Consulting Skills Certificate

Marya Danihel has been teaching business communication in all its forms for more than 20 years, guiding thousands of people at Fortune 500 companies and major nonprofit institutions to approach projects strategically, craft compelling messages, and run productive meetings.  As an associate of several training companies with international viability, she has consulted with their clients to design numerous custom courses and presentations.  In addition, her coaching has enhanced the performance of dozens of on- site and online facilitators.

Marya has been working in the virtual training environment since 2000 and consistently received kudos for her highly interactive online training style, which is informed by her background in professional theater and broadcasting.  Besides writing scripts for commercial use, she has crafted feature stories and essays for public television and radio and hosted her own radio show. 

Marya’s unusually broad industry experience includes assignments for clients in finance, insurance, government, biotechnology, engineering, health care, manufacturing, and transportation.  A former journalist for a business magazine, she has many articles to her credit and has edited several nonfiction books.

Marya pursues gardening and music in her spare time at her home in New Hampshire.  She is the founder and artistic director of Vintage Voices, a vocal trio that performs Victorian popular music at museums and historic societies.

Margarita is the president and main consultant of Excellens, a Mexican company founded in 1990 with the intention of improving organizational performance through increased knowledge and skills of those involved, positively impacting their lives and communities in general.

She has been a performance consultant and trainer for more than twenty years in the areas of organizational development, change management, leadership, fund raising, communication, strategic planning, team building, improving performance, learning, emotions management, and customer relations. Her client list includes corporations, government agencies, non-for-profit organizations, and small companies.

Margarita earned a master’s degree in Business Administration from Tec de Monterrey and Midwestern State University and she is pursuing a doctorate in Education by Competencies. She earned certifications in training, consultancy, performance evaluation, and procurement. She is professor at Universidad Mundo Nuevo in the master’s program of Human Resources and Education.

A specialist in organizational change, she creates a win-win environment, giving people and organizations the knowledge and skills they need in order to acquire their desired success. 

Margarita is former President of AMECAP Chihuahua (Mexican Association for Training and Development in Chihuahua State) and was the first President of ASTD Global Network Mexico.

Ethan S. Sanders is president and CEO of Sundial Learning Systems. Before founding this company, Sanders was manager of instructional design for ASTD. Before joining ASTD, Ethan worked as an internal consultant in the publishing and banking industry, and was a training manager in the transportation industry. Ethan is a co-author of ASTD Models for Learning Technologies, ASTD Models for Workplace Learning and Performance, HPI Essentials, and the ASTD course "Human Performance Improvement in the Workplace." Ethan's articles have appeared in numerous professional publications throughout the world. Ethan also teaches several of ASTD's courses offered through public and corporate seminars. He holds a master's degree in applied behavior science from Johns Hopkins University.

Halelly Azulay is a consultant, facilitator, speaker, and author with 20 years of professional experience in the fields of workplace learning and communication in corporate, government, regulatory, not-for-profit, and academic organizations. She is the author of Employee Development on a Shoestring (ASTD Press, 2012), in which she provides managers and supervisors hands-on tools and techniques for developing employees outside the classroom and on a budget. Azulay is the president of TalentGrow LLC, a consulting company focused on developing leaders and teams to improve the human side of work. She is also past president of the board of directors of the award-winning Metro DC chapter of ASTD where she served in various board leadership roles from 2005 to 2010; talentgrow.com/blog.

With over twenty years of experience and a doctoral degree in human resource and organization development, Dr. Bianco is considered a leader in her field. Her background includes a core set of industry positions, extensive consulting with corporate and agency executives, and publications/presentations in the areas of performance management, organizational change, leadership development, executive team building and facilitation, executive coaching, conflict and dialogue, coaching, and strategic planning.

Presently, Dr. Bianco is a professor in the School of Business and department chair of management programs at Marymount University. She teaches courses in organization development, team and group dynamics, human resource strategy, and executive coaching. She is also a partner with the Strategic Performance Group. Her present consulting engagements include leadership development, executive coaching, strategic planning, team building, and organizational change. Presently, she is coaching executives within 10 major organizations across the United States.

Dr. Bianco has given major presentations at several international conferences and has published numerous articles on change, consulting practices, coaching, and performance. Her most recent publications include, "Cross-Functional Teams at AOL" (with Fitzgerald, OD Practitioner, 2002), and Leading From The Inside Out: A Coaching Model (with Roman and Nabors, Sage Publications, Spring, 2002). Her most recent publication/product is Dialogue Cards, 2006.

