Who We Are & What We Do

We help organizations and leaders thrive in the future of work through their people. 

At our core, we believe that the future of work depends on unlocking the full potential of your people. That’s why we created the People-Forward Leadership™ framework—to help organizations build psychologically safe workplaces, develop talent at every level, and elevate leaders’ skill sets so they don’t just cope with change but thrive on it.

To retain the best talent, people must feel aligned to a clear purpose, connected to a supportive culture, and empowered to excel. We partner with you to shape these conditions through executive coaching, immersive workshops, and scalable leadership development programs, equipping leaders with the resilience, adaptability, and vision they need for today’s rapidly evolving environment.

As the workplace undergoes transformational shifts—new generational pipelines, unprecedented disruptions, and the pressing need for inclusive leadership—our approach ensures that leaders are ready to meet these challenges head-on.

By placing people at the center of everything we do, we help you create a lasting impact where your workforce is fully engaged, prepared, and inspired to move your organization forward.

In short, a People-Forward Leadership™ approach is the key to success in the modern workplace. We’re here to help you achieve it.

LET'S CO-CREATE A CUSTOMIZED SOLUTION FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION

Our Vision & Mission

Vision and Mission 

Our Vision

A world where every workplace enables people to thrive, perform their best work, and drive lasting impact.   

Our Mission

We equip leaders and teams with the insights, tools, and strategies to embed a people-forward mindset in every aspect of their work—cultivating trust, growth, and sustainable success for all.

In support of our vision and mission, we embrace the following values and guiding principles that shape everything we do:

  • Community & Belonging
    We cultivate authenticity, diversity, and inclusion so every voice is heard, valued, and respected.

  • Growth & Innovation
    We challenge ourselves by trying new things, learning from our mistakes, and encouraging creativity.

  • Transparent Communication & Trust
    We foster open, honest dialogue and mutual respect, believing that trust is the foundation of strong relationships.

  • Solution Orientation
    We view challenges as opportunities to innovate, focusing on finding solutions rather than dwelling on problems.

  • Continuous Development
    We commit to ongoing personal and professional growth, recognizing that learning keeps us evolving and competitive.

  • High Standards & High Spirits
    We strive for excellence without sacrificing our joy—holding ourselves accountable while celebrating our achievements.

  • Client-Centered Service
    We honor our clients through unwavering commitment, respect, and quality in every interaction.

  • Fun & Fulfillment
    We take pride in our work and love what we do. Above all, we believe in enjoying the journey as much as the destination.

 

WE'RE YOUR PARTNERS IN HELPING LEADERS ADVANCE AND THRIVE IN THE WORKPLACE


About Our Founder

When organizations value their people as their greatest asset, everyone thrives. That’s why I left the courtroom and chose to transform leaders from within.

I started my career as a labor and employment attorney, litigating wrongful discharge cases, discrimination, and unfair work practices. After a decade in the courtroom, I realized a stark reality: many organizations were not equipping their leaders to truly value their people as their most important asset. I knew I wanted to drive change from within rather than just fighting issues on the outside.

My first major initiative was helping a mid-sized transportation company establish its HR department. My team and I created policies that comply with state and federal laws, designed a new compensation system, and developed robust onboarding and exit processes. We also launched a leadership development program that leveraged real case law to spark dialogue and co-create best practices—an approach that quickly began transforming the culture from the maintenance team to senior leadership.

Recognizing that effective leadership development balances theory with practice, I became an organizational consultant, deploying a scholar-practitioner model. Over time, I created mid-manager and senior-level leadership development programs, coached executives, and trained thousands of employees across a 12,000-person organization. In parallel, I taught and directed graduate leadership programs, led professional development for academic institutions, and earned my doctorate in human development and organizational systems. These experiences culminated in the People-Forward Leadership™ framework—a model designed to foster growth, well-being, and sustainable success for both individuals and organizations.

 A key passion throughout my journey has also been advocating for female leaders, helping them overcome societal pressures and internal limiting beliefs that hold them back from excelling in their careers. This commitment led me to serve as a faculty member in Smith College’s Executive Education program, where I continue to support the advancement of emerging and senior women leaders.

Over the years, I’ve been honored with multiple accolades, including the Brandon Hall Group Human Capital Management Excellence Award, which reflects our firm’s dedication to fostering inclusive cultures and better workplace experiences. After a decade, I remain proud to be an award-winning leader in people-centered strategies, elevating individuals, transforming organizational cultures, and building workplaces where everyone can thrive.

Today, we’re returning to our roots: empowering mid-size to large organizations to adopt a People-Forward Leadership™ approach. We’re here to help you create a culture where people matter—and where every employee can do their best work.


Our Team

Meet the Experts Driving Our People-Forward Vision Every Day

Gayle Morihara

Career Development & Management

Gayle has extensive experience in human resources, recruiting, and customer service within the healthcare and hospitality sectors and excels in guiding individuals to discover and excel in their optimal career paths by highlighting future-ready capabilities.

