LEAP Affiliates

A cadre of leadership development professionals gives us the ability to scale quickly.

Dana McDonald, PhD
Dana is the Vice President of Talent Development for Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont in Charlotte, NC where she leads talent development solutions for both clients and team members.
Throughout her career, Dr. McDonald has specialized in strategy development and implementation around leadership and talent development systems and solutions. She has delivered executive development solutions throughout Europe, India and China.
Dr. McDonald earned her Ph.D. and M.A. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of Maryland, College Park and her B.A. in Psychology from Wake Forest University.
Biography
Pasquale Mazzuca

Pasquale is a leadership guide and success coach who works with clients across a broad range of industries and sectors. Trained as an engineer, Pasquale engages with clients to create a unique roadmap to success using a variety of methodologies and techniques. As a former business executive and entrepreneur, Pasquale brings a fresh approach to helping clients resolve their most challenging leadership issues. Working with CEOs and other senior leaders to guide them on a path to success, he places a high value on long-term trusted relationships, achieving this by building a successful and endearing long-term partnership.
Pasquale speaks Spanish, French, Italian and English.

Biography
Portia Mount, MBA
Portia is Vice President of Marketing for Trane Commercial HVAC, Americas a strategic business ($6B) of Trane Technologies (NYSE: TT) where she is on the leadership team and leads all marketing and branding for the commercial business.
Prior to joining Trane Technologies, Portia was on the executive team of the Center for Creative Leadership for more than a decade as SVP Global Marketing and Chief of Staff to the President.
Portia is co-author of the best-selling career advice book "Kick Some Glass: Ten Ways Women Succeed at Work on Their Own Terms.”
Portia holds an MA in Cultural Anthropology and East Asian Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an MBA in management from Wake Forest University School of Business.
Biography
John Alexander

John is an executive coach, consultant, author, lecturer, and former CEO with experience in the U.S. and abroad. His practice is grounded in 17 years’ experience at the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL), where he served as the organization’s president and CEO from 1997-2007. John’s client experience ranges from large global corporations, such as Daimler AG, to educational and non-profit organizations, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, where he served as an external executive coach for five years. John’s current specialties include strategic communications, strategy development, board relations and coaching for senior leaders.

Biography
Taran Swan, MBA
Taranhas spent over 30 years building and running digital and international businesses with P&L responsibility and coaching hundreds of senior executives.
Taran has delivered her consulting services to a wide range of organizations in industries including media & entertainment, technology, healthcare, financial services, professional services, and nonprofit organizations.
She has held senior executive P&L positions at the Walt Disney Company, Viacom (MTV Networks/ Nickelodeon), and Salomon Brothers.
Taran received an undergraduate degree in computer science from the University of California, Berkeley, attended NYU’s Courant Graduate School of Mathematics, and received an MBA from the Harvard Business School.
Biography
Mona Gillis Edwards, JD

Mona is an executive and leadership development coach and consultant who works with clients in a variety of industry sectors. She has over 20 years of management and leadership experience and is passionate about coaching and supporting diverse leaders. She works to assist clients in authentically connecting key lessons from assessments, feedback, training and experience. As a former practicing attorney, Mona leverages her legal training and experience to coach CEOs/Executive Directors on board governance and board-executive relationships. She places a high value on compassion and courage in coaching in order to help clients become more effective leaders.

Biography
Barbara Demarest, MBA

Barbara is a strategy consultant working primarily in higher education and philanthropy. In addition to facilitating strategic planning processes, she focuses on leadership development and performance by coaching teams and individuals to successfully execute strategy and effectively meet organizational objectives. Barbara is a Board-Certified Coach, facilitator, workshop designer and conference/event speaker. She holds an MBA, a Master of Coaching certificate and a Credit Union Development Educator (CUDE) designation. Barbara has an interest in addressing economic inequity and improving financial literacy. She has been a volunteer in the credit union movement for 15 years.

Biography
Karen Wilson-Starks, PhD

Karen brings over 30 years of experience as a trusted advisor and executive leadership development consultant. She offers values-based wisdom and insight for executive selection and integration, high performance team development and positive culture creation. She is the 2021 recipient of The RHR International Award for Excellence in Consultation.
Karen authored Lead Yourself First: The Senior Leader’s Guide to Engaging Your People for Greater Performance and Impact.
She served as senior faculty for leadership training and as hiring and development leader of 70 PhD-level executive coaches. As an active duty Army officer and psychologist, her assignments included the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY.

