QED draws from a team of over 100 independent associates that offer a wide range of expertise and globally tested skills,
Alan Richter, Ph. D., President, QED Consulting
Dr. Richter is the founder and president of QED Consulting. He has consulted to corporations and organizations for many years in multiple capacities, primarily in the areas of leadership, values, culture and change. He has provided strategic consulting and facilitation and program design and delivery for varied organizations globally and has been involved in innovative instructional product design. He is a recognized pioneer in the diversity & inclusion and business ethics fields.
Alan is the creator of The Global Diversity Game -- an award winning training tool, and co-creator of the Global Diversity Survey -- a self-assessment tool which measures how we deal with difference, the Global Gender Intelligence Assessment – a gender intelligence self-assessment, Global Leadership Survey – a leadership style self-assessment tool, The Global Diversity & Inclusion Benchmarks and The Global Ethics & Integrity Benchmarks -- which help organizations measure their Diversity and Ethics initiatives, respectively, against global best practices. He also co-produced Global Words for Global Leaders -- an inspirational leadership video, and co-authored Lost in Cyberspace -- a team-decision based tool that explores the nature of global virtual teams.
He has worked closely with many leading organizations worldwide, including CERN, NASA and the UN, many Fortune 500 Global companies, and in the academic world has worked with Columbia University, Wharton, Ohio State University, UC Berkeley, Bocconi University, and the University of the Virgin Islands. Within the UN system he has worked with FAO, ICAO, ICC, ICTY, IMF, ITU, OPCW, UNAIDS, UNDP, UNICEF, UNSSC, WFP, WHO, WIPO, WMO and WTO, as well as with CGIAR and The Global Fund. He has consulted and facilitated workshops across Africa, Asia and Europe, in addition to the Americas. He has also been a presenter at many conferences such as the Arthur Page Society, the ASJA, ATD, the Conference Board, Diversity Best Practices, Forum on Workplace Inclusion, the Human Resource Planning Society, NASAGA and ISAGA, SHRM, Arabian SHRM, SIETAR, the World Diversity Leadership Symposium and the World HRD Congress. He has been recognized as a Diversity Pioneer (2007) and is listed on the Economist’s Global Diversity List (2015).
Prior to founding QED, he consulted extensively in the emergence of on-line services, taught philosophy, psychology, and interdisciplinary courses at the Open University in the UK and worked as a lexicographer and writer. He is the author of several books and articles, covering aspects of business ethics, diversity and globalization. He has also written chapters in books and articles on ethics, diversity and culture. He is the co-editor of a recent book on global values seen through the lens of comparative jurisprudence.
Dr. Richter has an M.A. and a B.A.B.Sc. from the University of Cape Town, and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Birkbeck College, London University.
ASSOCIATE BIOS
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Leadership & Consulting Associates
Olivier Adam
Education:
- 1997 – Master Public Administration - Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government, Cambridge, MA, USA
- 1987 - Master of International Political Economy - London School of Economics and Political Sciences, London, UK
- 1985 - Diplôme d’Études Supérieures Spécialisées - International Finance – University of Paris – Dauphine, Paris, France
- 1984 – Diploma (specialization Economics and Finance) – Institut d’Études Politiques (Sciences-Po), Paris, France
Summary Of Work Experience:
February 2021-Present: Independent Executive Coach
- Support individuals and team leadership programs with various partners including United Nations System and FIFA;
- Collaborate with Envisia Learning company to provide various support to UN system staff.
January 2017-January 2021: United Nations Volunteers (UNV)- Executive Coordinator (Bonn-Germany):
- Led the management of all human, financial and physical resources of the organization at headquarters, regional and country levels encompassing 240 core staff, over 10,000 on-site volunteers and 13,000 online volunteers working in 154 countries from 162 nationalities;
- Oversaw and manage the organization budget of approximately USD 230 million/year;
- Ensured effective programme development, implementation, and organizational effectiveness
- Provided vision, innovation and organizational leadership and strategically directed and managed the organization;
- Defined UNV’s long-term goals and immediate objectives, considering UN General Assembly resolutions and UNV’s Executive Board decisions;
- Worked in close coordination with all UN agencies to increase UNVs across the UN system. Participated in HLCM;
- Collaborated with all donors to UNV;
- Coordinated the UN system in Germany and worked in close collaboration with German government to manage the Bonn Campus;
- Designated Official for Security for Germany (7 locations, 25 agencies over 1,100 staff).
March 2014-December 2016: UNDP- Regional Bureau for Europe and the CIS- Deputy Regional Director and Deputy Assistant Administrator (Istanbul-Turkey):
- Oversaw all UNDP programmes in the region and co-managed the Regional Bureau (over 600 staff);
- Directly supervised the Istanbul Regional Hub (148 staff) and oversaw 23 Country Offices and ensured quality programming and sound financial management;
- Led resource mobilization at the Bureau level with approximate delivery of USD 400 million/year;
- Represented UNDP in negotiations with Governments, donor countries and the UN system;
- Led the restructuring of the Regional Bureau as well as country presences, negotiated with Executive Board of UNDP;
- Led the resource mobilization strategy for the region and lead key partnership agreements with emerging donors (Croatia, Czech Republic, Romania, the Russian Federation, Slovakia).
November 2012-February 2014: UNDP – Regional Bureau for Europe and the CIS- Manager Bratislava Regional Center
- Headed the Regional Center and its transformation including the complex process of its relocation from Bratislava to Istanbul and its alignment to the new strategic priority of UNDP;
- Successfully managed the complex restructuring including streamlining functions with decreasing total headcount by 30% in 18 months while ensuring continued quality support to programme countries;
- Mobilized additional resources for the region and the regional programme supporting the 23 countries in the region.
August 2009 to October 2012: UN/UNDP- Regional Bureau for Europe and the CIS- Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, Ukraine
- Led and coordinated the UN system in Ukraine comprising 13 resident agencies, 9 non-resident agencies and over 700 staff and a budget of over USD 200 million/year;
- Strategic repositioning of the UN system with the newly elected government;
- Led preparation and finalization of Partnership Framework of the United Nations System with the Prime Minister;
- Co-chaired the donor coordination mechanism jointly with the Minister of Economy;
- Led the conflict prevention work especially in Crimea;
- Led disaster management team during floods 2010 and swine flu pandemics 2009;
- Supported role of Ukraine in UN Peacekeeping missions;
- Led the preparation of the International Conference “Twenty-five Years after the Chernobyl Accident: Safety for the Future” with participation of 22 Head of States and the UN Secretary -General.
May 2004 to July 2009- UNDP- Bureau of Development Policy- HIV/AIDS Group- Programme Manager:
- Led the partnership between UNDP and the Global Fund for HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria;
- Managed UNDP’s Unit for the GFATM partnership with oversight of 72 grants in 30 countries
- Coordinated with partners UNDP’s response in supporting grant implementation (Governments, UN agencies, bilateral especially the US, NGOs and Private Sector); Lead complex joint support missions with GFATM’s management;
- Number of GFATM grants managed by UNDP grew from 9 to 72 and delivery increased from USD 9 million in 2004 to USD 270 million in 2009 while total portfolio was USD 1.3bn;
- UNDP became the largest principal recipient of GFATM grants (12% of its resources) and its largest UN partner.
March 2000 to April 2004 – UNITED NATIONS – Department of Political Affairs – Electoral Assistance Division - Senior Political Affairs Officer:
- Managed activities of EAD in Europe and the CIS, Latin America and the Caribbean and Arab States. Led advisory and needs-assessment missions; conceptualization, design and backstop a wide variety of projects in the field of elections;
- Supervised experts and backstop field personnel from HQ; in the field, supervised and coordinated the deployment of electoral staff);
- Improved coordination mechanisms on elections between various UN agencies as well as Regional Organizations and NGOs through development of MOUs and Notes of Guidance;
- Headed UN missions in Armenia (2003); Georgia (2002); Haiti (2000); Mexico (2000); Peru (2001); Nigeria (2002); Tanzania (2004) and Yemen (2002);
- Successfully mobilized additional resources for Electoral Trust fund (USD 30 million).