Cathy Council

DEIBA & Executive Leadership Coach

With a wealth of experience in leadership development and DEIBA across the insurance and tech industries, Cathy excels at fostering inclusive leadership and nurturing diverse talents and positioning organizations for innovative success and cultural growth.

Duane Leckey

Executive Leadership & Mindset Coach

Duane is a certified leadership coach and seasoned business executive, leveraging his extensive corporate and executive leader in Fortune 100 companies focusing on empowering leaders and high-achieving professionals to realize their fullest potential.

Nancy Marmolejo

DEIBA, DISC, Leadership & Team Development

Nancy is a highly skilled coach and facilitator who works to unleash the power of workplace teams by fostering collaboration, building a diverse and inclusive leadership pipeline, boosting productivity, and creating a psychologically safe workplace.

Galia Pennekamp

Leadership Development & Executive Coaching

Using her over 25 years experience in the nonprofit, academic, and corporate sector, Galia helps bring positive change to organizations by developing leaders in strategic, effective, and human ways through strategic execution, talent development, and training. 

Sheena Eizmendiz

Leadership & Wellness Coach

Sheena is a strategic advisor and facilitator on the topics of emotional intelligence, DEI, leadership, and resilience. She is an influential advisor in the corporate world for Fortune companies and has over 24 years of working with CEOs of multi-million dollar companies and political leaders.

Latrice Morrison

Career and Leadership Development

Latrice brings 15+ years of diverse expertise in Human Resources, Career Development, and Leadership Development across business sectors, industries, and diverse populations. She excels in quickly building rapport and strong partnerships with clients and business leaders at all organizational levels.

Alfa Saingan

Operations Coordinator

Michelle Roy

Digital Media Manager

Nicholas Terhune

Multimedia & Podcast Editor

Roxet Mauren Curaraton

Marketing & PR Specialist


In case you're looking for the "official" stuff...

Education

 

PhD, Human & Organizational Development, Fielding Graduate University

Identity and Leadership Development and Implications for Organizational Change.

JD, Employment & Labor Law, IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law

Labor and Employment Practices, Discrimination Litigation, Mediation & Negotiation

BA, Communications, Loyola University

Organizational Communication and Public Speaking

MA, Organizational Development, Change & Leadership, Fielding Graduate University

Management Development Program, Harvard University Graduate School of Education

Certified Psychological Safety Practitioner, The Fearless Organization

Certified DISC Consultant, PeopleKeys

Certified EQ-i 2.0 and EQ360, EITC

Master Certified Leadership Coach, The Life Coach School

Associate Certified Coach, ICF

Certified Senior Professional Career Coach, International Association of Career Coaches

Certified Career Transition Specialist, CTL Consortium

Certified Personal, Executive, and Professional Coach, CaPP Institute

Certified Salary Negotiation Specialist, Career Planning Academy

Certified Personal & Digital Branding Strategist & 360Reach Analyst, Career Thought Leaders Consortium

Certified Image Consultant, AICI

Licensed Fashion Feng Shui® Master (one of 14 in the World)

Experience & Awards

 

Member of Forbes Coaches Council

Invitation-only community of leading business and career coaches

Entrepreneur Leadership Network

Invitation-only community of leading business leaders and consultants

Expert Member of Newsweek Expert Forum 

Invitation-only community of thought leaders and experts in their industry

Harvard Business Review Advisory Council

An opt-in research community of business professionals assembled to enhance the overall content.

27+ Years Experience in Executive Leadership

Practicing Employment Attorney, Assoc. VP of Human Resources, Director of Professional and Diversity Development, Organizational Consultant, Executive Coach, Associate Professor, Graduate Program Director, Associate Dean

Built a multiple 6-figure diversity and organizational development consulting practice.

Built and managed a nationally recognized and awarded quarter-million-dollar retail sales business with over 100+ sales reps and team leaders.

Brandon Hall Group™ HCM Excellence Award, Bronze for Diversity and Inclusion

Enterprising Women, Enterprising Women of the Year Award

WOCIP Disrupter Award

Impact Company of the Year Award, DotCom Magazine

Female Entrepreneur to Look Out For, Entrepreneurs Herald

Women of Distinction Award Nominee, Washington State University

Villager Award, Afram Global Organization, Inc.

Iris Woman of Achievement Award, Greater Vancouver Chamber

Features & Publications

 

TEDx Speaker

Dent Conference Speaker

International Keynote Speaker

3x #1 Amazon Best-Selling Author

Brand Ambassador for Chico's, Madison Reed, and Catherine's Clothing

Monthly Segment on ABCs KATU AM Northwest Morning Show

Past Editor-in-Chief of the AICI Global Magazine

Past "Dress Code" Columnist for the Vancouver Business Journal

LA Talk Radio Co-Host, the Forever Fierce Show

Featured interviews with Natasha Gregson Wagner (creator of the fragrance Natalie) and Amy Errett, CEO of Madison Reed

Also Seen In:

Forbes, Newsweek, Entrepreneur, PopSugar, Thrive Global, Emerge Women's Magazine, Who What Wear, DARE Magazine, The Columbian, Oregonian, Huffington Post, Sisters of AARP and various other podcasts, newsletters and websites.

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