Erica Nelson is managing consultant of nelson performance development LLC, learning and development and consulting practice. Ms. Nelson is a trainer, consultant, author, and mediator, who works with professionals in a variety of industries in organization development. Erica has 25 years of professional experience in training in management development, team collaboration, and communication and presentation skills.

Business clients include Kraft, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Hollister Corporation, HSBC, Takeda, and Rust-Oleum Corporation where she is lead designer and facilitator for the Leadership Development Program High Potential course and action learning project. She is a certified facilitator for ASTD for the Consulting Skills for Trainers Certificate Program and Coaching Certificate Program. Erica is currently the faculty bench facilitator for Corporate Learning Solutions for Lake Forest Graduate School of Management, Lake Forest, Illinois working with Fortune 500 Companies.

Her expertise in facilitating key skill sets to increase sales, enhance business relationships, and encourage partnerships at work is applied to all managerial levels with her client organizations. Subject expertise includes individual and team communication, mediation and conflict management, and influencing and presentation skills.

She is an executive coach working with senior level managers and executives. Erica has been certified as a mediator through the Center for Conflict Resolution since 1993 and is a mediator with the Cook County Court System.

Ms. Nelson earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts in journalism and English and her master's degree from the University of Connecticut in educational administration and counseling. Ms. Nelson is a member of ASTD. She is currently an adjunct faculty member at Lake Forest Graduate School of Management and formerly an adjunct faculty member in Applied Sciences at Oakton Community College teaching Psychology. Erica received the Most Distinguished Business Faculty Member in Corporate Education in 2003-2004 for the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management and a continuous service award for 18 years as a mediator in the Chicago court system.

Lynn Lewis is president and managing principal of Learning Solutions, an educator and consultant who helps to design, develop and deliver effective workplace learning and performance programs. She has been in the training and consulting field for twenty years working with business, government and non-profit organizations across a wide variety of industries.

Lynn specializes in creating custom learning solutions that are targeted to help organizations to realize their return on investment. She has developed instructor-led, synchronous, and asynchronous learning solutions that are often part of a larger integrated program.

She is the writer and editor of many books and articles, including:

• ASTD Learning System—contributing writer for 7 of the 9 books
• 10 Steps for Successful Presentations book—writer
• 10 Steps for Successful Facilitation book—writer
• 10 Steps for Successful Meetings book—writer
• WLP Scorecard book—editor
• ASTD Infoline editor

Lynn earned her BA and MBA from St. Bonaventure University. She is also a certified project manager (PMP professional) and a certified professional in learning and performance (CPLP).

Mimi Banta, a skilled facilitator and organization development consultant, has over 25 years of experience helping private, public sector, and not-for-profit organizations implement training and development initiatives that produce results. Clients rely on her ability to diagnose training needs, engage executives in development efforts, design and conduct training, and equip in-house staff to be effective trainers.

In addition to an educational background in psychology and adult education, Mimi is certified to use a variety of tools such as the Career Architect, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator assessment, "I Speak Your Language," and Change Style Indicator. She is also affiliated with Netspeed Leadership, Learning Tree International, and is master certified in Achieve Global products and services.

Since 1982, Mitch has held a wide variety of change management leadership positions and is known as an innovator and as an expert in change implementation and transition. He is a practical consultant who can translate theories and concepts into effective solutions that work in real life situations. He is currently operating a private consulting practice, working also as a certificate program facilitator for ASTD.

While at Accenture from 1995 through 1999, Mitch had worldwide responsibility for the development and delivery of training and competency development for the change management practice area. As such, he worked with internal development teams and a wide variety of thought-leaders, academic institutions and practitioner organizations to provide state-of-the-art training solutions for a global practice.

Before joining Accenture, Mitch co-developed and managed KPMG Peat Marwick's change management practice while maintaining an active consulting practice with clients. Prior to his KPMG experience, Mitch was a senior consultant with ODR in Atlanta, Georgia, where he worked with Daryl Conner in writing the book, Managing at the Speed of Change. Recently, Mitch was a key contributor working with Peter Robertson on the book, Always Change a Winning Team.

Sardek P. Love is the President and Founder of Infinity Consulting and Training Solutions (ICTS), a management consulting and customer service training provider to an array of global customers. A dynamic speaker and international business consultant, he possesses over 18 years of professional experience in leadership development, training and development, association management, customer service, management information systems, and production and operations management.