September 1997 to February 2000 – UNDP – Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People - Deputy Director:
- Supervised one of UNDP’s largest programme and oversaw the management of the PAPP trust fund (USD 80 million) and resource mobilization with a wide variety of donors particularly the EU and Japan;
- Participated in coordination committee in NY to monitor the situation of the occupied Palestinian territory jointly with UN Division for Palestinian Rights, UNRWA and other specialized agencies
- Co-coordinated Bethlehem 2000 celebrations
- Worked in close coordination with the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli Government and both the Israeli and PLO permanent Missions to the United Nations;
- Supported the negotiation with the Palestinian Authority of new programmes;
- Improved financial management of the Programme and increased resources available (70 million USD/year).
March 1993 to June 1996 – UNDP – REGIONAL BUREAU FOR EUROPE AND THE CIS - Deputy Division Chief:
- Supported the operations and technical assistance programmes of 10 field offices in Eastern Europe and the Baltic States;
- Oversaw the UNDP activities and developed new country programmes in six countries without field offices;
- Responsible for the regional programme and thematic focal point for privatization, private sector development and SME support. Designed and oversaw the implementation of first regional to support to the response to the emerging HIV/AIDS epidemic in the region;
- Participated in the definition of the new regional programme framework and managed it.
October 1991 to March 1993 – UNDP – Deputy Representative Programme Argentina:
- Managed USD 200 million/year programme;
- Contributed to increasing resources of UNDP Argentina through complex negotiations with World Bank and IDB for implementation of their large loans in the social sector.
June 1990 - October 1991 United Nations Development Programme – Assistant Resident Representative – Haiti:
- Managed the programme section of the office comprising 11 staff and USD 75 million portfolio.
August 1987-June 1990: United Nations Capital Development Fund Junior Professional Officer- New York
- Responsible for the capital fund investment projects in Bhutan, Laos and Nepal.
Others:
- Accredited Practitioner Diploma in Executive Coaching (Academy of Executive Coaching London, UK)
- Gestalt Coaching Skills Certification
- Certified Breathwork Facilitator
- Certified Yoga Teacher (200 YTT)
David Birch
General Experience and Background
David has worked as a people and organisation development consultant for over sixteen years, following an earlier teaching career in the UK and Far East. Until 2000, he was a Director at PricewaterhouseCoopers, 'matrix-managing' a multidisciplinary team responsible for the integration of HR development in the firm's global consulting practice. Since then, he has divided his time between Ashridge Consulting and his freelance consulting practice.
David has worked at all levels and in most sectors, ranging from financial services to the motor industry. As a consultant, he specialises in strategy, leadership development and in helping teams unlock their strength and potential.
Specific Experience of Coaching
David has been coaching senior people for over ten years, with assignments in Europe, North America and Africa. His coaching is usually associated with wider organisational change or impending or recent career transitions. He has a pragmatic approach to coaching, sometimes 'shadowing' his clients at work so he can better understand their business context.
He sees coaching as a process of joint discovery, with the purpose of increasing his client's inherent capacity to learn and change. He does this by asking questions that stimulate his client's self-awareness, in terms of their contribution to the situation and the various options for the future. He then challenges them to take practical actions that bring about workable and continuous change.
David has particular expertise in 'virtual' team leadership, influencing strategies and conflict resolution. Current coaching clients include PwC, HFC Bank, QAS, The Audit Commission and the NHS.
Qualifications
In 2000 David completed an MSc in Organisational Consulting and holds British Psychological Society Level A and B certificates of competence in psychometric testing. He regularly uses the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, OPQ, and FIRO-B instruments. He is a trained counsellor and is familiar with a wide range of 360o feedback instruments.
Approach to Coaching
"I like to create a safe place for my clients where we can focus on what really matters to them. I work from a position of support and respect – I know how tough leadership can be, especially when 'going against the grain'. I listen carefully and encourage my clients to take action on the basis of what they stand for and believe will work."
Joel Brown
Joel Brown Is the Chief Visionary Officer of Pneumos LLC, a management consulting company based in San Francisco, California, specializing in cultural intelligence, leadership development, organizational strategy and change management, and strategic storytelling. As a change agent, Joel works strategically with organizational leaders and professionals to cultivate innovative, creative, and adaptive environments where the cultural genius of everyone can be harnessed and leveraged successfully. His work spans 5 continents. His mission is to facilitate liberation for every global citizen.
Best known for his critical analysis, creativity, humor, and his ability to build consensus, Joel has partnered with Fortune 500 Companies, non-profit organizations, and government agencies to help them achieve sustained growth and organizational breakthroughs. He has worked with the City and County of San Francisco, Apple, Workday, UserTesting, the United Nations, PwC, Charles Schwab, Inc., LinkedIn, the San Francisco Bar Association, Johnson & Johnson, Kansas City Power & Light, the Human Rights Campaign Fund, Groundspark, the University of South Florida, the Office of Naval Intelligence, and many other Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits, and institutions of learning.
Joel has nearly 25 years of experience of doing LGBTQ Inclusion work across a variety of industries. He has also facilitated LGBTQ cultural immersion workshops for corporate leadership, community outreach, and marketing groups seeking to connect with LGBTQ groups worldwide. Joel is also an experienced executive coach who works with C-suite executives, emerging leaders, visionaries, and “cultural creatives.” As an ICF-certified coach, Joel employs a strategic and solutions-oriented approach that supports transformational leadership. Joel has coached global leaders from six continents, and is pursuing additional certifications in somatic and neuro-plasticity based coaching
Joel was awarded his juris doctorate in 2000 from the University of Virginia School of Law and worked for six years as an employment litigator. In May of 2018, Joel completed his doctorate in educational leadership from Saint Mary’s College of California, which included domestic and international coursework in design thinking, global citizenship, innovation, and peace education. He has traveled to over 40+ countries, is conversational and proficient in Spanish, and has studied abroad in Costa Rica. Joel is also nationally recognized spoken word artist in the United States.
Gunnar Brückner
Gunnar Brückner is a Leader, Coach, Consultant, Strategist, Expert and Interim Manager who specializes in capacity building, organizational learning and staff development in a global, multicultural context. He assists companies to boost their learning culture, to optimize their learning processes and to support teams and individuals to bring out the best in them by selecting interventions as needed at varying levels, namely individual, group, organization.
Gunnar Brückner is the former Chief Learning Officer of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), where he successfully fostered the development of more than 5000 staff in over 135 countries. As a Line Manager he has selected and contracted corporate coaches, he has been coached, and of course he has coached others for many years himself. Over time, he has become a combination of Learning Strategist at the organizational level and hands-on Learning Coach or Trainer at group and individual level.
His clients include many UN Organizations like WFP, UNDGO, WHO, UNODC, ICC, UNDP, and UNSSC as well as other Development Organizations, such as GTZ, InWEnt, Global Fund, GAIN, SNV, and CARE USA.
Whether in the context of competency-based career development, career change, relocation, or simply striving for job effectiveness and high performance, Gunnar Brückner’s experience will help you finding solutions. As an Action-Learning Team Coach and Executive Coach for leaders worldwide, he is particularly known for being gender-aware and for being a motivating Learning Coach, helping clients identify their true problems and then, helping them to learn smarter and with the right resources in a blended learning approach in order to reach their goals more expediently. Throughout his professional career he has also designed and delivered management development, intercultural training and coaching programmes for corporate clients (Delphi Electronics, DHL, Scanditronix, Affinion International and Covance).
