leaders who aspire to grow their own greatness, who have a powerful desire to learn, and who want to inspire others along the way. He has worked with hundreds of clients, from high-potential individuals, emerging leaders, executives up through the c-suite and has coached clients as they create start-ups, step into new leadership roles in large firms, lead their teams through significant organizational change, increase personal resilience, manage complex cultural shifts including diversity challenges, solve complex business problems, and more.
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