Prior to launching ICTS, Sardek managed and led high performing teams at Booz Allen Hamilton, MetLife Insurance Company, and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield. As a highly sought after consultant, Sardek has delivered training programs, Keynote speeches, seminars, and consulting services to clients throughout the United States as well as the following 18 countries: China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Australia, Jamaica, England, Scotland, Germany, Russia, Kuwait,  United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia,  Libya, Brazil, Angola and Nigeria.

Sardek has an extensive and highly decorated track record serving in volunteer leadership positions for a variety of associations. Most notably, he is a former President of two American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) chapters, and a two time member of the prestigious National Advisors for Chapters for ASTD. In 2003, he and his fellow advisors were awarded the prestigious ASTD Staff Partnership Award by Tony Bingham, ASTD’s CEO. As a highly regarded expert in business, training, consulting, and association management, his contributions continue to shape the development of leaders. He was appointed the 2010 Chair of the ASTD Leaders Conference Program Advisory Committee, and as a member of the highly regarded faculty for ASTD, he facilitates four ASTD Certificate programs that provide the foundation for developing leadership and new supervisor training programs.

Donna Steffey is an international trainer, author, adjunct faculty at both Lake Forest Graduate School and DeVry University, and sought after speaker who helps organizations achieve their desired business results. Donna incorporates her 20 years of management experience to educate, inspire, and coach. It takes the right blend of information, introspection and humor to cause people to look at themselves and change.

Global organizations such as Marriott International, Barclaycard-UK, XIBI-China, Tumine Center-Africa, and the Royal Australian Air Force, have found that after Donna's workshops people were more self directed, customer service driven and mindful of their team participation. Donna combines learning with fun and applies her master's degree and life experiences to professional and real world situations. Your participants will be motivated to hit their performance improvement targets and your training will be a success!

Geri is president and principal consultant of Geri Lopker & Associates. Her international client list includes corporations, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and Fortune 100 companies. Geri has been a performance consultant both as an internal area director of operations for a large healthcare agency, and as an external consultant with clients big and small. Geri has over 20 years of experience working in the areas of systems, finance, change management, leadership, communication, strategic planning, team building, and customer relations.

Geri earned a master's degree in human resources and organization development from the University of San Francisco. She earned the Certified Performance Technologist (CPT) certification in 2003. She is an adjunct professor for Chapman University teaching the nationally acclaimed Human Performance Improvement in the Workplace certificate series. She has also earned this HPI certificate. She has received the Total Trainer Certificate from OC-ASTD and is currently part of the faculty for the Total Trainer program.

Geri is past president of the International Society for Performance Improvement, Orange County Chapter. She is past president of ASTD, Orange County chapter.

Barbara Greenstein, principal of Human Resource Prescriptions, is a performance improvement specialist providing proven and creative ways to improve human performance in the workplace. By identifying issues and opportunities for improvement, she helps organizations large and small meet their planned goals.

Barbara is highly regarded for her facilitation and instructional design skills. With over 20 years of experience in the training and development field, her mission is to help clients put the systems in place that will help them manage effectively in today's changing business environment while ensuring optimal performance and job satisfaction for all employees.

Prior to becoming an external consultant, Barbara's corporate experience included training and instructional design for Burger King Corporation, Pizza Hut, and Electronic Data Systems (EDS). She completed her undergraduate work in consumer affairs and management at Florida International University and received a master's degree in human resource development, as well as graduate certificates in instructional design and total quality management (TQM) from Marymount University.

Barbara is an adjunct professor for the master's program in human resources at Chapman University in San Diego. She has also served as a facilitator for the University of San Diego's master's program in executive leadership program. In addition, she is a Certified Performance Technologist (CPT), a certification awarded through the International Society of Performance Improvement (ISPI) and the American Society for Training & Development (ASTD). Barbara is past president of the San Diego chapter of ASTD and an active member of ISPI.

Kim Rowe, one of the founding partners of Agentive, has been an independent marketing and sales consultant to the medical and pharmaceutical industries since 1993. At Agentive, Kim provides clients with marketing and sales performance development expertise, including assessment, training, coaching, and project management. Kim was previously employed in sales, marketing, and training with ConvaTec, a Bristol-Myers Squibb company, and C.R. Bard. She is a board member of the Health Care Businesswomen's Association and an active member of ASTD and the New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners (NJAWBO). Kim speaks regularly on the topic of generational leadership as well as other leadership and management topics. She is on the Board of Directors of the Montgomery Friends of Open Space and was one of the founders of the MFOS Farmers Market in Montgomery Township, New Jersey.