Gunnar Brückner is a relentless advocate for and creator of blended learning scenarios, including elearning and he specializes in unleashing the potential of informal, just-in-time, and on-demand learning opportunities worldwide. He is top class with combining synchronous and asynchronous online coaching. Using a proprietary collaboration software that he has been developing together with a small group of staff after leaving the UN, he usually offers the essential online support for the creation of a learning process/context as an add-on service to many of his clients or to communities of practice supported by him.
Gunnar Bruckner’s approach is shaped by more than 17 years practical experience in a multi-cultural and global context. His vita includes extended assignments in the Americas and Africa, in countries as diverse as Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, USA, Angola and a few others. He is proficient in German, English, Spanish, Portuguese and conversant in French.
Clare B. Connaughton
Broad based knowledge of differing models of conflict resolution, within the judicial sector as well as community-based systems. Currently with USAID program in Central America, designing and conducting training programs with goal of strengthening labor justice. More recently, designed and conducted conflict resolution training for Managers of large New York City Hotels, including the Ritz Carlton, Central Park, New York.
Designed and conducted four-week accredited training Program for Lawyers (Mediation and Negotiation Skills) as part of the New York State Continuing Legal Education program. Guest lecturer: New York City Transit Engineers: Mediation Techniques in Construction Industry (March 2005), Guest lecturer at Touro Law School: Mediation: Facilitative; Evaluative, Transformative Styles. (April 2005).
In 2003, USAID funded assignment in Bolivia, designed and conducted training program for Judges, Prosecutors, Defense Attorneys and Police in conformity with the new Criminal Procedure Code. Prior assignment in Guatemala, with USAID funded Justice Program, designed interactive training program for law graduates in several cities in country. Traveled throughout countryside, conducting training and awareness sessions with lawyers, community leaders, other justice sector personnel; held press conference on the benefits of ADR.
In New York, facilitated workshops at Columbia University and at United Nations with middle level staff.
Conducted Spanish language training of adults with New York University’s Professional Studies Program on the use of Mediation Skills in New York City’s educational system. Federal Mediator with U.S. District Court, New York. Certified Community Mediator: mediating antagonistic community disputes.
Twenty years in private law practice with increasing concentration in training and use of mediation. Designed programs in both Spanish and English, emphasizing conflict resolution in interpersonal, community and commercial settings.; the relevance of different conflict management styles and sensitivity to cultural, gender, ethnic and religious differences.
Education:
- Certificate: Advanced Mediation, Eastern District, U.S. District Court 2002
- Certificate: Practicum in Conflict Resolution, Columbia University, 1998
- Certificate: Community Mediation, Columbia University, 1998
- D: Hofstra University School of Law, 1983
- A., Political Science, Stony Brook University, 1980
Languages
Fluent Spanish and English
Susan Doering
With a background of cultural studies, an MA in Modern Languages from Oxford University and a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies from the University of Vienna, I was Assistant Professor and tutor at the University of Vienna for 15 years. I have since acquired additional qualifications (BFI and WIFI Vienna) in training and coaching in order to use my teaching skills and passion for personal excellence outside academia.
As a trainer and coach my special focus is on intercultural communications, gender awareness, ethics and organizational change. My clients have recently included: an international commercial law firm based in Vienna, focusing on intercultural communication skills; an orchestra and a classical music ensemble with many engagements all over the world, focusing on interpersonal and team-building skills including integrity, the IAEA, for whom I developed a gender sensitivity for managers programme, an energy consortium with member companies working internationally, and UNIDO.
In March 2007 I became one of a team of 6 accredited ethics trainers for the UN in Geneva, where I facilitate business ethics trainings. This programme is now extending to UN Vienna, where I am co-training new trainers and will facilitate the workshops for the coming year.
I hold group coaching sessions for diplomatic staff at embassies, focusing on stress management and personal development for performance. I also run a group coaching programme for women in management entitled “Smart Woman” to develop personal excellence in performance. My individual coaching clients have included male and female executives from top and middle management in the energy, automotive, banking and print media industries and clients in politics and education. My goal in coaching is to support the client to find his/her own personal path to performance excellence, always appreciating that each person and each situation is different. My method is eclectic, drawing from TCI, NLP and a systemic approach, with the goal of helping each client find his/her best way of being in the world and, ultimately, to make their contribution to the world.
I am presently Adjunct Professor of Webster University Vienna, teaching a Cultural Studies course to international business students.
Honorary work: I am currently President of the Cosmopolitan Club of Vienna, an International Women’s Association which focuses on cultural relations, planning and organizing a programme of 25-30 events per year. I head a committee of 9 women from 7 different countries.
I speak fluent English and German, excellent French and some Italian.
Joan Dubinsky
Joan Dubinsky offers over 30 years of professional experience in business ethics, compliance, and corporate social responsibility. She is a leader in the global business ethics movement, having served as the chief ethicist for several leading international organizations and corporations, including the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, BAE Systems, Inc., and the American Red Cross. Ms. Dubinsky helps organizations maintain an ethical organizational culture amidst the diversity and complexity of their operations. Ms. Dubinsky’s portfolio includes ethical leadership, program effectiveness, provision of confidential advice, retaliation protection and prevention, whistleblowing, asset and interest disclosure systems, and ethical risk assessment.
Public and private sector organizations have retained Ms. Dubinsky to implement values- and rules-based initiatives, conduct program assessments, measure the effectiveness of compliance systems, conduct sensitive internal investigations, develop executive level interventions, and design high-impact training programs.
Ms. Dubinsky enjoys academic affiliations with the University of Illinois, Notre Dame University, and Brandeis University. She is a sought after lecturer, presenter, and management consultant.
She is a Kallman Executive Fellow with the Center for Business Ethics, Bentley University, Waltham, Massachusetts and a Founding Member on the Advisory Board of the National Center of Ethics and Social Responsibility, St. Thomas Aquinas College, Sparkill, New York. She serves on the Board of Directors of Globethics.net Foundation, a Swiss charity.
With Alan Richter, PhD., Ms. Dubinsky co-authored Global Ethics and Integrity Benchmarks (2008 and 2015 editions). She was a contributing author to the ECOA’s Ethics and Compliance Handbook, documenting best practices in the field of corporate compliance. Ms. Dubinsky led the Conference Board’s Research Working Group on Working at the Intersection of Human Resources, Ethics & Compliance. Her work in ethics training was prominently featured in Ethics Matters: How to Implement Values-Driven Management, by Dawn-Marie Driscoll and W. Michael Hoffman (2000). Her work on investigations was highlighted in Blackwell’s Companion to Business Ethics, ed. by Robert Fredericks (1999). A Phi Beta Kappa, Ms. Dubinsky received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin and her undergraduate degree in Religious Philosophy from the Residential College, University of Michigan.
Cynthia Friedlander
Cynthia Leeds Friedlander is a career and communication coach, educator, lecturer, trainer, counselor, and group leader. She has maintained a private career counseling and executive coaching practice since 1979. She was a Vice President at The Strickland Group, from 1997 to 2000, providing career transition counseling, executive coaching, communication training, leadership development, team building and a wide variety of organizational consulting, speaking presentation and seminar delivery. She was affiliated with Right Management Consultants, as a Senior Professional Services Consultant from 1985 to 1997.
She has worked extensively with all levels of the workforce including managers and senior executives including CEO, Executive Director and President. Her consulting has included several law firms where she has worked with all levels from Managing Partner to support staff. She has provided services in diverse business environments including financial services, retail, manufacturing, technology, legal, entertainment, publishing, advertising, and marketing as well as various cultural, government, trade and educational organizations and associations.