Biography
Luke Novelli, Jr., PhD, MBA

Luke brings over 30 years of global experience as an academic, a manager of training programs and the global head of business development. He focuses on leadership development and team innovation, training and facilitation. His work highlights building skills and transferring frameworks that directly address the challenges his clients face. Luke draws on his experience of working with global clients across four continents and living in Singapore and Manila for nearly ten years to relate to a wide variety of clients. Luke is a former Marine officer with combat experience.

Biography
Ronnie Grabon, MBA

Ronnie (SPHR, ICF-PCC) has spent time as an executive coach, facilitator, teacher, trainer, consultant and HR executive. She has experience in a variety of industries, including law, finance, retail, government and non-profits. Ronnie focuses on working with individuals to achieve significant professional and personal goals. Often, this includes a focus on stress management, career transition and achieving the type of balance that allows a leader to be fully engaged in all facets of their life. Ronnie has also served as a mentor coach for both managers and other professional coaches. Having spent a significant portion of her career as the CHRO, she understands how to embed strategic thinking, innovative processes, change management, team leadership and diversity, equity and inclusion into an organization.

Biography
Wanda Bayless Willis
Leveraging her leadership development experience with the Central Intelligence Agency, Wanda works as a coach, facilitator, and encourager. With over 20 years of experience supporting leaders, from emerging to senior executive levels, Wanda’s approach to coaching is to listen, question, provide new ways of thinking and tools for the client to develop action plans to accomplish their goals. She supports clients to accurately assess their strengths through behavioral assessments which provide keys to self-knowledge and growth. Wanda formerly served as a senior human resource manager and leadership facilitator for the CIA and currently works with leaders in the Intelligence Community and local governments.
Biography
Carl Bryant, PhD
Carl has more than 40 years of experience developing leaders across the globe. His coaching style utilizes pragmatic, directive and non-directive approaches focused on assisting leaders in achieving their highest personal and organizational priorities, understand their leadership style and how it impacts their success, and leveraging strengths to achieve personal and professional excellence. Carl’s coaching focus includes Change Management, Executive Presence, Maximizing Outcomes and Strategic Planning, working at the board level, in the C-suite and among senior management. Carl has a PhD from the University of Maryland, College Park, an MA University of North Dakota and a BA from the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore.
Biography
Yvette Cook Darby
Yvette successfully coached senior level executives since 2010, and has served in numerous executive leadership team roles spanning 20 years, including The Coaching and Positive Psychology Institute, Usher’s New Look, United Way of Greater Atlanta, and Georgia Public Broadcasting.
Yvette has also served in key leadership positions with major network affiliates ABC, CBS, PBS, and NPR.
Yvette holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Affairs and Political Science and a master’s degree in Mass Communications from the University of Denver, Denver Colorado. She is a graduate of the Center for Creative Leadership and holds a coaching certification in Personal and Executive Coaching from the CaPP Institute.
Biography
Claudia Tordini
Claudia brings together her background in business, art, and creativity to provide executive coaching and consulting services on leadership, organizational development, creativity, and innovation. She incorporates art-based tools in her practice to bring clarity and facilitate new perspectives. 
Claudia has a Master of Philosophy degree in Organizational Dynamics at the University of Pennsylvania with a concentration in Organizational Consulting and Executive Coaching. She holds an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School with a concentration in Human Resources and Strategy. She was awarded her BS in Industrial Engineering from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Claudia speaks Spanish, Italian, French, and English.
Biography
Stacey Miller, PhD
Stacey is a seasoned talent strategist, trainer, executive coach and consultant with a successful track record spanning over 20 years in various industries. Passionate about coaching and supporting emerging and executive level leaders to achieve their highest potential, Stacey focuses clients on key business priorities. She works closely with clients in a personalized approach to help them navigate complex personal and professional decisions. She brings a deep understanding of the various pathways and key roadblocks to success, enabling her to provide expert guidance and identify the best possible outcomes. With a wealth of knowledge in leadership development, talent and performance systems, change management and communications, and human behavior, Stacey is uniquely equipped to move clients, teams, and organizations forward.
Biography

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