Consulting Skills for Trainers

Facilitators

Mitch Kotula

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.

Lynn Lewis, CPLP

Lynn Lewis is president and managing principal of Learning Solutions, LLC, 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 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).

Erica Nelson

Erica Nelson is Managing Consultant of nelson performance development, LLC, training and consulting practice.  Ms. Nelson is a trainer, consultant, author, and mediator, who has worked with professionals in a variety of industries in performance improvement and has been in business for 12 years.

Her extensive professional experience includes training in management development, customer service, team collaboration, and communication and presentation skills.  Her practical insights are gleaned from direct work experience in leadership program design and facilitation for administrators and faculty at universities in Massachusetts and Chicago, as a program manager in customer service, and a business owner. 

Erica coach’s clients on performance and life skills as well as specific communication practices to achieve their professional goals. Business clients include: Cardinal Healthcare Corporation, ComED, Allstate Insurance, The City of Park Ridge Senior Management, Ball State University, Peoples Energy Corporation, Banco Popular North America, TAP Pharmaceutical Products and McDougal-Littell Publishing, a division of Houghton Mifflin Company.

Erica is a certified mediator through the Center for Conflict Resolution, the Center for the Study of Alternative Dispute Resolution. For 16 years she has been an active mediator with the Cook County Court System in Chicago.

Ms. Nelson earned her B.A. from the University of Massachusetts in Journalism and English and her M.A.

from the University of Connecticut in Educational Administration and Counseling. She is a member of the American Society for Training and Development. She is currently an adjunct faculty member at Lake Forest Graduate School of Management, a consulting trainer with The Business Institute at Oakton Community College and formerly an adjunct faculty member in Applied Sciences at Oakton Community College teaching Psychology.

Erica was selected as Distinguished Faculty member for Lake Forest Graduate School’s Corporate Education Division in 2003-2004.