She has been a Counseling Associate and is frequently a presenter for the Harvard Business School New York’s Career Assessment Seminars, has directed a similar program for Stanford Business School alumni and is a Career Advisor for Wharton alumni.
Her background includes extensive business experience in the fashion industry in both retail and wholesale manufacturing settings including Saks Fifth Avenue, Lord & Taylor, Charles of the Ritz Cosmetics, Van Raalte Lingerie and specialty boutiques in Virginia and North Carolina.
She holds a Master’s Degree in counseling from Hunter College and a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of North Carolina, has studied at the University of Grenoble, France and speaks French.
Antony G. Hacking
16 years as an Organizational Consultant, Trainer, Mediator, Coach, and Project Manager
Coordinated and delivered consulting interventions and training programs in 20 countries on themes of collaboration, team-building, client orientation, leadership, team effectiveness, negotiation skills, conflict management, leveraging global diversity, executive decision making, supervisory skills, ethics, and transformative mediation for more than fifteen thousand managers and staff.
Clients: United Nations Secretariat, UNICEF, UNFPA, WFP, UN Women, UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (Cote D’Voire, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Kuwait, Lebanon, Syria, and Uganda), Columbia University, City of New York, Synergos, Shire Pharmaceuticals, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, The Medicines Company, JP Morgan,
- A. Social-Organizational Psychology, Columbia (2002)
- D. Graduate Student, Columbia University (Expected, 2016)
Publications include Conflict Resolution Quarterly, New York Mediator, Human Brain Mapping, Journal of Neurophysiology, and Experimental Brain Research.
Antony G. Hacking is based in New York City. He has over sixteen years of experience working with global organizations throughout North America, Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and Europe. He has designed and facilitated strategy and team building retreats for nonprofit and for-profit organizations. He has also designed and led training programmes on decision-making, negotiation skills, conflict management, supervisory skills, client orientation, and team effectiveness. His clients include UNICEF, UNFPA, UN Women, the United Nations Secretariat, New York City Nexus Leadership, Columbia University (Business School, Teachers College, Executive Coaching Program, Center for International Conflict Resolution), the City of New York, the Federal Reserve Bank, J.P. Morgan, New York City Police Department, Con Edison, Synergos, Shire Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer Inc., AstraZeneca, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Shire, The Medicines Company, and Bellevue Hospital.
Certifications
- Mediation Certification, State of New York (2000)
- NBI™ Social Intelligence Assessments Certification, WholeBrain Creativity (2005)
Sandra Haji-Ahmed
Professional profile
A seasoned human resource and organizational development professional and coach with extensive international experience. Skilled in the development and implementation of strategic human resources and talent management policies and programs. Proven ability to work successfully with organizational change and development. Enjoys working with groups of people and individuals on innovative ideas for positive change. Adept at assessing organizational learning needs as well as designing, facilitating and implementing learning programs in multicultural contexts. Demonstrated experience building and leading culturally diverse high-performance teams. Hands on experience in people development including executive coaching and feedback; career counseling and mentoring; the use of personal development assessment tools; the design of instructional materials and facilitation of learning events. Track record training and coaching senior and middle level managers on performance management and development.
UNITED NATIONS, New York, NY
Performance Management, Leadership and Career Development
Served as an advisor on global policy implementation for Performance Management and Development. This included design and delivery of briefings for senior executive staff, delivering half and full day workshops for managers and supervisors, and design and delivery of train-the-trainer workshops. Advised on updates to the UN’s leadership development strategy based on interviews with over 50 UN Leaders and Managers. Conducted research on and developed a proposal for a multi rater (360-degree feedback) program for senior staff.
MERCY COLLEGE, Dobbs Ferry, NY
Adjunct Professor. Taught four graduate-level courses in the Division of Business and Accounting, Master of Science in Organizational Leadership Program: (1) Aligning Meaning and Purpose; (2) Leading Team Projects; (3) Collaborative Communication in Organizations, and (4), Implementing Change Initiatives. Developed the curricula and learning methods for each course.
Certified Instructor
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Change Leadership, Linkage, Managing Transitions, Linkage,
Lominger Competency Model: Leadership Architect Suite; Diploma in Printing and Editing; Neethling Brain Instrument (NBI ); Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation-Behavior (FIRO-B).
Sean Hand
Sean Hand, a native of Ireland, is an executive coach and independent human resources management consultant based in Vienna, Austria.
Following his early career as a researcher in training methodologies in the Irish public sector, he was employed for over thirty years in the area of human resources management in a number of international organizations: the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO - Vienna), United Nations Education, Scientific & Cultural Organization (UNESCO - Paris), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE – Vienna) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA – New York).
In the above organizations Mr. Hand served in diverse capacities, developing key competencies in areas such as recruitment, staff training and development, policy formulation, change management, organizational development, mediation and staff-management relations. Occupying progressively more senior positions, he served as Director for Human Resources at OSCE and at UNFPA where he provided vision and strategies for the creation and maintenance of dynamic workforces, as well as directing comprehensive and integrated services and best practices to optimally develop and deploy human assets.
Since 2012, Mr. Hand has been working as an executive coach and human resources consultant with a wide range of international organizations, focusing on senior management issues, change management and leadership. He has worked for the UN Secretary-General’s Office as Senior Advisor on Executive Leadership and Management Practices at the Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), and has undertaken coaching and consultancy assignments for the UN Secretariat, UNICEF, UN Women, the UN System Staff College, UNFPA, WHO, ICSC, IFAD, OECD, OSCE, among others.
In addition to a degree in Psychology from University College Dublin, Mr. Hand has postgraduate qualifications in Statistics and Operations Research from the University of Dublin, Trinity College and in Business and Executive Coaching from the Smurfit International Business School, University College Dublin.
Sandra Hayes
Sandra Hayes, M.A., is an organizational development consultant who specializes in collaborative negotiation strategies and team building. Her experience includes designing, conducting and facilitating meetings and training workshops for a list of clients that includes the New York City Health and Hospital Corporation, United Nations, Unicef, Lucent Technologies, Citibank, Pace University, New York University Metro Center, the United Federation of Teachers, the New York City Board of Education, Peaceful Kids, Educators for Social Responsibility, InMotion Legal Services, the United Parents Association, the New York State Nurses Association, the Winslow New Jersey school district, and a collaborative of New York City community organizations.
Ms. Hayes studies Adult Learning and Leadership as a doctoral student at Teachers College, Columbia University, where she earned a Master of Arts degree in Organizational Psychology with a concentration in collaborative conflict negotiation. Through the International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution (ICCCR) at Teachers College, Ms. Hayes is a collaborative conflict negotiation and mediation instructor.
Ms. Hayes has designed and is currently directing and facilitating a Leadership Development Program for nonprofit executives as a consultant to the National Executive Service Corps (NESC).
Her background in training and facilitation is enhanced by extensive experience in both the corporate and nonprofit arenas. For ten years, Ms. Hayes was a human resources professional for such companies as Westinghouse Broadcasting and Cable, American Health Partners (publishers of American Health, Psychology Today, Mother Earth News, and Smart magazines), and Reader's Digest. Moreover, Ms. Hayes spent seven years as a coordinator and director of educational and vocational programs for the US Department of Labor's Job Corps and for Prep for Prep (a program serving more than 2,000 talented and gifted youth). In these capacities, she conducted large individual and group sessions, which counseled program participants on their academic and professional options.
Ms. Hayes currently resides in Manhattan with her husband and children.
Robert Hayles
V. Robert Hayles Ph.D assists people and organizations in becoming more effective. He speaks, writes, and consults with a strong foundation in pluralism and diversity. He was also the 1996 Chair of the Board of Directors, American Society for Training and Development. Robert has served more than 75 clients in the private, public and civic sectors. They include Urban League, World Bank, Internal Revenue Service, Government of Colombia (S.A.), City of Austin, Alberta Community Development, Stanford University, Hewlett Packard, Monsanto, Allstate, Ford, Levi Strauss, Amoco, U. S. West, and Ameritech.
Robert was formerly the Vice President, Human Resources and Diversity with Pillsbury, a Grand Metropolitan Company. His line human resource responsibilities included the Tax, Treasury and Technology organizations. He also was responsible for leading diversity work worldwide for Grand Metropolitan's food businesses (e g., Pillsbury, Green Gland Häägen–Dazs, GrandMet Foods Europe). Prior to the above position Robert was the Director, Human Resources for the Pillsbury Technology Center. Before Joining Pillsbury/GrandMet he was the Manager, Valuing Differences, for Digital Equipment Corporation in Sales, Services, Marketing and International. He led strategies in all of the above diversity roles to leverage diversity for productivity/profitability by working across all differences.
Other previous positions Include: Associate Professor of Engineering Administration at George Washington University; Director, Research and Human Resources at the Office of Naval Research; and Research Scientist at Battelle's Human Affairs Research Center. Robert was the first behavioral scientist to manage the U.S. Department of Navy Technology Base with an annual budget of more than one billion dollars.
Robert has an undergraduate degree in the behavioral and physical sciences, a doctorate in psychology and postgraduate education in business. He brings a unique blend of technical, teaching and consulting expertise to address the challenges of an increasingly diverse workforce.
He is co-author of "The Diversity Directive: Why Some Initiatives Fail and What to Do About It," Irwin Professional Publishers, 1996.
Maria Hutchinson
Maria is an experienced consultant specializing in management and leadership development and executive and career coaching.
Maria has specialized in Staff Development and Learning in international, inter-governmental organizations for over 20 years. She served as Staff Development officer with UNHCR, as Staff Development Coordinator and Head of the Staff Development Unit at IOM, and Chief, Staff Development and Learning Section at the United Nations Office at Geneva. From 2007 to 2013 Maria was Chief of the Learning, Leadership and Organizational Development Section at OHRM, United Nations Headquarters in New York where she was responsible for management and leadership development programmes across the UN Secretariat, including a programme which received the International Coach Federation Prism award for excellence in coaching.
From 20013 to 2015 Maria served as Deputy Director and Head of Programmes at the UN System Staff College (UNSSC), based in Turin. She was responsible for a wide range of crosscutting inter-agency learning programmes and events, including inter-agency retreats. She has managed, designed and delivered learning and development programmes in Europe, Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. She has extensive experience in working in culturally diverse environments and in programme delivery for a wide range of staff, including senior executives (Directors, ASGs and USGs) across the UN System.
Maria’s current focus is on executive and career coaching; assisting clients to successfully identify and implement strategies for the change they want to achieve in their work, career and life. She is fully trained in the comprehensive Coach Training Institute (CTI) co-active coaching programme and is now completing certification with both CTI and the International Coach Federation. She is fully licensed in the use of the Firework/Career shifters career coaching methodology and tools, the William Bridges Transitions methodology and the Neethling Brain Instrument.
Maria holds a Master’s Degree from the Teacher’s College of Columbia University in New York, and successfully completed all course work toward the Ed.D. in Human Resources Education at Boston University (ABD). Maria is a native English speaker and has an excellent working knowledge of French.
Guila Clara Kessous
For over 10 years, Guila Clara has accompanied board members, senior executives and managers in their leadership responsibilities and has assisted them in the development of effective and innovative management strategies. She is called upon regularly by international agencies such as UNESCO or the UN to intervene in the context of various intercultural projects.
Guila Clara holds an Executive MBA from ESSEC Business School, a PhD from Boston University, and a Post-Doc from Harvard University. She has built on this academic background by acquiring extensive professional experience in the fields of leadership and coaching. She has created a tailor-made approach targeting established and emerging leaders to ensure their optimal performance in a rapidly evolving global environment.
A recognized actor and producer in the performing arts, Guila Clara has a particular interest in developing public speaking and performance skills in others. Guila Clara regularly intervenes in the context of various team projects in order to increase group performance and optimize individual and collective potential.
She holds a certification in coaching development and facilitation tools by Harvard University. She has combined her experience in fields such as positive psychology (Tal Ben Shahar), Leadership and Negotiation (William L. Ury) and Executive Communication Skills (Marjorie North). She is currently experimenting with the concept of « management creativity » from Augusto Boal’s theories and has a specialization in CSR and Ethics in the business world (including her studies in ethics pursued under the direction of Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel).
Guila Clara is an active member of the Harvard University affiliated Institute of coaching. She was recently awarded the title of Officer from the Order of Arts and Literature by the French Minister of Culture.
Niru Kumar
Medical Doctor, Gender Diversity Consultant and Coach
Dr. Niru Kumar has been powerfully impacting and transforming lives through a unique blend of expertise in modern medicine, psychology, coaching skills and energy-based healings.
She is a Medical Doctor, Psychologist, Gender Diversity Consultant, Mars Venus coach, Senior Barbara Annis Associate, Pranic healer, Reiki Grandmaster & teacher, Hypnotherapy practitioner and California Hypnosis Institute (CHI) affiliate teacher.
After two decades of experience in clinical practice, she felt an intense need to help people even more deeply in personal and professional fronts. She realized that conventional medicine heal only the disease and not the individual. This led her to acquire qualifications in Psychology and become a Mars Venus coach. Now as a fully qualified and experienced psycho spiritual healer, Dr. Niru feels deeply satisfied on being able to help and heal people on the physical, mental and spiritual plane.
As the only Mars Venus Coach in India, she is a part of an International team of experts and has ongoing support from highly trained coaches and trainers across the world along with access to a vast resource of materials, systems and programs.
Dr. Niru is also a Senior Associate with BAA (Barbara Annis and Associates). Barbara and John are the world leaders in the field of Gender Intelligence. A creative and powerful blend of John’s and Barbara’s work combined with Dr. Niru’s own rich experience makes her training a profound life changing event!
The awareness of the need of Gender Intelligence and Woman Empowerment has powerfully spread in the past 05 years. Dr. Niru is a known pioneer in the field who began this work in leading organizations 10 years back. She has personally conducted more than 400 workshops till now covering more than 5000 professionals in India and APAC region. Based on excellent feedbacks of these workshops she has made her mark in the field and is recognized and sought after by many organizations.
Some organizations like PepsiCo, Yum Foods, Vodafone and Walmart decided to roll this process to the entire organization pan India with partnership and Consultancy with Dr. Niru Kumar.
Dr. Niru is an extremely popular public speaker. She often appears on TV shows. She is also regularly invited to colleges to guide and motivate the students through talks and seminars. She boldly quotes her own life experiences where she has overcome major physical and emotional challenges in her own life and relationships. Her positivism, optimism strength and genuineness are indeed a source of inspiration to many.
Sandra Haji-Ahmed
Professional profile
A seasoned human resource and organizational development professional and coach with extensive international experience. Skilled in the development and implementation of strategic human resources and talent management policies and programs. Proven ability to work successfully with organizational change and development. Enjoys working with groups of people and individuals on innovative ideas for positive change. Adept at assessing organizational learning needs as well as designing, facilitating, and implementing learning programs in multicultural contexts. Demonstrated experience building and leading culturally diverse high-performance teams. Hands on experience in people development including executive coaching and feedback; career counseling and mentoring; the use of personal development assessment tools; the design of instructional materials and facilitation of learning events. Track record training and coaching senior and middle level managers on performance management and development.
UNITED NATIONS, New York, NY
Performance Management, Leadership and Career Development
Served as an advisor on global policy implementation for Performance Management and Development. This included design and delivery of briefings for senior executive staff, delivering half and full day workshops for managers and supervisors, and design and delivery of train-the-trainer workshops. Advised on updates to the UN’s leadership development strategy based on interviews with over 50 UN Leaders and Managers. Conducted research on and developed a proposal for a multi rater (360-degree feedback) program for senior staff.
MERCY COLLEGE, Dobbs Ferry, NY
Adjunct Professor. Taught four graduate-level courses in the Division of Business and Accounting, Master of Science in Organizational Leadership Program: (1) Aligning Meaning and Purpose; (2) Leading Team Projects; (3) Collaborative Communication in Organizations, and (4), Implementing Change Initiatives. Developed the curricula and learning methods for each course.
Certified Instructor
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Change Leadership, Linkage, Managing Transitions, Linkage,
Lominger Competency Model: Leadership Architect Suite; Diploma in Printing and Editing; Neethling Brain Instrument (NBI ); Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation-Behavior (FIRO-B).
Nooriya Koshen
Work Experience
Consultant with over 30 years of international experience in management, coaching, training, and facilitation. Worked for the UN in Switzerland, Namibia and Kenya. Following retirement, trained and facilitated with the UN and international Non-Governmental Organisations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. A faculty member with Duke University CE on their iLead programme for managers of Barclays/ABSA banks and First National Bank in South Africa and for Goldfields International.
Delivered a wide range of training programs, covering performance management, harassment prevention, ethics, diversity & inclusion and career development. Provided coaching for the last 6 years – management and executive coaching.
Qualifications
- 2002-2003 - Masters Certificate in Consulting and Coaching (INSEAD and HEC, France)
- 1982-1984 - Institut Universitaire des Etudes de Development, Certificate in Development values Studies
- 1975-1976 - Durham University, Postgraduate Certificate in Education
- 1971-1975 - Hull University, England, BA(Hons) in French Language and literature
Miriam Kragness
Miriam Kragness has been consulting with and training leaders for over 20 years, as a manager with Ernst and Young LLC and as president of her own company, ROI Consultants, Inc. She has worked with a broad range of clients in the U.S. and Europe, including Honeywell, Control Data, Shell Oil, Commercial Credit Co., First Bank System, the Mayo Clinic, and major hospitals, universities, and government centers. She has worked with consultants in Japan, Korea, Thailand, Australia, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Estonia, Italy, Mexico, and Argentina to adapt U.S. training tools to the language and culture of each country. She takes pleasure in acknowledging the number of small businesses, nonprofits, and professional associations with which she has also worked.
In 1993 she published the Dimensions of Leadership Profile, which broke new ground in representing leadership as a process, not a set of traits. Supported by scientific research, this contribution is widely cited today in classrooms, lectures, publications, and on the Internet, along with her research on creative teamwork, interactive listening, and adult learning styles. More recent work has focused on strengthening the role and responsibilities of followers and in explaining leadership effectiveness across multicultural boundaries.
Dr. Kragness has presented frequently at conferences in the U.S. and abroad on subjects as diverse, for example, as the benefits and risks of corporate downsizing (Offshore Northern Seas Conference - Norway), the distinction between leadership and management (MLP - Stockholm), leading change (ASTD - San Diego), and the contribution of outcome research to human resource development (Discover - Denmark). She has also spent time in the classroom teaching industrial and organizational psychology.
Dr. Kragness has an M.A. in counseling and a PhD in industrial and organizational psychology from the University of Minnesota, U.S. Her undergraduate work is in English literature and sociology.
Kelli McLoud-Schingen
Kelli McLoud-Schingen, President of KMS Intercultural Consulting, LLC, specializes in Global Diversity and Inclusion, Storytelling, Cultural Competence, Social Justice and Healing Racism. She has facilitated development workshops, trainings and storytelling presentations for educational, non-profit, government and corporate institutions in 15 different countries on 4 different continents.
A certified professional mediator, she holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication from Aurora University and a Master of Arts in Cross-Cultural Studies from the University of Houston-Clear Lake. Additionally, she is Co-Author of the Cultural Detective: African American®.
She has extensive training and leadership experience in the Intercultural and Diversity fields. She is a member of the Diversity Collegium, A Think Tank of Diversity Practitioners, and has served on the Board of Directors for the premier Intercultural organization, the Society for Intercultural Education, Training and Research (SIETAR USA), since 2002 as well as served on the organizing committee for the Global Community Dialogue on Leadership, Diversity and Change (GCD) since 2003.
Loretta Raider
Loretta Raider is principal of The Raider Consulting Group. She works with organizations to develop and implement effective strategies focused on their goals and preferred future. In 25 years of experience, Loretta has provided a wide range of expertise to all levels within an organization, in both the public and private sector. She has earned both a national and international reputation with clients of varied size and scope, ranging from financial services, pharmaceuticals and technology to academia, government and non-profit agencies. Her mission is to support growth, in individuals, teams and entire organizations.
Working as her clients' partner, she designs and delivers customized programs in leadership development, executive coaching, team building, competency development and assessment, and conflict resolution. She is also uniquely qualified to work with large groups in long term strategic planning and organizational change, including future search, appreciative inquiry and open space conferences.
Loretta's international activities include experience with United Nations staff in Africa, Asia, Europe and the US on collaborative negotiations skills and intensive work supporting AstraZeneca executives in a state-of-the-art global leadership programs. She brings a special knowledge of group dynamics and organizational behavior to her work that enables transformative change within multicultural environments.
As consultant and trainer, she has served NASA, Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, CIGNA, University of Pennsylvania, UGI AmeriGas, Astro Apparel Inc., Prudential, Time Inc., Quest Diagnostics, and Advanta.
Prior to becoming an external consultant Loretta spent ten years as an internal organization development consultant in a financial services firm and a university.
Loretta has a M.Ed. in Group Process and Organization Behavior from Temple University. She is also an instructor for the International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution at Teachers College, Columbia University. She has served as Chair of the Philadelphia Organization Development Network and is a founding partner of Future Search Network.
Nancy Raphael
Change Management Consultant and Executive Coach
Nancy has over 30 years of human resources management experience in the international not-for-profit sector. She currently works as an executive coach for senior staff in numerous UN Agencies, including UNICEF, UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNEP, OPCW and the UN Secretariat. She works with both individuals and teams to maximize performance potential, with a particular focus on helping new leaders grow and strengthen their competences in line with the UN Leadership Framework. Her clients describe her as insightful, action-oriented, empathetic and “the most helpful coach I’ve had”. She also works closely with the United Nations System Staff College as an Executive Coach and facilitator/moderator in the Executive Management Programme, and the JPO programme, as well as a designer and facilitator for bespoke career development programmes. She has also worked with several UNICEF Divisions in change management and capacity building as well as team building. She also provides individual bespoke career counselling, including assistance with preparation of CV’s, insights on navigating through the United Nations Application System, and practicing interviewing skills through the use of mock interviews.
Her career record includes appointments as Director of Human Resources for UNAIDS; as Regional Chief of Human Resources for UNICEF for Europe and Central Asia and as Chief, Staff Relations for UNICEF HQ. Nancy holds an advanced certification in executive coaching from the Columbia University Business School and Teachers College, as well as an M.S. in Human Resources from the New School University, specializing in Organizational Development. She is also certified in MBTI and Belbin, for assessing individual and team personality profiles as an investigator for the UN Secretariat in cases of harassment.
Jeremy Robinson
Jeremy Robinson, Executive Coach
Jeremy Robinson’s business career has been the result of the mix of disciplines of writing, psychotherapy and management consulting. He coaches C-level executives, Managing Directors, Senior VPs, VPs, Executive Directors and high potential employees in a wide range of industries including financial services, pharmaceuticals, advertising/media/publishing, consulting, high tech/internet/telecom and transportation. He has consulted with and coached entrepreneurial and family business owners.
Jeremy is often chosen to coach highly valued, high IQ executives on their self-management, leadership and emotional intelligence skills. These assignments usually result in clients making specific behavioral change to improve leadership and managerial performance which drive business results. Jeremy also specializes in working with those organizations that have a commitment to diversity by coaching female, African American, Latino and gay/lesbian leaders.
Clients in the past three years include: Accenture, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup Asset Management, Marsh & McLennan, Universal American Financial (UAFC), GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Pfizer, YAHOO!, MediaVest, Leo Burnett, Jose Cuervo International (JCI), JetBlue Airways, NASDAQ, TriOptima, ServiceMaster, Knight-Ridder, MasterCard, UNISYS, BMG Entertainment, KPMG, KPMG Office of General Counsel, Oddcast, ZMK Construction, Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, American Foundation for the Blind, Atlantic Philanthropies, Barsan International (Turkey) and Youth, Inc.
Jeremy often speaks on the topic of leadership development, and coaching. He’s presented on the topic of diversity and professional development at the Minority Corporate Counsel Association Conference in NYC. He has spoken on the topic of Executive Coaching at the California Minority Counsel Association, American Psychological Association, NY State Psychological Association, Linkage Coaching and Mentoring, as well as presenting a live coaching demo at the International Coach Federation Conference. He co-facilitated the 3rd Annual Executive Coaching Summit in 2001. He has been quoted on coaching in The Economist Magazine, The Christian Science Monitor, Wharton Business School E-Buzz Online Magazine and The Seattle Times.
Jeremy is a Faculty member of the Columbia University/Teacher’s College Coaching Program (in Executive Education). He is Faculty member and Fellow of the Zicklin Leadership Initiative at Baruch College in New York. He is Founder of Executive Coach Academy, an organization that trains psychologists, HR Execs, OD practitioners and business executives in executive coaching. He is also on the faculty of iCoachNewYork. He was Co-Academic Director for the Executive Coaching Program at the Aresty Institute of Executive Education at Wharton Business School, University of Pennsylvania.
Jeremy is one of four featured executive coaches on the videotape “Top Coaches In the USA”. He and two colleagues have recently published assessments for Leaders who Coach and Executive Coaches called the “Coaching Development Assessment” (CDA-Leader and Executive Coach version). This assessment has been used by all participants in the Wharton Executive Coaching Program and is available online. He is certified in a variety of assessment tools including the Emotional Intelligence Bar On EQ i 125, the Hay-McBer Emotional Competency Inventory (ECI), Hogan Assessments HPI, HDS and MVPI, and many more. He is expert at designing and coaching executives on customized Executive Assessment 360s.
Jeremy holds certificates in Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, and Community Mental Health Consultation from the Postgraduate Center for Mental Health in NYC. He has graduate degrees in Social Work and English Literature/Creative Writing.
Bill Shea
William D. Shea (Bill) Shea is the Director, Executive Programs, at Northeastern University’s Graduate School of Business Administration. Before that, Bill held positions as the Senior Strategic Relationship Manager for Harvard Business Publishing (HBP);.Global Accounts Manager at HBP and Director, Executive Education Relations, for Harvard University’s Graduate School of Business Administration. Prior to joining Harvard, Bill worked at the Harbridge House division of Coopers & Lybrand LLP as a senior consultant responsible for the development, marketing and presentation of leadership and executive development programs. Bill also spent over seven years with the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL), where he established and served as Managing Director of CCL’s first European branch office in Brussels, Belgium. Bill continues to serve as a coaching/feedback consultant for the CCL Leadership Development Programs offered at the Niagara Institute in Canada, where he consults with both English and French-speaking executives.
Earlier in his career, Bill had appointments in university admissions and financial aid both at the Harvard Business School and at the Babcock Graduate School of Management at Wake Forest University. Bill holds a BA degree from Hunter College (City University of New York); an MA degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and an MBA degree from Harvard Business School. He is a long-standing member of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) and has served on ASTD’s national board of directors. He has served as a member of the board of directors of the Hunter College Alumni Association and was inducted into the Hunter College Alumni Hall of Fame in 1998. He has also served on the board of directors of “Play for Peace,” an international not-for-profit organization which brings together children from communities in conflict to promote understanding through experiential exercises and play.
Jaye Smith
Jaye’s career as an executive coach and organizational effectiveness consultant and facilitator spans over 20 years. Her mission is to help people, teams, and organizations be vital and chart a course of action that is fulfilling – and produces extraordinary results. Her forte also lies in helping organizations build better leaders and managers. Her goal is to leave a lasting impact, utilizing a wide range of tools to educate and build resilient leaders and teams. She leads teams through a strategic planning process that is sustainable and results oriented. Her designs are interactive and fun, yet practical. Jaye has had a life-time commitment to serving her community and non-profit organizations to support their growth, development and sustainability.
Jaye has worked with major organizations in both for-profit and non-profit. She has worked in a wide range of industries and types of non-profits. Non-profit clients have included: AFS – USA, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Brooklyn College Community Partnership, Center for Economic Opportunity, Consumers Union, Dale Grant Associates, Department of Buildings, The Environmental Defense Fund, HRA, Opportunity for a Better Tomorrow, and WNYC. Corporate clients included: Blackrock, Coach, USA, HBO, MTV Networks, and Warner Music Group,
Prior to building Breakwater, Jaye was one of the founders and President of Partners In Human Resources International, a full service human resources consulting firm. Prior to that, she managed her own consulting practice for 7 years while also directing the leadership consulting and career management practice of Goodrich & Sherwood, a New York-based consulting firm. Jaye had spent a number of years as a Senior Consultant to Chemical Bank, Chase Bank and Citibank. She began her career in senior management positions at State Communities Aide Association, a community-based organization that worked to support adults transitioning from welfare to unsubsidized employment.
Jaye is the designer and facilitator for CUNY’s special program for the Center for Economic Development, Managing for Innovation, developing leaders in city agencies and non-profit organizations whose mandate is alleviating poverty. She has also been a faculty member at New York University’s Career Center for the last 25 years. Jaye has been a volunteer at the Santa Fe Folk Art Festival guiding and mentoring artists from Cuba.
Jaye is co-author of Retirement Boom, available on Amazon in October, Reboot Your Life: Enhance Your Career and Life by Taking a Break, and Venus Unbound, a guide to building self-esteem in women. She has written articles and has appeared on television and radio, as an expert discussing strategies for building successful careers and lives. Jaye is working on a third book related to the non-financial aspect of next chapter retirement planning. Jaye has been a presenter at the Sun Valley Wellness Festival, the Global Women’s Network related to vision and purpose.
She serves as co-president of the board of directors of Harlem Dowling Westside Center for Children and Family Services, a 178 year old foster care and adoption prevention agency, based in Harlem.. Jaye holds an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from New York University and a B.A. in Psychology from City College of the City University of New York.
Brent Snow
Brent Snow is an expert in the development and facilitation of high-end organizational simulations that focus on the challenges of managing and leading today’s fast-paced, knowledge intensive organizations. His work over the last seven years has been featured in Fortune and Fast Company and has been televised internationally in a series of broadcasts sponsored by the International Institute for Learning. Prior to this, he led the management development efforts at ITT/Goulds, a $4 billion leader in the fluid technologies industry, and he also spent several years at Outward Bound running multi-element leadership courses for high-potential managers and executives. Educationally, he has received fellowships and done undergraduate and graduate work at Syracuse University, the University of Maine and Harvard.
Snow is the North American Master Facilitator of the TANGO Simulation, which he has run over 100 times. His work with TANGO has taken him to over a dozen different countries on four continents and has addressed key issues for a wide array of clients*, most of whom are attempting to develop new perspectives and practices appropriate for today’s increasingly knowledge-based economy. Snow has also co-led a number of customized 3-4 day workshops with various experts, including Michael Beer (organizational alignment), Daniel Goleman (emotional intelligence) Gary Hamel (strategy and future thinking), John Kotter (leadership), Geoffrey Moore (innovation), C.K. Prahalad (strategy), and Dave Urlich (organizational competence). In each case, TANGO was used as a dynamic and interactive means to challenge assumptions, set context and open up specific inquiries important to future organizational capability.
Snow’s TANGO clients include Arthur Anderson, Boeing, Cerner Medical Systems, the CIA, Dun & Bradstreet, EDS, Fidelity Investments, Galileo International, The Gap, Hewlett Packard, Intel, Lucent Technologies, Microsoft, Mitel, Motorola, Newbridge Networks, Nortel, Norrell, Oracle, Perot Systems, Price Waterhouse, Principal Financial Group, Qualcomm, Sun Microsystems, United Technologies, and Young & Rubicam.
Jeremy Solomons
Jeremy Solomons is a UK-born independent consultant, speaker and writer who provides customized coaching, facilitation and training in Career Development, Conflict Resolution, Crosscultural Communication, Global Leadership, International Management, multicultural teambuilding and Strategic Planning to individuals and groups around the world from his base near Prescott, Arizona, USA.
His main regions of specialization are Western Europe and East Asia and his main countries of specialization are France, Germany, Hong Kong (and China), Israel, Italy, Switzerland, the UK and the USA where he has worked as a full-time Banker, Educator and Journalist in six multinational institutions: Citibank, JP Morgan, Lloyds Bank International, Reuters News Agency, United Press International and the World Bank.
Born in Manchester, England, he holds MA and BA Honors degrees in French from the University of Oxford. As well as mother-tongue English, he is fluent in French, German and Italian and proficient in Spanish.
He is currently working with Maya Hu-Chan to complete a year-long research project on Global Leadership for Andersen Consulting and Keilty, Goldsmith, which will be part of a new book on the Global Leader of the Future. He has also co-written a chapter in a new book on Executive Coaching and is co-authoring a book on Intercultural Career Development with noted interculturalist, Robert Kohls PhD.
Kathleen Vaughan
Kathleen M. Vaughan, MA is a global executive coach, experienced conflict management expert, leadership trainer and facilitator. Kathleen combines her global professional and personal background to development programs and services to enable her clients to achieve global excellence and cultural competence. Kathleen designs and delivers training and coaching programs for global executives and intercultural teams. Her practice of over 13 years combines the ability to create and deliver interventions with impact and quality skills in working with individuals, groups or the whole system to promote collaboration, improve performance, work across difference, and resolve conflict. She uses her skills to enable diverse groups to work together effectively and creatively. A true collaborator, Kathleen works to ensure that each program is tailored to the needs and anticipated challenges of the client whether working at home, abroad or across the virtual world. Experienced in the private, academic and non-profit sectors, Ms. Vaughan is permanently based in Kenya and has a regional focus on Africa.
Telma Viale
Telma Viale combines an understanding of the public and the private sector, knowledge in psychology, and global thought, with over 25 years of experience supporting global leadership in international organizations. She held advocacy roles as Special Representative to the UN of the ILO and top HR leadership positions in various UN organizations. Telma was a Partner at Kennedy Fitch, management consulting focusing on the future of work, where she designed unconscious bias training for HR leaders. Telma now leads Executive Search at SRI Executive, conducting key leadership searches in institutions that support the Sustainable Development Goals. Telma is the graduating class of 2021 of an MA from Columbia University in Global Thought, a field that applies a cross-cutting approach to global issues. She also holds an MA from Columbia University in organizational psychology and a BA from Hunter College in psychology and romance languages. A native from El Salvador and fluent in five languages, Telma is also a pioneer in bridging organizational psychologists’ insights with humanitarian work. Telma also supports the Permanent Secretariat of the Nobel Peace Laureates in building strategic partnerships for peace education among youth.
Dan White
Dan White is an executive coach who specializes in developing leaders. He works with client to strengthen their ability to manage people, lead organizations, collaborate and innovate. He enables leaders to develop new behaviors and attitudes that align with organizational opportunities, constituents’ needs and personal values.
Dan serves as coach and facilitator to contribute to clients’ effectiveness.
As a coach, he works with individual leaders to assess their strengths, needs and barriers to development. He coaches them to fully leverage their unique talents to achieve greater effectiveness over the long term.
As a facilitator he works with groups to strengthen their focus, their dialogue and their ability to act in a coordinated fashion. He helps clients to develop several capabilities, enabling them to become more productive and innovative.
Prior to his role as a coach and organization development consultant, Dan served as Director of Organization and Executive Development at CitiGroup. There he implemented original approaches to leadership training and organization effectiveness and championed two major culture change efforts that enabled rapid business growth.
As a consultant, he has worked with organizations such as: CitiGroup, JP MorganChase , Prudential, Goldman Sachs, Standard and Poors, Societe Generale, Dow Jones, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Schering Plough, Siemens, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Regeneron, Lundbeck USA, R.R. Donnelley, The New York Times, Reuters, MTV, Parents magazine, Ladies Home Journal magazine, Columbia University, American Institute of Architects and the New York City schools. He teaches the Executive Coaching course in the NYU Masters program in Human Resources Management.
Education:
- MA, Organizational Psychology, Columbia University, Teachers College
- BA, Psychology, University of Rochester
- Post grad certificate, Adult Career Development, City University of NY
Publications:
- Coaching Leaders, Guiding People Who Guide Others, Jossey-Bass. 2006
- Repairing Damaged Work Relationships in R&D. in Research-Technology Management, 4/03
- Stimulating Innovative Thinking. in Research-Technology Management, 9/96
- Career Development of Technical Professionals. In Alan Pickman, Special Challenges in Career Management. L. Erlbaum Assoc., Hillsdale, NJ, 1997
Professional Associations:
- Leader – New York Leadership Coaching Learning Group
- Member – International Coach Federation
- Member – Association of Career Management Professionals
- Member - Organization Development Network
- Member – Human Resource Planning Society
Rita Wuebbeler
Rita Wuebbeler is a bi-cultural German-US facilitator, team builder and coach with over twenty-five years of living and working experience in the U.S., Canada, Germany, the U.K., Spain and Luxembourg. Her specialties are cross-cultural competency-building, team building for global virtual teams, diversity and inclusion and leadership coaching.
Ms. Wuebbeler holds a Master’s Degree in Applied Linguistics from Mainz University, Germany. She is a Certified Integral Coach and has gained an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) designation from the International Coach Federation. She is a Qualified Administrator for the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) and a certified administrator of the DISC Profile.
She regularly presents at international professional conferences on the topics of leadership development, cultural competency building and effective cross-cultural communication as well as on industry-specific subject matter. She has contributed to a number of collections of intercultural training activities and is the co-author of Cultural Detective: Germany as well as Cultural Detective: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (www.culturaldetective.com), an on-line educational tool identifying and analyzing cultural core values based on critical incidents. She plays an active role in her professional association, the Society for Intercultural Education, Training and Research (SIETAR). She is also a Board Member of the Georgia Chapter of the International Coach Federation (ICF).
Ms. Wuebbeler is currently owner and president of INTERGLOBE Cross-Cultural Business Services, an international training and consulting firm assisting companies and individuals in the U.S. and Europe with their needs in cross-cultural competency-building, team building for multicultural teams and executive coaching.
She is fluent in English, German and Spanish and coaches and facilitates in those languages.